Preparing For An Open House

Selling your home can be stressful, but you can help your real estate agent help you by making sure your home is in tip-top shape before potential buyers come for a showing. Here are five areas to address before the first open house.

Clean Like Crazy

Your home needs to be immaculate. If buyers see that you haven't kept up with the basics, they will be skeptical as to whether or not the bigger routine maintenance and repairs projects, like changing the furnace filter, were taken care of. Dust, polish, wash, scrub, and shine. Don't forget the little nooks and crannies, the woodwork, and the windows. If you don't have the time to tend to the deep-cleaning projects, hire someone to do it for you. Pay special attention to the bathroom and kitchen. No one wants to buy a home with someone else's nasty mess.

De-Clutter Every Room

Prospective homeowners want to picture themselves living in the house. If it is full of your stuff, it's hard to visualize their stuff. Jam-packed rooms also appear smaller than rooms that are sparsely furnished. Take down the wall of family pictures and children's drawings. Go through closets and cupboards and drawers. Get rid of any over-sized furniture. Remember, you have to pack and move everything to your new house eventually, so carefully consider what you really want to haul around. Donate stuff, sell things, and rent a storage facility for anything you won't need while you try to sell your house.

Lighten And Brighten Up The Place

Take down heavy, room-darkening drapes. Open the (newly cleaned) blinds. Replace missing or low-wattage light bulbs. When it comes to homes for sale, show off how much natural light comes into the house. A dark house feels depressing and oppressive; a bright house feels cheerful and energizing.

Make The Home Smell Nice

Before every showing, simmer some cinnamon sticks, pure vanilla, and orange rinds on the back of the stove for an hour or two. Avoid cooking bacon, garlic, or anything else that will stink up the joint in the days leading up to an open house. Light a candle that has a fresh-smelling fragrance.

Rearrange The Furniture

Create usable conversation areas in the main living rooms. Think about how each space could be used, not just how you use it, and go with what you think will appeal to the typical buyer. Arrange the furniture you have kept to maximize the features and space of each room.