Remove food and water bowls and pet toys and accessories from the home, as some home buyers may equate this with lower standards of cleanliness. Not everyone loves reptiles or spiders, so keep cold-blooded animals away during the open house. However, fish kept in clean fish tanks are acceptable (just be sure to get rid of any odors and to scoop out any dead fish ahead of time). Finally, some home buyers will preface their decision solely on their pet allergies. You should do your best to cater to them, but know that fully eradicating your home to a person with acute sensitivities might be beyond your reach.
KEEP IT CLEAN
While on the market, your house is a model home. It’s a challenge to keep your home clean while selling it if you still have to live in it. It’s important for best results in sale price to remove traces of your daily life. Little messes that are part of living (i.e. cooking, piles of mail, kids’ toys) can be distracting and leave an unkempt impression. It can be difficult to keep it in pristine condition each time a buyer wants to view it, so you may have to change your cleanliness habits until an offer is made. Don’t underestimate how a stack of laundry can negate all the effort you have put into presenting a neutralized home. For items of everyday use (toothbrushes, shampoo bottles, etc.), keep them to a minimum and keep boxes handy to store them, when needed. Clothing, especially out-of-season clothing, should be packed away, or at the very least, stored beneath beds.
STAGING
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