Quick Home Drills for Short Notice Showings

It is always a good idea to keep your home in a great showing condition.  Sometimes it gets hard when your busy life schedule gets in the way of all the house chores that need to be attended to every day to keep up on the house.  We always want to give you ample time to schedule showings on your home, but if we do need to show your home to a potential buyer in short notice it is important to keep a game plan.

The General Game Plan

- Every member of your house should have a room that is their responsibility when it's crunch time.  Everyone should know exactly what and where they need to tidy up when a buyer is coming.

- After the house is in a prime showing condition, you need to have a plan of escape.  Take the kids to the park, out shopping, run your daily errands, or just visit a friend and our agents will let you know when it is safe to come home.

Around the House

- Rooms always show better when well lit so open all the blinds and turn on all the lights, especially in dark hallways or corners.  Natural light is always best, but when it isn't available, your lamps and other light fixtures around the house will become useful.

- Pick up around the house, vacuum or hand pick up the carpets, straighten or eliminate piles of papers or magazines.

In the Kitchen

- Clean up time will be a breeze if you use paper plates in the kitchen for eating and then throwing them away in an outside or garage trash container.

- Keep food from site, if needed put dinner aside in the refrigerator and re-heat when the buyers are gone.

- It is best not to use the oven when you are in the showing period of your home.  If you do use it, clean the oven as soon as it has cooled.  A prospector of your home will be turned off if there are unsightly spatters in the oven that they will be using.

- Drain the dishes in the dishwasher so that it may be opened and assessed.  Quickly hand wash and dry all of the dishes in the sink and store them away in cupboards or in dish tracks.  A clean and clear sink and counter is essential.

Laundry Room

- All of your laundry should always either be folded up nicely in drawers or being washed.  If you are caught off guard with laundry scattered about, a laundry basket with closing lid will do for storage.  If there isn't a lid to the basket fold a clean blanket or towel to set on top to give an appearance of being neat.

The Final Run Through

- Storage boxes that go under the bed or in the closet are great last minute solutions for books, toys, clothes, etc.

- After everyone is finished and before you leave make a last run through of the entire house to be sure there is nothing left on the floors or counters.  All the lights are on and every room is in a great position for showing.