Tips to Keeping Your Listing Looking Good For Showings

Home Stagers help home owners get their homes ready for sale.  What good stagers will also do is give tips on how to keep your home looking good throughout its time on market.  Your home needs to be ready for a showing in a moments notice, so it is imperative that you have a checklist of things to do before you leave the home.   Below are some of the "musts" prior to a potential buyer coming to see your home:

Open all window coverings to let in the light & allow buyers to see the views and get as much natural light as possible into the home

Turn on Lamps in each room, even during the day

Open windows and doors for a few minutes (even in the winter!) to get fresh air into the home and remove stale smells that you have gotten used to.  

Keep your home smelling fresh by using safe products on carpets, drapes, & upholstered furniture.  Febreeze is a good choice and is safe for pets and people.  

Keep pets food & water dishes out of sight.  Move the cat litter box to the garage or outside while  your home is listed.  Make sure your dog(s) are not home during a showing. 

Kitchens & bathrooms need to be kept sparkling clean.  Have paper towels and countertop cleaner at the ready.

Remove trash daily and make sure bins are out of sight

Kitchen counters should have just a few items (a bowl of fresh fruit, plants, a pretty cookbook on a stand and limit small appliances to 1 or 2).

Dining tables should be staged with a simple centerpiece (flowers are always a safe choice)   

Make beds daily before leaving the house

Have a set of “good” towels that are off-limits to the family.  Have them easily handy to replace the daily used towels at a moments notice.  I recommend having a stack under the sink.  You do not want to have used, damp towels hanging from towel racks.

Toilet seat lids should always be down

Store all bathroom toiletries, cleaning supplies and wastebaskets out of sight. 

Purchase a squeegee for shower stalls and use after showering.  A wet shower feels too personal to potential buyers and is often hard to envision it being their shower

Replace burned-out light bulbs throughout the house & yard

Remove all family photos & items with a family member’s name; hide bills, bank statements, mail; hide valuables, prescription medicines, alcohol & firearms

The walkway to the front door should be swept & tidy with colorful pots of flowers and a new doormat

If you make sure all of the tips are completed before a real estate agent brings a potential buyer to your home, you will feel confident that your home will look its best.