Tips for Showing Your Home
•1. KEEP YOUR HOME SPARKLING CLEAN. This is the single most important thing you can do to improve a potential buyer's impression of your home. A clean home not only is esthetically pleasing, but also creates the impression that you have taken pride in your home and therefore have kept it properly maintained. Make sure that all tubs, toilets, and counter tops are clean. Empty the dishwasher and sink. Keep the floors clean. Put laundry up or in the washer or dryer.
•2. ELIMINATE ODORS. Do not smoke in your house, including your garage or basement. Keep all trashcans and waste baskets clean. Avoid cooking foods such as fish, liver or strongly seasoned foods within a few hours of showing your home. Open windows whenever possible to freshen the air. Do not over perfume, as strong smells can be just as offensive to a buyer as bad odors. If you use candles, potpourri or other air fresheners use clean fresh scents such as vanilla for the kitchen and citrus for bathrooms.
•3. LIGHT THE HOUSE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Open all curtains and blinds (depending on the view), and turn all lights on throughout the house. Dim mood lighting is acceptable in a single room, but as a general rule the brighter a room is the better.
•4. KEEP PETS CONFINED DURING HOME SHOWING. Not everyone is going to love your pet as much as you do, and many people perceive a house pet as an indicator of damaged carpet. If possible, take your pet for a walk during showings or keep your pet outside and confined. Never leave your a pet in a closed room and ask that the buyer not go inside.
•5. STORE OR ORGANIZE ITEMS, REMOVE CLUTTER. Have toys, tools, magazines, newspapers, etc. organized and out of the way. As a general rule, if it isn't absolutely necessary then put it away.
•6. HAVE ONLY FRESH, CLEAN TOWELS IN THE BATHROOMS. If you use decorative towels, make certain to provide clean "everyday" hand towels as well. Do not leave wet towels in the bathrooms, wet towels not only are an eyesore but also create a damp, musty smell.
•7. REMOVE PHOTOGRAPHS AND OTHER PERSONAL ITEMS. A potential buyer needs to have a depersonalized impression of your home so that they can envision it as their own. Also, when someone is looking at your home, you don't want them to be distracted by looking at family photos, a doll collection, or other collectables.
•8. LEAVE THE HOUSE DURING SHOWINGS. The homeowner and family members should never be present during a showing, even if invited to stay. Your presence will discourage the buyer from freely examining your home and its features and also make them feel as if they are intruding.
•9. FRESH FLOWERS brighten up any room, but avoid using heavily aromatic flowers.
•10. KEEP BEDROOMS NEAT AND CLEAN. Make all beds, organize closets, and make certain all clothing is put away.
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These are all great tips, Eric. I think I might add, understand ahead of time that people will be looking into the closets. Hastily stashed stuff, there fore, undermines your best efforts. You're much better off starting to pack... especially out fo season clothing, coats, etc.
But my favorite new tip is this -- take out a piece of furniture in the principal rooms so as to create a "landing" spot for the group looking at the home. Even if it's only the realtor and one buyer it's still 2 people and they need a place to stand to look at the rooms. Peeking from around the back of a fully stocked space seems to be less effective than these strangely open spaces. I'm told it's becuase the home looks more "available" for the next family when there are gaping holes about. I dunno. Thought I'd share.
Good luck with your listings - you seem to have a good variety of fun, attractive homes.