I would love your tips about how to quickly make the house presentable for showings. Ours has just been listed and I’m finding it’s taking a ridiculous amount of time (like 2 hours) to make the bed with the special bedding, tidy up bathrooms and kitchens, vacuum, sweep the path, etc… How did you all make the process quicker?
In addition, the realtor says leave all lights on everytime I leave the house, and the AC. Surely they can arrive a few minutes before a showing to do that? I feel that I can’t cook because I don’t want to mess up the kitchen and have it smell. In addtion, I have two cats. I’m keeping them out of the house for the open houses, but gathering up all their stuff also takes ages. (I won’t board them, too much risk of disease, and they would be traumatized.)
Anyway, how can I make living in my home while trying to sell it more manageable? Thanks!
It’s such a PIA having to have the house perfect at all times in case there is a showing!
We were never asked to leave the lights on every time we left the house, or corral the dog. It’s one thing if you know there is a showing but the realtor should be able to come a few minutes earlier to get the house ready, put your pets in a certain room, etc… (That’s why they are getting their commission!)
We did work extra hard to make sure everything was put away the second it was used, beds made as soon as we woke up, etc…
Sending up prayers your house sells quickly so you don’t have to deal with showings for too long!
We asked that we receive a call letting us know before showings. I had a special laundry basket that had for showings only nice light color towels and rugs for the bathrooms, and a photo album of nice pictures of our landscaping year round, and placemats for the kitchen island. Because I was called, I had time to pull up the bed comforters and fix up the pillows.
When I got a call, I took all of OUR towels and such and put them in the trunk to my car (I’m not kidding) along with a box that I kept nearby that I could put “stuff” in. Sometimes I put the towels in the washing machine. Then I put out the fresh ones, and the placemats.
Oh…I had a dresser drawer empty in my bedroom and that’s where the bathroom counter extra stuff went. In a little bin.
The photo album and nice placemats went on the island, we took the dog, and we left!
Ah yes, hadn’t thought of throwing stuff in the car. I actually threw the laundry basket in there tonight, simply because I had to go out to the car. Didn’t think about putting stuff IN the laundry basket!
Pack up what you can and declutter the house as much as possible. Neatly stacked boxes in the garage or basement won’t be a detraction to buyers.
Leave bathroom and kitchen counters as free of stuff as possible just all the time.
I found that the less stuff that was out, the easier it was to keep the house clean and looking ready for showings.
You should always be getting at least some advanced notice for a showing.
(We’ve moved 10 times in our marriage and sold 7 homes, so your post is giving me PTSD ; )).
PS. Having sold 7 homes, we’ve also house hunted 7 times. The conditions that some people left their homes was crazy bad so I wouldn’t stress too much. I have a feeling your house looks pretty great even when you it’s not perfect!
This extra stuff is what I put in the box in my car during showings! But yes…remove anything you can from the house. We had boxes in our basement neatly piled up. I mean really…we were moving anyway so this gave us a head start on packing and purging!
We rented a storage unit and removed as much as possible, especially in the kitchen, kids items, extra clothes, linens and cleared out the garage as much as possible, too.
Personally, if possible I’d take a pet like a dog with me since showings don’t last very long generally and strangers in a home can be a stressful time for pets.