A successful home showing is about more than showing off the house. You want buyers to walk through the door and start imagining what it would be like to live there. The easier it is for them to picture the home as their own, the better. These 10 practical tips can help you create a welcoming space that makes a great impression on potential buyers.
1. DECLUTTER
Clutter can make a home feel smaller and more chaotic than it really is. Before showings begin, remove unnecessary items and give each room some breathing room. A good goal is to think about the feeling of a high-end hotel room: comfortable and inviting, but without a lot of personal belongings competing for attention. Clear bathroom counters, showers, and dresser tops. Straighten closets and, if possible, use matching hangers spaced evenly with similar clothing grouped together. Put away mail, keys, shoes, and other everyday items near the front door, perhaps replacing them with a simple live plant. You may also want to remove extra furniture and wall décor so rooms feel as spacious as possible. If you’re running out of places to put everything, renting a storage unit while your home is on the market may be well worth it.
2. DEEP CLEAN
Of course your home should be clean for showings, but this is the time to go beyond the usual vacuuming and wiping down of counters. Buyers notice details. Take a close look at grout between tiles, window sills, corners, backsplashes, and the walls behind faucets. Wipe down light switches, doors, cabinet fronts, and appliances where fingerprints and everyday grime tend to collect. Even something as simple as a spotless stovetop can send a subtle message that the home has been well cared for. If you’re short on time or the house needs a little extra attention, hiring a professional cleaning service before showings begin can be money well spent.
3. NEUTRALIZE YOUR SPACE
Your home is personal to you, but during a showing, buyers need enough visual space to imagine making it personal to them. Put away some family photos, collections, personal care products, and excess items on end tables and nightstands. You don’t have to strip the home of all personality. The goal is simply to keep personal belongings from becoming the focus so buyers spend their time noticing the home itself.
4. ARRANGE FURNITURE
How furniture is arranged can change the way buyers experience a room. Aim for an arrangement that leaves plenty of open space and creates an easy, natural path through the home. If a room feels crowded, don’t be afraid to remove a piece or two. As a general guideline, a bedroom may only need a bed, two nightstands with two lamps, a dresser, and perhaps a chair if there’s enough room. For more ideas, this article by Better Homes & Gardens shows 20 different ways to arrange a living room, while this article offers layouts for different purposes and lifestyles. You can also check out this article from The Spruce for helpful living room styling do’s and don’ts.
5. LIGHT IT UP
Good lighting can instantly make a home feel larger, warmer, and more inviting. Open curtains and blinds to bring in as much natural light as possible, and turn on lamps and overhead lights even during the day. Another simple trick is to hang curtain rods above the window opening – ideally about halfway between the top of the window and the ceiling – which can make the room feel taller. This article offers additional lighting recommendations for each room.
6. USE NATURAL SCENTS
Be careful with fragrance before a showing. A heavily scented candle or room spray may be pleasant to you but overwhelming to someone else, and strong fragrances can sometimes make buyers wonder whether you’re trying to cover up an odor. A light, simple scent is usually a better choice. Here are a few options:
- Keep it natural. Slice a fresh lemon and boil it in water for about 10 minutes roughly an hour before a showing, or use a few cinnamon-scented pine cones during the fall and winter months.
- Put natural reeds in a decorative jar with a pleasant, neutral oil such as inis, tangerine, or eucalyptus.
- Try an orange oil multi-purpose cleaner when dusting furniture and other surfaces. It can help protect wood while leaving behind a light, pleasant aroma.
- Many people like “Fabuloso” cleaning product (the purple version) for its lavender scent. If you use it on floors or other surfaces, try cleaning at least 30 minutes before the showing so the fragrance has time to soften.
- Plug-in air fresheners that use oils are another possibility. Cashmere Woods by Glade is a popular
- choice because its mix of jasmine, sandalwood, and musk tends to be softer and less overpowering.
- If you’re planning to paint, you might even consider adding the scent directly into the paint can. The subtle fragrance can last for weeks, which may eliminate the need for anything else.
A study found that buyers were 20% more inclined to purchase a home when surrounded by a single, simple scent. So resist the temptation to use something different in every room. One subtle fragrance used sparingly throughout the home is generally enough.
7. REMOVE PETS
We love our pets, but not every buyer will feel the same way. Some people are uncomfortable around animals, and others may have allergies. Whenever possible, arrange for pets to be out of the house during showings. Put away bowls, beds, toys, litter boxes, and other pet-related items, and make sure there aren’t lingering pet odors. If your dog or cat has claimed a particular sofa or chair as a favorite sleeping spot, a thorough steam cleaning may be a good idea as well.
8. HIGHLIGHT HIDDEN FEATURES
Some of your home’s best features may be things buyers can’t immediately see. If you have upgrades such as a reverse osmosis water filter, energy-efficient water heater, or whole-house surge protector, don’t assume buyers will notice them. A few professional-looking tent cards with short descriptions can call attention to these extras without interrupting the showing.
9. SET THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE
Don’t overlook the thermostat. Buyers are more likely to linger when they’re comfortable, so keep the house pleasantly warm during colder months and comfortably cool when it’s hot outside. In most cases, somewhere between 68-73°F works well, depending on the season. The goal is simple: buyers should notice the house, not the temperature.
10. HIDE VALUABLES
This tip won’t necessarily help your home sell faster, but it’s still an important part of preparing for showings. Buyers may walk through nearly every area of your home, so secure jewelry, electronics, important documents, expensive artwork, and anything else you wouldn’t want left accessible. As an added benefit, putting valuables and personal belongings away also helps keep the home looking clean and neutral.
The best showings make it easy for buyers to stop thinking about your house as someone else’s home and start imagining what life there could look like for them. A few thoughtful changes can highlight your home’s strengths, reduce distractions, and create the kind of comfortable, welcoming atmosphere buyers remember. I’d be happy to walk through your home with you before showings begin and suggest any changes that could help it show at its best.