Living in your HOUSE FOR SALE. Tips for keeping it showroom ready.
Craig Snead, of Quality Home Investments in Dearborn Heights, MI, wrote an excellent post outlining "Must do's" for the Homeowner while their house is on the market.
It's one thing for a Stager to go in, suggest to our sellers what needs to be done.. what to paint, what to move... what to edit... but it's another thing to actually live in it while it's being shown.
It's never easy, especially if there's more than "you" in the house... children, pets, spouses! But following Craig's advice will help your home appeal to the buyers and hopefully result in a quick sale.
Read on!
Living in your HOUSE FOR SALE. Tips for keeping it showroom ready.
You have a house for sale but it's also your family home. You still have to go about your daily routines of eating, sleeping, doing laundry, taking showers, taking care of the kids and the family pets.
At the same time, your listing agent will be wanting to show the house to potential clients. There may be times when a buyer has a small window of opportunity to view the home on their schedule. You want them to see your home with it's best dress on. You certainly don't want to turn away a possible sale just because your aren't ready for someone to see the home.
What to do?
Here is a list of some simple steps to help keep your home showroom ready for the next person to walk through.
- Don't leave dirty dishes in the sink. Wash/put them away or put them in the dishwasher.
- Keep counter tops clean and clutter free.
- Put your papers and bills away in a drawer or a small basket.
- Don't let dirty laundry pile up. Do a load as soon as you have one.
- Find a place for all those extra shoes. Don't clutter up the doorways or the closets.
- Don't leave clothes on the floor. Hang them up and keep your closets in order.
- If you have some boxes packed for moving, consider putting them in storage.
- If you have extra furniture, put that in storage also to give the home a more spacious look.
- Empty the wastebaskets.
- Have kids put the toys away when they are done playing with them. Get some storage bins to keep it neater.
- If you have a cat, empty the litter box regularly.
- If you have a dog, clean up in the yard daily.
- If you're a smoker, please go outside.
- Don't cook fish for dinner. Some scents linger longer than others.
- Use air fresheners with a minimal scent like vanilla. Some people are sensitive to floral scents.
- Keep the yard cleaned up.
You want to take advantage of every opportunity to show the home when someone is interested. Keeping the "house for sale" showroom ready is a must.Your listing agent will appreciate you for this.
Comments(7)