10 Pro Tips On How to Make Home Showings Count

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Showing a home to buyers is about selling a lifestyle, not just a house. As a seller, you will want prospective buyers to envision themselves in your home rather than just feel like they are viewing someone else’s home. Follow these 10 practical tips to ensure your property showings are as successful and memorable as possible for potential buyers.

1. DECLUTTER
A cluttered home can be off-putting and it may suggest a feeling of chaos and disorder. Remove unnecessary items and open up the space to allow potential buyers to better visualize themselves living in the property rather than visiting a stranger’s home. Imagine a high-end hotel room; then try to make your home look like that. Remove items from bathroom sinks, showers, and tops of dressers. Organize the closet with the same color hangers, spaced equally, with like clothes hanging together on the rod. Remove extra mail, keys, and items by the front door and consider a live plant instead. Finally, pare down the amount of furniture and wall hangings in a room to the minimum necessary to convey a sense of spaciousness. Consider renting a storage unit if needed to store all of your extra items.

2. DEEP CLEAN
It goes without saying that your home needs to be clean, but pay attention to small details like dirty grout between tiles, dusty or dirty window sills, dusty corners in all places of the home, and backsplashes or walls behind all of the faucets. Not only should you keep floors, countertops, and bathrooms clean at all times while you’re showing your home for sale but also be sure to scrub down light switches, doors, and appliances where dirty hands have left their marks. It may not seem like much but a clean stove top speaks volumes to prospective buyers about the condition of your home. The message to the buyer is that a clean house is a well-maintained house. If your house is not as clean as it can be, you are likely losing out on offers. You may want to hire a professional cleaning service if time is of the essence.

3. NEUTRALIZE YOUR SPACE
Buyers need to envision themselves living in the house, which is easier to do when it’s not filled with personal items and bold design choices. Minimize or remove personal photos, collections, personal care items, items on end tables and nightstands, or anything that distracts from the room itself. This helps to depersonalize the space and allows buyers to visualize the property more easily as their own.

4. ARRANGE FURNITURE
Thoughtful furniture arrangement can significantly influence a buyer’s perception of the home. Arrange furniture to maximize open space and create a natural flow from room to room. It makes the space feel larger and more inviting, allowing potential buyers to move around freely during the showing. Don’t be afraid to remove unnecessary pieces of furniture. The general rule of thumb is that a bedroom should have a bed, two nightstands with 2 lamps, a dresser, and possibly a chair if the room size permits. To give you a better understanding, this article by Better Homes & Gardens shows you 20 different ways to arrange a living room, and this article depicts living room layouts for different purposes and lifestyles. Lastly, this article by The Spruce details the do’s and don’ts of living room styling.

5. LIGHT IT UP
Proper lighting can make your property look bigger, warmer, and more inviting. Open curtains or blinds to let in natural light; even in broad daylight, you should turn on lamps and overhead lights. Hang your curtain rods above the window opening – ideally halfway between the window opening and the ceiling – to make the room feel taller and more appealing. This article discusses lighting recommendations for each room.

6. USE NATURAL SCENTS
Do not light a candle or spray a room deodorizer before a showing. Not only can the scent offend a potential buyer’s sense of smell, but it can also signal that you are trying to hide odors. Instead, try any of the following:

  • Natural fragrances are a win. Slice a fresh lemon and boil it in water for 10 minutes about an hour before a showing or scatter a few cinnamon-scented pine cones during the fall/winter months.
  • Put natural reeds in a decorative jar along with a pleasant, neutral oil like inis, tangerine, or eucalyptus.
  • Use orange oil multi-purpose cleaner to dust furniture and other areas. Not only will it protect your wood, but it also leaves a lingering and pleasant aroma.
  • Many people swear by the “Fabuloso” cleaning product (the purple version) because of its lavender smell. Use it to clean your floors and other surfaces at least 30 minutes before the showing.
  • Plug-in air fresheners that use oils are a possibility as well. Cashmere Woods by Glade is a popular
  • choice because it’s a softer mix of jasmine, sandalwood, and musk, and it doesn’t overpower one’s sense of smell.
  • If you plan on painting any rooms, it might be useful to add the scent directly into the paint can! The subtle aroma will last for weeks, and you probably won’t have to do anything else.

A study showed that buyers are 20% more inclined to purchase a home when surrounded by a single simple scent. Try not to get complicated with different scents in each room. Stick to one simple scent, if possible, and use it sparingly throughout the entire home.

7. REMOVE PETS
Not everyone is a pet lover, and some people have allergies to animal fur. You should always remove pets during showings to ensure your property appeals to the broadest audience possible. It’s also advisable to remove pet-related items such as bowls, beds, and toys and to thoroughly clean them to remove any pet odors. Lastly, make sure you deep clean (steamer) any sofas or chairs your pets have made a favorite place to lounge.

8. HIGHLIGHT HIDDEN FEATURES
If your property has any unique or particularly desirable features that aren’t so obvious, such as a reverse osmosis water filter, an energy-efficient water heater, or a whole-house surge protector, be sure to highlight them by placing professional-looking tent cards with a brief description in an obvious place.

9. SET THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE
A comfortable environment is vital to a successful showing. In colder months, a warm, cozy interior is inviting. A cool, refreshing interior offers a welcome respite from the heat in warmer months. Aim for a temperature that makes the property feel most comfortable, usually between 68-73°F depending on the time of year.

10. HIDE VALUABLES
While this one won’t make your home sell any faster, it is an important safety measure. Many people will walk everywhere throughout your home during showings, so securing valuables such as jewelry, electronics, important documents, and expensive art is always a good idea. This not only protects your possessions but also helps depersonalize the space.

These tips help create the right atmosphere for buyers as they make mental notes to themselves on steps to take while moving into and living in your house as their own. The overall aim is to highlight the property’s strengths, minimize weaknesses, and create an inviting, neutral space where potential buyers can visualize their lives unfolding in a pleasant environment. I would be happy to evaluate your house and suggest changes before showings to ensure that it is ready for viewing.