Seven Things You Must Do Before Every Showing

If your house is on the market, you know all about the stress related to showing it. Not only are you trying to impress potential buyers, you want to reel in the buyer's Realtor, too. It will translate to more showings.

This list evolved while our house was on the market. I know it works - I sold our house in four days. These tips will help you, too.

Stage EVERY room.

Don't worry if you're not an accomplished interior designer. The secret to successful staging is sitting on your coffee table! I looked through magazines and catalogs to get an idea of how to stage my house and discovered that it's all in the details.

Stage every single room and space as if you were expecting a professional photographer from your favorite magazine or catalog. You won't see an undressed table in a Pottery Barn catalog or an unstaged patio between the covers of Ballard Designs. You can even stage beds and bathrooms. Ideas are at your fingetrips, so grab a catalog and get inspired.

Dust and vacuum right before each showing.

Dust piles up faster than you might think. It's wise to remove it right before each showing.

A proper vacuum is one of the most obvious signs of a clean house, so vacuum with a purpose. This may sound crazy, but how you vacuum makes a difference. If your carpet has any pile at all, vacuum it in an organized fashion so as to create straight lines. It improves the overall flow of your room and shows others that you take pride in ownership. Potential buyers will notice.

Clean the kitchen.

The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in a house. If you don't have time to clean all the dirty dishes in the hour before a showing, carefully place them in an empty plastic bin that you've stored in the garage for just this purpose.

Remove everything you possibly can from kitchen countertops.

The goal is to make your kitchen look big. This is not accomplished with coffee makers, wine racks, cookbooks or a bottle of dishwashing soap all perched on the countertops.

Acceptable alternatives include a bowl of fresh fruit or a vase of flowers. Be sure the colors coordinate with the colors in your kitchen. Remember, it's all about the details.

Clean the exterior entryway and living areas.

Buyers and Realtors form their first impressions of your house the moment they step foot on the front porch. It's important that the exterior entryway is in tip-top shape.

Sweep away dead leaves and cobwebs that may have formed overnight (be sure to look up to spot them). Deadhead any flowers.

Don't forget the patio or deck. It needs to be checked for dead leaves, flowers and cobwebs, too.

Turn on every light.

Just before you leave the house, turn on every light and lamp. Exterior lights need to be turned on, too. This is a task that's easily delegated to a child.

Have a positive attitude.

Selling a house is stressful. Period. Rather than feeling stressed and inconvenienced during the frenzied cleaning rush prior to a showing, be positive and thankful that someone is interested in seeing your beautiful home. It just might translate to a successful sale!

If you work hard and pay close attention to detail, you'll be rewarded for your efforts with a quick sale.

SOURCE: Personal Experience.