How Can I Make the Best First Impression when Selling my Home?
BY Scott Moore, Group Leader & Realtor | June 5, 2026Today, we’re getting into some of the real nitty-gritty of selling your home.
If you’re not seriously thinking about selling, this post probably isn’t for you. Feel free to carry on, and I’ll see you next week.
For those who are considering a sale, here are three details that may seem minor but can have a surprisingly big impact on the first impression your home makes.
1. Use a Lockbox, Not a Door Code
At The Moore Group, we invest in technologically advanced lockboxes that we provide to our clients.
The process is simple: your house key is placed inside the lockbox, and when a realtor arrives for a showing, they use a secure app to access the key.
As the listing agent, I receive a notification every time the lockbox is opened or closed. I can also log into the system at any time to see who accessed it and when.
Occasionally, homeowners prefer to provide a door code instead of using a lockbox. While it may seem convenient, there are several reasons why it’s usually not the best approach.
First, it’s not what realtors expect. Most buyer’s agents are showing several homes in a row and often arrive assuming there will be a lockbox. When they don’t find one, they may spend valuable time searching around the property before going back to the showing instructions and realizing a code was provided.
Eventually, they get inside but the interruption takes their focus away from what they should be doing: helping their clients see the value of your home.
Second, a lockbox provides useful information. We know exactly when a realtor arrived, who accessed the property, and how long they were there. That can be valuable feedback during the listing process.
Third, door codes have a tendency to travel. Realtors often print MLS sheets and make notes directly on them. If your front-door code ends up written beside your address and that document is misplaced, the wrong person could gain access to information they shouldn’t have.
In short, let’s just use a lockbox.
2. Avoid Using the Alarm During Showings
If you know me, you know this is one of my biggest pet peeves.
Yes, we can provide alarm codes to realtors. But will someone enter the code incorrectly, forget the alarm exists, or write the code down and leave it in their car? Absolutely.
In my experience, if an alarm is active while a home is listed, it gets accidentally triggered about once every five showings.
The inconvenience is obvious, but the bigger issue is that it can actively hurt your sale.
Instead of confidently opening the door and guiding their clients through the home, the realtor is suddenly dealing with a blaring alarm and a surge of stress.
The next five to ten minutes are often spent trying to reach the listing agent and figure out how to shut the system off—all while the alarm continues to ring.
Meanwhile, the buyers are either standing around awkwardly or wandering through the property on their own without the benefit of their realtor’s guidance and expertise.
By the time the situation is resolved, the momentum of the showing has been lost.
Whenever possible, leave the alarm off during showings.
3. Get the Temperature Right
We use every tool available to help your home make the best possible impression. One of the simplest and most overlooked, is the thermostat.
The goal is straightforward:
In summer, the home should feel cool and refreshing.
In winter, it should feel warm and inviting.
Before a showing, double-check your thermostat settings and consider adjusting the temperature by a degree or two beyond your normal comfort level.
A buyer’s first impression starts the moment they walk through the front door. A home that feels comfortable immediately creates a sense of welcome and that can make a bigger difference than many people realize.
The little details matter. When it comes to selling your home, creating the right first impression is often what turns a showing into an offer.