In this candid episode of How to Sell Your Atlanta Home with Sage & Grace, Judy Jernigan sits down with fellow agent Kristy Kadolph to swap real‑world stories about what truly influences buyers during home showings. From cockroaches and moldy showers to forgotten bottles of champagne in the fridge, the pair reveal the quirky details that can turn a buyer off or make a house unforgettable for all the right reasons. This summary highlights the practical lessons, expert tips and supporting research for sellers who want to win buyers’ hearts-and offers additional resources and feedback from clients.
Photos and videos can’t tell buyers how a house feels or smells. During a showing, serious buyers mentally “move in”-imagining their furniture in your living room and their kids playing in your backyard. First impressions happen fast: a cluttered entryway or unpleasant odours can make buyers lose interest before they see the rest of the home. Making every room feel clean, neutral and welcoming increases the chances of capturing a buyer’s imagination and securing a strong offer.
Deep cleaning is essential. Buyers notice kitchens, bathrooms, floors and windows first; a dirty house makes them wonder what else has been neglected. Clean like your mother‑in‑law is visiting, remove trash, and never leave dirty dishes in the sink.
Declutter relentlessly. Pack away family photos, children’s artwork and fridge magnets; anything that makes a space look crowded should go. Cluttered storage areas-like overstuffed closets and garages-prevent buyers from seeing how much space your home truly has.
Fix small issues. Repair squeaky doors, leaky faucets and worn hardware. These minor fixes prevent buyers from assuming larger problems are lurking.
Neutralize odours at the source. Bad odours are an immediate deal‑breaker. They often signal hidden problems like mold, pet damage or old carpets. Deep cleaning and using an air purifier is more effective than masking smells with candles or artificial fresheners.
Use subtle scents. A fresh, clean scentthink lemon or vanilla-signals that a home is well cared for, but avoid strong fragrances that make buyers suspect you’re hiding something. Pleasant aromas evoke positive memories and create an inviting atmosphere, whereas unpleasant smells deter buyers.
Minimize noise. Buyers focus better when the environment is quiet. Fix squeaky windows and doors, and use sound‑dampening materials if needed.
Maximize natural light. Homes with abundant natural light feel more inviting and spacious. Open curtains, trim overgrown trees and consider mirrors to reflect light. Remove heavy or dark curtains that block light and replace burnt‑out bulbs. Soft, warm artificial lighting creates a cozy atmosphere, while harsh lighting can feel stark.
Control the temperature. Extreme heat or cold makes buyers assume the HVAC system is faulty or the home is poorly insulated. Keep the home comfortably between 70‑72 °F; adjust the thermostat about an hour before showings so buyers linger longer.
Depersonalize your space. Buyers need to picture their own life in the home; personal décor like diplomas or children’s artwork distracts them. Staging with neutral furnishings lets buyers imagine their belongings fitting seamlessly into the space.
Hide evidence of pets. Pet damage and odors are red flags. Remove pet beds, toys and food bowls; clean carpets and take pets with you during showings. Buyers will worry about scratched floors or soiled carpet if they see signs of animals.
Leave the house. Buyers struggle to envision themselves in a home if the current owner is present-it makes them feel like they’re invading someone else’s space. Sellers who stay during showings can unintentionally overshare or react defensively to criticism, which can derail negotiations. Clean the house and then head out so buyers can speak freely and connect emotionally.
Curb appeal counts. First impressions start at the street. Tidy the yard, plant seasonal flowers and power‑wash siding. A fresh front door colour and a new welcome mat set a positive tone.
Stage for impact. Professional staging helps buyers visualize how their lives would unfold in the spacer. Highlight the kitchen by clearing counters and showcasing attractive features like granite countertops. Use neutral bedding and minimal décor in bedrooms to create a relaxing retreat.
Check temperature and scents just before showings. Open windows briefly for fresh air and set a comfortable temperature.
Kristy Kadolph is a Realtor with Sage & Grace Realty Group. Her deep knowledge of buyer psychology and years of experience showing homes across Metro Atlanta help her identify the small details that influence buyer reactions. In the episode, Kristy shares true stories-from cockroaches and moldy showers to forgotten champagne bottles-and explains why small oversights can lead to lost offers. Her Instagram account @kristykadolphrealtor showcases staging ideas and local market insights.
If you found these insights helpful, explore other episodes and articles that complement this topic:
Looking for expert guidance on selling your home in Atlanta? Judy Jernigan and the Sage & Grace Realty team offer personalized consultations and deep market knowledge:
Schedule a listing consultation or chat directly via Judy’s Calendly.
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Judy’s clients consistently praise her professionalism and results. One recent review notes that she “stayed on top of every detail and kept us up to date on offers and closings,” helping a buyer close quickly. Another client says Judy’s dedication and knowledge got their home sold within 24 hours of staging at full price-a testament to the power of the strategies discussed in this episode.
Selling a home is as much about psychology as it is about price. By focusing on cleanliness, subtle scents, natural light, comfortable temperatures and a neutral palette, you create an environment where buyers can picture their own story unfolding. Pair these tips with professional marketing and expert guidance from the Sage & Grace team, and you’ll be well on your way to a smooth, profitable sale.
Transcript
[Judy] And then he poured champagne from the refrigerator directly into his water bottle. Not to mention the underwear hanging from the ceiling fan. What home buyers and their agents wish home sellers knew before showings. In the next episode of How to Sell Your Atlanta Home with Sage and Grace, that's what we're going to share. I'm joined by my co-host, Christy Cadoff. This episode of How to Sell Your Atlanta Home with Sage and Grace, smart homeowner strategies, successful real estate sales. We're going to dive into some of the horror stories we have had as buyer's agents, so we can help better advise our home sellers. Selling a home isn't just about putting up a for sale sign. It's about strategy, marketing, and negotiation. But how do you know if you're making the right moves? I'm Judy Jernigan, recognized among the top 5% by the Atlanta Realtors and your host of How to Sell Your Atlanta Home with Sage and Grace, smart homeowner strategies, successful real estate sales. With a background in broadcasting, negotiation, and education, I bring a unique perspective to home sales, helping homeowners sell faster for top dollar and with less hassle, while understanding not just the financial side, but also the logistical and emotional considerations of a move. This show helps you plan ahead, navigate the market, and work more effectively with a realtor like me. You'll get expert insights from my guests, plus real actionable strategies to sell with confidence. Now here's the show, moving you forward with Sage advice and Grace. Thanks for being here today. Thank you for having me. This is going to be fun. Yes, so you have, you and I both help people sell their homes. Yeah. And we help people when they're buying homes. So we have lots of experience out showing homes to our buyer clients. And sometimes those showings go better than other times. [Kristy] Definitely. And I would like to note too, that because we do represent buyers and sellers, we have that perspective of both sides, rather than just being, let's say, a listing agent. Sometimes if you get into that listing agent role, where you're only taking on listings, you either forget about certain facets of being a buyer's agent or the buyer experience. So I just, I wanted to note that as well. [Judy] Yeah, doing both keeps us sharp on both sides. It's always good to be able to put yourself in someone else's shoes for showings, for negotiations, for so much of what we do. Definitely. So tell me about some showings that you've had with your buyer clients that didn't maybe go the way the seller, the homeowner would have hoped. [Kristy] I think I'll start with the first horror story that I think is most shocking, is making sure that all parties in the house. So if you have kids, let's say teenage kids, making sure that you alert them of showings. And so if they're in the home, making sure that they know that buyers are coming by. I had a client or, you know, we were going into a home and in the basement, there were two bedrooms, pitch black. And I just knew that there were people sleeping down there. And there were. And so my clients, I mean, they were so uncomfortable that they ran out of the house. Like without me, like they were gone. They're like, this is so uncomfortable. I feel so weird. And so they left. I don't think that they could even remember one thing about the home. That experience overshadowed their entire, you know, vibe. [Judy] Yes, I've had that too. [Kristy] So it was just heck no. [Judy] We've gone into homes and as far as we know, it's vacant or we haven't been given any other instructions. And I opened the front door and the curtains are all drawn. It's all dark. And there's people sitting there or sleeping there in the dark, like on the sofa in the living room. And it's like, this is just strange and awkward. So, yeah, trying. I mean, it's OK. Some people do like work night shift or whatnot. And so if you let us know ahead of time that someone's going to be in this particular room sleeping, maybe don't go in there. If you don't have to sort of thing, we can figure it out. But just and the bigger picture is ideally no one should be at home. At home, the seller's family needs to try to leave themselves and their pets so that the people who are potential home buyers can come and look around and speak at their at their leisure. [Kristy] Definitely. I think going off of that, too, I've had a seller that was home for the showing, but they followed us to every single room. And, you know, of course, talked about different points that they thought were important selling points. But it just made for an awkward interaction. And, you know, my clients were just uncomfortable with the whole thing. [Judy] They are. Yeah, I've had where home this was recently the home sellers stayed on the front porch and it's still that's not quite enough. Even as we were walking out, they're like, do you have any questions? What can we help you with? And they were trying to be nice. They were very nice, but it just doesn't work. All the communication should go through the agent. What I do love is leave a list on the kitchen counter of anything you want to share, why you've loved living in the home, updates that you've made, any special points you want to make. Just leave a short little bulleted list on the kitchen counter. That way you can make sure that people walking through have access to that info. Right. Definitely. That same house, they had cameras in every room and people have video doorbells. They're ubiquitous. I get it. The nursery may have a baby, a crib camera, a monitor, but cameras in every room. We always tell her by our clients, people may be listening, may be talking. Let's be aware of that. We're not going to talk about any offer strategy, but still my clients need to be able to tell me what they like or don't like about a home. And with the cameras, it made my clients just really uncomfortable. They wouldn't talk to me. They wouldn't talk to each other. They just couldn't feel freely. You just felt like we were being watched and we probably were, or maybe we weren't, but with the camera is in every room, it was too much. [Kristy] That clouds the experience because you're only focused on that. You're feeling so uncomfortable that you can't even see the house. Exactly. You leave and same with agents. We leave and we're like, I don't even remember what this bedroom looked like because you're in that. [Judy] It distracts them and makes it hard for them to see the home for its potential. We should try to reassure people that the real estate agents who bring people into homes are responsible for making sure that the people don't touch anything, that they shouldn't be touching and keeping the property safe. Meanwhile, we talk with our home sellers about pre-packing any valuables and that sort of thing, but you really don't need security cameras for security purposes. We mentioned going into the dark home, maybe because someone's sleeping. Sometimes the curtains are just drawn. Sometimes the lights won't turn on. Have you ever had that? Yes. You're trying every switch. [Kristy] It doesn't give the best look either because is the electrical, what's going on there? Are there problems with the place? Then it's just dark. Can't even see it. [Judy] When you live in a home, you may want the privacy and the coziness from the curtains drawn and the mood lighting, but when we are out with home buyers, what do you find they respond to best? [Kristy] Light. People want to see the natural light as well that they get. Even during different parts of the day, I had clients that want to go back in the morning and in the afternoon and then evening to really see how the light filters through the space. [Judy] Exactly. Open up those curtains, pull up the Venetian blinds or the plantation shutters, open them, and turn all the lights on if you can. Make sure all the lights work, like you said, and warm lighting does way better than blue. Yes. You know what I'm talking about? [Kristy] Well, also, you're saying when you go into a dark space, if it's also cold, the temperature is cold, that also is off-putting. [Judy] Yes. I did an open house once where I think it was the gas had been turned off and it was a gas furnace and they didn't think about... This is Georgia, so the dead of winter, sometimes it's not cold, but this day was cold. I could see my breath in the house and I was trying to do an open house and people just couldn't even enjoy, look around. At the same point, they couldn't really focus on the property because it was so cold inside of their winter coat, hat, gloves. I couldn't take them off. I'm like, welcome to our open house. Look around. They're watching your breath as you talk. For any showings, you need to have the temperature where it should be. Yes. If you have to move out, leave the heat on, leave the electricity and the water. If at all possible, have the heat and the gas and the water still on. Yes. I needed a bucket once. I was showing a home that was vacant. It had been winterized. The water had been turned off and there was a little boy with us. He was three years old and he had to use the restroom when we were at the house. His parents were like, is it okay if he uses the restroom? It's an emergency. Little kids, you got to go. You got to go. I said, sure. No problem. Well, the water was turned off. Yes. We went to the neighbor's house and I borrowed a bucket and we were able to flush the commode and everything's fine. The things we do. Oh my goodness. I haven't had that yet. Stay tuned. You've heard this story of mine before. One of the first buyer clients I ever worked with went into a home and opened up the refrigerator, which that's fine to look at the refrigerator, especially if the appliance is conveyed with the property. He saw an open bottle of champagne and poured himself a glass. He was celebrating the potential of this home. I was shocked, mortified. I've never had anything since happen like that. It's totally uncommon, but I fired him on the spot. We had a signed working together agreement and I literally tore it in half. I was like, I am not letting you into any more homes. No, because that's a representation of you. I was so embarrassed. It was awful. And that is very, very uncommon. But it is a good reminder to our home sellers to repack what you can. Alcohol, prescription, medication is a big one. Of course, firearms, of course, cash. We do keep a really close eye on our clients. Buyers, agents do when they're letting buyers through homes. But go ahead and resist the temptation, right? [Kristy] Right, don't have it available. Off topic from alcohol related things. One of the big things that is way more common that I see is in the state of Georgia, cockroaches. All over. So you walk in, again, you said vacant. There's nothing in the home except the cockroaches. Typically they're dead, which shows maybe they have some type of pest control. That's positive. We'll take that. I have pointed that out to my clients before. Clearly there's something working here. Now we need to take the next step to dispose of said cockroach. So just one of those things, let's say you're not living in the state or you're already moved out. Having your agent, having a friend come over just to preview the house before showings, because that does leave a lasting memory. [Judy] For sure. [Kristy] It's just not ideal. [Judy] It is, Georgia. And we do have critters. Yeah, maybe a cleaner just once a month to come. Just check in on the place. Check in, yeah. Yeah, we've all seen, yeah, the critters. Ugh. I have had issues with locks being locked out. So I was previewing a home for a client. So I was by myself at a new listing and I stepped from the kitchen out on this back deck that was at least two stories up off the ground and the door locked behind me. So I'm locked out on the deck with mosquitoes and sweltering heat. Why would the door work like that? Fortunately, I had my cell phone. I was able to call someone to come and rescue me. [Kristy] But you would have been stuck on that deck. [Judy] And I've had, as far as having locks too, I've also had some clients, a family. I was from another country. So they spoke another language and we were looking at a home and I was with the mom and dad and they had like a three-year-old and a six-year-old child. The three-year-old somehow locked himself in a bedroom and was pretty upset about it. And his six-year-old brother was like trying to shout instructions to him in a different language. And the parents had seen keys hanging in the kitchen and were trying to see if those keys would unlock the door. And of course they probably weren't bedroom keys, but it was just, I'm not sure what a seller could do about that. But just having the keys to every door that people may want to enter. Yes. Like we often are there wanting to go out on the back deck, but it's got one of those dead bolts where you need the key and there isn't there. It's like, how do we show your beautiful back deck to our buyer clients if the key isn't there? [Kristy] Right. Or you're like awkwardly holding on to the door and letting them go out. But then you're like, I can't let this thing close because I don't know if I will be able to get back in. So you're like got one toe in between the door. Yeah. Just having everything, all of the keys in one spot is really helpful. [Judy] What about getting in the front door or just finding the lockbox, getting in? [Kristy] That's always like a challenge I feel. So have the lockbox in an obvious, like when you even pull up that you can see, okay, it's at the front door. And if it's not, then like instructions on where to find that. [Judy] And I've had the key that's in the lockbox by the front door, the key not actually work for the front door. Me too. And sometimes the key is like brand new, like they just had it made, which is understandable, but no one tested it and it doesn't work because sometimes new keys don't work. And sometimes it'll open the side door, but whatever tells you that. [Kristy] I had a key. It was one of those that they took to, you know, key one, two, three, whatever, easy copies. And so I went in to open the door, the key worked, but the key cracked and crumbled. Like it was that thin. So I had to call the agent and say, the key is cracked in the front door. And the sellers were not happy with that. But I'm like, I, it's not like I have some insane super strength here. If anyone behind you would have done the same, it's not like I'm like, right? Like this is a universal thing. [Judy] Besides the critters, what else have you seen as far as cleanliness or lack thereof? [Kristy] Oh yeah. Making sure like the bathtub, the toilets are just nice and clean. [Judy] Oh my gosh, the commodes aren't flushed. Oh really? For a showing? [Kristy] Yeah. Or you've got like the scum in the, in the shower tub. It's just not as inviting. I had one where the shower was just running, right? So I had called the agent and said, just so you know that this is just dripping. Um, and there had been, it had been dripping for a long time and there was just mold all over the shower. [Judy] Again, the feeling that people want when they come into a home. We've had, uh, I've seen someone leave for a showing. So I'm thinking, thank you for leaving. But they left their sandwich and like they're open and their icy drink, like right there on the counter. Clearly they up and left in a hurry. Um, that was a little distracting, but not the worst thing we've seen. Um, dirty dishes. Yes. Um, refrigerators that smell really bad. [Kristy] Yeah. [Judy] Just had a few of those. [Kristy] Unplugging the refrigerator. And still having things in there. Like if, if you're just leaving, it's vacant and you unplug the fridge. That's what I had. And the smell of that refrigerator almost knocked us out. [Judy] Wow. [Kristy] I can still smell it. [Judy] So you'd think it'd go without saying, but it doesn't. Clean, clean, clean, clean. If you do nothing else to get your home ready to show, have it be clean. That's my number one tip. [Kristy] Yes. [Judy] It needs to be clean. It doesn't have to be new and updated with the fancy latest fancy decor or brand new bathrooms. It needs to be clean if you do nothing else. [Kristy] Yes. I think the next step of that, if you want to take it up one more notch is just the clutter. Yeah. Just trying to reduce some of that clutter. And I will say, like, for example, my kitchen table is like the dumping ground. So like your, your eyes, you no longer see the mess. Sometimes you're like, oh yeah, that whatever it is that just belongs on the kitchen. Like that's just normal now. Right. This is our life. When it's your own home. That's right. So we really need to be doing some of that decluttering. Yeah. [Judy] Pre-packing any collections, anything you don't need. Go ahead and get it stored and ready for your next home. I'm a big fan of like the pods, put things in a storage pod. And even if the pod's still in your driveway, that's okay. Even, or you can put boxes in your garage. I, what do you think? I feel like a garage full of boxes is in a decluttered home is better than an empty garage. Oh, definitely. Like I think if several boxes in a garage is okay, even better yet, if you can put it in a pod or a storage unit, but like about the pods is you can, you can move the pod to your new home and unload it there. So you don't have to unload into a storage unit, then back into a moving truck. [Kristy] Right. And when people see the boxes in the garage, let's say they're, I've had a lot of buyers say, oh, well like they're on it. They're actually really wanting to move because they're, they're packed up. So they're, they're very serious about selling. [Judy] What are some of the collections or things that you've seen people leave out and not prepack like dirty clothes, underwear. [Kristy] That's so awkward. Like the stuffed animal collections I've seen like the beanie babies. Yeah. [Judy] Those don't normally aren't going to help people, right. Fall in love with your home. Yeah. Try and think no other crazy collections though that I can think of. How about you? I have had someone was really into apparently like making these model, like Lego models that were really cool, but again, just a really big distraction. God forbid someone knocked into those during a showing. And then, and when people are still living in a home, like we understand there's going to be some of your things there and that's okay. There's going to be some kids toys and that's okay. Try to corral them all into one corner or one spot or one room. That helps a lot. But personal things like your undergarments and just things that get really personal, even personal photos can just be a really big distraction. What's your thought on that? [Kristy] I think definitely prepack. [Judy] I think I have seen my buyer clients get distracted by personal photos, especially wedding pictures. Like, Oh, and even they're like, Oh, that looks so happy. That dress is beautiful. It's like, but that's not what they should be focusing on. They should be focusing on these lovely high ceilings and the things that really matter that are important to them. Like how spacious is this kitchen? It has all this cabinetry that you're looking for, not how pretty their wedding pictures were. So I think personal photos and anything religious, even any like sports teams can be polarizing to some people. That's true. [Kristy] That is true. You want people to visualize themselves in that space. It's true. Versus, you know, their home, their wedding, their pets through this, through that, that their life. So sometimes it's hard for people to say, Oh, well, I could live here when that's like the, the feeling that they have. [Judy] You and I both love pets. We both love dogs. I love all animals. Um, what do you think about pets during showings? [Kristy] You know, some people, I get that you can't always have them out of the home, but it is a little bit off putting if you hear the dog, which, you know, could be the nice dog in the world, but sounds terrifying. Like the bark is just very loud. Um, so if at all possible getting pets, um, out of the home. [Judy] Yeah, we, I had a show recently where my clients have dogs themselves. We love dogs. Um, there was a, a dog on the back deck barking at us the whole time we were in the home. And it again, just made it hard to appreciate the home. And we felt like we couldn't walk out on the back deck and see how great the deck was and see into the backyard. And it was just a really big missed opportunity to be able to appreciate that home and maybe see themselves living there. So yeah, if at all possible, the pets need to go. And that takes us also like, um, to smells. Smells are important, be it, um, um, wet dog smells you don't want. Obviously I've had, I've seen a lot of litter boxes over the years. Some smells good, some don't. Even the smell of cat litter itself, some people don't like. It's off-putting. Yeah. And it's, there's, it's, it's tricky. And we acknowledge that it's hard, um, but sometimes, um, yeah, if at all. Air it out. Air it out. Yeah. Open those windows in advance if possible. And that's, um, and even beyond pets, um, how things smell is important. So if you cook, if you like cooking things that are, have really strong smells, think about airing it out, doing a little bit less of that if you're trying to sell your home. Yeah, right before things actually. And I've had people, have you had where like, there's this overpowering air freshener smell when you walk in? What do your clients think when they? [Kristy] It's a lot. I've had clients leave houses and say, oh my God, I have a headache. [Judy] Or what are they hiding? [Kristy] Are they trying to cover up a smell? Yeah. [Judy] So. [Kristy] That is true. That is true. You know, you're gathering as much information as you can when you go into a house and smell is a big, it's a, you know, one of those pieces that help us make decisions. So people don't always think about. Like wetness, dampness. Like some people can walk in and say, oh, I know that there's water damage here. [Judy] Mm hmm. [Kristy] Right. [Judy] Yes. I'm going to be like, I can smell the moisture. Mm hmm. And so cigarette smoke or really any sort of smoke smells, any sort of cigarette smoke is not usually very well received. Yeah. [Kristy] No. [Judy] I have clients who won't even go beyond the front door if we open it and they, and they smell smoke smells, any sort of, yeah. [Kristy] Do you have any ideas on how to remediate some of that? [Judy] Yeah, that's tricky. If you're a listing agent, for example, like what would your advice be? Definitely have to stop smoking inside, take that outside, painting, fresh carpet. [Kristy] I know there's some companies that will come in and humigate, is that the word? The home? I think, yeah. Attempt to get rid of the smell, which I know some companies have, you know, very success with that. [Judy] I was showing home buyers, um, a townhouse that really liked the community. They were seeming to really like this particular townhome. We stepped out onto the back patio, backed up to some nice green trees, um, nice and shady and somewhat private, but being a townhome, there were patios on either side. And I believe there were privacy, like a privacy wall, but we could smell marijuana wafting over the wall for the people smoking next door. [Kristy] Yep. [Judy] And these people completely ruled out not only the home, but the whole community. And this just wasn't their jam. And in fact, it made her question whether she wanted to buy a home at all, because she'd be stuck with the neighbors that she may not like living next to in her mind. So yeah, it is tough because you don't have a whole lot of control over everything. Right. So there's some times you just have to acknowledge that, but it's an example of how smells can influence people. We were in a condo recently where, um, we, it was vacant. No one was living there. Um, so we were a little bit surprised when we got there that all the lights were on and it was full of furniture and there was music playing. And so it's, I start saying, hello, it's, um, Judy Jernigan, Sage and Gray, it's real estate. We have an appointment just because I thought we were walking in on someone, you know, hello, someone here. Um, no one was there. The agent had the list, the seller's agent had turned everything on and made it nice and bright and welcoming for us. Um, but we weren't expecting that. So we were called a little bit off guard. And then, so we were already a little bit on edge and we're walking around this small condo, two bedroom condo. And there are two or three big box freezers around the condo. And, um, and it smelled a little, um, unusual and just these big box freezers. My client who has a very good imagination was just picturing us in a horror movie and was like, why are there these big freezers? And it was, it was unusual. Did you get to the bottom of it? The, so yeah, so the, the seller's agent had turned the lights on for us and the music to make it more welcoming. And it turns out that the owner who had moved away had a successful kimchi business. And so I guess he was storing, yeah, making things in his home and storing them there in the home. And, but yeah, that is just a, it was a distraction. [Kristy] And she thought we, I don't know what she was, maybe, maybe like as a listing agent, if you know, something is, you know, out of the ordinary preparing, you know, the buyer's agent in advance. Exactly. That's all you need to do, but you have to have a great listing agent that knows when showings are happening and is aware of, you know, what may be, um, distracting to homebuyers. [Judy] Control the narrative. Right. Make sure that you control the narrative so that people understand what's going on and they're not distracted and they don't find these things off-putting. [Kristy] Definitely. [Judy] My personal home, the second, the first time that my husband and I bought together, this was many years ago, when we toured it, the homeowners had put a pot roast in a crock pot and the whole home smelled like this gorgeous pot roast. It smelled, it smelled like home. It smelled so good. And I'm not suggesting that's like the magic answer to everybody, but for us, it was, um, it was pretty powerful. Just even subconsciously. So funny. And you remember that years later. Holiday decorations. I've seen photos of Halloween, especially like big spiders on the kitchen window. And those just don't look good in your listing photos, nor do they translate really well to in-person showings. No. [Kristy] And you pray that it sells in October, let's say, but it gets to December and we got spiders. [Judy] On your listing photos. Right. So I, I suggest, yeah, taking down holiday decor, uh, certainly for the photos. Um, maybe for showings, a few tasteful pieces are okay, but. [Kristy] Yeah. Going for neutral, right? That's the goal. Yeah. [Judy] And especially like we talked about trying not to do too many personal things so people can see themselves living there, no matter what holidays they may celebrate. It's usually best just to let the home show off for itself and not distract people with holiday decor. Agreed. Yeah. I had a condo or a home this past year where the home buyer had an air quality test as part of their home inspection, which is very common. And there were higher levels of mold than, than are generally considered safe. So the home seller had to pay to have that mold mitigated and the mold mitigate professional said, this is all because the kitchen faucet, um, or the pipes under the kitchen sink were leaking and a little bit of mold and mildew grew under the kitchen sink. Because if the home seller had wiped that at that cabinet out really, really well. Wouldn't have. Sure. Wouldn't have any problems. That's according to the mitigation professional. [Kristy] Wow. So again, going back to keeping things clean and just knowing the state of all of your appliances and things that could be leaking, et cetera. And, and yeah, beyond that.