This is the third and final article in a series outlining things you need to do so your home sells faster and for top dollar. Using Part 1 you depersonalize, declutter and start packing. Using Part 2 you clean, repair, color, remove extra furniture and rearranged remaining furniture to showcase your rooms’ features, and then make sure your fresh, functional and inviting home is seen in the best light (literally!).
After completing Part 1 and 2, you’ll be ready to plant the “For Sale” sign and welcome potential buyers into the house. But if you want to change the sign from “For Sale” to “Sold!” you need to keep up on a daily list the”selling to-dos” outlined in this post.
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Day-By-Day
So after you’ve done all the work getting ready for the buyers – don’t turn them off by leaving tell-tale signs of your daily life in the house. Without exception, you need to make sure when you leave for work each day or leave so the house can be shown that you run down this checklist:
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- Make every bed
- Make sure nothing is left on the floor (except rugs!) and only attractive items on table tops (candles, flowers)
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Keep dishes out of the sink and off the counters
- Make sure all spills and crumbs are cleaned from counter tops
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- Make sure the sinks are clean (no tooth paste or stray hairs in the bathroom!)
- Wipe fingerprints or spattered toothpaste off the mirrors
- Put all toilet seats down
- Make sure towels are clean and properly hung
- If your shower is glass, make sure it’s spotless
- Turn all lights throughout the house on when showing
- Play an FM radio with soft, light music during showings
- Put all personal belongings away and don’t leave dirty clothes on the floor
- Keep all counter top items put away
- Cage pets and make sure litter boxes are out of the house (stash them in the garage or outside)
It’s Worth It
Yes, it’s a lot of work and a lot of bother to have your house on the market. But if you prep your house so others can easily see themselves living there, you won’t have to keep it up for long and your sale price will reflect your effort.
If you don’t change how you live in the house while it’s on the market – then you’ll end up with just having strangers tromp through your home – because it won’t sell. You’ve got to make changes in order to make the sale. Then when you’re moved and settled into your new house, your family can go back to a comfortable, user-friendly lifestyle.
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