How To Keep Your Home
Show Ready
Looking to list your home? Or perhaps it is
listed now but not getting a lot of interest? Read below for some easy tips to
help your home stay show ready.
General Tips:
- Before it can sparkle, it has to be sparse. Remove
unnecessary clutter as it can be a distraction and deterrent for potential
buyers.
- Clean and stage the home. Potential buyers want to
envision themselves in the home. They can’t easily do that if all your stuff
is in the way or if the home is dirty.
- Remove a lot of unnecessary clutter and decor. It is
advisable to put away family photos if you have a lot of personal images
used in your home.
- Easily touch up any dings in the wall with touch up
paint.
- Manage your trash. People don’t want to see spills or
dried food on the table, dirty dishcloths on the counter, or dirty clothes
on the floor. Be sure to put garbage cans or bags away and out of sight.
If you devalue your home, potential buyers may put in lower offers,
resulting in you losing money on the sale.
- Clean windows and remove obvious smudges from window
panes.
- Open drapes and shades to let in natural light and
brighten the home.
- Plug in air fresheners are highly recommended
throughout the home.
5-Minute Cleaning Routine:
If you get a last-minute request for a showing,
you will need to prioritize to get the home ready - especially if you have
little ones at home. If you do have young kids at home, allow them to watch a
movie or keep them otherwise occupied while you whip the home into a
show-friendly state. Allow yourself 5 minutes per room and focus on the main
items that potential buyers will see.
- Put away dirty dishes
- Pick up dirty clothes
- Clear bathroom and kitchen counters
- Wipe up spills on the table or counters
- Sweep up obvious dirt from the floor or wipe up dirty
floor smudges
- Put away kid’s toys
- Make the beds as this is one of the larger furniture
items in bedrooms and is one of the first things buyers notice in a
bedroom
Kitchen:
Most of your efforts should focus on the
kitchen. The kitchen should always be clean. Most potential buyers
understand that people live in the home, so a minor amount of dirt or clutter
can be overlooked. But, for a faster sale of your home, the cleaner it can be
and the less clutter strewn about is best when showing your home. Buyers need
to see themselves living in the home. Clean kitchen counters by removing small
appliances and unnecessary decorative items. Wipe up spills or messes from
tables, counters, and floors. Plug in a room freshener to keep any common
kitchen smells at bay.
Bathroom:
The bathrooms should also always be
clean. Clear bathroom counters by putting away toiletries and picking up after
yourself each day. Remove dirty towels and hang clean towels before a showing.
Sweep up hair that may be on the floor and wipe counters. It doesn’t have to be
perfect, but buyers don’t want to see your personal stuff or dirty towels in a
bathroom.
Bedrooms:
Make your bed every day. If you are not already
in the practice of doing this, it is advisable to start doing this while you
are showing your home. The bed is the largest piece of furniture in most
bedrooms and is the first thing most potential buyers see when they enter a
bedroom. An untidy bed can make the whole room look messy and turn buyers away.
Be sure to pick up dirty laundry and keep the room clear of clutter. Buyers
want to know the current home owner cares for and maintains the home before the
buyer strongly considers the investment.
Other Spaces:
Consider your other home spaces. Keep these
spaces clean. This includes the home office, garage, basement, storage areas,
attic storage, laundry room, closets, family room, dining room, and any other
home spaces. Implement the same procedures for cleaning and maintaining these
spaces as you do the rest of the home. Serious potential buyers will look in
all spaces and places during a showing. You want to show the best of your home
and having it ready to show puts your best foot forward to ensure less time on
market and encourage offers.
Yard & Exterior:
If selling during the summer months, keep the
yard clean and maintained. Consider adding some potted plants to the walkway or
front entry to increase your home’s curb appeal.
Price It Right:
If you have a clean, de-cluttered home but
you’re still not getting interested buyers, consult your Realtor. It may be the timing and the market, or you may have to
reconsider your listing price strategy.
Small Steps Add Up:
By simply taking small steps throughout the day
to pick up after yourself and clean throughout the course of your day, you can
easily keep your home in show ready shape. If everyone in your family pitches
in, it will be even easier to always have the home ready for potential buyers.
Even if you and your family do not live this way normally, it is good to
remember that you are trying to sell your home. You will need to keep your home
clean for showings to ensure your home does not sit on the market longer than
necessary.
Remember to talk with your Realtor and get any
additional recommendations to help with getting your home show ready. Your
Realtor is experienced and will help you throughout the full home selling
process.
Just getting started? Contact us to speak with a
Realtor today.
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