Your home has been spruced up inside and out with fresh paint on the walls and mulch on the flowerbeds, and you and your family have worked hard to declutter and deep clean to show off all the great features to house hunters. The job is not done, however!  When your RealtorⓇ calls to alert you to a showing there are still some important things you should do: 

 

  • The typical amount of time before a showing is 24 hours, so take advantage of that time to make certain everything is spotless and neat. Cleaning and keeping the house clutter-free should be part of your daily routine, so a quick-clean should not take long. 
     

  • Making your house smell great can easily be overdone.  Appeal to the masses with light citrus or herbal scents. The more natural, the better. 
     

  • All valuables should be in a secure location:  lockbox, safe, or locked file cabinet.  Include personal mail, medications, and anything else you do not want prying eyes to see.  Some potential buyers look at everything, and you do not want your privacy compromised. 
     

  • Spot sweep obvious dirt on hard floor surfaces, and quick-vacuum carpeted rooms, working from the farthest point of the room to the door, and do not walk on the carpet after you have finished.
     

  • Make sure the temperature in the house is comfortable.  Your family may like a cool home, but 70° is perfect for most people. 
     

  • If you are leaving just before the showing, turn lights on in each room, and open the blinds.  This not only keeps your agent from having to do it, but it shows the buyers each space in its best light. 


  • Will you be at work when the showing is scheduled? Go over everything the night before and plan on taking twenty to thirty minutes the next morning to make sure everything is perfect before you walk out the door. 

 

Remember to be flexible during this time of your life.  Be prepared for many weekend showings, so have plans in place to make the best of your own weekend time.  You want to sell your home, so be its best advocate; the brief inconveniences outweigh the result! 

 

Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.

 

Photo credit: WSJ