Tips a professional stager gave me...now passing to you:

1) Burning apple and cinnamon or apple pie candles, before a showing enhances the earthy, you've arrived HOME feeling.

2) Bathrooms must be spotless. Bright white towel sets and rugs make a bathroom look clean.

3) Take about half the furniture OUT of the house & store it off site. The prospective new tenants need to imagine what it will look like with their furniture in it.

4) If there's a cute extra...built-in pull out spice racks for instance...leave the "secret" door open.

5) Change the light bulbs to be brighter than usual. Use warm white bulbs.

6) The front door needs a door mat that says "Welcome". First impressions count!

7) Put pots of brightly colored flowers, red geraniums for instance on the front porch and down the driveway.

8) Power wash dirty cement driveways. Wash windows.

9) Put the cat boxes in a closet...out of the way...

Notice before a showing. Neighbor had someone driving buy stop and ask if they'd show them the house....sold! Usually bookings occur the next day.

Wishing you the best and getting top dollar!

Wait - did i miss the news !?!

If this is in a vacation area, you'll have people asking to come while they are there and some won't be patient. I've sold a home while having 4 inside cats. I had pet carriers and wire crates to keep them in during showings. Some agents and many prospective buyers cannot be trusted to keep the doors closed.

That said, DD2 sold her last house with one cat out and about - but she is shy and hides. She put simple, cute print outs on the inside of the exterior doors and it was noted in her listing for agents to see.

As far as getting ready, remove any clutter. Clean out drawers and closets. If furniture is included, make sure it is clean and scratch free. Stay picked up around the house. Time to donate and trash, or box and store some things for showings.

Good luck!

Nicole, I would second your received advice except for the welcome mat and the candles. Such things are probably regional, as around here candles are frowned upon, if not verboten, and mats that say welcome are passé. OTOH, people don’t hide their family photos around here because many believe no personal items means it’s a soulless flipped house. 🤷‍♀️ 3Katz will want to check the local mores for specific recommendations. Items 2-5 and 7-9 are spot on.

I wouldn't do candles either. My DH for one, would start sneezing!

You don't want to leave valuables so you will have to have them ready to take with you.

Once you minimize clutter, it will be easy to do a quick run through. Excess shoes, stray books etc can be collected in a basket and quickly stored in a closet.

In your case I would be even more diligent about keeping the litter boxes cleared out.

I am seeing FSBO signs with a QR Code that links to the house website. The website has the photos and information. And a telephone number to call to schedule a viewing. Much better then paper information handouts in a box.

Good luck!

We have sold two homes in the past 6 months.

We sold our lake house last summer. I did not clear out furniture. We did, however, have a tag sale about a month before listing and sold a ton of stuff out of the garage, basement and closets. We spruced up the outside. I requested 24 hours notice for showings. Since our area was a weekend spot, most showings were on the weekends. We tried to be flexible.. our realtor called with a showing with only 2 hours notice and we were able to accommodate her.

Scented candles and baking is not a thing anymore. People think you are trying to cover up bad scents. Since it was summer, I made sure to have windows open for fresh air. Everything very clean. I put all bathroom necessities(toothbrushes, toiletries, etc) away under the vanity. Kitchen surfaces clean. We don't have cats any longer, but when we sold with cats, they would hide under beds and we made sure brokers knew they were there.

We just sold our townhouse here in CA. Again, we requested 24 hours notice. We put things away and straightened out the garage. No cars in the garage for showings. Our realtor did not want to put a lock box, so he was here for showings. 2 afternoons of showings, 1 open house and we got 4 above list offers.

Most important advice... clean, clean, clean.

Havent sold a house in a very long time but i remember seeing a house where they put out photos of how the garden looked in spring. It was a nice touch. Hope yours sells quickly.

Ded, you reminded me of a friend who had a photo album book of the amazing sunsets and the bridge at night.

Things buyers wouldn't know when viewing a home during the day.

Thanks for all the info but I don’t need advice on cleaning or staging. We are kind of minimalists and got rid of stuff when we moved here eight years ago. We don’t need to do any special staging. I will remove the few extraneous things we have out before photos and leave it that way. The windows will be washed and the place will be clean but as I said, if we’re here it will need some last minute touch up in the areas we use. So that’s what I want to know about. 24 hours notice would be great. 2 hours would be fine if we’re home but not if we’re playing golf. I‘d want to take the cats away to be sure they don’t get out when someone leaves a door open. I guess I need to make a checklist and just work through it. Included on the list will be sifting the litter boxes. Hopefully I can get DH to keep the outside looking good at all times. If I’m lucky I’ll obsess about all this unnecessarily and it will sell quickly.

We sold our house in GA last year. Our realtor recommended leaving the house and going on a short vacation when the house first went on the market, so we timed it with a vacation we already had scheduled She used a stager, so we had all of the staging stuff for the photography that we put back out in the same spots before we left. We boarded the cats at the vet, hid the litter boxes in the garage, hid the cat trees in the basement under canvas tarps, and I cleaned obsessively…cleaning up until we left the house to go to the airport. We were told to put away all valuables and to hide our kitchen knives. We did have one unofficial showing before it went on the market. We had like an hour or so, but we took the cats to the neighborhood park, and I kept an eye on the doorbell camera to see when they left.

The real estate agents (at least in GA and WA) use apps now to schedule and request showings, and I believe the lock box is synched to the appt time. They request a showing time, and you the owner have the option of responding to it or reschedule/ decline. If you dont respond, the appt is scheduled.

Clean and generally depersonalize. Since you have cats, make sure you change the litter more often than you think you should. I would be put off by the smell of dirty cat litter.

Twenty four hours notice is nice, but expect less. Be flexible and make those last minute showings possible if you can.

Fresh rolls of tp and towels that you put out just for the showings. We had a lovely glass jar with bath salts and a scoop that sat near the tub. God forbid one of my kids used the showing towels!

Keep your kitchen counters clear--fancy coffee makers can stay, imo.

Fix obvious defects--don't be in a position to have to acknowledge issues with "the price reflects it." Buyers are wary of a house that shows basic neglect. They wonder what else you haven't maintained.

Don't see this as a "someone has to win" situation. As a former realtor, I've seen both buyers and sellers dig holes because they felt they had to "win". Coming down in price isn't losing--it's realistically getting a sale done. Same with coming up in price for a buyer.

Most importantly, price your home well. If you do, it will sell without drama.

Good luck!

@mtnrdredux_gw No you didn’t miss anything. We made an offer on the house with the window problem but they countered back with full asking price which we were unwilling to pay since we’d have to spend a bunch to fix the windows. I don’t blame them though because it was a new listing and someone else probably wouldn’t mind the cloudy windows.

So we’re still looking but now is the season to sell the lake place. Hopefully we’ll find something before we have to move out.

We had 2 hour notices for showings at our last place (but no cat at that time). We dried the shower completely after every use. We never left the beds unmade. We never left a dish or utensil in the sink, We never left laundry not put away. Never left newspapers or magazines or cups or glasses sitting around unorganized. This was in a condo building with a central trash area, so we took out any kitchen trash whenever we left the house. We had two hour showing notifications but we both worked so that meant we would not be there to do anything last minute. So the apartment was always kept extremely tidy except for the desk computer area having lots of papers and stuff. And it was a downturn so this went on for a year. It was always ready.

After doing that for a year when we moved into the new place we started always drying the shower, always making the bed, never leaving dishes in the sink, never leaving smelly trash in the kitchen. We basically clean the bathrooms every day and vacuum every day because we found out it didn't actually take too long. We both work.

With a cat I don't know that we could do two hours notice anymore , and it might not be all hours of the day. The cat would complicate things.

" Our realtor did not want to put a lock box, so he was here for showings. " In what world is a realtor ever not present at a showing!??? No way ever should a prospective buyer be alone in a home for sale. No potted plants lining the drive-OVER KILL. No smells bubbling away. Just clean, well maintained and as decluttered as possible. Price and location get you sold the fastest...

" Our realtor did not want to put a lock box, so he was here for showings. " In what world is a realtor ever not present at a showing!??? No way ever should a prospective buyer be alone in a home for sale."

No prospective buyer would EVER gain access to a home without a realtor by his/her side. What Czar is saying is that the listing agent was also there (along with the showing agent) due to the no lockbox preference.

Surely you knew this.

A realtor is present for showings here, but it is the Buyers Agent, (who has no key) with the buyer. Usually the Sellers Agent is Not present, and most potential buyers and buyers agents Prefer it that way so they can discuss the property freely. I don't like it when the sellers agent has to be present at all private showings, and really disliked looking at properties if the seller was hovering around. This was usually a red flag for me.

To be ready quickly, get a couple of plastic bins, or even dishpans. Load up any clutter, dirty laundry, mail, papers, into the bins, and put them in the car. Handvac the tracked cat litter. Vacuum or swiffer if you have time, in case someone has a mild allergy (if they have a severe allergy, no amount of cleaning will matter). Run the dishwasher, maybe just a rinse cycle, so if they open it, it LOOKS clean.

We had a few really short notice showings and that was always hectic. The realtor did call first to make sure it was all right and I'd throw the dog in the car and go for a ride.

We left a few handouts on the island with photos of the yard throughout the year. Our realtor had a draftsman come and laser measure the entire house and then prepare a detailed floor plan with all the dimensions - even closets.

Have you heard about 'staging your refrigerator?' I was shocked when my realtor told me that several potential buyers opened our refrigerator and freezer. They were clean, organized and there wasn't anything inside that would embarrass me. The realtor thought it was because some of the buyers were unfamiliar with Sub Zeros and we had a 36" all frig and a 36" all freezer. DH said I should fill the refrigerator with take out boxes.

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/realestate/staging-refrigerators-for-real-estate-showings.html

Maire

Im sorry, I answered a different question than you asked. I dont know, i didnt live in either of the homes i sold .

Good luck!

A checklist is a great idea. I'd put on mine:

Empty wastebaskets.

Turn on all the lights and open any curtains/blinds.

Make sure toilet lids are down.

Wipe all countertops.

Keep a laundry basket handy (the kind with handles). Either use it to get last minute "stuff" out to your car (thinking mail and other clutter) and/or towels that might be damp and other items you want out of sight.

We had to put post its on our integrated fridge and DW because at our price point for the apartment, people were unfamiliar with either and couldn't find them.

When we sold our last house I had a four page checklist that required action from me, the housekeeper, and the gardener. It was a lot of work.

editing for clarity— a four page pre-showing checklist that had to be completed before any showing. Yes, I was that person.

The process of getting the house ready to sell took about a year.

I think your idea to have a checklist is a good one. Having a basket or box prepacked with your medications, confidential papers or other sensitive items that you can easily put in the car makes it easier to clear quickly. Make sure sinks and showers/tub are sparkling clean and dry. Have a laundry basket for used towels and put the "show" towels out. Take the cats with you if possible. Certainly, clean any litter boxes and hide them if possible. Scope out places you can go and sit in your car for an hour with your cats and your valuables. The last thing you want is to have someone break into your vehicle while you are out. Best of luck to you for a quick sale.

Agree with Pal about just getting in the habit of never leaving the house if it isn’t ”show ready.” I have this thing about making the bathrooms look like they are brand new and never used (I think people enjoy the delusion of thinking no one else has used the plumbing, lol) so in addition to cleaning and drying it after each use, I would put out fresh towels and remove ALL the stuff from the shower niches and put in a container in the cab under the sink. Maybe overboard, but our house sold quickly for a good price when no one was buying during the Great Recession.

When we sold our California home, the agent scheduled a twilight 4-6 open house on a Thursday, several days after the listing went online. There were no showings before that. The agent also scheduled an OH for the following Sunday. We were told there were more than 25 groups/singles through both times. Agent told people that we would be looking at offers on the following Wednesday, 5 offers.

If your agent can put the pictures online, then schedule an open house a few days later, tell people that it can't be shown until then, that can work well.

Otherwise, remove valuables permanently (pack them up) and medications in a go-bag, then use plastic laundry baskets to gather up things. Ask for at least a couple of hours, and be prepared for weekends ahead of time.

I am willing to go the extra mile and try to make it pristine with no sign of owners ( for example, I think it is de rigeur to "put out fresh towels and remove ALL the stuff from the shower niches.") Of course we also have always had a lot of help.

But I have never seen any study that was IMHO rigorous enough to prove/disprove if this adds value. You don't get a control house to test the theory. Trust your judgment and don't sweat it.

On the one hand I think it makes sense to make a good impression. And since we found out doing a bunch of maintenance stuff frequently and never leaving anything in disarray because some stranger might be showing up in two hours, we will rarely run out of the house to do an errand with a dirty dish in the sink.

On the other hand I am not convinced that any sort of staging or prep will sell a house that people don't want, or clutter and lack of cleanliness will prevent the sale of a house that people do want.

The first apartment I bought had a tray of burnt black french fries on the open oven door the first time I looked at it. They were still there when I took another look at it a few days later.

More units than not that I looked at in the complex were very cluttery and not very clean. In two different units there was at least one person who apparently slept on a bare mattress surrounded by dirty clothes. Granted these were rental properties, but this was in a neighborhood that alternates with one or two others for the best neighborhood in the city, not some ghetto. Of course it's well known that renters typically do not have an interest in whether a property sells.

The house I live in now, which had not really been lived in for years before I bought it (a weird story) was fully repainted and staged but it also was not very clean, and had painting done over dirty surfaces and new carpet laid over dirty floors. There were still multiple offers on the house although I don't think the top two contenders had any illusions about the actual condition of the house. (Although one of the others seemed very impressed by the house, but it was at the top of his budget...I met him later. He would have been in big trouble had he bought the house, if it had made him house poor).

When we sold a house in a tough market, we prepared what I called The Escape Plan, which was a printed list of all the things to check, room by room, before leaving the house for the showing.

One odd thing we did: we had a large Golden Retriever and hence an ugly old bedspread. We kept a nice bedspread in a large plastic container to put on the bed for showings. We simply folded back the four sides of the ugly bedspread and put the pretty one on top.

On most showings, we had a day's notice, but occasionally a two-hour notice. It helped a lot that my ex-husband developed some sort of ESP and "had a feeling" there would be a showing. His accuracy was unbelievable.

In a lake area, I would expect showings without a lot of notice. I'm just basing that on my experience of vacationing in a lake area and looking at the houses for sale while in the area and day dreaming. So, I can imagine people calling because they're vacationing and have time on their hands, in addition to the people who are seriously planning and looking. I wouldn't expect hotel vibes for any short notice showings in an occupied vacation home.

I think ”cleaner than clean” goes without saying. You’ve probably gotten accustomed to your cats. Have a friend who will be honest and who doesn’t have pets, come give your house the smell test.

Because it is your lake house, I doubt that you have many extra clothes or out of season clothes there. If you do, take them to the other house. If you must have them with you at the lake, put them in suitcases or in plastic boxes under the beds (assuming you have bedskirts). Neat and sparsely furnished closets say you have lots of storage.

If you get a really short notice* and the dishwasher is full of clean dishes, stick dirty dishes in the fridge.

Throw dirty clothes hampers in the back of the car (oops, wrote this, then read up and see you don’t want to do it.)

My real estate agent told me no candles and no potpourri.

Remove coffee tables. They take up visual space.

I’m sure you already know to turn on every light in the house just before a showing.

*My sister has moved a lot more than I have. Once or twice, she has gotten virtually no notice…RE agent sitting in the driveway with potential buyers calling to ask if she can show the houes now.

Houses, these days, sell by their first online image impressions. So the prep work is most important when the photos are taken and after that neat and tidy enough so the buyers do not feel lied to by the pictures is sufficient especially if you are still in a seller’s market. Good luck!

I would ask them to Not use any Hi-Def enhancement for the photo quality, and to not use the wide angle lens that distorts everything for all the pictures while making the rooms look bigger. It might be necessary to get a good picture of bathrooms or something.

I would also ask to vet the written description for grammar and content. Some descriptions are full of hyperbole and flowery turns of phrase.

Totally agree to vet the prose in the listing! You would not believe the errors and embarrassments some listings contain— or maybe you would. Factual errors and misspellings abound, along with uber cringey words like ”nestled” and ”upgraded.”

My highlighting of an actual current listing in my area.

Welcome to the esteemed block of ________, is a rare opportunity in a picturesque and enduring location that stands the test of time, in the heart of______. This enchanting ______ bi-level condo is a condo which features three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, on-site one car parking and a rare allowance for your distinguished pet . This magnificent home has been exquisitely renovated to harmonize the ornate features of an 1870's historic home with contemporary amenities for modern-day living. Impeccably maintained, the property occupies the uppermost two floors of a former brownstone mansion, providing stunning vistas of the treetops and cityscape, as well as the tranquility and solitude of upper-level living. Step into the foyer and bask in the grandeur of the soaring ceilings and intricate moldings that captivate your attention. Towards the front of the house, the light-filled formal living and dining room, spanning a generous 23 feet, showcases three grand windows that overlook the tree-lined ______. Connected to this area is a chef's in-eat kitchen that is a showstopper in its own right, with plaster moldings, built-ins, and a fireplace, which adds an air of exclusivity and sophistication. The kitchen is equipped with Jenn Air appliances, granite countertops, and a breakfast bar that makes entertaining a breeze. At the rear of the home, the south-facing owner's suite is a secluded retreat, complete with a large marble bathroom, double shower, and radiant floors. The laundry room and a powder room, which features original tile accents and a classic and noteworthy pull-handle toilet, contribute to the charm of this meticulously renovated space. Upstairs, enjoy additional living space for leisure or work, along with two commodious bedrooms and a five-fixture upgraded bathroom. If you desire more private outdoor space beyond the park, there is an opportunity to create a roof deck off of this floor. This home also offers plenty of space for extra storage! Amongst so many crowded sky rise condos, this home offers a neighborhood feel, historic and classic charm, and all the conveniences of home with a sensation of prestige and class only ______ can offer.

Pal said.."On the other hand I am not convinced that any sort of staging or prep will sell a house that people don't want, or clutter and lack of cleanliness will prevent the sale of a house that people do want".

Yes, This.

I am obsessive about cleaning and making my house look as 'new' as possible for showings and open houses. When we sold our lake house, I was still recovering from my leg injury and using a wheel chair. Getting ready for showings was hard. The best compliment came from the people who bought our home. They told my realtor they didn't believe we were living there daily. Would they have bought it if I left my toothbrush out on the vanity? Yes. But for me, it was a matter of pride of ownership.

The house we are in contract to buy here in California is currently being rented. The listing broker got it pretty cleaned up for the listing photos. When we saw the house, it was absolutely filthy. Some rooms were difficult to walk into because of furniture and parts of furniture laying everywhere. The renters were in the house and occupying all the bedrooms. They were cooking unsavory smelling things in the kitchen. The house is suffering from a LOT of deferred maintenance. However, it checked every box we were looking for. In todays market, it could be months before we find another house even close(we've been seriously looking since November). There were 3 offers in 2 days. No open house. We offered above list to get the house. The price is still under comps in the area.

Pal….ouch!

esteemed block of ________, is a rare opportunity in a picturesque and enduring location that stands the test of time

stunning vistas of the treetops and cityscape, as well as the tranquility and solitude of upper-level living.

What you see out the windows. Meh. The street is noisy-ish, there are lots of restaurants nearby so I don't know about tranquility

The stairwell is nice but you are up 3-1/2 flights of stairs in a high ceilinged house. No elevator.

I know what this is like, we lived 52 steps up from the street and most Americans bitch about walking up 14. And we paid about 15% the cost of this one.

kitchen that is a showstopper in its own right, with plaster moldings, built-ins, and a fireplace, which adds an air of exclusivity and sophistication.

I think the room would look better Without the kitchen in it...

original tile accents and a classic and noteworthy pull-handle toilet,

Well yes, this is a spectacular bathroom and it's lucky they preserved it.

It's not a bad apartment. On these floors though you get a lot of plain rooms because it's up where the help slept. The description is just too much.

Such interesting feedback! I’m not going to empty my dishwasher into the fridge or put my clothes under the bed though I will make sure the closet is sparsely populated. I don’t think we have litter box odor because when you come to the house after being gone for a while you can tell what your house odor is. I’m more concerned about cat hair wafting around. Fortunately we have an unfinished area in the basement for litter boxes. They’re large and heavy so I don’t think I’ll lug them up to the garage. I may put them out of sight in the storage space under the stairs after I get DH’s collection of golf balls out of there.