As the housing market continues to surge you may be thinking about putting your home on the market. Historically low mortgage interest rates and buyer demand is high resulting in a feeding frenzy on new listings. Sellers, you may be understandably concerned about having strangers in your homes. Here are a few extra steps to take when an in-person showing is necessary.
High-touch surfaces should be high priority; think doorknobs, counters, light switches, and railings. Make sure to leave lights on and doors and closets open to limit what visitors need to touch. Follow these tips for cleaning and sanitizing your house:
High-touch surfaces that should be cleaned and disinfected daily:
- Doorknobs
- Table surfaces
- Hard dining chairs (seat, back, and arms)
- Kitchen counters
- Bathroom counters
- Faucets and faucet knobs
- Toilets (seat and handle)
- Light switches
- TV remote controls
- Game controllers
- Stair railings
First clean…then disinfect.
- To clean, wipe down surfaces removing contaminants, dust, or debris. Use either soapy water or cleaning spray.
- Then use disinfectant. This can be done with either wipes or spray. Just be sure whatever you are using is appropriate for the surface on which you are using it. Disinfectants You Can Use to Sanitize Your Home
If you are having trouble finding disinfectant wipes and sprays in stores, here is a recipe for a homemade disinfectant:
How to Make Homemade Bleach Disinfectant Spray:
- 4 teaspoons household bleach
- 1 quart water
- Pour both into one quart spray bottle, shake vigorously.
- Spray on surface to disinfect, let sit for 10 minutes, wipe away with wet cloth.
You probably already did a deep clean before opening your home up to prospective buyers, but since you never know when there might be a last-minute showing, here is a daily routine to keep your house neat and tidy while on the market:
EVERY MORNING
- Make beds.
- Load dishwasher and run it if necessary; remove clean dishes from drying rack and put them away; wash and dry any other dirty dishes and put away.
- Make sure dirty clothes are in hamper or in washer/dryer; put clean clothes away.
- Wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters.
- Put small kitchen appliances (toaster, blender etc.) in cabinets to declutter counters.
- Clear off bathroom counters putting personal items away into drawers.
EVERY EVENING
- Unload dishwasher and put dishes away.
- Move clothes from washer to dryer as needed.
- Fold laundry
- Wipe down counters.
- Vacuum sweep and/or mop as needed.
- Put away toys.
- Go through any papers and/or mail on counters and put away.
This may all sound overwhelming, but trust me, it is way more overwhelming to have to do all of this on the spur of the moment when your Realtor calls to say a potential buyer wants to come by and see your house! Keeping up with these chores daily will make those last-minute showings less stressful.
Speak with your Realtor about precautions they can take while showing your home. For example, request that they ask prospective buyers to wear face masks while there. Keep hand sanitizer by the front door and throughout the house and ask your Realtor to encourage clients to use it when entering the home and before/after touching anything in the home.
If you are ready to sell your home in the New River Valley, you need a professional you can trust by your side. Desi Sowers has distinguished herself as a leader in the New River Valley Real Estate Market. Desi will aggressively market your home for sale while assisting you with preparing it for the market and showing it to prospective buyers. If you are concerned with face-to-face meetings, check out her Virtual Home Selling Program that offers limited in-person tours, and is completely customizable to fit your needs! Call Desi Sowers at 540-320-1328 or send her an email at Desi@DesiSowers.com and get started on your home-selling journey today!