Staging a home is one thing, but living in a home while it’s on the market is another. We have some tips for keeping your home show-ready while still living there.
Living In a For Sale Home
There are a few things to keep in mind to survive living in your home while it’s on the market. Staging is important, but keeping your home in show-ready condition while you’re living in it can be difficult and stressful. When we have clients getting ready to list their house, we encourage them to start moving right away.
It’s best to go around your house and think about what you could live without over the next several months. Up to 40% or more of your content could be packaged up and stored away, given away, or thrown away. When you’re packing away these boxes, the goal is to eliminate stress. If you have less stuff in your home, you have fewer things to worry about when getting ready for showings and trying to manage your everyday life with people coming in and out of your home.
You certainly need more space and want to showcase all your home’s storage space. We like it when buyers are able to walk into a home and not see boxes. This gives the feeling of having plenty of space, whether it’s in closets or the garage.
LESS STUFF IN YOUR HOME MEANS LESS STRESS WHILE IT’S ON THE MARKET.
Keeping the house show-ready with kids can be difficult, too. Something called a “showtime game” can be fun: each kid gets a big basket or a laundry basket, and whenever you yell “Showtime!” they have to rush to pick up all their belongings and neatly put them in their bedroom. Whoever wins gets the day’s prize, which you can choose. This makes keeping the house neat a fun time and lets everyone know what their job is.
If you have pets, have a plan set for them before showings. We encourage sellers not to leave pets at their house during showings because it’s hard for buyers to concentrate on your home if pets are barking from the basement or garage.
If you have more questions about preparing your home for sale, or you have any other questions about Sanibel Island real estate, give us a call at 239-472-1950 or send an email to team@mccallionrealty.com. We’re happy to help!
