It is hard to keep your home in showing condition at all times especially when you have kids and pets and homes are taking longer to sell and there can be a week or two between showings.
If you get a last minute (say an hour or less) showing request, don't panic. STAY CALM! You can pull it off; here is what we suggest you do when you clearly don't have time to fully clean and straighten your house. They say the kitchen and the bathrooms sell a house. So start in the kitchen. Just remember the mantras:
Mantra # 1 - If you kitchen looks clean, your house looks clean
Empty out the kitchen sink - put everything in the dishwasher (hopefully it is not already full with clean dishes - if so, move even quicker).
Clear off the counters. Dump everything in a junk drawer.
Run a swifter over the floor to pick up any pet hair or miscellaneous dirt.
Mantra # 2 - Out with the trash
Take the kitchen trash out. It will help eliminate any unpleasant odors.
Take a trash bag and empty all the waste baskets throughout the house (including bedrooms and bathrooms). Turn the lights on and open the shades while you journey through the home.
Mantra #3 - Make the beds
They don't have to be perfect, but straighten out the sheets and comforters, fluff the pillows.
Mantra #4 - Pick up and put things in their place
Pick up dirty clothes and stuff in a laundry basket. Don't have an empty laundry basket? Dump the clothes in the washing machine. Pick up toys and stuff in a toy bin.
Shove any clutter under the beds (buyers rarely look there).
Anything that won't fit in closets, junk drawers, or under the beds, consider putting in the trunk of the car until after the showing.
Mantra #5 - Get out before the potential buyer arrives
With a little strategic cleaning/picking up, your house can be looking pretty good in a very short time. Any other tips from the professionals reading this?
~Lisa
Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.
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The Scott Loper Team
Scott Loper - Associate Broker
Lisa Loper - Sales Associate
Gina Wherry - Sales Associate
RE/MAX Realty Group
439 Main Street
Harleysville, PA 19438
Ph: 215-256-1200 x-213
Good Morning Scott, great list for the home seller to have on hand!
That is a great list. I like the clean kitchen is a clean house. The kitchen makes such a huge difference!
Great list the kitchen and bathrooms make a big difference if they are clean and smell clean. I will give this to new sellers so they will be prepared for emergency showings, although I try to give them at least 12 hours notice.
Thanks Dan!
Hi Mona, we agree - the kitchen comes first.
Hi David, feel free to share.
~Lisa
So true about the kitchen. I'll never forget a listing I had that was to be shown. I called the seller to let them know. Mrs. Seller became upset. She said, "Myrl, I woke late this morning, and left dishes in the sink, and the kitchen is a mess. And, I'm at work" I told her not to worry, I'd take care of it. So, I showed up at the house a half hour early, and loaded everything into the dishwasher. Including some things that didn't belong there. Fortunately the sellers discovered that before they ran the cycle. But we got the house sold!
Lisa ~ I like this list because it demonstrates that it's really not that difficult to get your home ready for a showing in a hurry. We'd all like our clients to have the home near 'show ready' at all times, but we know that life takes over. This takes what is often seen as a 'daunting task' and puts it into a simple plan of attack!
Hi Myrl, I've stuffed a few things in the dishwasher and oven too that don't quite belong there!
Hi Chris, Agreed! It seems like a daunting task, but it really isn't.
~Lisa
Great easy list. Following these steps in today's market can help get a home sold.