There is a moment—quiet, almost imperceptible—when a buyer pulls up, turns off the engine, and looks up at a home for the first time. Before they notice the countertops or the floor plan, before they imagine furniture placement or paint colors, they feel something. That feeling is the first impression. And it begins long before they cross the threshold.
When preparing your home for showings, think of it as inviting a stranger in as if they were family. You’re not just opening the door—you’re shaping how someone senses the space, and how it might feel to live there.
The story begins the moment they step out of the car.
The path to the door, a swept driveway, trimmed greenery, even the soft glow of a porch light—all of this signals care and sets a welcoming tone. These small gestures are hospitality in architectural form. They say, This home has been loved.
The front door is a pause between the outside world and what lies beyond. The handle’s smoothness, the sound of the hinges, the sight of a simple wreath or clean mat—all of this invites touch, sight, and subtle anticipation. When the door opens into a light-filled entry, the home begins to speak through every sense before a word is spoken.
Inside, light and a clean space tell a story. Sunlight stretches across floors, lamps soften corners, and a gentle breeze drifts in from an open window. These moments invite buyers to imagine mornings wrapped in warmth, evenings spent in quiet corners, meals shared in a welcoming kitchen. Even subtle scents such as freshly baked bread, citrus, or clean linens can linger in the memory longer than paint colors or furniture.
Preparing your home for showings is not about erasing personality; it’s about curating it.
A well-loved chair, a carefully styled shelf, a piece of art that sparks curiosity, these are details that invite touch, sight, and imagination. Remove clutter so the home can breathe, so the rhythm of the rooms feels spacious and alive. Buyers aren’t just searching for rooms—they’re searching for the feeling of home.
As we’ve written before in The Frequency of Home, a house carries energy. Memories, rhythms, light, and quiet gestures all contribute to that invisible current. Open a window. Let the house breathe. Walk through slowly and notice how the spaces feel underfoot, how the air moves, how light lands, how life might gather in its corners. These small acts shift the energy from we live here to you could live here.
By the time a buyer reaches the kitchen or primary bedroom, their heart has already decided how the home feels. The moment they stepped out of the car, walked to the door, or took the first breath inside—that was the beginning of their story with the space.
When you prepare your home with the intention of welcoming a stranger like family, you create something rare: a home that feels ready to be loved by someone new. A home, at its best, is not just seen—it is felt. If you’re considering selling and want to prepare your home with that same intention, not just for showings but for how it will be experienced, I’m here to guide you. Every home has a story. Let’s make sure yours is ready to be felt the moment someone arrives.
For Katie Deebel, real estate is more than a profession—it’s personal. After years of buying and selling homes across five states during her husband’s Air Force career, she knows firsthand how complex and emotional a move can be. That experience led her to a career in real estate, where she’s represented clients in both Arizona and Alaska, and now calls Utah home. Katie is especially passionate about helping military families find a place to land—that offers both emotional comfort and financial security. Having experienced the challenges of frequent relocations, she understands the importance of finding not just a house, but a home—a space where families can feel grounded, celebrated, and ready for the next chapter. Whether it’s bringing a new child into the world or simply settling into a new community, Katie strives to help her clients find a home that holds space for life’s most meaningful milestones—all while making a smart, strategic investment. With a calm confidence and a practical eye, she helps her clients make smart, strategic investment choices while keeping the heart of “home” at the center of every transaction. Equal parts tactical negotiator and thoughtful guide, she offers a steady hand and a sharp sense of the market—guiding people toward spaces that fit their lives, not just their checklists.
You’re an agent here. Tell us why. What led you to this work? Why cityhomeCOLLECTIVE? My husband’s career in the Air Force has been an incredible adventure—one that’s moved us every couple of years and introduced us to communities all over the country. Along the way, we’ve been fortunate to buy and sell homes several times. Those experiences exposed us to some truly exceptional agents… and a few who fell short. After our third move, I decided to get licensed in Arizona so I could be the kind of agent I wished we’d always had. I quickly fell in love with helping families find a sense of home during seasons of transition. When the Air Force took us to Alaska, I continued my real estate career there, working with many relocating families and learning how deeply personal and emotional a move can be. That perspective still guides my work today. cityhomeCOLLECTIVE felt like a natural fit from the start. The focus on community, design, and thoughtful storytelling mirrors how I see real estate—not as transactions, but as lived-in, meaningful spaces. I value collaboration over competition, integrity over pressure, and clients who care as much about how they live as where they live. That ethos is exactly what cityhome represents.
Describe your perfect home or space. What does it look and feel like? Our Alaska home came very close to perfect. The only thing I might have changed was the extreme winter temperatures and the remoteness, though both were also part of what made it so special. We lived on just over an acre, surrounded by forest. In winter, it felt like living inside a snow globe; in summer, the days stretched endlessly with sunshine, wildflowers, and towering sunflowers that grew well over ten feet tall. The home itself was a modest modern build in North Pole, Alaska—simple, functional, and warm. To me, a perfect space feels grounded and calm, connected to nature, and designed to support everyday life without excess. I’m drawn to clean lines, natural light, and homes that feel intentional rather than overdone.
Favorite read / watch? We don’t watch a lot of TV, but my two favorite sitcoms are The Office (specifically before Michael left) and Schitt’s Creek. Both balance humor with heart, and I love how they find meaning in everyday relationships—plus, a good laugh is always welcome at the end of a long day. When it comes to reading, I tend to gravitate toward self-help and business books. Brené Brown is a longtime favorite; her work on vulnerability, leadership, and wholehearted living has influenced both my personal life and the way I show up for clients. Her writing is a reminder that trust is built through honesty and courage—values I carry into my work every day.
You could be living anywhere, really. Why Salt Lake City? Salt Lake City offers the perfect balance of city amenities and immediate access to the outdoors. My husband and I met in Colorado, where we spent nearly every free moment skiing or hiking, and Utah gives us that same lifestyle—now with the opportunity to pass our love of the outdoors on to our two boys. We live in Mountain Green, just ten minutes from Snowbasin and surrounded by incredible trails. Being able to step outside and connect with nature so easily is a gift, and it’s a big part of why this place feels like home.
Is there a promise you’d like to make to your clients? I promise complete transparency and unwavering loyalty. The majority of the families I serve are military families PCSing—often buying sight unseen and without the luxury of having boots on the ground. I know firsthand how stressful that can be, so I work hard to ensure there are no surprises, especially when it comes to a home’s condition. I’m intentionally detailed and, at times, a little tough in my assessments because accuracy matters. This promise is deeply personal. When we purchased a home in Arizona, our agent embellished the condition, and after a nine-hour drive, we walked into a house that was anything but move-in ready—dirty carpets, scuffed walls, even a footprint on the ceiling. What should have been a moment of pure joy was deflating and exhausting. I never want my clients to experience that. My goal is to advocate fiercely, communicate clearly, and make sure that when you walk through the door of your new home—whether in person or eventually—you feel confident, informed, and excited about what comes next.