Buyers and agents will likely examine your home’s paperwork, so keep it secure by keeping utility bills, tax documents, renovation details, warranties, mortgage information and survey reports all together in an easily accessible place.
Be diligent about clearing away daily messes, such as crumbs on the counter or toothpaste drips in the bathroom. Depersonalize and declutter by getting rid of family photos that clutter the space.
Light Up the Home
By opening curtains and blinds during the daytime, your home should become bright and welcoming. At nighttime, turn on all lights in your house for maximum effect.
Use scented candles sparingly – while certain scents may appeal to you, others could find them overwhelming or cause allergic reactions.
Kitchens are key selling points, so ensure all dishes and countertops are squeaky clean with no trace of cooking odors lingering after recent meals. Replace worn towels with new ones; for an added luxury hotel-esque experience consider investing in resort-style hand towels rated highly by Wirecutter reviewers.
Personal items should not be displayed or put out on display, such as coins on a dresser or financial documents in a desk drawer. Also make sure any firearms or weapons are stored safely away.
Clean the Bathrooms
Cabinet City Kitchen and Bath stresses the importance of having a bathroom that is free from odor, as this will be noticed by potential buyers even if they cannot identify its source.
Reduce clutter on countertops by folding towels neatly. Stash items such as toys or rugs away in stylish baskets or ottomans for storage so they’re out of sight.
Keep your closets spacious and organized to maximize space for buyers, too. Large closets can be an appealing feature of many houses for sale; so only leave out clothes you will need in the next several days or so.
Clean the Closets
An untidy home can put off potential buyers. Items like stacks of papers on the kitchen table, children’s artwork hanging on walls and toiletries left lying around the bathroom may diminish its attractiveness and reduce its marketability.
Cleaning closets, drawers and cabinets thoroughly is key to getting rid of clutter. Separate items into piles for trash collection, donation and storage purposes. Potential buyers will open cabinet doors; make sure that their contents don’t contain crumb-covered dishes and coffee mugs!
Be sure to remove pets from the house prior to showings and keep them away from the yard. It would also be wise for them to remain with a friend during tours so they won’t wander and bark during tours, potentially endangering furniture and interrupting viewings.
Clean the Floors
As a rule of thumb, it’s best to ensure your floors and carpets remain free from debris. This also includes cleaning mats regularly.
As part of your staging plan, it’s also advisable to remove items that could be seen as too personal or private for showings, such as children’s artwork on tabletops and taxidermy on the mantel. Also consider swapping out photos that feature family members with more generic versions for showings.
Before showing your house for viewings, take care to empty trash cans and do a final sweep around your home. While the little things may slip your mind from time-to-time when living there day-to-day, these tasks must be prioritized before any house showings begin.
Clean the Windows
Potential buyers want to see natural light pour into the home, so windows must be meticulously clean in order to bring in that illumination. Make sure all glass surfaces inside and outside are free from fingerprints before cleaning the window frames as well.
Avoid cooking smells the evening and morning of an open house showing, even if they may seem appealing to you; prospective buyers could be turned off by them.
Assembling your home for showings can be a daunting task when living there full time. But it’s essential to build this task into your daily schedule so you’re never caught off guard when an agent calls with an appointment request.
Make the Bed
Messy beds give off a negative message about both the bedroom and home as a whole, making buyers uncomfortable in both situations. Clean and uniform bedding in neutral tones will help buyers feel at home in your space.
Prior to showing your home, organize the closets so potential buyers can see all of the storage space you offer and more easily envision their belongings fitting inside it. Also remember to fluff throw pillows and fold blankets prior to an appearance.
Before selling your home, it’s wise to remove any personal items – like family photos and children’s artwork – from tabletops and wall frames in order to help potential buyers imagine living there themselves. Depersonalization helps potential buyers envision living there too!