Sellers -  Preparing Your Home for Showing

It is very important that your home shows well. Buyers are aware that it cannot always be perfect. After all, you and your family must live there too. Develop a routine that will allow you to pick up and be prepared for show in a reasonable period without duress – a 45-minute countdown, for example.

This means that certain things must be done in advance. For example, beds should be made up first thing in the morning and dirty dishes placed in the dishwasher after use so that you don’t need to rush around attending to those matters at the last moment. This way, you can prepare for each showing in an organized fashion.

Below is the list of what you should do before each showing:

• Pick Up Every Room - check counters, floors, halls and stairs. Straighten up or remove newspapers, magazines, mail, toys, clothing, recreation gears, snack glasses and dishes.

• Turn On All Lights – Even those in toilets and storage rooms. Electric lights have an amazing capability for creating an illusion of lightness, airiness and largeness.

• Open All Drapes, Shades and Blinds – Do all that you can to create a bright and light ambience.

• The Bedrooms – Make up the beds, neatly and attractively, early in the morning. This is a job you don’t want to have to do when you learn that the buyers will be there within the hour.

• The Kitchen – Be sure all countertops are clear and “squeaky clean”. Wipe down appliances. Be sure all dishes are in the dishwasher or cleaned and put away. The sink should be clear and clean.

• Clean Air – Keep air fresheners in toilets, bathrooms and kitchen. Be especially careful to keep kitchen odors fresh: coffee brewing or a cinnamon coffee cake baking in the oven has a lasting, inviting effect.

• Music – Perhaps you cannot have something baking in the oven every time, but soft, pleasant background music may be very effective.

• Fireplace – A warm, cozy fire may be just the extra touch that turns the trick.

• Air Conditioning – If the weather is warm and sultry, have the air conditioning operating.

• The Bathrooms – Keep a set of fresh attractive towels in each bathroom that you can change instantly.

• The Entryway – It is the first and last impression that your buyers will have of your home. Make it a good one. Check it regularly for sharpness.

• Other Helpful Tips

  • Clean and repair windows

  • Replace burned out lights (interior and exterior)

  • Repair cracked plaster (interior and exterior)

  • Cut lawn and shrubs and pick up litter

  • Touch up chipped paint (interior and exterior)

  • Repair gutters and eaves

  • Oil squeaky doors (interior and exterior)

  • Clean and tidy entrance