Home Staging Prepare Your House For Sale

Open House Ideas

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. It’s curtain time. If the buyer is with a realtor, you do not need to be around. Buyers like to look into every nook and cranny of your house and would prefer that you’re not home.

When selling your house ‘by owner’, however, you need to show them in. Be a friendly host. Smile, hand over a feature sheet, and let them know you’re available to answer any questions, but don’t follow them around.

Whether you stick around for the showing or not, make sure your house is ready. The checklist seems long but you should be able to ready your house in less than ten minutes with practice.

Pick up any last minute clutter inside and outside of your house. Use the clutter bins you’ve set aside for this purpose.
Maintain a pleasant indoor temperature (21C or 70F).
Declutter the kitchen counter. Put away kitchen gadgets and small appliances.
Clear the dish drainer. Tuck dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Your sink should be empty.
Put away personal valuables. Turn off your computer.
Straighten chairs and tables.
Open windows, weather permitting, to fill your house with fresh air.
Make sure no drawers are left ajar.
Open all interior doors except those of closets and pantry.
Pull open the blinds and curtains to brighten your space.
Wipe your shower and tub area dry if necessary.
Draw the shower curtain back so buyers don’t have to peek.
Ensure all toilet lids are down.
Close the garage door.
Turn on all lights, including those in your closets, basement and garage. Don’t forget your exterior lights when the showing is in the evening. It may surprise you that buyers shop for houses at night too.
Turn off the TV. Turn on soft music at low volume.
Take out the garbage. No stinky odors in this house!
Straighten the entrance rug. You’re sending a subliminal message that they’ve entered a clean house and that they need to take off their shoes.
Have the feature sheet ready when selling ‘by owner’. Buyers sometimes ask about amenities and features of the neighborhood. Anticipate their questions and answer them.
Park your vehicles somewhere else. Your driveway and garage must not be occupied during a showing.

More tips from 'Prepare Your House For Sale'

(Refresh the browser to see new tips)
The other reason to de-personalize has to do with safety. Buyers rummaging through your house are strangers and it would be better if they don’t know who lives there, or have access to any other personal data.
Take the time to repair the little things in your house. Perhaps you’ve grown accustomed to these defects but they send all the wrong signals to your buyers.
Mildew and mold: repair any leaks. Clean the affected area with diluted chlorine bleach. Let dry and repaint if necessary.
Dining Room: remove the oversized buffet and hutch if they dominate the room.
Mistake #8: Downplaying the importance of cleaning. Buyers are about to spend a lot of money to buy a house. They deserve a clean house. We think they’re right.
(Refresh the browser to see new tips)
Site Map © Tuan Vu | Prepare Your House For Sale Disclaimer