To get your home ready for showings, fix the small stuff before you list, stage it so it feels closer to a model home, and have a plan for the kids and pets. Even in this summer’s seller’s market, homes that show well are pulling away from the ones that don’t. More showings usually mean better odds of a faster sale and a stronger price, and a house that’s easy to show and looks move-in ready tends to get more of them. Here’s how I’d handle each step:
- Handle minor repairs before you list.
Right now, buyers’ number one concern is higher interest rates and affordability. As a result, they want to put as much money down as they can to lower their monthly payments. This means that if you take care of repairs upfront, buyers will be more interested in your house and might even be willing to pay a premium. Taking care of cosmetic repairs upfront is a good idea even in a normal market, but higher interest rates mean this step is more important than ever.
- Stage the house.
Think about a model home: It’s clean, standardized, and impersonal. Your goal should be to get as close to that image as possible. Your home likely has a lot of personalized touches, like odd furniture, family photos, or maybe even an off-colored wall. I recommend trying to depersonalize your home as much as possible so prospective buyers can picture themselves living in your property. Plus, by packing everything away, you’ll make moving easier once you sell your house.
- Plan ahead for kids and pets.
Your showings probably won’t go smoothly if your dog or young children are running around. Instead, work with your agent to create a showing schedule with blocks of time when your home is ready for buyers. This way, you and your buyers won’t be disrupted. I recommend putting dogs in kennels just for the short time when you’ll be having showings. While moving your pets around might be a little work, it’s worth it to keep your house in pristine condition when buyers are viewing it.
If you’d like a showing plan or a list of repairs worth making before you list, call or email us. We’ll walk the house with you, point out what buyers will notice, and help you skip the fixes they won’t care about.
