Showing Your Home After Dark: What Changes When the Clocks Fall Back Nov 1

Daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov 1, at 2 a.m. In Bloomington, sunset moves from 6:46 p.m. on Saturday to 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, and it keeps getting earlier, to 5:23 p.m. by Nov. 30. If your home is for sale, a showing after work now happens in the dark.

Lesa Miller is a REALTOR® and broker in Bloomington, Indiana, who helps buyers and sellers in Bloomington, Bedford, Ellettsville, Martinsville and the surrounding towns. Here's how to get your home ready for evening showings.

Turn on the lights, inside and out

Before every showing, turn on the porch light, the outside lights and a lamp in every room. A buyer walking up to a dark house in November sees a dark house. A buyer walking up to a lit one sees a home.

Check every bulb

Walk the house once after dark this weekend. Replace burned-out bulbs, inside and out, and use the same color of bulb in each room so the light looks even.

Clear the way to the door

Rake the leaves off the walk and the steps, and move anything a buyer could trip over in the dark. If the path to the door is hard to see, a few stake lights along the walk help.

Make sure your house number shows

Buyers and their agents find the house by its number. If yours is hard to read at night, light it or replace it.

Keep the daytime look in your listing

Your listing photos still do the first showing. If you're listing soon, plan photos in daylight. How to Prepare Your Bloomington Home for Showings Without Feeling Overwhelmed covers the rest of showing prep, and Preparing Your Home for a Winter Listing covers the colder months. For the front of the house, see How Outdoor Décor Can Influence Home Sales.

Frequently asked questions

When do the clocks fall back in 2026?

Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 a.m.

What time is sunset in Bloomington after the time change?

5:45 p.m. on Nov. 1, getting earlier through the month to 5:23 p.m. by Nov. 30.

Should I leave the lights on for a showing?

Yes. Turn on the porch light, the outside lights and a lamp in every room before every showing.

Getting your home ready to show this fall? Call or text (812) 360-3863, or visit LesaMillerRealEstate.com/Links.