The first showing you have on your home for sale is always exciting.  It feels like all the time and effort you put into staging your home, cleaning, and decluttering have paid off.   By the time you hit the fifth, it may not be as exciting trying to get everyone out of the door before the buyers appear as someone whines that they are hungry ten minutes after dinner and the dog just made a run to the neighbor’s home.  Even during all the chaos it is important to remember one thing. Showings are essential to getting your home sold even when they feel inconvenient.   Sellers should look at showings as potential offers.  In an age where almost all buyers start their home searches online, it is a big deal when buyers come to see your home in person!  Here are some tips for preparing for a showing that will help you get out the door quickly.

Quick Clean Daily

When you are living in a home and working, it can be tough to keep everything as sparkling clean as when you first staged your home.   To help stay on top of cleaning, give your home a quick once over every day.  Pick a time that works for you and spend a few minutes putting items away, wiping down counters and tables, and doing a quick vacuum in frequently used areas of your home. This is valuable because you don’t also know when a showing is going to be scheduled.

Doing these things before showings will help make your home appealing to buyers:

  • Make all beds
  • Empty dishes from sink…stash in dishwasher
  • Close lids to toilets
  • Open blinds and curtains
  • Turn on lights in all rooms (if it is in the evening or the room has less natural light)

Baskets are your friends

If you have a showing request that pops up unexpectedly, grab a laundry basket and start picking up everything that is out of place.  Toys on the floor, a pile of mail, or clothing can all be stashed in the laundry basket.  Take it with you when you head out of the house and put everything away when you return.

Have a plan for people

Showings can last for a while, so make sure you have a plan ahead of time for what you are going to do while buyers are looking at your home.  Will you take the kids to a park?  Walk around the block?  Head to a friend’s house?  Having some options can be helpful especially since what you might do on a Saturday is different than a Tuesday evening.  

Have a plan for pets 

Make sure that you have a plan in place for your pets too.  If you are going to keep them in the home, then make sure you tell your Realtor® what you are doing with them so it can be communicated to the buyers too.  For example, you don’t want the front door to be left open and your cat sneaks out.  A small sign on the front door can serve as a reminder.  I personally think it’s always best to take a dog with you for a showing since having strangers in the home when the owner isn’t present is always stressful for dogs.

Make a survival bag

If you’ve got children, having a grab and go bag by the door is really helpful when you’ve got to take them out of the home for a showing.  This bag can include things like

  • Crayons and paper
  • Clipboard
  • Snacks
  • New toy from a dollar store that stays in the bag
  • Books
  • Extra clothing

Having a new toy is always exciting, entertaining, and a great way to pass the time if you are just driving around.  Why clothing?  Because you know someone will spill something.

While showings can be stressful in the moment, their goal is to produce an offer for your home. Hopefully these tips will make the dash out of your home a little easier!