Clearing a home for a Home Showing

(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.

Related articles

• Staging Your Home for Sale

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• Home Showing Tips

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Property Investing

Graph showing the rate of a $1000 initial investment over a ten year period with a steady interest rate of 20%. Created using the graph feature of Excel 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Investing in properties was once considered a low risk investment, but like all markets, nothing is guaranteed. Although we are still lingering in the hangover of the real estate market crash from a few years ago, foreclosure rates are down and property values are slowly starting to increase. One might even be optimistic and say that now is the time to become a property investor and ride out the possible growth. My advice would be to go for it, but know what you're up against and have a plan.

Although national real estate markets overall have been good over the past year, there are plenty of outliers. Towns like Houston and Phoenix have seen spikes in real estate development with emerging businesses and markets, but towns only a few miles away have reaped no benefits. When investing in anything, it's always good to know with what you understand and know. Don't make big time decisions based on hints you hear from the media or public opinion articles.

Vacationing in Oregon

Oregon is a state of natural beauty and attracts thousands of visitors annually.  Find out what makes Oregon so unique and why you should plan your next vacation in Oregon.

The Coast
Oregon has 363 miles of coast, dotted with lighthouses, fishing towns and natural scenery.  I would recommend making a road trip out of it to get the full effect of Oregon's coast.  Spend a day or two driving up the coast line, making stops at some of the popular towns to get a bite to eat or crash for the night.

Willamette Valley
Known particularly for its agriculture, it is home to a majority of Oregon's wine production.  It is also host to a large number of biking trails and hiking paths for the outdoorsy type.  The college towns of Eugene (University of Oregon) and Corvallis (Oregon State University) also make the area unique.

Eastern Oregon
If you really want to get away from it all, this is the place to visit.  Spectacular mountain elegant lakes and rugged terrain make this area one of a kind.  Popular sites include the Painted Hills near John Day, the Steens Mountains and Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America.

Learn more about visiting Oregon at Travel Oregon website.

This article was contributed by Coldwell Banker Valley Brokers, offering houses for sale in Corvallis Oregon.