Simple
Tips for Better Home Showings
1.
Remove clutter and clear off counters.
Throw out stacks of newspapers and
magazines and stow away most of your small decorative
items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove
out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet
space. Don’t forget to clean out the garage, too.
2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help
get more light into the interior of the home.
3. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house
will make a strong first impression and send a message
to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash
fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax
floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Polish
your doorknobs and address numbers. It’s worth hiring a
cleaning service if you can afford it.
4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes
to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open
the windows to air out the house. Potpourri or scented
candles will help.
5. Brighten your rooms. Put higher wattage bulbs
in light fixtures to brighten up rooms and basements.
Replace any burned-out bulbs in closets. Clean the
walls, or better yet, brush on a fresh coat of neutral
color paint.
6. Don’t disregard minor repairs. Small problems
such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or
a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll give
buyers the impression that the house isn’t
well-maintained.
7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the
leaves, add new mulch, trim the bushes, edge the
walkways, and clean the gutters. For added curb appeal,
place a pot of bright flowers near the entryway.
8. Patch holes. Repair any holes in your driveway
and reapply sealant, if applicable. 9. Add a touch of color in the living
room.
A colored afghan or throw on the couch will jazz up a
dull room. Buy new accent pillows for the sofa.
10. Buy a flowering plant and put it near a window
you pass by frequently.
11. Make centerpieces for your tables. Use
brightly colored fruit or flowers.
12. Set the scene.
Set the table with fancy dishes and
candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home
to help buyers picture living there. For example, in the
basement you might display a chess game in progress.
13. Replace heavy curtains with sheer
ones that let in more light.
Show off the view if you have one.
14. Accentuate the fireplace. Lay fresh
logs in the fireplace or put a basket of flowers there
if it’s not in use.
15. Make the bathrooms feel luxurious.
Put away those old towels and
toothbrushes. When buyers enter your bathroom, they
should feel pampered. Add a new shower curtain, new
towels, and fancy guest soaps. Make sure your personal
toiletry items are out of sight.
16.
Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside.
If that’s not possible, crate them or
confine them to one room (ideally in the basement), and
let the real estate practitioner know where they’ll be
to eliminate surprises. 17. Lock up valuables, jewelry, and
money.
While a real estate salesperson will be
on site during the showing or open house, it’s
impossible to watch everyone all the time.
18. Leave the home.
It’s usually best if the sellers are not at home. It’s
awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets
and express their opinions of your home with you there.
Reprinted from REALTOR® magazine (REALTOR.org/realtormag)
with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
REALTORS®.
