I was a fanatic about making sure my home was model perfect to keep it perfect for unexpected showings. I was crazy to the point of not letting our children sit on the couch because they'd mess up the cushions!!! We were very fortunate that each of the six houses we sold did not stay on the market for more than 10 days. Otherwise my kids would be really messed up right now. I do remember though, our second home we owned. I was running late, didn't have a chance to make the bed before I left for work. My agent called and said there was a couple that wanted to see the house, I told her no, I hadn't made the bed today. She said it didn't matter, the house was immaculate an unmade bed wouldn't make the difference. That couple bought the house despite my unmade bed.

Oh my, reading your post brought back a memory that I must have subconsciously repressed! (I also chuckled at the thought of you making your family sit on the floor instead of the couch...that is so me!!) Years ago, the ex-dh and I had our house on the market, my boys were little at the time and I had my hands full. One day, the phone rang, and it was my realtor saying he was sitting in my driveway with a couple who wanted to see my house. I remember looking around my kitchen and seeing a stack of dishes in the sink.....I grabbed the dishes and stuck them in the top oven of my double wall oven. As the people toured the house, I stood in front of my oven. The lady started oohing and ahhing over the double oven, and she was asking questions about it. She wanted to know if it was large enough for a turkey. I assured her it was, but of course she wanted to look inside. I finally had to fess up that I had thrown all my dirty dishes in there when the realtor called!! Those people ended up buying my house.

I guess I haven't always been quite as obsessive as I am now, or I wouldn't have had any dirty dishes to begin with!

:) jiggreen

LOL -- you must be my twin -- once a realtor showed up in my driveway as I was sitting down to dinner with the kids, my husband was already relocated to San Fran and I had to deal with the whole mess myself. I told the realtor to give me 5 minutes, I threw the dinner and all the dishes in the oven, rushed the kids into the van and drove down to the circle and waited for the people to leave so we could finish our dinner!!! I have to admit that selling will be a lot easier the next time around with all the children grown and gone.

I once bought a house in which dirty fish dinner dishes were in the sink and two little kids and their father were present. He kept saying "I just signed up with the realtor two hours ago!" We offered the next morning and got it. I drove back the next morning to see exactly what color house we had just committed to buy!

Your post make me laugh. I tend to be very obsessive about how the house looks when there's a showing. My kids were home from college over Thanksgiving break and it drove them crazy with the two showings we had (out of bed early, make sure to spray their shower with shower cleaner every day, take the dog on a long drive when it's shown, etc.). I'm constantly looking for ways to improve the look of the house, and my kids tell me it's looking way too sterile and unlived in. :-) When I think back on other houses I've sold, though, it's usually been on short notice when the house isn't in perfect condition. Given enough time for a showing, though, I tend to be a little too obsessive.

It's not you. I was the same way. It seems like the cleaning never really stops. I even dreamed of cleaning while sleeping.....
I loved the "can we see your house"? Sure, when would you like to see it? "Well we are on your street, can we see it in 5 minutes? Ok. Then I race through the house cleaning and grabbing my four children to get them to the car so we can leave. Boy, do I miss those days.....

You're perfectly normal.

I'm still waiting for settlement, so we may yet go on the market again, but the first time we sold it took a week with 16 showings. I was like, What's WRONG with it? The second time after our buyers backed out I was much less careful and it sold in 2 days, so who can say. I sometimes wonder if you can try too hard.

I think it should be neat but not immaculate. We have seen houses with bras and underwear hanging in the basement (by the washer/dryer) and with crap all over. Those I walk away from because I do think it reflects how well they've taken care of the areas of the house you can't always see (insulation, leaks, mechanics).

wow, I wonder how many homes you've passed over because the homeowner forgot that the lingerie was airdrying in the laundry room!

"crap all over," I can buy passing on houses with that. But laundry in the laundry area?

We've been shocked at the state of some homes we looked at. I'm talking floors that look like they've never been swept, carpets with every stain imaginable on them, teenagers rooms you couldn't walk into without fear of something coming up out of the mess on the floor and latching onto your ankles. I admit to passing up these homes just because I do feel that it reflects on the owners. If these are the visible things I see, what is it I'm not seeing? On the other hand even though I feel my home should look like a model home when I'm selling it, I do understand that people are living in a home and I can overlook laundry in the laundry room, even dishes in the sink or a dirty oven. As long as the people make an attempt to keep a neat and orderly house, little things can be overlooked.

nice thread :)
I used to vacuum the carpets daily and not let ANYONE walk across them for fear of leaving a foot print on freshly vacuumed rug,lol...We either walked around them or on the borders where footprints would be less noticible...

When I was selling my house I kept it show-home ready, I kept the vacuum in the hall closet and would vacuum my way out the door so there would be no footprints. I didn't cook anything that had any sort of odor. I was lucky that our home sold in less than a week because I am not sure how well I could have kept that up.

I am in the process of packing everything to move. WHAT A PAIN & IS SOOOOOOOOO STRESSFUL!!!!
And we have already closed on the new home. My DH wants to move everything out and then he will stay and paint etc.
I read an article in the homes section of the paper that your home will show better if less personal items are displayed, the bathroom should look like a hotel room, sterile as much as possible.
Some of you mentioned being 'turned off' by seeing personal items even in the laundry area, and the article says many people feel that way.
There is so much to do at the very last minute and so much you can't pack until the very last minute.
Good luck to all of us sellers, and take care of yourself!!!!
Rosa

I had a showing this morning and nearly terrified the dog when I saw him about to step on my just-vacuumed carpet and screamed, "No-o-o-o!". Nothing like little beagle footprints on an otherwise immaculate carpet. The buyers showed up early and the dog and I had to make a quick getaway out the garage while they waited in front for their agent (my husband was here to let them in). While I pulled the car out of the garage, I pushed the dog onto the floor so they wouldn't know we had an animal living with us. I know that turns off some buyers. I'll be so glad when this is over.

People really aren't paying that much attention to how tidy your place is as long as it's not a pig sty. Just vaccuum up and make the beds and don't leave dishes or food sitting out in the kitchen. If you haven't already, move as much stuff as possible into storage.

I am also obsessive about cleaning and the vacuum lines. I even bought a Dyson vacuum. (I love it because it has no bag so you can see everything it sucked up. It felt like an accomplishment and I felt so clean.) Our last move I was pregnant and was not feeling well so I hadn't gotten ready for the day as I normally would. I was laying on the couch and my girls were playing in the basement, one in just a diaper. When ding-dong, I forgot they were doing a realtor's walk-thru that morning at 9:00. I say "just a second", grab the kids but them in the car in the garage, one still in just a diaper but I grabbed a blanket, (this is Indiana in December) grab the dog, they are walking in. I say I am sorry I forgot and dash into the garage as they try to tell me it's ok. It's not ok to me. I don't even have a bra on. I wait in the car and put a movie on for the kids. The realtors come out to look at the garage and are still trying to say come in. I'm like no biggie, they are watching a movie. I was dying because I had the dome light on and I couldn't figure out how to turn it off so they could see me just fine. My only saving grace was that the house was spotless except for a few toys, which doesn't bother me being left out, BUT my bed wasn't made. quell horror!

I did recover and was able to laugh, once I was dressed and the bed was made. As for vacuum lines, I actually thought I jinxed it if I vacuumed before a showing. We didn't end up selling until after we had moved out. Although I am so obsessive I won't stop vacuuming. This time the market is so slow that we have only had two showings. I have gotten lax in cleaning.

The other day when we only got a ten minute warning, on a snow day. I was thankful for not being pregnant, that I was dressed, the beds were made, and the dog was at grandma and grandpa's. I was able to do a quick little clean and dash off. Of course when I returned, I immediatley vacuumed the house and cleaned everything just in case they came back. They didn't, I love my vacuum but I do think it's a jinx. : )

Ojoy -- I'll take your Dyson if you think it's a jinx, I have no ulterior motives, I just want you to sell your house, well that and my husband won't buy me a Dyson.