6 Ways to Prepare Your Home for a Showing When Selling

When you sell your home before a household move, your property needs to look as attractive as possible for buyers. By preparing the yard, cleaning from top to bottom, turning on all the lights, and making other accommodations, you can help ensure that your buyers will have a positive experience when they visit your home. This can help sell your house more quickly and may lead to a higher sale price.

1. Prepare the Yard

Your yard is the first thing that buyers see when they come upon your house for a showing. There are many ways to landscape when trying to sell your home. Some tips:

  • Fertilize and water the lawn so the grass is healthy
  • Plant colorful flowers (annuals are often easiest)
  • Mulch around flower beds to give them a uniform appearance
  • Remove any debris (sticks, toys, pet waste, etc.)

2. Give the Inside a Deep Clean

Preparing your home for potential buyers requires a thorough cleaning on the inside. Deep cleaning helps ensure buyers see your home in its best state. When you’re taking the time to deep clean, be sure to clean in the following areas:

  • Walls, especially in high-touch, dusty locations and regions near the ceiling
  • Cabinets, especially around handles
  • Floors and baseboards (pay close attention to corners)
  • Dust furniture and upholstery, paying close attention to the backs of chairs
  • Clean windows

3. Write a Note, Set Out a Binder

Create a binder that highlights some of your favorite features in your home. Include information about the neighborhood, home history, or unique places you like to go in your community. This gives homebuyers something else to think about when deciding if your house is the right home for them. You can also write a note to buyers describing your favorite house features.

4. Leave Drinks

Make their visit pleasant by leaving a pitcher of lemonade with disposable cups on the counter. If the buyers are thirsty, this will quench their thirst and give them positive associations with your home specifically.

5. Turn On All the Lights

A dark house can be depressing and look smaller than it is. You can combat this problem by turning on all the lights. Take the time to replace burned-out light bulbs while you’re at it. Open curtains and sheers to give your home lots of natural light.

6. Freshen the Air

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers do a fantastic job of removing lingering strong, unusual odors in your home. If you want to really get rid of the odor in your home, try using an air purifier in conjunction with something else, like baking cookies or a diffuser.

Finally, remember to use air fresheners sparingly. Avoid having multiple scents competing for attention in different rooms. Instead, select one neutral, mild scent. Your home will flow and feel connected if there is a consistent scent throughout; let it set the scene for a positive experience.

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How to Plan a Retail Business Move

Moving your retail store requires careful organization and planning. Once you know your moving date, develop a plan. Work backward, scheduling each task so you can complete it on time. Here are some tasks to include in the plan for your business move.

Delegate Details

Choose a staff member to handle the everyday details of the move; for example, the store manager. Assign every item on the schedule to someone.

Communicate the Move

Communicate the move to suppliers, employees, and customers. Always communicate positives from your audience’s point of view. For example, moving to a larger store will allow you to carry a more comprehensive size range.

Use all channels when communicating with customers, including social media, email, website, and print materials. Post regular updates on social media throughout the move, including photos of the new shop in progress.

Tell employees about the move before you tell customers. Focus on the positives and give employees time to process the information. Be prepared for questions such as where the employees will park at the new site and nearby lunch spots and services.

Ask for employee input on areas that are important to them, such as the break room or retail space layout.

Remember to update your location online as soon as you move and put a sign on your old building directing customers to your new site.

Check and Decrease Inventory

Assess your inventory, recording each piece carefully. You will save money by decreasing the inventory you move, so view the move as an opportunity to liquidate those hard-to-move items.

Establish a Floor Plan

Develop a floor plan that flows, directs customers to high-priority products, and enhances the customer experience. Allow ample space for customers and product displays.

Avoid Downtime

Avoiding downtime is tricky because retail sales often depend on having products available for customers to see. Ensure your new shop is fully set up before the moving date to save time. Turn on the utilities and install racks. Have new merchandise shipped to your new location, so you’ll only need to move older items.

Also, move during the low season to decrease downtime. If you can’t put off the move until then, choose a day of the week when sales are typically lower. If you use part of your store to fulfill orders, locate that first so that you can continue online sales throughout the move.

If you can, overlap lease dates for your old and new locations. A few weeks of overlap allow you to complete more activities outside of work hours and limit disruption.

Celebrate the Move

After the move, reward your staff with a party for their hard work. Also, schedule a festive open house so customers and other neighborhood merchants can see your new store.

Hire Professional Movers

Professional movers can help you develop your moving schedule and plan the logistics. They can also help you manage your inventory and ensure the move goes smoothly. We are experienced movers who have helped many retailers relocate successfully. Contact us today for a free quote.

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