It has been a week since we listed our condo for sale and, I'm gaining a whole new respect for my seller clients! While I have experienced the process from the buyer's side, this is my first experience with a personal sale. I hired a friend in the business to list my condo and spent some time staging and cleaning to prepare for showings. Now I am hoping for the best.
I thought my readers might find it helpful to know my "to do" list prior to each showing. When I list a client's home, I give them a similar list to ensure that their home shows well and I certainly hold myself to the same standards.
Before Each Showing:
- Tidy, tidy, tidy. This includes all personal items and valuables locked in the safe.
- Vacuum. This is necessary when you have a dog or are listing in the winter. We are dealing with both!
- Wipe surfaces in bathrooms and kitchen.
- Clean those bathrooms. Do not leave out your half finished toothpaste tube or a brush with clumps of hair. Yuck! Toilets should be scrubbed and sparkling.
- Make the bed. We don't pretend to be daily bed makers... Especially when Corey is working nights. However, for the sake of selling our home, we are!
- Take care of odours. This includes opening and checking the fridge, the closet where we store dog food, the laundry hamper and especially the dog's bed. I walk through with a bottle of febreeze and I light some candles in the kitchen and bedroom. Lavender is nice and relaxing for a bedroom, while I prefer a Bath and Body Works candle that smells like fresh baked bread for the kitchen. I do this with enough time that the candles can be put away right before a showing.
- Turn on our digital photo frame. While we keep our decor fairly neutral and remove many personal items during the listing period, we feel it doesn't hurt to allow buyers to see that nice, happy people live here. We have a small digital frame with a carefully edited selection of photographs which allows a small part of "us" to be visible.
- Turn on the lights!
- Leave with the dog. I love my dog and I know he's gentle when I'm around. However, many dogs become fearful or aggressive when they perceive a threat such as strangers in their home. Some sellers prefer to lock their animals in a small room or crate but I prefer to give buyers an opportunity to see a home without the distraction of noise or possible allergies. Even those without pets should give buyers the privacy to fully explore their home by leaving or (at the very least) remaining in the back yard.
Does this sound exhausting? Yes, it is but it's worth the effort to give buyers the best possible impression of my home. I'm prepared for a long listing so I may be singing a different tune next month but for now, we're sticking to our list. :)
To view my listing, click here. Or, enjoy my fabulous virtual tour.
