When selling your home, showings can be a cause for anxiety. However, you can put your "best foot forward" and make a great impression on potential buyers just by taking the time to prepare your home in advance. Here are some tips to help you get ready to rock those "first impression" moments:
Exterior Curb Appeal
- Mow lawn, trim shrubs, edge gardens & walkways, weed & mulch
- Sweep walkways & driveways
- Remove branches, litter & toys
- Add color & fill bare spots with plantings
- Remove mildew or moss from walls or walks with bleach & water or other cleaner
- Take stains off driveway with cleanser or kitty litter
- Stack woodpile neatly
- Clean & repair patio & decking
- Remove any outdoor furniture that is in disrepair
- Make sure pools and spas sparkle
- Replace old storm doors
- Check for flat-fitting roof shingles & repair any that are damaged/missing
- Repair broken windows & shutters, replace torn screens, and make sure frames & seams have caulk
- Touch up exterior paint (including front door & mailbox)
- Clean & repair gutters & eaves
- Clean any window AC units (remove rust)
- Add a new front door mat (consider only minimal seasonal decorations & keep them seasonally current)
- Shine door & lighting hardware
- Make sure doorbell is in good working order and the cover/button is not damaged/cracked/discolored
General Interior Items
- Add a fresh coat of interior paint in neutral colors
- Shampoo carpeting (or replace, if necessary)
- Clean & polish hardwood floors (or refinish, if necessary)
- Clean the fireplace & chimney
- Clean out & organize closets (pack extra items away)
- Remove extra furniture & items you don't use (put away items that seem cluttered)
- Repair problems such as loose door knobs, cracked molding, leaking faucets & toilets, squeaky doors, closet doors that are off their tracks, missing caulk/grout
- Replace burnt-out lightbulbs
- Secure jewelry/cash/valuables
- Make all rooms cozy & inviting
- Polish any visible silver, brass, crystal & glass
- Set the table for a formal dinner to help viewers imagine entertaining in the dining room
- Make sure appliances are spotless & in proper working order, both inside & out
- Clean everything as thoroughly as possible (THIS MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO!)
- Rearrange furnishings to allow for maximum flow & spaciousness
- Consider moving all extra items into a storage unit
Garage & Attic
- Sell, give away, or throw out unnecessary items (the perfect garage holds only cars and the perfect attic holds only seasonal items)
- Clean oil spots off of cement floors, or consider a garage floor paint/coating product if stains are too bad to be fully cleaned
- Provide strong overhead light
- Tidy storage & workbench areas
- Make sure energy-saving insulation is apparent in attic spaces
- Make sure air vent(s) is(are) in working order
- Provide enough space to walk freely & safely - consider adding flooring boards in attic areas with exposed beams/rafters
When It's Time to Show Your Home
- Be careful with scents - wax warmers/plug-ins can be overpowering and burning candles is unsafe if left unattended; clean, fresh scents like natural citrus can help give the sense of a freshly-cleaned home and have been proven to actually boost buyer mood
- Just prior to a showing, turn on all interior lights and open shades/curtains/blinds
- Make sure your property information, utility bill info, MLS feature sheet, house survey, etc. are available in a conspicuous space (like the kitchen counter)
- Pick up toys & other clutter, and check to make sure beds are made, clothes are put away, etc.
- Give carpets & rugs a quick vaccuming
- Add some strategically-placed fresh flowers
- Open bathroom windows for fresh air (weather permitting)
- Turn off the tv; you may turn on some soft background music, if desired, but keep volume low
- Put pets in a crate/kennel if arrangements cannot be made to remove them from the property while showing (removal is best)
- Make sure pet areas are spotless & odor-free
- Make sure all trash has been properly disposed of outside the home in neatly-covered bins
- Make sure temperature is comfortably appropriate for the season, even if you must readjust it when you return after the showing
Many of the tips above can be handled before you actually list the home, and do not have to be repeated each time you have a showing (i.e. paint, decluttering, etc.). During the time your home is on the market, it helps to keep your home as showing-ready as possible, even if you don't have a showing officially scheduled - potential buyers are apt to request a showing at a moments' notice. While you do have the right to deny an immediate showing request, the more ready you are for showings, the easier it is to accommodate buyer requests and potentially snag an offer.
If you have questions about whether you should perform certain upgrades, or questions on how to stage your home for showings, please ask your agent at the initial listing appointment. Your agent will help guide you with recommendations that are suitable for your home and the current market.
