Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Clearing a home for a Home Showing

Engineered stone countertops, consisting of qu...
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
We've all walked in on a home that was clearly not ready for its home showing. Messy tables, un-dusted countertops, and unmade beds are simple steps that go in a long way in the presentation of a home. Although a dirty counter doesn't say much about the value of a home, a home buyer may be wondering "what else should I be concerned about?". To avoid being "that house", follow these easy steps when preparing for a home showing before inviting the next home owners over to take a look around.

Put away toys - Or at least put them in one room. Most home visitors will love seeing kids, but they might now want the rattler in the kitchen, or the fake car in the middle of the lawn. The same goes with toys for pets, which leads right into the next section.

Put away the animals! - Even if you have a non-shedding pooch, animals may make some home visitors a bit uncomfortable. Allergies can be a major turnoff for any home buyer, and if they want to leave because of their allergies, odds are they won't be coming back. Do some basic cleaning and vacuuming a good 3 hours before anyone's expected to come. If you don't have a good place to put away your pets, ask a neighbor or friend if they wouldn't mind watching Fluffy for a few hours.

Add plenty of lighting - No one wants to feel like your home has something to hide. Fill the rooms with natural light if possible, and turn all the lights on. It also helps bring out the color of wood floors and furniture if you have them, and it helps liven the mood.

Get rid of the Bugs - If you're showing your home in the summer, and odds are if you're reading this, you probably area, then you know how bad bugs in the house can be. Do some bug reading to find ways to get rid of bugs in your house. Number one rule for the most part is not leaving out food for long periods of time.

Nice smells - You shouldn't go all out on this one, but one candle in the center of your home should do the job well. If you don't want to go that route, just make sure there aren't any bad smells coming from anywhere.
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