Prior to showing your house to prospective buyers or Realtors, take these few easy steps to ensure success!
Showing Checklist
- Clean the whole house - like your mother is
coming over!
- Hide clutter - or remove it from the premises, a
storage unit can be very helpful while your house is on the market.
- Take down all or most personal photos (people
want to be able to see themselves in your home, not you!)
- Do the dishes! The kitchen is one of the best
selling points, nothing makes it look or smell worse than dirty dishes. Put a fresh squeeze of lemon down the disposal.
- Boil a pot of water with cinnamon sticks (don't
burn!) an hour before the showing. Make sure to turn off and discard or hide in oven before buyers arrive.
- Remove EVERYTHING from your bathroom
counter, except maybe a single candle or soap.
- Take all magnets and personal effects off your
refrigerator.
- Turn on soft music.
- Turn on all or almost all of the lights.
- Open the curtains to let in light (as long as you
have a clean view).
- Vacuum with a fresh vacuum bag.
- Tidy up closets (buyers will look in them!)
- Empty trash cans!
- If weather permits, leave a window open to let in
fresh air.
- If you have pets, arrange for them to be away
from the house or contained during the showing. Also be extra conscious of the pet odors in your house while it is on the market, many buyers are sensitive to pet smells and allergies.
- If you smoke, remove all evidence of ash trays
and cigarette butts.
- Close ALL toilets seats and lids
- Replace and burned out light bulbs!
- House plants are great, as long as they are
watered and groomed. If they are dead or dying get them out of the house. No plants are better than dead ones.
- Have a trusted friend or Realtor tell you their first
impression of the smell of your house when they walk in the door, if it's not a good one, clean and ventilate until it improves!
- Make a list of your TOP 10 favorite things about
your house that may not be obvious to Buyers and Realtors. Give it to your agent to share in the listing (for example: Huge pantry, built-in ...., extra deep garage, RV parking, custom cabinets, surround sound, etc.)
This is a regularly updated list, so check back for updates! ©2009 www.lightbrightandairy.com
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