Ready, Set, Show
A Guide to Getting Your Home Ready for Real Estate Showings
My husband and I have been well acquainted with the challenges of buying a home in this wild housing market, and we feel like we've seen it all! We’ve been to countless open houses and showings with our realtor. We have seen some immaculate homes and some that left us scratching our heads… If you are planning on putting your home on the market, one of the most important steps in the selling process is preparing your home for real estate showings. First impressions are crucial. A well-organized and clutter-free home can make a significant difference in attracting potential buyers.
Where do you even begin? Fear not, we’re breaking down the best practices and our tried and true tips we’ve perfected after years of helping clients get their homes ready to sell!
Declutter and Depersonalize
The ultimate goal when readying your home is to create a neutral canvas. Start by decluttering your home… and considering you’re going to be moving soon, paring down will dramatically improve the moving experience- a win-win! Check out our Ultimate Decluttering Guide for our tips and tricks!
Remove clutter and personal belongings. Pack away family photos, memorabilia, and excessive decor. This step is crucial in making rooms appear more spacious and inviting. Potential buyers envision themselves living in the homes they tour. When shelves, tables and countertops are free and clear, it allows a buyer to walk through and insert their own treasures and styles without distraction.
If you are in the Nashville area, be sure to check out our detailed blog of our favorite Nashville based Donation Partners here!
Click above for our free printable of our Nashville based donation partners. Check out our other freebies here!
Make It Sparkle and Shine! ✨
I don’t know about you, but my first thought if I walk into a showing and it’s dusty and grimy is... I wonder what I can’t see. It’s almost an immediate pass from me. Even though I could obviously have it cleaned myself upon moving in (and would, no matter 😉), it’s just a hard barrier for me to get over when someone is choosing to present their house to me in that manner.
A buyer wants to see assurances that the house has been cared for and that starts with cleanliness. Give your home a thorough cleaning, paying attention to often-overlooked areas such as baseboards, light fixtures, and windows.
If detailed deep cleaning isn’t your strong suit or in your time allotment, consider hiring a professional cleaning service for a more thorough job.
Our top recommendation in Nashville is Clean Dreams—Rachel and her team are simply the best! The absolute obsession and care to detail astounds me every. time. We often recommend their services to our clients after we get them organized and we’ve continued to hear nothing but incredible reviews.
If you aren’t in the Nashville area, but are cleaning obsessed like myself 🙃— she’s definitely worth a follow!
Be Savvy About Your Storage Spaces
It’s not just about the out and open spaces! Buyers are often equally interested in storage spaces such as closets, cabinets, garages and pantries. It can be an absolute game changer to organize these spaces to showcase their full potential. This is the time to clean up that “closet of shame” – we all have one- NO shame.
Remove/ pack up excessive items and organize it! Again- this is the time to do it if you’re moving into a new home soon.
We don’t recommend going overboard with investing in storage solutions unless they are versatile in any space, or if you know they will work in your new home.
Fix It Up: DIY Repairs and Upgrades
Do you have a steady drip from that one faucet that just needs a new gasket?
A little scrape in the paint from that piece of furniture that used to be in the corner?
Taking care of any minor repairs and updates before the showing can make a world of difference when it comes to showing off your home. Eyes are often drawn to and linger on the negatives more quickly than the positives.
Replace broken fixtures, repair leaky faucets, and touch up paint and caulk where needed. Updating outdated hardware and lighting fixtures can give your home a modern appeal for such a small price, often leading to a higher selling point.
These small changes can make a HUGE difference in the overall impression of your home. Simple repairs and updates are an easy enhancement that keeps people’s eyes focused on the highlights of your home. Keep in mind once you accept an offer from a potential buyer, a home inspection will be just around the corner. Having some of the smaller and easy to DIY items complete will help the inspectors report look that much better, leaving your buyer with less demands from you before closing.
Amp Up Your Curb Appeal!
The exterior of your home is the first thing potential buyers will see, so it's important to make a good impression!
Maintaining the lawn, trimming hedges, and planting flowers can add wonderful enhancements to the overall appeal. We also recommend a fresh coat of paint on the front door or updating the exterior lighting for that extra special touch.
Showcase The Home with Staging
If you have vacant room(s) or areas in your home without a designated purpose, staging them can help buyers visualize the potential of the space.
Staging provides cohesion throughout your home and can assist in highlighting its best features. You can hire a professional stager or use your own furniture and accessories to stage the space– you would truly be surprised how simply rearranging the furniture you already have can open up a room.
Remember friends, your goal during this period is to create an inviting home buyers can see themselves living in– this is not the time to make your home more functional for you. So flip the couches and create an inviting living room for conversation …ahem, the tv being the focal point will not help sell you home (it’s me… I’m talking to me when I get ready to sell 🙃).
Capture Your Home’s Best Angles with Professional Photography
Invest in professional photography for your listing.
This is SO important. I have been astonished at some of the terrible, and I mean terrible quality pictures I have seen on listings at times. Like- a professional realtor okayed this? Seriously?
On the flip side I have seen gorgeous pictures that I felt completely duped by. Make sure you hire a photographer that will show an accurate depiction of your home. I have been to showings where all the pictures had been doctored to not show damages, or used fisheye lenses to make rooms look several times larger than they were. You want to attract buyers in but not have them be let down by what they see when they arrive. It typically ends in a flop…
High-quality photos can significantly impact how your home is perceived online and in marketing materials. A professional photographer knows how to capture the best angles and lighting to showcase your home's features. These photos can attract more potential buyers and lead to quicker and more successful showings.
Create a Welcoming Atmosphere
On the day of the showing, work with your realtor to create a welcoming environment. Open curtains and blinds to let in natural light. Turn on soft lighting to create a calm and warm ambiance. Playing soft music in the background can curate a relaxed vibe for those passing through. Place fresh flowers or a bowl of fruit on the table for a touch of color and freshness.
I’ve even been to one showing where the seller had just baked fresh chocolate chip cookies, left for potential buyers to enjoy. There was just something special about that smell, I instantly saw myself in their kitchen baking from my own recipes.
It’s Showtime!
Preparing your home for a real estate showing may seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach, it can be a rewarding experience. Taking proper steps not only makes for a more appealing listing but also can be used as an opportunity for readying yourself for packing and unpacking into your new home. A well-prepared home not only sells faster but also can drive it to a higher price point. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to impress those buyers!
Looking for a Nashville Realtor?
House & Homes is a collaboration where aesthetic meets analytics. Sydney and Griffin are seasoned real estate experts with discerning design sensitivity, moms, natives, and deeply engaged in their community.
With a collective sales portfolio exceeding $150 million and over two decades of expertise, let House & Homes guide you on your journey as you make a House your Home.
Overwhelmed with the Moving Process?
Finally Home Services
As many of us know, this process can be… a lot. If you are looking for a wedding planner, but for moving.. look no further: Bonnie Paik at Finally Home Services has you covered.
“We work anything under the umbrella of moving services. We may assist when you first begin the listing process by decluttering to prepare for pictures. Decluttering may have the need for off-site storage, donation pick-ups and junk removal. Once your home is under contract, we then work with our preferred Nashville movers to obtain quotes and begin the packing process. The week of your move the Finally Home Services team will manage the move, if needed, and unpack your boxes. Every move is unique and our services may be customized to accommodate the transition.”
- Bonnie Paik, Finally Home Services
