Welcome to part 4 of our “Sell Your House!” series! If you’re just joining in now, you might want to backtrack and start reading with part 1.

After sprucing things up based on the advise of your Realtor and making an informed decision on price, it’s time to add those finishing touches in preparation for marketing photos and opening your house up for showings with potential buyers. According to the National Association of Realtors, 95% of home-buyers are using online sources to learn about properties for sale. What does this mean for you, the home-seller? You want your house looking its best in those marketing photos!

Here are our “do’s” and “don’ts” for getting your house in exceptional shape for photos and for private showings!

Do

  • Depersonalize your house: Swap out your family portraits for tasteful, yet generic, art or patch the nail hole in the wall and leave a clean slate. Pack up your knick-knacks and tchotchkes. Clear your refrigerator door of the magnet collection, grocery list and A+ papers. When your home’s decor tells your personal history, potential buyers (and their agents) may get distracted from the house itself and become more intrigued with your travels, wondering whether they know you from somewhere, or critiquing your choice in wedding attire. Make it easy for buyers to visualize your house as their home.
  • Pack up and store anything you’re not using until you get to your new home: And by “store” we mean “remove from the premises”. You want your home and all of its storage spaces (closets, cabinets, drawers, garage, shed) to look as roomy as possible. Rent a storage space for a few months to hold your out-of-season clothing, off-season outdoor decor and equipment, and those small kitchen appliances you rarely use anyway. Your Realtor may suggest moving around (or removing) some pieces of furniture.
  • Ensure all lights and lamps have working bulbs: The more light, the better when it comes to photographing a house. Make it easy for your photographer! When you leave your house before a showing, turn on all the lights. This makes the house feel warm and inviting, especially in the evening hours.
  • Designate a catch-all basket for a quick pre-showing declutter: You will, inevitably, get a showing request with just moments to spare before you need to leave the house. Having a container ready (and a space to stash it) for a once-over pick-up makes things a little less stressful. Toss in the stack of mail, media remotes, bathroom toiletries, and other odds and ends strewn about.
  • Give the exterior a double-check: Sweep the porch, patio, deck, and walkways. Neatly store regularly-used items such as hoses, bikes, etc. Make sure trash and recycling bins aren’t filled to overflowing and that they don’t offer up any unpleasant odors. Mow the lawn, rake the leaves, or shovel the snow (whatever applies to the season).

Don’t

  • Use your garage as a storage unit: Buyers will look in your garage. Your house may give the impression of having tons of storage space, but that veil will be lifted when they peek in the garage.
  • Let pets rule the roost: Stow away pet supplies (beds, food dishes, litter boxes) for photos and before showings. Make sure the yard is clear of any “deposits” and don’t leave the collection in the trash can in the garage. Whenever possible, remove pets from the house during showings. If that’s not possible, talk with your Realtor about a plan for keeping pets and buyers comfortable.
  • Leave vehicles parked outside for photos: Got a boat, camper or trailer parked alongside your garage? Hitch it up and take it for a drive during your photo shoot. If you’ve followed our previous “don’t”, the park your vehicles in the garage.
  • Take feedback personally: Your home holds lots of memories and we understand that. As real estate professionals, (both as your listing agent and as buyer agents showing homes) the purpose of our feedback is to help your house look its best and earn top dollar in the market with a quick offer. Try to look at the sale of your house as a business transaction and not an emotional situation (we know that’s much easier said than done).

How can Jane Schmidt Homes help you get your house in its best shape for making a great first impression? We offer professional staging services at no cost to you as well as professional photography.

Want more tips for preparing your house for sale? Email sellmyhouse@janeschmidthomes.com to get your FREE “Getting Your House in Top Selling Condition” checklist!