Monica Breckenridge

Tips for Preparing for a Showing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When your home is for sale, you need to make sure your home is always in ‘show ready’ condition! You need to be prepared for all showings – even those last minute ones! During scheduled showing times, it is highly advisable that you are not present. Buyers can feel intimidated when sellers are present. They want to be able to talk openly about the home in front of their agent. If you are unable to leave for the showing, try to step outside to allow the buyer privacy. We also recommend going to bed with the home ready to go for any potential showings the following day. That way, you’ll wake up with just a short list of things to do each morning: make beds, put away night clothes, & wash breakfast dishes!

 

To ensure you are always ready for a showing, do these things daily:

• Make the beds.

• Keep clothes off the floor by placing them on hangers or putting them in a laundry basket.

• Hang wet towels and wash cloths to dry in a closet.

• Put away all personal paperwork and sort and file or dispose of junk mail when you get it. This keeps things looking tidy and protects you from identity theft.

• Give tubs, sinks, and stovetops a light scrubbing after use.

• Wash dishes and put them away after a meal or put them in the dishwasher.

• Wipe all kitchen countertops.

• Find a home for everything! Put everything away so the home is tidy and there is no clutter. This includes things like your recycle bin, trashcan, coats, shoes, and dirty clothes.

• Remove personal items from nightstands and bathroom counters.

• Containerize all medications.

• Clean up pet droppings.

• Keep all toilets flushed and toilet seats down.

• Keep all trashcans out of sight.

• Remove trash and clean litter box daily. When possible, turn on all lights and open blinds and curtains before a showing. Light sells houses!

 

Whenever possible, do the following right before a showing:

• Turn on all lights.Lift up all blinds to bring in light.

• Make sure the home smells nice – Plug-in air fresheners work great!

• Make sure all litter boxes are clean and trashcan is empty to avoid smells and move them out of sight.

• Vacuum to remove any pet hair or other debris off floors, rugs and carpets.

• Put pets away or in crates.

• Play soft music in the background. If you have the music channels on Direct TV, there’s one called “Heart to Heart” that is great. You can program every TV in the house with that same channel in the morning and it will help.

• Leave a half dozen cookies on a platter, a couple of small napkins and a pitcher of water out on the counter for showings, with a note of “WELCOME and ENJOY” so the realtors and prospective home buyers know those treats are for them.

 

The following should be done weekly:

• Tend to the yard! Mow the lawn, water plants, weed, and pick up debris. In the winter, shovel snow off driveway and walkways.

• Dust, vacuum or sweep bare floors. 

• Keep the oven and refrigerator looking clean by wiping it out. Wipe off the front of all appliances.

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Keep an eye on these things regularly and tend to them as needed:

• Windows and light fixtures should be cleaned as needed. Replace any burned out light bulbs.

• Do not let laundry pile up on the floors or next to the washing machine. Wash the clothes and then put them away.

• Empty the dishwasher once the dishes are clean. Letting clean dishes sit in the dishwasher tends to allow dirty dishes to pile up in the sink.

• Pet food bowls and litter boxes should be kept in an ‘out of the way’ place and removed when showing the home to potential buyers.

• Avoid cooking foods that leave strong odors, such as bacon or fish. If you do cook foods with strong odors, open windows to air the room out. • Maintain a comfortable temperature in the home. One that is not too hot or too cold is not inviting.

• Garages and basements tend to be storage spaces that collect clutter. Make sure all items are stored in an orderly manner.

 

Odor Free Home

Strive for an odor free environment. Smell has an enormous impact on buyers. Even pleasant smells, such as potpourri or baking bread, may evoke negative feelings for some. Almost all buyers react negatively to pet smells, smoke and incense.

 

• Do not leave food cooking during showings. Dinnertime is a highly personal time and can make buyers feel as though they are intruding on your privacy.

 

• There’s a plug in wall scent called “Fresh linen” and one called “Fresh Cotton”–both are really nice. They are Available at Bath and Body works…they’re called WALLFLOWERS.

 

• While your home is on the market, try to prepare meals that do not produce strong odors. Even when these foods are placed in the refrigerator, the odor can linger.

 

• Clean litter boxes frequently. Cat odors can be a strong deterrent to a sale. If you do have pets, you may not notice any pet odor. Ask a friend who will be honest with you if they can smell any pet odors.

 

Tidy homes sell at higher prices! It may be inconvenient, but it is worth the extra effort!

Remember, you are trying to impress REALTORS as well as their clients. When a realtor knows your property is going to always show nicely, they will continue to bring clients to your home over and over again. SO, make the extra effort to have a spotless, tasteful home that shows great and that work will pay off!