Home buyers beginning their search during COVID have had to settle for endlessly scrolling through pictures and mindlessly clicking through 3D home tours, at least up until now. Since showings are allowed again and can be safely conducted with precautionary measures, those on the home hunt are eager to see listings they love up close and personal. For a home seller, this means now is the best time to prep your home for an influx of visitors. Below are five important tips to help you get showing ready…
1. First impressions are everything.
You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Help your home make the most of its one chance by focusing on curb appeal. Maybe give your front door a fresh coat of paint. Weed, mow, and regularly water your lawn. Weather permitting, add color by planting fresh flowers. Think about the first few things your potential buyer will see. We can assure you, even as they are walking up the driveway, opinions have started forming. COVID Addendum: Set up a sanitizing station as soon as you walk in your front door complete with hand sanitizer, masks, gloves, and booties. This will help put you and your potential buyers at ease about the possible spread of harmful germs. You want your buyers to focus on the house and you want to keep your family safe and healthy.
2. Set the mood.
Turn on all of the lights in your house prior to a showing. In addition, open all window coverings and maybe even windows. You want your home to look and smell bright, fresh, and clean. Maybe put on soft generic music. Air flow and lots of natural light offer a sense of comfort and safety, something we all look for in a home. It also means your realtor won’t be awkwardly struggling to open a stuck window or waiting for a lagged light to reach full brightness while he or she is giving your home tour.
COVID Addendum: Add to this list opening all doors. It reduces the amount of things home buyers might touch in your home. Light switches and door handles should hopefully stay germ free.
3. Three’s a crowd.
Limit the number of people in your home at one time so your prospective buyer doesn’t feel crowded or rushed.
COVID Addendum: This is currently a mandatory regulation even if it’s a good general rule of thumb. Maintain six feet of social distance from others whenever possible.
4. Declutter, declutter, declutter.
Don’t wait to sell or give away furnishings and other extraneous belongings until after you move. The time is now! Your home should look tidy, organized, and free of the extras. Have a place for everything and do your best to keep it there while your home is on the market. Better yet, at Corken + Company, we stage every sale listing & have a professional organizer on staff. Read more about this part of our concierge services as well as find more staging and decor tips here. It is important to note as well that all of your personal and valuable belongings should be stowed in a safe place.
5. Repair and replace.
While it is not necessary and probably not within the budget to do a full-blown renovation, there are likely easy DIY projects you can work to accomplish before your home showing. Repair small holes in the wall and do some touch up painting. Fix loose knobs and leaky faucets. Any small, easy repairs will go a long way during showings and last into inspections and contingencies.
A final pro tip is to follow the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. Think back to when you first saw your home. What things did you love or what things did you not see that you wish you would have noticed earlier? Capitalize on those aspects of your home and do all you can to emphasize them during your next showing!
