Selling your home can easily be one of the most stressful times in your life. All the details that go into a house showing can become tedious and overwhelming. However, it does not have to. Knowing the proper steps to “wow” potential buyers will lead to getting a great price as well selling quickly. Some items are common sense while others may surprise you. The best course of action is to declutter, depersonalize, clean and repair anything and everything to make sure your house appeals to as many people as possible.
We have compiled a helpful checklist to assist you while prepping your house for showings.
In all relationships, first impressions are important. This holds true to potential buyers seeing your house for the first time. Buyers will go into this process looking for as many faults and issues as they can find. Your job is to ensure there are as few problems as possible.
The showing begins at the curb — as does that first impression. Depending on which season you are selling your home will dictate what tasks you need to complete. You may need to clean up snow and remove ice, rake leaves or dead plants, mow your lawn, etc.. Your overall goal is to make the front of your home look extremely tidy at first glance. This includes cleaning the mailbox, painting the front door, sweeping the stoop, or anything else that can make your home look perfect.
This goes without saying, but it is vital to ensure that there is no trash on your lawn that could have blown in from the street. You will also benefit from cleaning up and toys, bikes, lawn tools, and anything else that may be lying around. Another major tip you will see throughout this article is the importance of depersonalizing your space. Take down any flags, windchimes, bird feeders or decorations that you may have up. Just because you love the way it looks, does not mean every potential buyer will feel the same way.
Power washing the exterior of your house and roof can be very beneficial in a house showing. Dirt and mold can make a house look much older than it actually is. If the foundation of your house does not look pristine, some people may not even care to look inside. A replaced roof can be very expensive, which is not something a new homeowner wants to worry about.
If you do not have a power-washer handy, you can contact a company like REVIVIFY to get the job done for you. Not only does hiring a professional give you time and peace of mind, you know they will do an amazing job leaving your house in amazing condition.
Removing all clutter throughout your house is another task that should go without saying. A person or family looking to buy a house does not want to see your shoes, jackets, toys, mail, etc.. This can make the house seem small and unorganized. As mentioned previously, you also want to depersonalize the interior rooms of your home. Take off magnets from your previous vacation on the fridge, remove family photos, take down holiday decorations, and everything else you can think of.
Kitchens are arguably the best selling feature of the house, so you want to make sure this room looks spectacular. You can leave certain appliances on the counter such as a toaster or coffee maker. However, you will want to remove any bottles, cookbooks, fruit bowls, dish racks, cutting boards and any other item you typically keep on the counters. The goal is to make sure the kitchen looks spacious and tidy.
Bathrooms are another great selling point for a home. You will want to remove personal items from the sink and shower areas, medicine from the cabinets, and any other clutter that may reside in these rooms. On the other hand, you can put out a few clean hand towels and bath towels to make the room look finished.
Ensuring each bedroom looks organized and well presented is another essential task, especially if the room is on the smaller side. A tiny bedroom can be a deal breaker for a potential buyer, unless you can show them a unique way to set up the space. Removing oversized furniture or an unneeded desk or chair can make the space look liveable. Of course, it is also important to take away personal photos, posters, string lights, and more that can make the room look insufficient.
Similar to curb appeal, you will want your backyard or side yard to look clean and uncluttered. Mowing the lawn, sweeping the porch, removing lawn games or tools, can all help to make the yard look its best. You will also want to depersonalize this part of your property. You want to let the potential buyers imagine what they can do with the outdoor space. Also, as mentioned previously, your taste may not match that of the potential buyer.
Making sure every inch of your home is spic and span is the next step after decluttering. This cleaning should also go above and beyond anything you would typically do. You want those floors to shine and the carpet to look good as new. The tiles in the bathroom should be clear of mold and mildew and the shower doors should be absolutely spotless. You should dust, vacuum hard to reach places, and clean out unfinished parts of the home as well. Both the exterior and interior parts of your home and property should look essentially, non-lived in.
Cleaning to this extent is time consuming and very hard work. In this case, you may want to call in a business like REVIVIFY. Selling you home is a stressful time, and letting professionals take over some of these tasks may be the right choice for you. Our trained technicians are able to clean, seal, and repair surfaces to get your house in the perfect condition for a house showing.
While decluttering and cleaning, you may notice some features of your house that need repairing. Perhaps there is a hole in the wall from a picture or a room with chipped paint. Tiles in the kitchen or bathroom make be chipped, and fixing those is absolutely going above and beyond. If a light bulb is out or flickering, replace them. If you notice a door or cabinet does not close properly or a window is cracked, it would also be in your best interest to fix them. Any of these problems may become a deal breaker for the potential buyer, so fixing them before the house showing is ideal.
At this point, you are getting very close to the finished product for a house showing. You can start staging each room to look its best. You want each area to appear clean and organized which will allow the buyers to imagine their space can aspire to!
Although you may have already organized most of the house, you want to guarantee each closet, drawer, and cabinet looks tidy. You want to show the potential buyers that there is enough storage space to fit all of their belongings without it looking messy. A good rule of thumb is to remove any item that does not have a specified spot.
Tip: Getting a storage unit can help for the extra items you do not have a spot for.
If there are certain curtains, light fixtures, or built-in features that you are keeping, be sure to remove these before the house showing. Be clear what will be included in both your listing as well as what is in the house. If you are planning on replacing certain appliances, be sure to give the buyers all warranty and manufacturing information.
There are a few final touches that you will want to perform before the house showing. Open all blinds and window coverings to produce as much natural light as possible. Check the temperature to create a comfortable space no matter the season. Finally, open the windows for fresh air either before or during the showing.
One of the most important pieces of showing a house is making sure there are no unwanted odors throughout the house. Opening doors or windows will help to get fresh air throughout the house. However, you will also want to remove any items that may make the house smell: a gym bag, older shoes, litter box, other pet items, etc.. Also, rather than spraying artificial sprays or lighting a candle, that may be overwhelming, consider baking cookies or brewing a pot of coffee before potential buyers get to the house.
These tips and steps can help you sell your home quickly and efficiently. The selling process can turn into a very demanding time. Knowing the proper protocol and putting yourself into the buyer’s shoes can help get you there. Also, calling REVIVIFY for all your cleaning, sealing, and repair needs can ease the stress! If in the Portland, OR or Vancouver, WA areas, call REVIVIFY to assist you in your house showing process! Our technicians are fully trained and equipped with the best products and tools to make your home look good as new!