Ways to Prepare Your Home for an Open House
This blog post is written by Suzie Wilson from https://happierhome.net/. This is a great checklist to go by- and tweak- so preparing for an open house isn’t so overwhelming. Also keep in mind that Rochelle is a licensed real estate agent with eXp Realty and would be honored to assist with your real estate transaction.
Ways to Prepare Your Home for an Open House
First impressions are powerful, especially when it comes to real estate — that’s why the open house is a critical part of selling your home. A space that’s welcoming but not too personal enables potential buyers to imagine themselves living in the space. By front-loading the work before the open house, you’ll also be prepared for the subsequent showings.
Get Rid of Clutter
When you’re getting ready to sell your home, every real estate agent will advise you to start with one thing: decluttering. Clutter is distracting and can detract from the beauty of the space.
Be ruthless in your campaign against clutter and remove the majority of items from every surface in your home. Some good places to start are:
- Kitchen and bathroom counters
- Open wall shelves and bookshelves
- Tops of dressers
- Refrigerator door
- Dining room table
Organize Your Belongings
During an open house, you can expect potential buyers to peek into every possible space. The last thing you want is for someone to open the pantry and be faced with a jumble of open chip bags and haphazardly placed cereal boxes.
Before showings begin, take time to corral the chaos. Use purpose-built organizers to turn potentially messy areas into beautiful, orderly spaces that are a delight to behold.
Top opportunities for organization include:
- Pantry
- Kitchen and bathroom cabinets
- Medicine cabinet
- Laundry room
- Closets
- Junk drawers
Not sure what to do with small items, such as toiletries and toys? Consider storing them in attractive bins to add a subtle decorative flair. Generate your own labels using a free online tool with customizable templates. The best part? The bins make it easy to get organized before each showing.
Remove Personal Items
Potential buyers might have a hard time envisioning themselves living in your home when they’re surrounded by family photos. Depersonalize the space by removing:
- Memorabilia
- Items with your name, address, or affiliations
- Kids’ artwork
- Greeting cards, baby announcements, and wedding invitations
- Anything political or religious
Boost the Curb Appeal of Your Home
A home with serious curb appeal can capture buyers’ attention from the moment they drive up. You don’t need to break the bank on huge upgrades, but you might consider a few smaller projects:
- Add potted plants
- Mow and edge the lawn
- Paint the door and trim
- Install new exterior light fixtures
- Clean gutters and windows
- Install stylish house numbers
Stage the House
Staging is the process of preparing a home for sale. The goal is to make the space feel comfortable, show off the best features, and appeal to the widest possible group of people.
- Deep-clean every surface
- Make small repairs
- Touch up worn or faded paint and stain
- Pare down decorative items
- Remove old or damaged items
- Rearrange furniture to maximize space
Professional staging companies in Rochester, MN, often recommend stripping away bold colors and prints. You can replace them with solid, neutral tones that don’t alienate potential buyers.
A Prepared Home Leads to a Faster Sale
Getting ready for an open house takes time, but your effort can pay off handsomely. A clean, well-presented space helps you get more showings and close the sale faster. If you need help selling your home in Rochester, get in touch with real estate experts at Reel Property Solutions, LLC, brokered by eXp Realty.
Image via Pexels
