Open House Checklist:
20 Tips for Preparing Your Home to Show
Hopefully, you have had the chance go through our 101 Ways to Prepare Your Home to Sell document and have your home in great shape for showing it to potential buyers.
Now it’s time to make sure your home will make a fantastic first impression when your Realtor hosts an open house or shows it to buyers.
Use this helpful open house checklist to make sure your home is ready for caravans, open houses and private showings.
1. Make all of the beds.
2. Turn on all of the lights in your home.
3. Open all of the curtains and blinds to let in natural light.
4. Make sure all of your toilet seats are down and the lids are closed.
5. Empty all trash cans – and hide them, if possible.
6. Make sure there are no dirty dishes in the sink or on the counter.
7. Make sure all closets and cabinet doors are closed.
8. Open doors between rooms to improve traffic flow and make your home feel more open.
9. If possible, arrange an away-from-home play date or pet sitter for your pets during showings.
10. Do not run washing machines, dryers or other appliances during open houses and showings.
11. Make sure there are no open laundry baskets and no visible laundry in the washer or laundry room.
12. Clean litter boxes and check the yard for pet waste.
13. Deodorize your garbage disposal by cutting a lemon in half and running it through the disposal.
14. Remove used towels from bathrooms and personal care products from the vanity, back of toilet, and bathtub or shower.
15. Do a final dusting, sweeping and vacuuming just before the open house or showing.
16. Check for crumbs under tables, on counters, on chairs and near baseboards.
17. If you have attractive tableware, set your dining room table as if dinner party guests are about to arrive.
18. If you have a great shower, open the curtain halfway to show it off.
19. If you have a fireplace and weather permits, light an inviting fire.
20. Create welcoming aromas with potpourri, freshly baked cookies or boiling cinnamon sticks.
It is best if you take this time to go shopping, grab coffee or run errands, and let your real estate agent handle showing your home and answering questions. Buyers are generally most comfortable when the homeowner is not home, which allows them to more freely wander around, ask questions and voice their opinion.
Contact Nora for more tips on how to have a great showing!