This sort of goes to the discussion that often comes up - do most people buy a home based on colors, decorating, staging etc. etc. or do they look beyond that (as you would think they should) at the actual house and location.
I don't think most of us would care that there are a few unmade beds and some dishes in the sink. There are some people who might, but I wonder if sometimes they are either subconsciously reacting to the house not being the "one" or if they are really serious buyers.
Sort of a toss-up. Personally if your house is clean but a little messy as described I wouldn't worry about it.

I wouldn't stress. If the open house was yesterday, you're still clean from that, a few dishes and beds not made make me say, hey, this person is just like me where they were rushed to get out this morning.

If you had black scum on the shower, now that would turn me off.

Long term grime would have been an issue, but daily clutter wouldn't have phased me.

If the bathroom was nice and clean but had a damp towel left on the floor, I'd be fine with it. Hey, ya gotta live.

Heavy duty dirt says lack of maintenance and upkeep to me, otoh.

We had a showing last week that was pretty bad. The agent called from my driveway asking if she could show her clients the house. I looked around at the first floor and explained that it was a little messy because the kids had been playing but they were welcome to come in while we took a walk. I wish I had checked the upstairs because after they left I discovered my daughter's Tinkerbell underwear on the floor of her room and my son had peed but failed to put down the seat or flush the toilet! For some strange reason they didn't make an offer!!

I would like to think that most buyers can look past a dish in the sink or an unmade bed. Is the home otherwise well-maintained? That is far more important IMO.

Thanks everyone! When I got home, I walked through the house and it was fine. I'm glad that I let them go through. The house was still clean from the open house on Sunday, I just had some dishes in the sink and some beds unmade. The realtor was from a city that is about an hour away from us, so I'm glad that I let them go through, they may have not bothered later. We'll see how things go!

Elaine

My first time to post on this board but I so relate! I do what I call my stuff, fluff and flush. I run through and make sure all the toilets are flushed and lids down. I have a plastic container in the garage that I literally carry through the house and Stuff anything I have out that shouldn't be out and then fluff pillows etc. Works for me in a hurry. I found that using the container to stuff things made it easier to find things like unpaid bills etc. instead of just stuffing them in a drawer or something. Works for me!

Life happens. If someone wants to see your house on short notice, i'm of the opinion they shouldn't have expectations of a model home. When a home is vacant, and still isn't clean, that's a different story. If you're still residing in the home, people just NEED to understand and overlook the happenings of what living in a home might bring. ;o)

patty_cakes

This happened to me yesterday but I was home. I've been focusing on getting the outside perfect for photos, took the shots late in the day yesterday, have to redo the back shots today due to sun. As I was taking pics, a neighbors sister come over; she couldn't believe I was leaving my garden. She then said her daughter is looking for a house and asked about mine. I started telling her, then told her, you know what, why not come in, I'll show you around. She knows I have a bad back, I told her it was a little messy and we were in the last stages of finishing up. She didn't mind.

If she was acting, she was a good actress, that I will say. She liked the house, told me it was better then what she just bought last year, and in this condition, (missing 2 closet doors, some molding, and a not redone kitchen w/ wood cabinets) better then what's out there.

So, I'm hopeful that once my realtor comes tomorrow to get interior pics, that we'll start getting interest. Who knows, maybe she'll bring her daughter back.

I'm one of those neat people that insists my home be in perfect order even for the cable guy! When I'm selling a home I'm a fruitcake about making sure the home is absolutely perfect. Once many years ago when selling a home I rushed out of the house to go to work, running late. Didn't get a chance to make the bed. The realtor called me at work and told me there was a couple that wanted to see the home. At first I told her no, I hadn't made my bed. The realtor said, the whole house is perfect, an unmade bed won't bother these people. I relented, with a sinking feeling in my gut because I always wanted my home to be show perfect. Later that night we received an offer from the couple that viewed my home with the un made bed. So make sure your home is clean, de cluttered, etc. but if on occasion it's not perfect, don't sweat it.

We are 60 DOM and still living in the house. It's getting tougher to keep it picked up, dishes out of sink, beds made, etc. I'm at the point where I'm not fretting over every little detail anymore. If a buyer can't see beyond a mussed up bed, he/she probably is not serious about buying. Thankfully, we are moving out at the end of the month and will no longer have to worry about keeping everything in order.

Cordovamom, I am just like you only multiply that by 100x when you ARE the realtor whose house is on the market and all of your associates will be showing your house. My poor family lived 3 weeks of hell 2 years ago when we sold our house. I had cleaned things in that house that I hadnt even thought of cleaning in 13 years. (we had a watercloset with water pipes, they got cleaned, I dont think I ever even opened that closet before). With three kids and two dogs, I was a mad woman. The house would be gleaming for a showing, no one was allowed to use the kitchen or the bathroom after I cleaned, we HAD to go out! Right before the showing, we all disappeared, dogs in tow. When my first showing didnt show, I called the agent and gave him a piece of my mind. Telling him how inconsiderate it was, that I spent 2 hours cleaning, we all went out to dinner because the showing was at dinner time and I didnt want the house to have any "smells", got rid of the dogs, and then, no call and NO SHOW.

It was so stressful. But, it gave me an inside look of what sellers have to go thru to sell their house. It has made me a better agent because now I truly understand how sellers feel. Next time, I move then sell! :)

The icing on the cake was, with all my worldly real estate experience selling houses, the thing that sold my house is the thing that NEVER WORKS. It wasnt an ad that costs a fortune or a big catered event or even all the realtors in the world showing my house. I was going to be home planting flowers on Mothers Day. I decided spur of the moment to stick an open house sign out. I sold in an hour! Unbelievable!