People who take time out of their day to schedule and attend a showing are generally serious buyers. To make the most of each showing, you want your house to be clean, neat, and professionally staged —but there are also a few other things to consider:
Pets And Pet Items
Yes, it is hard to get pets out of your home every time someone wants to see it, but it’s an important step to make sure the showing experience is pleasant for buyers. Take dogs, cats, and any other pet that moves freely about the house with you when you leave during a showing. Fish tanks are fine, but if you have an unusual pet like a snake or a spider, you may want to remove them as well, as buyers may be squeamish about such creatures.
Along with your pet, remove any pet accessories that you can. This means the dog’s bed, cat toys, and other items that may be lying around. If possible, move cat litter boxes to an outdoor, hidden location during the showing.
Personal Items
It’s your home, and you want to display your photos and your children’s latest art projects, but buyers don’t want to see them. Buyers are looking to picture their own family in the home, and not yours, so it’s helpful to create a cleaner slate.
Removing photos and personal items also reduces clutter on walls, the fridge, and surfaces, creating a more open look to your home.
Visible Valuables
Sadly, not everyone who enters your home for a showing may be entirely trustworthy; this is especially true of an open house when anyone can walk in. It’s best not to leave expensive items in plain sight, including jewelry, electronic equipment, musical instruments, and valuable collectibles.
In addition to protecting your items, removing them from home will once again reduce the clutter and create a home that shows more easily. Like the family photos, removing your collection of sports memorabilia helps take your personality out so buyers can superimpose their own.
Removing items from your house each time you have a showing is difficult, so you may want to simply put them in a secure location during the sale process. The fewer things that need to be stashed away before a showing, the more ready you will be when the call comes in.
