#Buy/SellSaturday- April 15, 2017

 

Yesterday, I talked about getting your house ready for the real estate market. It involves a lot of boxes, cleaner, and “editing” of things. Also, probably a bit of sweat.

Trouble is, the sweat ain’t over yet, honey.

Unless you’re one of the lucky ones who sells his or her house in the first or second visit, you’re probably going to have multiple showings to contend with. They can be scheduled at nearly any time of day, and can sometimes be thrown up on you in the last minute.

And it’s good advice that if your agent calls with an appointment for a showing, you should take it. It’s a gamble to say no. What if that was the couple that was going to buy our house? Without any conditions? And with CASH!?!

Don’t let the Cash Couple drive past your house. Instead, have a copy of this handy-dandy “Show-Ready Home” checklist nearby, and start busting your butt. You have a house to clean.

 

Click on the above image for a free printable of the checklist. Yes, it’s yours! Lucky duck. 

I had a realtor tell me that there is always the possibility that someone will be viewing a house in your area, and they might see your sign and want to add you to the tour. You could have a family of 6 touring your house with only 10 minutes of warning.

So I developed a “Panic!” checklist for that. It involves the cunning use of laundry baskets. Oh, I love laundry baskets.

 And the 10-minute list is already getting some use in our house.

The one-hour list is much more comprehensive, but I find it really helpful when prepping the house. It ensures that when I leave, I won’t have that “Did I turn the stove off?” conversation in my head.

Yes, the toilet seats are closed.

Yes, I put out the garbage.

Yes, I have the laundry basket full of odds-and-ends-and-probably-some-laundry in the back of my car.

The house is ready to be fabulous. Work it, house. Show ’em what you got!

Print it out. Print out a couple. Or better yet, print one out and put it in a sheet protector. Use a dry-erase marker to check off your list and then wipe it off for the next showing.

Hopefully, with a house this clean, tidy, and devoid of bedtime booze, you won’t need to use the checklist for much longer!

Credit to: http://www.suburble.com/2013/10/selling-your-house-the-showing-check-list.html