I don’t know about you, but I am ready to get this house on the market! If you have been following this series ‘How to Sell House Fast!’ then you know that we have put a lot of preparation into getting our house ready to sell, for the most money possible. We have completed unfinished projects, made all necessary repairs, decluttered, staged, deep cleaned inside and out, and chosen a realtor. If you haven’t been following along…don’t worry! You can catch up on the first 5 installments here.
The first thing your realtor will want to do is get your house listed, then schedule an open house. This means that your house must be ready (at all times) for viewings by potential buyers. It should be so clean, that it would pass the ‘white glove test.’ Here are the steps to take to get it there:
1. Hire a professional cleaning team: Call in professionals for this one. It will be worth it. The company I used sent 4 cleaners and they spent almost 5 hours giving my house a detailed clean. In addition to a standard cleaning, they dusted every inch of my furniture; moved all furniture, cleaned underneath and behind, then repositioned; wiped down all doors, moldings, and architectural details; and vacuumed drapes and furniture.
2. Polish it off: After the cleaners leave, go through your house and literally polish anything that is not shiny. I use a reusable cleaning cloth to polish all cabinet knobs and door knobs. If the cleaning team did not use a stainless steel cleaner on stainless steel appliances and sinks, do so now.
3. Freshen: Febreze will become your best friend over the next weeks. Add plug-in air fresheners throughout the house to ensure that each room will smell clean. Stock up on Febreze fabric refresher to keep upholstery, curtains, rugs, bedding, and pet beds fresh.
4. Bathe dogs: If your dogs are anything like mine…they are a bit stinky. Give them a good bath so they do not un-do all of your hard work!
5. Keep it tidy and clean: This is how the house should always look now that it is on the market. Take the extra time and effort to keep it this way.
Congratulations! You have made it through the hard part. In the next step we will talk about the additional things you will want to do for an open house and house showing.
It’s so funny that I’ve come across your blog. We’re considering selling our home. I’m so nervous to begin the process. Thanks for the tips. Andrea visiting from SITS.
Andrea recently posted..Be the Boss – A Kids GIVEAWAY
The process is not fun…but hopefully worth it in the end!
These are great tips! We don’t own a house yet, but when we do, will definitely keep these in mind! Thanks for sharing! M&K at brewedtogether.com
I think I’d love to hire a cleaning team to clean like that even without selling the house! As far as getting rid of smells, I once went into an open house with the best smelling candle. It seriously smelled like chocolate chip cookies were baking in the oven at that moment. I only wish I knew where it came from….. Best of luck in selling your home!
Leslie recently posted..{Weigh in Wednesday} Week 9
The cleaning team is coming this Wednesday…I can’t wait!
so so sooo happy i came over to your site and saw this post! My husband and i are considering putting our home up for sale to move to a bigger place. need all the advice i can get!! like one of the previous commenters, i am so nervous to begin the whole process and don’t know where to begin. will be catching up on the other 5 installments too :) thank you for sharing this info it is greatly appreciated!!
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I hope your house sells fast! It is a lot of work, but worth it in the end.
I would say to be careful with too many scents and people with allergies to scents. If I were to come into your home with Frebreze, I would have to walk out. Candles can be ok but NO smell is a good smell. It means your house is clean and doesn’t need something covering up other smells. Natural lemon or peppermint would be good too.
I have been so surprised by all the comments (throughout this series) on scents. Everyone has an opinion…and they are quite diverse. I tend to agree with you and think that the house should just smell ‘clean.’