Recently I was on a lengthy road trip and, unable to stave off hunger any longer by sunflower seeds alone, stopped at a highway family-owned diner for some grub. As I approached the establishment I couldn't help but notice the overgrown weeds next to the entrance and how dirty the front door was. With no other options remotely close I proceeded inside, was greeted by nobody, and then headed to the bathroom to wash my hands. They were out of soap, and the sink was filthy. After finding the one miniscule clean part of the hot water handle I turned it on, rinsed my hands off, then dried them on my shirt as paper towels had apparently not shown up for work today. Retreating back to the main restaurant area slightly perturbed but nonetheless ready to eat, I couldn't help but notice two young boys caked in dirt running around climbing all over the chairs and tables. And with that I deciding that chewing on my own fingernails was probably a better option than dining in what felt like a college dormitory where the janitors were on strike. Admit it- you would have left too.

Now do me a favor. Run that little scenario back through your head, or even re-read it if you want. But this time pretend it is a house instead of a diner. A house you are visiting as a prospective buyer. You wouldn't have even had time to notice the gorgeous view out the back bay window or the completely remodeled kitchen. The filth, the lack of common courtesy, and the commotion stole the show, just as it would for the rest of the potential buyers that day.

Thinking of selling your home? For the love of all that is real estate please avoid scaring people off of your otherwise wonderful piece of property! Taking a few extra steps to ensure your home is presentable and drama free for a day can make your open house a success, while treating it as just business as usual can destroy your day and ruin your chances with prospective buyers.

Seller Commandments

DO clean your entire house, or better yet, hire a cleaning service to come in and give it that deep cleaning that it hasn't seen in months (or years). No one will think that musty smell adds character, I promise. Oh yeah, and closing the shower curtain makes it look like you are hiding something, so clean back there too. Every nook, every cranny. Trust me. If you have a yard, apply the same principles there too.

DON'T leave dishes out unless they have snacks for your guests on them. Some finger food is always a good idea, and might even help give it more of a party atmosphere that people can really feel comfortable in. Dirty dishes are inappropriate no matter where they are. The serious lookers will indeed want to look at the inside of your dishwasher, and they won't be impressed by plates with remnants of Wednesday's lasagna, no matter how delicious it may have been.

DO put away all valuables and heirlooms. Unless you are having an estate sale at the same time, you want all of your possessions intact at the end of the day. Unfortunately, since you are opening up your house to complete strangers, you don't know if your visitors are walking through your front door accompanied by their brother or their parole officer.

DON'T leave your all your personal decorations up. I know you're proud of the bowling trophies and your chronologically placed family portraits around the living room and your kindergartener's crayon masterpieces that completely conceal the refrigerator. Get rid of them. Keep them at your neighbor's house for the day. Prospective home buyers want to see a house that is furnished, but impersonal. This allows them to envision their own trophies on the bookshelf, their own pictures on the wall, and their own life in your house. Feel free to leave impersonal things like paintings, books, and maybe a couple of your most normal knick knacks if you must. If you are really lost on this one, consider hiring someone to stage your home for you.

DO take the day off. Run all those errands you've been needing to do. Take a day trip. Take the kids to an amusement park. Spend an afternoon at the movies. Your guests didn't come over to see you. They came to look at walk in closets. Your open house visitors didn't come over to see how high your child can bounce off the bed in the master bedroom or how good he is at Playstation. They want to check out your study. If you have a dog, take it with you if possible. If not, leave it with a neighbor or as a last resort secure it as far away from the back of the house as possible.

DON'T worry. Once you have taken the steps to ready your home for the open house, leave the rest to your real estate agent. He or she does this for a living. If you have a trusted agent, they will be well educated on your home and will be able to provide your open house guests with answers to all of their questions. Remember that they are invested in the transaction too, so they should have your best interests in mind. They will be able to provide you a recap of the open house and go over any serious leads with you.

In Closing (Your House, Hopefully)

Did you get all that? Most of these are simply good common sense, but anyone who has been to a few open houses has their own open house horror story. Most of the ill fated tales I hear do not involve cracked foundations or damaged siding. Most bad open house experiences stem from easily preventable and avoidable circumstances that were completely under the seller's control. So take care of the little things and they will remain little things. Let your house shine. And pick that shirt up off the floor- you're better than that.

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