In an ideal world, you would be able to move-out of your house before your home goes on the market, but this is not always possible! What should you do if you have to live in your home while it’s on the market? It can certainly present a challenge, but we have some tips to help alleviate pain points for you and potential buyers. Read on for some of our tips on best practices for living in your home while it’s on the market (and keeping your sanity)!

Be a Minimalist

Buyers like being able to visualize all of their own furniture/styles in your space, so it’s important to provide a clean space without distraction. The less clutter, the more the buyer will envision their future in the house. And, as Marie Kondo has taught us, living as a minimalist has many benefits including reducing stress.  We can add to her list of benefits that it will also sell your home more quickly. Toss or donate what you don’t need. Have a mindset shift  to mentally move-on. Pretend that you don’t live at your home and that you are a guest who wants to keep things as clean as possible for your host. 

Looking for more tips on listing your home for sale? Read these posts next!

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• Top 17 Mistakes Sellers Make

Put it in Storage

Pack it before you go on the market! As mentioned above, being a minimalist will sell your house. Get rid of the clutter and distraction by putting the extras into storage. Additionally, you don’t want any confusion about what conveys. For instance If you have a great chandelier you want to take with you, be sure to remove it before photographs are taken and before buyers tour your house. Finally, putting your things into storage before your house goes on the market, will help you with your move– most things will be packed and ready to go.  

Tidy Up

You’ll want to make cleaning up as easy as possible so your home is ready to show in the most efficient (and painless) way possible. Decorative baskets allow you to easily hide items that clutter. A bathroom tote makes it easy to quickly stash away toiletries. Also it’s a good idea to have an empty bin you can throw things in at the last minute and stash under the bed or put in your car– especially if you have little ones! Finally, a helpful tip is to wipe counters down frequently after use. A longer, more intense cleaning session isn’t needed. 

Pack a to-go Bag

It is not wise to limit showings! It’s best to be as accommodating as possible when showing your home, so that you can sell your home as quickly as possible. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have a bag ready with everything you might need should you have to leave the house on short notice. Do you have a toddler? Make sure you have your diaper bag packed and ready to go. Have a pet? Take fido for a nice stroll and have a pet water bottle and treats packed and ready. Do you work from home? Have a laptop bag (with charger and phone charger!), some water and snacks packed. 

Find a Safe Spot to Place Valuables

Clean out a safe or lockable drawer where you can keep valuables such as jewelry, important documents, prescription medications. 

While it’s not always easy living in your home while it’s on the market, there are some small but significant changes you can implement to make your life easier and at the same time help your house to be as presentable for buyers as possible. At the Goodhart Group, we are not only your real estate agents, we are also your coaches to help you through the process and be here should you have any questions. If you are looking to buy or sell, we are here to help! We’ll guide you every step of the way and make it as easy as possible.

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