Tips for Living in Your Listed House
The housing market is hot right now, which means you may be putting your home up for sale before buying a house better suited to your lifestyle right here in Asheville. It can be nerve-wracking to try to live in a home on the market and prepare for showings or open houses while still trying to have a normal life. Before you put your home on the market, here are some tips that can help you stay sane. Selling your house requires a big change in your lifestyle. Here are a few ideas to help you learn how to live in a listed house with limited disruption.
Pack Up
Before the house goes on the market, consider packing up. If you don’t already have another place to live, invest in self-storage on a month-to-month basis until you move. This eliminates clutter from your home so you can stage it in a way that makes it attractive to potential buyers. Clear out anything you don’t need for day-to-day living, including out-of-season clothes, holiday decorations, or extra kitchen items.
Store Valuables Safely
We certainly want to think the best of our fellow humans, but you simply never know who will come through a listed house while you’re not there. It’s better to be safe and determine a solution for valuable items before a problem happens. Get a safe or lockable file cabinet for valuables, important documents, and prescription medication.
Start with a Deep Clean
Once you’ve sorted out your belongings and decluttered the space, start with a major deep clean. You don’t have to do it yourself, either. Talk to a local cleaning company, such as GreenBee, to give your house a thorough once-over so you can start with a clean slate. With green cleanings, like GreenBee, you don’t even have to rely on harsh chemicals to trust your home is spotless.
Cleaning and Maintenance
The deep clean is an essential first step for a listed house because it’ll be easier to maintain cleanings between showings. Create a plan to straighten and sanitize your home before and after every showing so the house is sparkling. This should only take a few minutes each time. You can also set aside a couple of hours once a week to go over everything again to ensure it’s always showcase-ready.
Pack a Go Bag
Be ready for showings by packing a Go Bag. Pack one for every family member, so they have everything they need to be out of the house for a couple of hours on short notice. Bags for adults can include a laptop or tablet, a book, and snacks. For kids, bring activities such as games or toys to help them pass the time away from the house. You can also plan a few places around town to visit while the house is being shown, such as:
- Any of many local breweries
- A drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway
- Spend some time at Splashville
- Go for a nearby hike
Plan for Pets
One of the biggest challenges for sellers is what to do with their pets. If they’re lucky enough to be home when the showing happens, they can take the pet with them. But if they’re working, it can become challenging. We talked to a seller with a listed house who had a very social cat and was worried she’d follow someone out the front door. So they built a plexiglass barrier in front of a bedroom door to keep the cat inside but allow potential buyers to look in the room. It turns out the cat was a popular feature.
Ask Your Agent for Notice
You can also work with your agent to ensure you have enough notice for each showing on your listed house. This is especially helpful on weekends or if you work from home. Most agents today have access to apps that allow other agents to schedule showings ahead of time, and the notice can be set to provide you several hours before having to leave your home.
Are you selling your home? Do you want to know more about what you can buy next? The team at GoPrime Mortgage in West Asheville can help, so call us today.
Do you want to understand the mortgage process better and get preapproved for your next home purchase? Call the team at GoPrime Mortgage today. GoPrime Mortgage in West Asheville is here to help. Call us today at 828-348-1907 – GoPrime Mortgage in West Asheville.
