Are you planning to sell your home? Do you want to see what interest is out there? Showing your home to prospective buyers is a great way to gather information about selling your home and prepare to sell it. You may work with a real estate agent to put your house on the market and set up house tours. How can you best prepare your home for a walkthrough for prospective buyers?

Outdoor area

Depending on the weather, ensure that your yard is freshly mowed, leaves are raked, bushes are trimmed, and the drive-up area is well taken care of. If there is snow, be sure that the walking paths are clear and that the drive-up area is easy to navigate. Arrange your patio furniture so it is contained and clean, if needed. Prepare any decorations so that they are presentable and appropriate.

Declutter and deep clean

Indoors, one of the first steps you will want to take is to declutter your home! Pick up any dog toys, children’s toys, or lingering clothing items and shoes that may be taking up excess space in your living spaces. While it may seem like you can shove everything in a closet, it may help to use this time to clear out cluttered spaces and donate unneeded items. Prospective buyers are likely to look in “private” spaces in your home, such as closets (and even the fridge!), so you will want to make sure they are decluttered as well.

After decluttering, thoroughly deep clean your home. You may hire a cleaner, or you may put in some elbow grease to dust, disinfect, and deodorize every surface in your home. This list covers the uncommon things you might want to clean:

Dust and wipe your baseboards
Clean behind your appliances and on top of your fridge and microwave
Dust ceiling fans and light fixtures
Vacuum and mop all floors

Remove cobwebs and dust from the ceiling
Disinfect all door handles or doorknobs
Clean your dryer vent

These items, along with more common items like wiping down kitchen countertops, can help give you and potential homebuyers peace of mind.

Repairs and upgrades

While reviewing the condition of your home, you may find things that need upgraded or repaired. This is a great time to do so. Selling a home with broken or outdated items can be more difficult. It can be helpful to hire someone to do these things for you, or they may be simple enough to do yourself! Either way, repairing and upgrading things in need is a great way to prepare your house to sell.

Tips for staging

Staging homes may seem easy, but here are some key things to keep in mind:

Don’t cook anything with strong aromas the night before a walkthrough
Don’t over-decorate – maintain your normal style, and nothing exceptionally bright

Utilize natural lighting – open blinds and doors that provide light
Turn off background noise like television and radio
Relocate or conceal pets during the time of the walkthrough

If you’re planning to sell your home in the near future, these can be some great steps to follow to help you prepare. Be sure to find an agent to help you list your home and follow a guide to prepare.

Staging Your Home for a Walkthrough