Real Estate ProfessionalsSelling

Important Personal Items to Never Leave Out During a Show House

Story Highlights
  • #1 - Personal documents
  • #2 - Political affiliation sign
  • #3 - Personal Mail
  • #4 - Empty ashtray on the patio table
  • #5 - Space heaters, fans, and more

When it is time for your home to become an open house, you already know that you should not leave wads of cash or other valuables out on display.

Even though you want to please the potential home buyers, you should never forget that they will still be strangers in your house.

Some people learn this the hard way when they realize that their favorite necklace went missing or when the important files on their computers have other names.

However, there are many smaller items that you should consider tucking away:

#1 – Personal documents

This is the most obvious and this is why it needs to be repeated.

Any document or information that lists your personal details and a bunch of numbers (like a credit card or ID) is basically an identity thief’s dream destination.

You should consider storing them somewhere else where safer around like a storage unitIf an offsite location is not an option for you, you can hide these documents in a nondescript box somewhere where people won’t be able to access it.

You are going to be packing these up anyway, so don’t worry about becoming disorganized in the process.

#2 – Political affiliation sign

It might not be taped to your fridge, but the corner of a political party sticker could just be peeping out from under a pile of books.

This doesn’t matter. Buyers will zero-in on political advertisements. In today’s heated political climate, it is better if you put all the political paraphernalia away.

A simple sign could turn buyers away because they might not agree with your political opinions.

The best thing to do would be to keep a neutral house and make it welcoming to any individual, regardless of their political opinions and stances.

#3 – Personal Mail

So you left your electricity bill on the counter? What’s the big deal? It’s in the sealed envelope anyway.

The big deal is that technology has become so advanced that people can draw up your whole history with just a few minor details.

It is so easy to open that sealed envelope whilst the real estate agent isn’t looking and have a peep at your bill.

Even though the information on there might not mean much to you, it can be very useful if someone had to draw up a Google search on you. The information they find might just be a deal breaker for them.

#4 – Empty ashtray on the patio table

Even though the ashtray might be so clean that you can eat your food out of it, it still sends the message of homeowners who smoke on the property.

This is generally a huge turnoff and it could break the whole deal completely. This suggests that you might smoke inside the house and in doing so, cause damage to the interior of the house, even if you smoke out the window.

Not to mention the possible smell that might already be stuck to the carpets.

#5 – Space heaters, fans, and more

Some items in your home may give some potential buyers the wrong idea of your home – and by ‘wrong’ we mean, they aren’t interested in your house anymore.

Before you open your house, hide the following things:

  • the heater (the house might be too cold!),
  • the fan (the house might be too hot!),
  • the cricket bat next to your bed (the neighborhood is unsafe!) and
  • the earplugs on your dresser (the area is too noisy!).

Don’t give potential buyers any negative ideas that they don’t have and hereby jeopardizing a potential home sale!

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