It can be difficult to juggle your regular home life while keeping the house in tip-top condition for selling. Making sure your house is always ready for a walkthrough while it's on the market can really make or break the sale.
Here are five ways you can live in your home while it's on the market and make sure it performs well.
Keep It Clean
Sellers often believe potential buyers are simply looking at the home and layout when considering to buy, but huge messes can give a house a dirty and unappealing look. You must be able to clean your home on the daily and making sure it's always ready for a customer to view it. Keeping it clean will make the home more desirable, as potential buyers have trouble imagining what the home will look like empty if you have clutter and messes strewn about. While your home is on the market, it should be as clean as if you were expecting guests every single day. You never know when a potential buyer might stop by to view the home.
Boxes In Storage
It's important to completely declutter your home to really give it a fresh and clean feeling. Invest in some temporary storage while you work on moving out of the home while it's on the market. Have all your items packed in boxes and waiting in storage for the big move. This will give the home a simple and clean look, boosting its appeal, and will also allow you to be ready and packed.
Minimize To Necessities
The appeal of a nice hotel is it only provides life's simple necessities. The goal of your home should be to look like a nice and inviting hotel. Cut all your furniture and items down to simple daily necessities. Anything else should be packed away in boxes and waiting in the storage unit. This will help declutter your home and gives you a head start on the packing.
Live On A Schedule
You never know when a potential buyer could stop by to view your home. Always be ready and live on a temporary schedule. How awkward would it be if you were sleeping in until three in the afternoon and a buyer knocked on your door to take a look at the home? It's important to always be ready. It helps to let your realtor know when your home is available so they can relay the information to potential buyers and prevent them from showing up unexpectedly.
Minimize Mess Where It Counts
The selling points of most homes are the kitchen, the master bedroom and the bathrooms. Be sure to always keep these areas as tidy and maintained as possible. Always have them ready for viewing as they could potentially sell your home. If you sleep in the master bedroom, consider temporarily sleeping in a different bedroom while the house is on the market. This will ensure the master bedroom is always ready and clean. Discuss with your family ways they could utilize the three big spaces while also maintaining their cleanliness.
Neal Johnson is a CMCA, CRB, CNE and GRI-certified, licensed real estate broker at Network Real Estate, which has exclusively served a high volume of property sales and purchases in the greater Wilmington area for more than 30 years. With three offices at College Road, historic downtown Wilmington and Pleasure Island, Network’s brokers are widespread and well-versed in this marketplace, making Network a preferred real estate company for first-time homebuyers and beyond.