Preparing a home for sale is a coordinated effort, but now that your house has been cleaned, staged, and photographed, you realize your next task is to maintain it.

If you’re starting to stress about the idea of keeping a show-ready home, don’t worry, we have the tips and tricks to help you show your home to prospective homebuyers at a moment’s notice. From the pile of shoes at the front door to the dining room table covered in your 'at-home office' or your unmade bed - skip the worry and follow these easy tips.

Remember, the better your house shows, the faster it sells, and the faster that it sells, the less time that you will need to maintain your show-ready home!

Eliminate Odours

Look good, feel good? More like smell good, sell quick! Scent has a significant impact on our decisions, and the first impression of your home can be dictated by what people smell when they first walk through the door. It doesn’t need to be fresh cleaner and open windows - try these simple ideas that will keep your house smelling good the entire time it’s listed for sale:

1. Empty the trash - a simple but easy fix to ensuring the scent of your home is top-notch, plus it keeps away the fruit flies and other pesky insects in the kitchen.

2. Clean the garbage disposal

3. Skip the greasy or spicy foods - nobody wants to walk into a house for sale to smell last night’s dinner. Make sure you alter your dinner plans to avoid greasy, fried or spicy foods.

4. Don't try to mask the smells – potential buyers may have sensitivities to candles and air fresheners, and artificial scents could be off-putting for them.

5. Air it out - the easiest way to add a fresh scent to your house is to allow some fresh flowing air into your home!

Have a Plan

Whether it be a checklist, an addition to your kids' errand list, or a reminder that you ask Alexa or Siri to give you - make sure that you do these things each and every day so that it doesn't become overwhelming to keep your house in check:

1. Open the curtains

2. Straighten the sofa cushions

3. Vacuum or sweep to keep the floors clean and mop up messes as they happen

4. Put away shoes and coats as soon as you enter your house

5. Create a list of the items that you need to remove for showings (i.e. pet items, office files, highchair, etc.) and use it prior to EVERY showing or open house

6. Store daily items in a bin for showings so that they are easy to pack up and bring out (i.e. keys, hats, coins, etc.)

7. Wash, dry, and put away the dishes after every meal

8. Make the bed every morning before you leave the house

9. Create a sanitization station – ensure that your buyers can easily maintain their safety in your property by providing hand sanitizer upon entry and exit. You may also wish to provide disinfecting wipes and/or a garbage can at the entry to allow for easy disposal of gloves and masks upon their exit. Making this aspect of viewing your home seamless will complete the positive experience for your buyers.

Adopting these simple habits will come in handy for selling your home and beyond!

What’s one thing you do each day to keep your house ‘show-ready’?

Need some help getting your home ready for sale? Contact us to get started with a consultation today!