Tips to Keep Your Home Show-Ready While It Is On the Market

Boulder Realty LLC

It’s almost spring and it is finally safe to go outside without eighteen layers of clothing and big furry boots. I think we can all get down with a break from the snow! And with the warmer weather means more people crawling out of hibernation to buy and sell real estate.  This makes it the best time to put your house on the market; whether you’re ready for something bigger, needing to downsize, or just want something fresh and new to you!  It is an exciting time with a lot of hope for the future, but maintaining a house while it is on the market can be a lot of work.  You are still living in the home, but there is a lot of pressure to keep it looking pristine and sale-ready.  Whether we like it or not, if a potential buyer comes to view your home, the piles of laundry on the couch and the stinky bathroom WILL affect their opinion of the house! Thankfully, there are easy ways to get the house show-ready with very short notice! 

1. De-Clutter!!

And I can’t stress this enough.  Too much stuff can make rooms feel smaller and can be unappealing to buyers.  Donate your belongings that you no longer want or need!  If there are things you do want to keep, box them up and store them neatly for the duration of the listing period.  Use mobile storage that can be moved out quickly during a showing!  It might be a painful process, but when you see your finished, clutter-less home, you will feel so much better and even more excited about getting your house sold.  You know that proud feeling after you clean out your closet and bag up all the clothes you don’t wear to take to Goodwill?  Yea, its that feeling, but even better because it’s your whole house!  Plus, this is a good way to get a head start on the packing; it sounds like a win-win to me.

1. Make them think, “This could be our home.”

Light a warm scented candle, tidy up, and make the rooms feel cozy with pillows and décor.  Make the home stick out in their minds!  You want the potential buyers to picture themselves living there.  If you have extra time, bake cookies or brownies for the guests when they are viewing the house.  This will engage all of their senses and make the home smell nice and really stand out in their memory.  Another tip is to depersonalize the space as much as possible.  This gives the buyers the opportunity to fully picture their own belongings without the distraction of family photos.

1. Maintain the Kitchen and Bathrooms

The kitchen and the bathrooms are big selling points for a house!  Check for bathroom and kitchen odors daily and keep a good aroma in the home for the duration of the listing.  Make sure the counters are completely cleared off and clean! Things can pile up from everyday life when you still live in the home, so during the time that the house is listed, be very diligent in keeping the counters clear.  This way, when a showing pops up with short notice, the home can be ready quickly! 

1. Last-Minute Touches

Focus on cleaning the things that people will really stand out to people.  Open up all the blinds and curtains, turn on all the lights, and make the spaces look as big as possible.  Rooms that look dark and small will turn off potential buyers.  Check the exterior of the home for anything that should be stored away or for any litter on the curb.  Curb appeal matters too.  Think about the things that would turn you off if you were looking for a home, and remove them!  Try not to be present during showings so the buyer can feel as comfortable as possible!

Remember, certain things will make a house stand out in a potential buyer’s mind, whether it’s good or bad!  During an exciting and stressful time, following these quick tips can help your house stand out in a positive way and be sold in no time!