Logan Voss
While it may seem like selling your home will be a breeze, you’ll need to do a little preparation. When you put in the effort beforehand, you can sell your home in no time! Below, we provide a quick guide to how to prepare your home for a showing.
Focus on The Front
The entrance is the first area of your home that potential buyers will notice. That being said, your home’s exterior and landscaping must also create a great first impression. Your lawn should be freshly cut in the warmer months, and you should shovel your driveway and the sidewalks in the winter months.
Leave out a welcome mat, too—this small gesture lets guests know you’ve invited them into your home.
Depersonalize Your Home
Anyone who walks into your home should be able to easily picture themselves in your space. You don’t want them to feel like an intruder.
As interested buyers enter your home, warmly welcome them inside, but don’t follow them around like a tour guide. Your guests shouldn’t feel any pressure from you—they’ll explore your home’s amenities on their own and come to a decision themselves.
Additionally, take down hanging portraits and other heirlooms. Your belongings will distract your guests from envisioning themselves living in your home. Plus, you’re eventually moving anyway, so it’s best to pack your photos and other treasured possessions early.
Finally, it helps to leave a small bowl of candy by the door as a way of thanking potential buyers for their time. You can snack from it too, but not when your guests are looking.
Keep It Comfortable
If it’s very cold or warm outside, your potential buyers will want to feel instant relief from the elements when they walk into your home. Turning on the air or heat, lighting your fireplace, or opening the windows when it’s appropriate gives your guests a reason to stay for a while.
Also, you should tidy every area in your home, including the bathrooms and bedrooms. Make it a habit to clean daily; you want to master creating the suggestion that your home can belong to somebody else.
Finally, pay attention to any lingering odors in your home. To remove them, a handy trick is to brew coffee or bake cookies before people arrive. The warm aromas are inviting, and unlike scents from sprays or plug-in air fresheners, they won’t trigger sensitive noses.
Stay Updated on Maintenance and Repairs
If you plan to prepare your home for a showing, you’ll want it to be in the best condition possible. From the attic to the crawlspace, every area in your home should be dry and repaired. These are a handful of repairs that you should definitely consider before opening up your home:
- Fix leaky faucets
- Patch holes in the walls
- Replace broken windows and cracked tiles
- Swap burned-out lightbulbs for new ones
