Of course I have some tips and tricks that I use to help. I am going to share some of these tips with you today. First, before we even get it listed, there is a LOT of organizing and purging. Lots of things get donated, and lots gets thrown away.
And those pesky projects that we put off now have to happen. Oh yeah, and while we are running around spending all our time getting the house ready, we still have to get the kids to all their activities, do laundry, grocery shop, cook, and maybe even sleep.
So on to some of my actual tips. I have gained this knowledge not only from selling my own house, but from the many, many houses I have viewed over the years during all our moves.
First, please do the easy things. Like, maybe, I don't know....clean!!?? I have walked through homes that look like for the many years the people have lived there, they never washed their hands and touched every wall, door, light switch, etc. That's fine if someone wants to do that. But, really, clean it before you sell. No one wants to clean that up. Especially me. I've done it. Crying. It's not pretty. (Thanks to my mom, and my friend Tara who have helped me in the past and seen my tears!! )
Next, I know people still live in their homes, just like I do, but if I see trash laying around in rooms it shouldn't be....like food waste in bedrooms, or even overflowing trash cans in bathrooms, that gives me a clear message. You. Don't. Care. And when I've found homes with those little things, they usually have big things they didn't take care of either. So, if you really want to sell your house for top dollar and soon, clean and maintained is the way to go. And if you think that's a given, I can tell you it's not.
Have a list of things that you need to do RIGHT before a showing. There is nothing worse than leaving and remembering that you left some undergarments hanging in the laundry room. My list also includes things like, put a towel over the dirty laundry basket in the closet, put my cats in crates, and pick up any dog toys laying around.
My best and favorite tip, though, is this. I am not a big fan of candles. But lots of people use them when showing their home. And they actually leave them burning when they aren't there, which completely freaks me out. But, anyway, sometimes when I see a house and there are a ton of candles burning, I wonder what smells they are trying to cover up. My recommendation is to get some refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, and bake 1/2 dozen or so right before a showing. Leave them out on a plate with some napkins in the kitchen island. Now your house smells like fresh baked goods, and you've fed the hungry, tired buyers. And later when they are thinking about houses, they will remember yours as the "cookie house". That can never be a bad thing, right?
We also have a this plate/sign that can be written on with dry erase markers. I like to leave a nice, subtle message on it. Right now, it says "Welcome to Your New Home!" And I put it right with the cookies. :) A little bribery never hurts, right??
I'm always happy to help if you are going to be buying or selling. I am not a professional agent or inspector or mover, but I do have a lot of experience with these things!
More tips to come at a later date!!
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