Searches Search for a Home Open Houses Foreclosure What's My Home Worth? Financing HSA Home Warranty New Construction Search for an Agent GoHome Login Search Our Affiliates SELECT A CITY Des Moines area All Metro DSM --------- AdelAltoonaAnkenyBondurantCarlisleCliveDallas CenterDes Moines EastDes Moines N.EastDes Moines N.WestDes Moines S.EastDes Moines S.WestDes Moines WestDesotoDowntownGrangerGrimesIndianolaJohnstonLeonNorwalkPleasant HillPolk CityUrbandaleVan MeterWaukeeWest Des MoinesWindsor HeightsWinterset---------AckleyAckworthAdairAdelAftonAgencyAinsworthAlbiaAlbionAlburnettAldenAlgonaAllemanAllertonAltaAltonAltoonaAmesAnamosaAndrewAnitaAnkenyAplingtonArcadiaAredaleArionArispeArthurAspinwallAthelstanAtkinsAtlanticAuburnAudubonAvocaBadgerBagleyBankstonBarnes CityBarnumBassettBattle CreekBaxterBayardBeaconBeaconsfieldBeamanBeaverBedfordBelle PlaineBelmondBennettBentonBerkleyBertramBevingtonBirminghamBlairsburgBlairstownBlakesburgBlanchardBlencoeBlocktonBloomfieldBlue GrassBodeBonaparteBondurantBooneBoonevilleBoutonBoxholmBradgateBrandonBraytonBredaBridgewaterBrittBrooklynBuck GroveBuckeyeBusseyCallenderCambridgeCantrilCarbonCarlisleCarrollCarsonCarter LakeCaseyCastanaCedar FallsCentervilleCentral CityCharitonCharles CityChelseaChillicotheChurdanCincinnatiClareClarionClarksvilleClearfieldCleghornClemonsClioCliveClutierCoalvilleCoburgCoggonColesburgColfaxCollinsColoColumbus CityColumbus JunctionConesvilleConradCoon RapidsCoralvilleCorningCorydonCotterCouncil BluffsCraigCrawfordsvilleCrescentCrescoCrestonCromwellCumberlandCummingCurlewCylinderDakota CityDallas CenterDanaDanburyDanvilleDawsonDaytonDe SotoDedhamDeep RiverDefianceDelawareDelhiDelphosDeltaDenisonDerbyDes Moines EastDes Moines N.EastDes Moines N.WestDes Moines S.EastDes Moines S.WestDes Moines WestDesotoDexterDiagonalDikeDoudsDow CityDowntownDrakesvilleDuncombeDunkertonDysartEagle GroveEarlhamEarlyEast PeruEddyvilleElberonEldonEldoraElk HornElkhartEllstonEllsworthEmmetsburgEvansdaleExlineFairfieldFarnhamvilleFergusonFlorisFondaFontanelleFort DodgeFraserFremontGaltGalvaGarden GroveGarnerGarrisonGarwinGenevaGibsonGilbertGilbertvilleGilmanGilmore CityGladbrookGlenwoodGliddenGowrieGrand JunctionGrand RiverGrangerGrantGravityGrayGreenfieldGrimesGrinnellGriswoldGrundy CenterGuernseyGuthrie CenterHalburHamiltonHancockHarcourtHardyHarlanHarperHartfordHartwickHarveyHavelockHaverhillHayesvilleHazletonHedrickHollandHubbardHudsonHumboldtHumestonHuxleyIda GroveIndependenceIndianolaIowa CityIowa FallsIrwinJamaicaJanesvilleJeffersonJesupJewellJohnstonJolleyKalonaKamrarKellertonKelleyKelloggKentKeomahKeomah VillageKeosauquaKeotaKeswickKeystoneKimballtonKinrossKirkmanKirkvilleKironKnierimKnoxvilleLa Porte CityLaconaLadoraLake CityLake MillsLake PanoramaLake ViewLakesideLakewoodLambs GroveLamoniLamontLanesboroLarrabeeLaurelLaurensLe GrandLe RoyLeandoLehighLeightonLeonLewisLiberty CenterLidderdaleLincolnLindenLisbonLiscombLittleportLohrvilleLorimorLoviliaLucasLutherLuzerneLynnvilleLyttonMacksburgMadridMalcomMallardManchesterManillaManningMansonMarathonMarble RockMarengoMarneMarshalltownMartensdaleMartinsburgMarysvilleMassenaMaxwellMccallsburgMechanicsvilleMelbourneMelcherMelcher-DallasMelroseMenloMeserveyMillersburgMillertonMiloMinburnMingoMissouri ValleyMitchellvilleMonroeMontezumaMonticelloMontourMoorlandMoraviaMorrisonMount AuburnMount AyrMount SterlingMurrayMysticNashuaNemahaNevadaNew HamptonNew HartfordNew ProvidenceNew SharonNew VirginiaNewhallNewtonNorth EnglishNorth WashingtonNorwalkNorwayNumaOakland AcresOelweinOgdenOkobojiOllieOnawaOnslowOrchardOrientOsceolaOskaloosaOtherOthoOttumwaOwasaPackwoodPaloPanamaPanoraPanorama ParkParkersburgParnellPatonPattersonPellaPerryPersiaPeruPetersonPiersonPilot MoundPioneerPlanoPleasant HillPleasant PlainPleasantvillePloverPocahontasPolk CityPomeroyPopejoyPrairie CityPrescottProlePromise CityPulaskiQuasquetonRalstonRandallRandolphRathbunRaymondReadlynReasnorReddingRedfieldReinbeckRembrandtRenwickRhodesRichlandRinardRippeyRockfordRockwellRockwell CityRolandRolfeRose HillRossieRowanRowleyRoyalRuddRunnellsRussellRyanSac CitySaint AnthonySalemSandyvilleSaylorvilleSchallerSchleswigScrantonSearsboroSeymourShannon CitySharpsburgSheffieldShelbySheldahlShellsburgSidneySigourneySioux RapidsSlaterSomersSouth EnglishSpring HillSt. AnthonySt. CharlesSt. Mary'SSt. MarysSt. PaulStanhopeStanleyStantonState CenterSteamboat RockStorm LakeStory CityStoutStratfordStuartSullySutherlandSwaledaleSwanTamaTempletonTennantThayerThorThornburgTingleyTraerTruesdaleTruroUdellUnderwoodUnionUnionvilleUniversity ParkUnknownUrbanaUrbandaleValeriaVan HorneVan MeterVan WertVarinaVenturaVictorVilliscaVincentViningVintonWalfordWalkerWall LakeWalnutWapelloWaterlooWaukeeWaukonWaverlyWebsterWebster CityWeldonWellmanWellsburgWest BendWest BranchWest ChesterWest Des MoinesWest LibertyWestphaliaWestsideWhat CheerWhittemoreWhittenWilleyWilliamsWilliamsburgWilliamsonWindsor HeightsWinfieldWintersetWiotaWoodbineWoodburnWoodwardWoolstockYaleZearing HOUSE NUMBER and/or STREET NAME ZIP CODE ID NUMBER AGENT LAST NAME SEARCH AFFILIATES

Selling Information

Seller's Handbook: Showing Your Home

Preparing for Showing

A home that stands out from similar houses on the market is the home that sells. A good first impression lasts - and gets offers fast!

You may not be able to improve the market value of your house by finishing the basement or remodeling the kitchen. But you can improve its marketability. How? "Clean up, fix up and toss out." Look at your house from a potential buyer's perspective. In fact, if you visit some open houses, you'll probably pick up some pointers. Make your home as appealing and uncluttered as the home you wish to buy.

Home Buyer's Guide T-III

This exclusive, computerized real estate information system benefits both sellers and buyers. Buyers can look at houses on the market, inside and out. Our staff photographer takes photos of the exterior of our home, and many agents submit interior photos as well. This prescreening effectively reduces the number of showings to "marginally interested" buyers, and ensures that your home is shown to only interested and financially pre-qualified buyers.

Leave the Selling to Us

While you are preparing your home to be shown, your Prudential First Realty sales associate is "spreading the word" that your property is available. This listing is promoted to two groups: other real estate agents and the buying public.

Approximately 60% of all buyers come from referrals between brokers and their vast network of contacts. About 10% of buyers come from inquires stimulated by "FOR SALE" yard signs. The remaining 30% come from advertising and other promotions, including open houses. Let us sell your home!

When your home is to be shown, we will always attempt to make an appointment with you, giving you as much advance notice as possible. To help the best impression, we suggest you:

• Turn on all your lights, including the outside entrance, even during the daytime.
• Turn off the TV.
• Ask a friend to keep pets, especially during your Open House.
• Put out your best towels, tablecloths and other accessories.
• Make sure there's a property profile folder visible, with the data sheet on utilities, features and other details about the house.
• If you're home when the prospects arrive, greet them politely and then excuse yourself. Having too many people around during the showing may make the potential buyers feel like an intruder, making it difficult for the selling agent and buyers to be at ease. Leave the selling to us.

Return to Main Seller's Handbook
Peace of Mind	|	Getting Your House on the Market	|	Showing Your Home	|	Offers and Contracts	|	Closing Details