House Showing Tips

During the time your house is on the market, try to keep it prepared for a showing whenever possible. If your house is on the market, it should at all times be available for showing to potential buyers. After all, how else do you expect to sell it?

When you get prior notice that someone is coming to view the house, there are a few simple things you can do to ensure that their viewing is a pleasant (and hopefully profitable) one.

Dissappear

Leave. Make yourself and your family scarce. No, don't get angry now! If you have a real estate agent who represents your interests in the sale of your house, let the agent do his/her work in peace.

If it all possible, try to schedule showings during times when you're at work, or simply leave for an hour when you know potential buyers are on their way. Go and have tea with your friendly neighbour. You are pobably not going to see them for a while, so use this time to catch up and say your goodbyes.

The reason why it is better for your family not to be at the house when the potential buyers arrive is obvious: Buyers can easily feel like they're intruding in your home if you are there. The buyers will rush the viewing and they'll want to get out of YOUR home as quickly as possible. You want potential buyers to feel welcome, not uncomfortable. You want the potential buyers to feel as though this house is a place they might be able to call home (THEIR home, not yours). This is all achieved much easier in your absence.

Take out the trash

This is a tiny tip that works wonders. Even if the trash can is hidden in a pretty dustbin drawer and the bag is almost empty, put a fresh trash bag in before buyers come to view your house.

Taking out the trash will remove any potential for unpleasant odours from your household garbage. But an empty trash can will also make the house feel less "lived-in", which makes it easier for buyers to imagine themselves living in the house.

Pack away clean and dirty dishes

Don't leave out dirty dishes. Wash them and pack them away, or take them with you when you leave, if needs be!

Used dishes is another strong subconcious clue for potential buyers that shouts: "Someone else lives here!"

Buyers might conciously know that this is your house, but they are trying their very best to imagine themselves living in your house. Whay not make it as easy as possible for them to dream, without being jerked back to reality by constant reminders that the house actually belong to you?

If you have a dishwasher, it's fine to pile the dirty dishes inside and close the door (keep in mind that, if the dishwasher comes with the house, they might very well look inside!)

Let there be light

Open the curtains and switch on all the lights, even if the viewing happens in the daytime. Open all blinds fully (unless there's a really, really ugly view outside). This tip seems silly, but it isn't.

Even if you don't have much natural light streaming into your house, it is crucial that you take advantage of whatever natural light you do have. You might feel like you're wasting electricity, but your lights will eliminate any dark corners. A well lit house looks big and fresh. The possibly of buyers getting a musty feeling in your house is greatly reduced, even if they come at a time when your house is sitting in shadow.

Wash Wash Wash

The best way to keep a house prepared for viewings is to keep the major cleaning at bay.

Wash, wax and vacuum twice a week, and pick up any clutter in between. That way, if you get last-minute notice of a showing, you can fix a few details, get the lights, head out the door, and know that your house is showing its best possible face to your potential buyers.