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Get Your Home Ready for an Open House

April 16, 2019 by Becca Stewart Leave a Comment

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You’re finally ready to put your home on the market and schedule an open house. Congratulations! Now, it’s time to make your house look its very best before showing it to potential buyers. Homes that are clean, organized, and well-staged typically receive offers faster than other homes. Ready to get your house sold for the best price possible? Let’s get started.

1. Remove Clutter

Photo of Kitchen Cooktop with green applesIt’s time to clear out your space. Decluttered homes feel more spacious and inviting to buyers. Clear off kitchen counters and tuck your small appliances away in the pantry or cabinets. Box up or get rid of about half of the items in your common living areas. Bathroom counters should be clear of toiletries. Remove any knick-knacks that might distract a buyer’s attention and cause your home to feel crowded.

2. Make Necessary Repairs

If you know your home needs some TLC, make those improvements before the house hits the market. Buyers may not notice which upgrades you have made, but they will notice the repairs you haven’t made – and that could affect whether or not you get an acceptable offer. You don’t need to spend thousands upgrading your home. Check out these ideas for inexpensive upgrades that lead to significant returns on investment.

3. Staging

Arrange your furniture to make your space appear more open. Most Realtors will tell you that home staging is a vital part of selling your home. Need some ideas? Your Realtor should be able to offer staging suggestions to make your home feel more inviting, or you can hire a professional staging company to do the work for you.

4. Remove Family Photos

We know your kids are cute, but it’s time to remove their photos from your wall. When potential buyers walk into your home, they should be able to visualize themselves in this space. That’s difficult to do with a stranger’s family photos hanging in the hall. Of course, bare walls aren’t ideal either, so add some neutral artwork or accents instead.

5. Scrub It Clean

Never underestimate the power of a deep clean. When agents or potential buyers arrive at an open house, they will notice if a home isn’t clean or looks ill-maintained. Those hours mopping, dusting, and scrubbing could mean the difference between a sale and another month on the market. If you don’t have the time or energy to clean every surface and make your home sparkle, consider hiring a professional cleaning company instead.

6. Organize Storage Spaces

We tend to neglect the out-of-sight areas of our home, but now is the time to organize those closets and storage areas. After all, buyers will be looking in every nook and cranny of your home, so make sure they aren’t turned off by what they see.

7. Neutralize Odors

It’s time for a sniff test. Do you have pets? Do you cook at home using abundant amounts of garlic? We don’t often notice the odors in our own homes, so ask a trusted friend, family member, or your real estate agent for some honest olfactory feedback. When it’s time for the open house or a showing, take out the trash, clean the carpets, light a candle for an hour or two, and make sure litter boxes and other pet areas are clean.

8. Curb Appeal

House with landscapingFirst impressions matter to buyers. Even a few small fixes to your home’s exterior and landscaping can drastically change the overall appearance. The lawn should be freshly mowed and edged a day or two before the open house.

9. Leave the House

On the day of the open house, leave the selling up to your Realtor. Buyers will feel more comfortable wandering, lingering, and looking if you’re not in the home.

Getting your home ready for an open house or regular showings can feel overwhelming. However, the time, money, and energy you spend now will make a significant impact on buyers’ impressions. It will all be worth it once you accept that full-price offer.

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Filed Under: Blog, Real Estate, Web and Social Media Tagged With: First Impression, Home Improvements, Home Staging, Open house, Open Houses, Selling Tips, Showings, Staging

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