4 Tips for Surviving the Showing Process

One of the most challenging parts of listing your home for sale is dealing with the agent showings. This is especially true when you're still living in your home until it sells. How can you keep your home constantly tidy and immaculate when you are cooking, sleeping and just generally using your home to live your life? Of course, hearing from your real estate agent that someone is interested in viewing your home is good news. But the reality of having to clear out during the showing can be convenient and difficult to manage, particularly if there are children involved. What's more, the showing can last an indeterminate amount of time, so it's impossible to plan ahead for how long you and your family need to be absent. When you're still residing in your home that's for sale, how can you best survive the showing process? The following are practical and actionable tips that will help you and your family deal with showings.

1. Stock the Car

Tips for Showing your San Diego HomeDuring this time, think of your family vehicle as your satellite home away from home. When you have to exit your home for a showing, you don't want to always have to double check that you have the necessities, like your son's asthma medication, your reading glasses or extra diapers. Stock the car with all those items that you absolutely must have when you leave the house, even if it means buying duplicates. Keep them in a centralized location in the car, like the glove box or a small box in the trunk.

Next, stock the car with comfort items to make last minute forays away from your home more comfortable. These will include an extra blanket for a sleepy child, some restaurant takeout menus for impromptu restaurant stops, a charged tablet to entertain teens, and a basket of long-lasting snack items, like nuts, dried fruit, beef jerky, or chips.

2. Keep a Laundry Basket Handy

Laundry baskets are terrific for collecting items that you're using and getting them off floors and countertops. Your agent will usually give you at least 24 hours notice before a showing, but you'll still need to be able to quickly stop what you're doing in order to be out of your house and driveway before potential buyers show up. Keep one or more empty laundry baskets handy to throw in whatever is out and about so you can take the clutter with you in the car when you leave. Does your child have a bunch of toys scattered on the living room floor when it's time to go? Toss them all in the basket and bring them with you. Laundry baskets can hold everything from mail and homework papers from the kitchen table to discarded clothing on the bedroom floor. Toss items in, grab the baskets, and either bring them with you in the car or temporarily store them in a corner of the garage under a tarp.

3. Keep Countertops Sparkling

The kitchen will be closely regarded during the showing, and you'll want to make sure your countertops are sparkling clean at all times. To avoid panicky last-minute polishing, keep countertops sparkling clean by laying down tea towels before doing any kitchen food prep work. The towels will collect crumbs and spills while protecting your countertops. When you're finished cooking, just toss the towels in the laundry.

4. Invest in a Comforter to Replace a Bedspread

It's faster and easier to make a bed with a comforter cover instead of a bed spread. With a comforter, you can even get away with covering rumpled sheets. Make it even easier to give the impression of a well-made bed by using pillow shams over just pillow cases. With very little plumping, pillows will look fresh and unused. This is an especially handy tip for younger kids who may struggle with making their bed look nice even on a regular morning.

Whether you're looking to buy or sell in San Diego, the Josh Sloan Realty Group are experts at making the process smooth and enjoyable. The best tip for surviving the showing process is hiring a real estate agent you can trust to represent your interests and put you and your family first.

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