There are numerous things you should and shouldn’t do as you prepare for prospective buyers to tour your home. Just in case you have other ideas, remember (what should be) an obvious fact: Sellers should vacate the property while real estate showings are in progress. A buyer will not feel comfortable if you are sitting on the couch or tinkering in the garage while a tour is taking place.

Use this checklist for real estate showings

In the following two sections, you will find a list of dos and don’ts that you can implement as a seller to make the most of real estate showings: 

First, the don’ts: 

• Don’t leave dirty dishes or dirty laundry in sight.
• Don’t leave cat litter boxes, dog food, or other pet supplies where guests can see, smell or trip over them.
• Don’t close curtains and blinds.
• Don’t leave toys, gardening, or pool supplies lying around the yard. 

Your goal is to remove odors and provide a neat and tidy atmosphere. Even small rooms can feel spacious when natural light is pouring in and everything is in its place. 

Now, the dos: 

• Do play soft music (such as spa sounds) in the background.
• Do roll up store area rugs if underlying floors are a highlight feature of the home.
• Do wipe down walls and baseboards or apply a fresh coat of paint if needed.
• Do store personal photos, knick-knacks, and unnecessary items, such as dishcloths or hand towels in the kitchen. 
• Do make sure the lawn is mowed, and shrubs, flower beds, etc., are neatly trimmed.

You want buyers to feel comfortable and able to imagine themselves living in your home. If they’re tripping over your shoes and toys or smelling old food and dirty laundry, they will no doubt keep the visit short and move on to the next house on their list without giving yours a second thought. If you use this checklist for real estate showings, you can boost curb appeal and ensure that the rooms throughout the home are welcoming and pleasing to the eye. 

Most home searches begin online. If you like what you see, you might ask your buyer’s agent to schedule a viewing. Knowing what to ask can not only help you determine whether a specific house is a good fit for you but may even give you leverage when it comes to negotiating the price. 

Here’s what to ask when you’re buying a house

You might tour as many as three or more homes in a single day when you’re in the market to make a purchase. As you tour each home, make it a point to ask these questions: 

• When was the current roof installed?
• Are there any items inside or outside that do not convey to the sale?
• How old is the HVAC system and has it had any problems?
• Have there been any renovations, upgrades, or additions?
• When was the most recent survey of the property?
• Are there any easements (such as a shared driveway?
• Has the owner disclosed any problem issues, such as lead paint or asbestos?
• Are there any existing or past problems with the house?
• Why are the sellers moving?

While you might think that the answer to the last question on the list is none of your business, knowing why a seller is moving can be beneficial in several ways. For example, if a seller is moving to get away from the next-door neighbors, that might be a red flag. If someone is moving because they’re under a deadline to start a new job in another state, a swift sale might be desirable, which means you might be able to negotiate a lower price. 

Don’t forget to check the water pressure

While touring a home for sale, always check the water pressure. Do not test one faucet only. Check every spigot and toilet in the home. In fact, it’s best to turn on several faucets at a time to check whether pressure is greatly reduced during simultaneous usage. Low water pressure might not be a deal breaker; however, some issues may require costly repairs, so it’s best to learn as much as you can ahead of time about the water pressure before buying a house. 

What many people may not realize, however, is that rising gas prices have had a significant impact on the US housing market.  Recently published data from AAA cites that the average price for a gallon of gas throughout the country is $4 per gallon. Increased energy costs have a ripple effect across many sectors, including affordable housing. 

Rising gas prices have triggered a crisis for low-income rentals

The term “affordable housing” basically refers to homes that cost less than 30% of a household’s gross income. This includes utilities. The National Income Housing Coalition has stated that there are at least 11 million low-income households in the US. The Coalition has further stated that rising gas prices and energy crises have triggered a substantial deficit in the affordable housing supply, which places low-income households at risk. 

Rising gas prices present challenges for home building companies. Everything from powering equipment to transporting materials and workers, etc., costs more. This unfortunately means less affordable housing units due to the financial strain such companies are facing today. 

Buying versus renting

In many counties throughout the US, buying a home may be more economically feasible in the long run than renting. While renting may seem more practical for lower income households, this is often a short-term outlook. Buying a home can create long-term stability, especially with a fixed mortgage; there’s no risk of rent increase. 

Owing a home is an asset, and homeowners acquire “forced” savings due to equity. Prospective buyers must remember, however, that maintenance and upkeep become the responsibility of the homeowner. In a rental, this is the landlord’s responsibility. If rising gas prices have you concerned about whether to rent or buy a home, it’s helpful to speak with an experienced real estate agent, who can provide resources and information regarding the housing market in a specific South Carolina region.

Real estate horror stories typically include tales of buyers who were unable to secure a mortgage to fulfill their offer on a home. Imagine thinking all the wheels have been set in motion, and you’re just a few steps away from moving into your own new home, only to have it all come crashing down when you learn that your buyer’s loan didn’t go through. It’s a seller’s nightmare. 

Here’s why home sellers like cash offers

A cash offer is not a guaranteed best offer. Home sellers must understand the potential downsides of such offers, including the fact that many buyers who offer cash expect a discount, meaning a lower sales price. The following list, however, shows three benefits that make cash offers attractive to sellers: 

• There is no risk of a mortgage deal falling through.
• Cash sales are often able to close in two weeks or less.
• Buyers who offer cash may be willing to waive appraisals and inspections.

If you’re hoping for an expeditious process without contingencies, accepting a cash offer might help you achieve your goal. Keep in mind, however, especially if you have numerous offers on the table, it doesn’t necessarily mean the cash offer is, by default, the best. 

Consider other offers if you have buyers engaged in a bid war

If you have multiple buyers interested in purchasing your home, you’d be making a mistake to automatically accept a cash offer without first reviewing the others. In fact, you might have a buyer with a pre-approved mortgage who is willing to pay more than the list price to gain an edge over the other buyers. If your primary goal in selling is to make as large of a profit as possible, it would be wise to weigh your options. 

As mentioned in a previous section, closing on a cash offer may take place sooner than a mortgage-backed deal, which, in many cases, can take anywhere from 30 to 60 days. If you’re strapped for time when selling your home, then the cash offer might be the way to go. In short, accepting a lower offer (in cash) might be more beneficial than a higher, financed offer, if your priority is to close the deal as quickly as possible.

In fact, lenders are paying more attention to several additional issues rather than focusing solely on credit scores when deciding whether to grant approval for a mortgage loan. This means that while your credit rating is still a factor, it’s no longer the top consideration. If your financial patterns are up to par, you may still qualify for a loan. 

More important than credit scores when buying a house

When a lender is deciding whether to grant you a mortgage loan, you must prove that you’re worth the risk. As mentioned earlier, it used to be that credit scores were the main factor. Today, lenders typically review all your financial patterns to determine if you’re reliable when it comes to resolving debt. Here’s a list of things lenders pay attention to when considering you as a mortgage client: 

• How consistent you are in paying your bills
• Whether your debt balances stay the same, increase or decrease over time
• How well you handle recurring monthly expenses

While it’s possible that a lender may still set a minimum for credit scores (usually 620), it’s also possible that, if you have healthy financial patterns overall, a lender without a minimum might still consider approving your mortgage loan. 

Taking a home-buyer education course can be helpful

If you’re hoping to buy a home in 2026 and are not sure what healthy financial patterns should look like, it might be helpful to take a home-buyer education course. Such courses provide a basic overview of the home-buying process. You can also learn more about credit scores and how to compare loan options. 

The more you learn ahead of time, the more confident you might feel when buying a house. The time to ask questions is before you sign on the dotted line. Interest rates have dropped significantly in the past few years. A decent credit score and consistent, reliable financial patterns mean that you might be able to afford the home of your dreams in this year.

If you want to sell your home, you must create an environment that potential buyers see and want to make their own. Zillow published a study, which showed that outdoor kitchens, showers and entertaining spaces often result in houses selling for 3.1% more than expected. Likewise, Yelp reported on 2025 keyword search trends, showing a substantial increase on homesteading phrases, such as “building a chicken coop,” and “planting a nursery.”

You might sell your home faster if you have these things in your backyard

The following list is not extensive but provides a basic overview of outdoor living space amenities that might help you sell your home faster than you would without them: 

• Outdoor TV
• Outdoor shower
• Pizza Oven
• Chicken coop
• Garden space (for food, herbs and flowers)
• A smoker
• Specialty grill

Of course, having a patio, deck or other space that can accommodate furniture for entertaining guests is also a plus. An outdoor shower is particularly an asset for those whose homes are near the beach or that have a backyard swimming pool.  

What has caused these trends?

Back in 2020, when the covid pandemic was sweeping across the country, people began spending a lot more time outdoors. This is one likely reason that outdoor living spaces have become greatly sought after in real estate. Rising food costs have also contributed to the current interest in home-grown food and gardening. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should install a new grill or outdoor shower or chicken coop to sell your home. However, if it seems like an upgrade would boost sales, then it’s wise to consider the option; for instance, if you already have a swimming pool but don’t have an outdoor shower, it might be worth it to install one before listing the house on the market. 

Outdoor living space and amenities are key components in curb appeal, which should be a top priority for every seller. After seeing your home online, the “view from the curb” is the next thing buyers are going to see. The goal is to create an exterior environment that makes buyers want to go inside the house for a full tour. On the contrary, disregarding outdoor living space as an effective selling tool or worse, showing your home with a yard that looks disheveled might cause buyers to walk away before they ever cross the threshold. 

The idea of making a down payment makes a lot of potential buyers hesitant to make an offer on a home. There are misconceptions associated with the down payment process, including but not limited to how much of a payment is required. You might be surprised to learn that there are ways to buy a house without a lot of cash up front.

What is a down payment when purchasing real estate?

When you make a down payment on a home, you’re putting cash in toward the price of the house. Once your payment is deducted from the agreed-upon price, the amount leftover is how much you still owe on the home. This is typically the amount you would ask a mortgage lender to cover, after which you would begin making monthly payments (mortgage) to pay the lender back. 

You do not need to put down 20 percent

Many people shy away from the housing market because they mistakenly believe that they must pay 20% of the total price of the home as a down payment. While there are several benefits to making a substantial payment like this, it is not required. In fact, in some cases, such as for veterans of the U.S. military who are acquiring government-backed loans, a down payment is not necessary.

If you’re a first-time home buyer, you might be able to purchase a home in South Carolina with a down payment as low as 3 percent. If you do this, however, you should expect monthly mortgage payments to be much higher than they would if you’d put 10% or more down on the home. It’s always best to discuss such issues with a financial adviser ahead of time. 

What are the benefits of more money down?

If you make a large down payment on a new home, you might be able to secure a lower mortgage interest rate. This means that more of your monthly payment goes toward the principal of the loan and less goes toward covering interest fees. Lower down payments can result in higher mortgage interest rates, which means it might take longer to pay off the loan. 

Putting more money down also helps build up equity in your home a lot faster than a lower down payment might. To determine how much equity you have, take the value of your home and subtract the amount you still owe on the mortgage. The more money you put down on a house, the less you owe, which means you will have greater equity. Always consider all options and learn as much as you can about down payments, equity and mortgage loans before buying a house. 

Working with an experienced real estate team is the best way to learn more about how to prepare for a home sale, including things like curb appeal, staging the home for showings, and more. A good agent can alert you to specific maintenance pitfalls that might impede your chances of selling your house. 

Maintenance pitfalls ruin real estate deals

We mentioned curb appeal in the previous section. This phrase refers to the appearance and condition of the exterior of your home, as well as the property surrounding it. Keep the issues shown below in mind when assessing the maintenance condition of the exterior of your home: 

• Sagging roof or roof in state of disrepair
• Peeling paint
• Broken stairs
• Cracks or holes in driveway or walkways
• Broken or clogged gutters

It’s best to resolve these issues before putting your house on the market. If that’s not possible, let potential buyers know you plan to make repairs before it’s time for the home inspection.  

Fix these things before selling your house

Beyond the exterior of the home, there are several maintenance pitfalls on the inside that can scare buyers away. These include: 

• Water damage and plumbing problems
• Electrical issues
• HVAC components in need of repair
• Mold 
• Asbestos

Each of these issues can be expensive to resolve. Failing to make repairs not only places health and safety at risk but may undoubtedly deter interested parties from making an offer on your home. 

Take care of as much ahead of time as you can

Avoiding these common maintenance pitfalls helps decrease the time your home might stay on the market. Try to put yourself in a buyer’s shoes. Would you buy a house with a leaky roof, broken air conditioner, or peeling paint that might contain asbestos? Making repairs ahead of time makes it more likely to get an offer for the asking price. 

The foundation is the core of a home’s infrastructure. The issues mentioned in the previous section, as well as other noticeable problems like sagging ceilings or large cracks in the walls, are red flag issues when you’re considering making an offer on a house. Keep reading this post to learn about six other home buyer deal breakers that should make you think twice before signing closing documents. 

Don’t rush into an offer if you notice these home buyer deal breakers 

If you disregard the home buyer deal breakers included in the following list, you might wind up sinking a lot more money into a new home beyond the asking price: 

• The property has flooding issues, either inside or outside the house.
• The roof on the house is in bad shape.
• You’re looking at an older home, and the electrical system is outdated.
• Low water pressure, leaky pipes or damaged floors around a toilet suggest plumbing problems that might be expensive to repair.
• The homeowner did his or her own remodeling work, and you’re not sure it’s up to code.
• An appraiser issued a value that is much lower than the asking price on the house you want to buy.

Just because a home for sale has one or more of these issues, doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t buy it. However, all the problems mentioned in this post are potential home buyer deal breakers, especially if the seller refuses to make repairs or resolve the issue before going to close. 

How to determine if you should move forward on an offer or walk away

If the problems you discover while touring a house for sale in South Carolina are mostly cosmetic or are easily (and inexpensive) to resolve, it might still be worth your while to make an offer. On the other hand, if the seller isn’t willing to negotiate a solution, and if the issues at hand require major repairs (and a lot of money), it might be best to check out some other houses in the area instead. 

Don’t forget that selling a house means you’ll be moving, so solidifying your moving plan before putting up a sale sign in your yard is a good idea. Even if you haven’t scheduled a closing a new home yet, at least have logistics and finances figured out before inviting potential buyers to tour your current home. Set funds aside for moving expenses, know which truck company you’ll use (or have other vehicles available for moving), and pack up as much as possible to declutter the house and get it ready for showings. 

Consult this checklist before you list your home for sale

The following list provides basic steps to take before you list your home for sale:

• Make repairs and upgrades to avoid contingencies and haggling later.
• Find a listing agent who will work hard to help you accomplish your goals.
• Analyze your local real estate market and ask your agent to review comp sales to come up with a competitive list price for your home.
• Stage your home for showing; consider hiring a professional to do this.
• Take photos of your home and property; it’s also best to hire a professional for this.

It’s wise to avoid listing your home for sale until you’ve completed these tasks, especially if your current home is in disrepair or has issues that you know will cause problems with inspection. The more sale-ready you make your home ahead of time, the more swiftly it’s likely to move off the market. 

Why hire professionals for staging and photography?

Many sellers consider it a waste of time and money to hire a professional home stager or photographer when they’re listing a home for sale. Real estate analyses suggest otherwise, however. Professional home stagers know how to highlight a home’s special features, as well as how to make rooms appear spacious. They can create an atmosphere that enables buyers to imagine themselves living in the home. 

As for photography, most buyers initiate their search for a home online. There’s a big difference between professional photographs and those a seller might take with his or her cellphone. The more appealing your home and property look online, the more likely you are to get showings, which lead to offers, which will, hopefully, lead to a closing. Hiring professionals is often best when it comes to preparing to list your home for sale.