5 Things You Should Do Once Your Home is on the Market

It took a lot of dedicated effort to get your home on the market. It would be nice if you could just sit back and wait for the offers to roll in. Unfortunately, it's not that easy.

Once your home is on the market, your real estate agent will work hard to complete the sale, but you'll have to do your part to keep things moving forward. Here are five things you can do to help keep your marketing efforts on track.

1. Never say no to a showing
   When you're too tired to handle a last-minute showing, do it anyway. Home showings are a crucial part of the home-selling process. While they don't guarantee a sale, they do bring potential buyers to your door. When a home buyer decides to view your home it means that your listing made it through their initial process of elimination.
   
   Of course, no one can predict the outcome of a showing. The right buyer might walk in the door as soon as you list your property, or your sale could require multiple showings. Opening your house on demand is the best way to find out.
   
   
2. Keep your home white-glove clean
   When you open up your home for a showing, potential buyers inspect and evaluate areas of your home you might not even think about. They will notice dirty tile grout and remember dusty dining room corners, and these things could cost you a sale.
   
   It's a good idea to pay a service to do your initial cleaning as well as regularly scheduled cleanings while your home is on the market. If you enjoy doing your own cleaning, you'll still have plenty to do. You'll need to give your home a once-over before each showing or open house, and you'll want to clean up afterward.
   
   
3. Stay pet-odor vigilant
   If you have a cat, dog, or other indoor pet your realtor probably discussed odor issues early in your marketing process. You likely worked hard to rid your home of telltale odors before you had your first showing. That's great, but if your pets are still in your home, odors will be a recurring problem.
   
   If you've lived with pet odors for years, your nose might be insensitive to smells that are obvious to everyone else. It's important to stay vigilant.
   
   • Clean pet living areas regularly.
   • Use a quality pet deodorizer spray.
   • Clean up pet hair daily.
   • Remove pets, litter boxes, bowls, etc. from the premises during a showing.
   • Burn a scented candle before a showing to disguise odors.
   
   
4. Keep working on your curb appeal
   If you worked hard to give your home a look that brings buyers to your door, don't forget to keep it fresh. Getting the right curb appeal is worth the time and effort. If your home is on the market for more than a few months, you'll need to refresh the look.
   
   • Hire a landscaper to maintain your yard.
   • Keep your gutters clean.
   • Wash dirt and mud from walkway, driveways, and porches.
   • Check for new problems or issues you might not have noticed before.
   
   
5. Create a pleasant atmosphere
   When potential buyers visit your home, give them an atmosphere that says, "welcome home." Remove throw rugs and other trip hazards. Open bedroom and bathroom doors. Brighten rooms with natural and artificial light by turning on lamps and opening up curtains, drapes, and blinds.
   
   Adjust your climate control system to a pleasant temperature. Burn a lightly scented candle just before a scheduled showing, but don't forget to blow it out before you leave.

Your work isn't done until the sale is finalized. With these tips, you can ensure everything goes right with your home sale.

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