On the day that we finally decided to make things official and get our house on the market, we were invaded by our realtor's swat team. Maybe invaded isn't the right term.. we invited them over, but I have to say we were surprised by how quickly the process went. It was a whirlwind!
Our realtor had prepared us for the fact that her team would be coming over - but we weren't sure what to expect. Right on time, her marketing manager, photographer, and videographer took over the house. While we were being interviewed by her marketing manager - the photographer was making quick work of the bedrooms and we were shooed into the hallway.
It was a frantic shuffle from room to room trying to stay out of the camera shots, while remembering dates and topics like when we installed the new water heater, what type of tile is in the kitchen, how would we describe the neighborhood, and what was the color of the bedroom called.
Overall, I was proud to open our home and I think marketing is making a huge difference. Though we don't have an offer yet - we've been on the market three weeks now and have over 40 views on youtube and have had quite a few showings.
The best part - our type A realtor complimented me on getting the nest ready to show. I was glad that all my packing and decluttering over the past few months helped in the process - though I do regret not decorating for Christmas at all... we'll make up for it this year though!
The worst part - it's kinda weird knowing that anyone who is curious can see our home on the web, but then I blog.. so I really shouldn't mind. I do recommend for anyone having their home listed - please, PLEASE, prepare your home for photos! Some suggestions to prepare:
+ hide yo' kids, hide yo' kitties - remove all traces of kiddos and furry children from the house. The kittens were hiding in the garage (in their crates) and were promised treats if they were good. Maybe go for a babysitter instead of crates for the kiddos though.
+ put away dishes and laundry! No dirty undies in the floor or dishes in the sink.
+ Pack away and store as much as you can. We already had to invest in renting a storage building for Dad's tools, but now we're up to three. That's how much furniture and stuff we have out of the house. Live with the bare minimum - it makes it easier to clean for showings and makes the house easier for people to envision themselves making it their home.
+ Tour through your house like a buyer - make sure your furniture and accessories don't draw attention away from the rooms. Think about the scale of your furniture and what it makes the room look like. We only have half of our sectional in the living room now and it makes the space seem SOO much bigger.
+ Try to keep anything personal out of the picture! I think other than our closet being open to the world, our most personal items on display are a few books. And even then, it's been odd when we can tell folks have flipped through them.
It's a challenge living like this - but I think it makes the photos look great, the tour look better, and makes it so much easier when we have to get the house ready for a showing.
Now if we could just get an offer... :)
Want to house stalk us? Just click here to see our Neighborhood Home Tour video.
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