Shoving everything into closets and under the bed is NOT the way go!
Here are some steps to getting your home ready for an open house.
Clutter: get rid of it. Work on it, take a break and then work some more. Nothing shows clutter like a picture. Take snap shots of your living spaces and then look at them. You'd be surprised what you see. Closets, cabinets and drawers....one never knows if someone is going to open something or not. Be on the safe side, have it all neat and tidy. Remember, you are wanting to move, so start the cleaning process now.
Cleaning Service: a professional can really get down and dirty and get your house super clean. You want to give the impression that this is a very, well maintained house (because it is!), but dirt takes away from this impression.
Personal Photos: you should have already done this for the listing photos, but somehow they seem to sneak back out. You want your home to be fairly generic. Some people have trouble envisioning living in your home when the family portrait of YOUR family is smiling at them from the entry way. So, remove as much as possible. Think of it this way, you have to pack it all up anyway, right?
Odors: But my house doesn't smell? Are you sure? You live there so you won't necessarily smell it. So, ask your realtor to come over and smell your house. You want it clean and fresh. Citrus, linen are always good. I've read suggestions about baking a pie or cookies....it can go either way. You just want it to smell good.
Repairs: Oh I meant to change out that light bulb. Potential buyers look at it as if you don't take the time to fix minor things, what major things don't you take care of? It could be nothing, but they don't view it that way. Walk through your house with a fine toothed comb and make a list of things that need to be fixed and get on it!!
Staging: Someone will be able to tell if you have children as he/she walks through your home. However, your living room shouldn't look like a toy store. The bathroom isn't the drug store. You want your house to look picture perfect.
Curb appeal: some deals are lost based on when the potential buyer pulls up to your home. Even if you aren't a green thumb sort of guy, invest some time and money and fix up those flower beds, add some potted plants, and maybe even a small garden flag. Again, it goes back to "if they don't take care of the yard....what else don't they take care of?"
Don't be there: When it comes time for your open house, don't be there. That is the job of your realtor. Potential buyers will feel uncomfortable knowing the owner is there. The realtor has set up a specific time for your open house. Leave 30 minutes prior and don't return until at least 30 minutes after; your best bet is to contact your realtor to see if it ok to come home. You never know, that future buyer might be staying later and asking a lot of questions.
http://corneliuscamp.com/10-tips-to-prepare-your-home-for-an-open-house/
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