One of the hardest things about selling your home is keeping it ready to show. It is hard to have it clean every minute of every day. In a perfect world, agents would call days in advance and schedule showings when it was most convenient for the seller, meaning the day after “spring cleaning”. With enough notice, sellers would even have time to hire a professional to clean the home just before each potential buyer showed up. However, this is not a perfect world and even though, as an agent that cares about being considerate of the seller’s time, there are always those buyers that call occasionally and say they are only in town for a few hours and it is urgent that they see a certain house.
I have seen sellers that do not mind this situation and others that really struggle with the inconvenience of the last minute showing. Regardless of how annoyed a seller may feel about last minute showings, keep in mind that a buyer is more likely to bring an offer if they have seen the home, however messy it may be, than if they could not see the home at all. It is fairly common for buyers tonot really take notice of certain homes on paper, however, when in the neighborhood looking at other available homes, they suddenly realize that your home may be the “one”. The possibility of getting a sale from a drive-by inquiry is always greater than an inquiry based on paper or an internet picture. So, though it may be inconvenient and even annoying, it is best not to turn away a potential that is looking at your home and loving it enough to want to see it…right now.
I have a drill that sellers may use as a guideline for these unexpected showings. It does take some preparation and I have already written a few posts that explain the importance of cleanliness and how it relates to the marketability of your home.
My “How to Prepare Your Home to Show in Minutes” drill goes as follows:
There are a few things yo need to do ahead of time so that when agents call and ask if they can show your home in just a few minutes, you can say, “no problem”.
* Clean out closets. Making them look organized and less cluttered will be a selling point.
* Clean out under beds, couches, etc. If there is no clutter under them, you have plenty of room to throw things in a hurry. Don’t throw things in your organized closets and don’t forget to clean out under the bed again before the next hurried showing.
* Put away all kitchen appliances (toaster, blender, etc) that you do not use EVERYDAY. Buyers are more attracted to clean, open, countertops.
* De-Clutter! Box up things you do not need and put them in storage–not at your house. Even storage rooms need to appear to have plenty of room. Buyers love homes with lots of storage. The less cluttered your home looks, the bigger it will seem. Remember, you are moving! Start packing now and save yourself the trouble of doing later.
* Keep your dishwasher empty.
* Keep windows and mirrors clean.
* Make the bed EVERYDAY as soon as you get out of it.
* Keep shampoo, conditioner, etc. to a minimum in the tub/shower areas. Better yet, put it away each day when you are not showering.
* Spruce up your entry. Sweep away leaves and cob webs. Wash off fingerprints, clean windows on storm door, etc. You may even want to paint. Remember, first impressions…
*Keep the garbage taken out. Don’t wait until it smells and an empty can looks better and will better hold the last minute garbage you may have to throw in it before a quick showing.
* Keep your clean and dirty laundry put away.
* Keep up on your cleaning. Selling your home is a temporary process. During this time, it is important to get to those things you would rather put off till tomorrow. If you don’t want your house to wait until tomorrow to sell, this is the time to go the extra mile. If you have ever been to those “Parade of Homes” type shows, you know the feeling you get when you walk through those beautiful houses? I used to think t myself, “Why doesn’t my home look and feel like this?” I finally figured out it was because no one really lives in those homes. Well, if you really want a fast sell, it is time to roll up your sleeves and do your best t make your home feel like one of those “show homes”. Now is NOT the time for your home to have that “lived-in” feeling.
Now that you have taken care of the above items, the phone rings and you tell the agent that there will be no problem showing your home in just a few minutes. Here is how you manage:
* Put a pan on the stove, turn the burner on for a few minutes, add a drop or two of vanilla. Turn the stove off and put the pan away. Instant “isn’t it wonderful-to-be-home” smell.
* Throw all the dirty dishes into the empty dishwasher. You don’t have to organize them, just hide them.
* Wash, then wipe counters and sink dry. Remove clutter and throw garbage into your empty can.
* Throw any items laying around under the couch and beds.
* Throw all clean laundry back into the dryer. Hide any dirty laundry too (try the washer).
* Put toilet lids down.
* Rehang the bathroom towels that the last person to use them threw on the floor.
* Turn on all the lights (lamps add a nice ambiance) and open curtains/blinds unless the view is undesirable. Maybe even open a window or two unless it is too noisy outside.
* Look around, is there anything else not quite right?
* Go outside, go for a walk, do yardwork, go anywhere so the buyers can walk through your home and talk freely with their agent. (If you have children, play with them in the backyard. Show potential buyers how much fun they too can have in that yard.)
