Some Suggestions on Keeping Your Home Presentable When it is For Sale
Staging a home for sale involves such cosmetic changes as necessary to make the home appear to be in an up to date and well cared for condition. Simple additions such as an inexpensive but stylish light for the entry or a coordinating shower curtain and towels for the bath can make a difference in the way a home is presented. In fact, concentrating on the entryway and the kitchen and bath often give the most return for your dollar and are the easiest updates to accomplish. While granite counter tops are very much in style and appreciated by the home buyer, an impeccably clean kitchen with laminated countertops completely clear of clutter can also give an inviting look to a prospective homebuyer. In the same way, a bathroom that is spotless and outfitted with a beautiful set of towels and a lovely set of shower curtains can go a long way in making the bathroom more appealing.
Homes are languishing on the market for months anymore and it is more important than ever that these homes are kept in a perfectly pristine condition for viewing at anytime. Any opportunity to show a house may result in a sale and should be taken very seriously by the seller. Here are a few suggestions to keep a home in a desired condition:
o Consider hiring a person to come in every week or so to take care of the routine jobs such as vacuuming, scrubbing bathroom and kitchen fixtures and changing bedding. This frees up the homeowner to attend to everyday things like loading the dishwasher, putting away laundry and making beds. The idea here is to always return items to their proper place so that the house appears easy to maintain and large enough to have a place for everything that is needed in everyday life.
o Give thought to meal preparation so that the kitchen can be kept in a condition that is easy to clean up and make presentable at any given time. Sometimes it may be advantageous to cook several meals at one time so that there can be a freezer full of dinners that only require being thawed and heated up. This can be especially beneficial after a full and tiring day at work when the last thing you want to do is spend time tidying up the kitchen after cooking a meal. This reduces the amount of time that is needed in the kitchen and also dramatically cuts down on the cleanup end of things. Ideally, if these so called “batch cooking” sessions can take place in the home of a relative or friend it is even better because the mess can be cleaned up at the leisure of everyone involved and a person does not risk getting a call for a home showing during this busy time.
o Involve the whole family in everyday tasks such as making sure dirty laundry makes it to the hamper and then to the laundry room. Controlling the accumulation of magazines, newspapers and school papers brought home by the children can go a long way in making a home neat and clutter free.