Imagine it is just past 8 in the morning. You are still wearing your pajamas and you are in the middle of feeding your toddler some breakfast. The phone rings. It is the service wanting to let you know that your home is scheduled for a showing within the hour.
It is really rare that you will get a showing that is truly convenient. Somehow the service that schedules those doesn’t ever schedule a showing when you are perfectly prepared, when your spouse is around to help or when the maid has just left. So how do you survive when you have less than an hour to prepare?
The first TRICK is to always have these 2 baskets available. The first basket is a large empty laundry basket. This is a basket that you will use to put anything that is out of place into. The second is a basket or bucket that is loaded with some cleaning essentials. In this bucket you should always have an empty trash bag, Windex, microfiber towels (3 or 4), Pledge and a room spray that smells like cotton or fresh laundry.
Now when the phone rings grab both the laundry basket and the emergency cleaning bucket and move from room to room systematically. In every room you are going to throw anything (and I do mean anything) out of place in the laundry basket. I have even known clients to throw dirty pans and dishes into the basket. Now, using the buckets contents, quickly wipe down any counters, mirrors and sinks, close every toilet lid, empty every trash can, open every blind, turn on every light and spray every room with room freshener. All beds should be made and only pretty things should be out on any counter. Move from room to room in a systematic fashion. Don’t leave any room until all of the above are done.
Turn on some elevator music, grab your keys, throw the laundry basket in the trunk of your car and drive away with the kids and the animals in the back seat.
As you drive away remembers this. The only thing worse than being on the market is being on the market for a long time. Almost every showing will include a qualified buyer; ready to buy someone’s home, it might as well be yours. You have one shot at grabbing their attention so it is worth it to be prepared. Every showing could be your last!
