Behind the Scene
So you’re about to put your home on the market and you want the best price possible. Yes, you should declutter. Yes, you should make repairs and paint. And, yes, you should stage if possible. However, Team Athey & Remarkable Property Management would like to remind you to remove these eight things before you do anything else.
Look around your home. Really look around it. Pretend you’re a stranger coming in for a first time tour of your home. What do you see? What can’t you see? How about removing or stowing the following things? Team Athey believes it will make a difference when it comes to not only first impressions, but safety as well—for both sellers and buyers.
1 PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: We put this one first on the list because it’s so easy to overlook. Prescription drugs out on the nightstand, or in the bathroom drawer, or medicine cabinet are all ripe for a thief. In fact, many people come to open houses or showings just to take medications. So lock those medications away or take them with you when showings are scheduled.
2 GUNS/WEAPONS: It’s easy to forget about weapons, especially if they’re unloaded and/or stowed away high on the closet shelf or out in the garage. True, they may be safe from young children, but they are still a major target for thieves. Think about it. How easy it would be to pick up a gun in a case or wrap it in a towel or blanket to remove it from the property? Even if you have a surveillance camera, savvy thieves may figure out how to steal them.
You might also consider removing any other potential weapons such as a block of knives sitting out on the kitchen counter or an ornamental sword displayed on a living room wall.
3 ANIMALS: Removing cats, dogs, birds, or any animal from a home before showings is a good idea. Not only will the pet be disturbed by strangers in the house, but there is a very real danger of the pet running out the door and escaping before the person entering even realizes they exist. You could put the animal in a carrier or outdoor dog run during showings, but, once again they may be frightened by strangers and bark (or meow) the whole time people are viewing your home creating a most unpleasant ruckus
4 SAFETY HAZARDS: Sure, you’re used to that loose carpet slipping a little, or those small rugs all over the bathroom floor, but a buyer may trip over them. So repair or remove them. And don’t forget about rotten decking, loose floorboards, and loose railings. These are all potential safety risks as well. In fact, it is a good idea to make certain all entryways and rooms have adequate lighting so unaware buyers and their agents can see clearly when navigating inside an unfamiliar house. Motion-detection floodlights for back and front porches are especially helpful if buyers are visiting after dark.
5 PERSONAL PHOTOS: Stagers and realtors tell you to remove personal photos so buyers can envision the home as theirs. While this is good advice there is another reason to remove photos—safety. Remember, you don’t know who is coming to view your home. While most people are serious buyers with no ill intentions, you still don’t want strangers to see photos of your young child, teenager or other family members.
Through the years Team Athey has learned what to remove from a property before putting it on the market. Most are just common sense things really. However, in the hustle and bustle of preparing a house for market, sellers often forget. Therefore we’re always on the lookout to help by reminding everyone that what people don’t see is just as important as what they do see when it comes to buying your home.
I’m Suzanne Athey, owner of Team Athey & Remarkable Property Management. I hope you found the above information helpful. If you’d like to know more, call me at 469-916-1222 or email me at suzanne@teamathey.com. I’d love to visit with you and answer all your questions.
