Home, Real Estate

Real Estate Ready: Tips for Selling a Home as Busy Parents

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So you want to get your home open-house ready. Well, your kids may have something to say about that! Prepping your house for sale can be a frazzling experience, with lots to do, rooms to stage, and buyers to woo. But as busy parents, the mess that needs to be cleaned up is probably adding to your stress ten-fold.

While balancing work, school, selling, and moving are tricky, there are some easy hacks to keep your home looking fantastic for showings. Candid Mama walks you through the main tricks for a spotless home.

Get the Family Involved

The success of your sale depends almost entirely on how well you stage it. According to The Mortgage Report, a well-staged house increases the chances of a quick sale by 73%! But you can’t get a spotless home without the support of your kids. Keep them in the loop and let them know about the upcoming changes. The open house showings will disrupt their routine, too, so be upfront to manage expectations better.

Set up a ‘Mess Room’

You can’t afford to have your whole house looking like a mess when buyers walk in, but you can designate one room to contain the spread of the chaos. Choose the basement or a small guest room where the kids can strew their toys around and relax. This way, they will have an outlet for all their energy, and you get to have the rest of the home primed for the guests. It’s a win-win!

Spruce Things Up

Create a checklist for getting that open house in order, like removing pets and eliminating clutter, not to mention a fair amount of deep cleaning. That probably comes as no surprise; after all, the wear and tear that kids cause can be significant. And if you live in an older home, your furniture and surroundings likely need some refreshing. 

According to Homelight, toning down decor helps buyers feel more comfortable when they walk in the door. So try to keep the personal memorabilia minimal and do some light redecorating. An easy way is to repaint old walls with neutrals like beige, white, and grey. And if you want to revamp the entire atmosphere of a room, go for peel and stick wallpaper, which is exceptionally easy to apply and comes in a wide range of design varieties and color combos.

Be sure to remove the old drawings pinned up to the fridge and add more professional decor elements like placemats and candles. You can also spruce up old furniture by reupholstering, or at the very least, removing old stains and marks. 

Kids are liable to leave sharpie marks, food stains, and more in their wake – and if you aren’t able to clean these out using a product, it’s probably time to contact a professional. Search online for upholstery cleaning services and call them to get an approximate quote. Once you’ve narrowed down your options, ask for referrals from past customers to ensure your item is in the best of hands. And a pro tip: Avoid cleaners who use all-in-one cleaning tools that decrease the life of your fabric!

Create Secret Storage

No matter how much you clean up after them, kids will spread their belongings all over the house – it’s inevitable. Use hidden storage to combat this issue. For example, storage under the bed is a great solution to stow away toys quickly (and buyers rarely look under beds). You can hide high chairs and other bulky items in unused closets and little crayons, clothes, and papers in desk drawers. This way, when your buyer walks in, all they see is a beautiful forever home rather than the cluttered, unappealing mess you’ve hidden away. They don’t need to see the mess, and this way, they never will!

Selling your home is a hassling time, especially for busy patients. But with these clever strategies, you can take it all in your stride. So get out there, get tidying, and make that successful sale!

 

Candid Mama is a family and lifestyle blog featuring product reviews, giveaways and guides. Reach out today for more info! 

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