There are several important steps to selling your home, especially during times of crisis. COVID-19 adds several layers of challenge to each of those steps. For example, if you’re still living in the house, should you have an open house at all? Your realtor can help you make the best decisions for your safety.
Be Digital-Friendly
Potential buyers may not be happy to enter strange houses, so make sure that your digital presentation is clear and inviting. In addition to decluttering and cleaning, go the extra step and polish all the open wood surfaces for a bit of reflection. Don’t leave any dim corners. Make the photos and videos as inviting as possible so your home is one of the few spaces that gets a physical visit from a potential buyer. If you’re going to require visitors to wear masks, gloves and shoe coverings, be sure to list that on your showing materials and, without risking privacy, let potential viewers know why and thank them for their respect of your wishes.
Give Detailed Instructions
Leave disposable gloves, disposable masks and shoe coverings at the door of your home. In addition, place a small, lined and lidded trash can right beside this stock of products. Require everyone to use these tools to walk through the house and do your best to have the realtor push the use of these tools. Many people may be walking through homes for sale in Temecula or your particular locale. By providing viewers the proper gear, you can make sure that they, and your family, are getting as much protection as possible.
Pack as Much as You Can
Go as minimal as you can in your current home. For example, in your kitchen, consider packing up all but one set of dinnerware for everyone in your household. Pack these items in a plastic bin and put the bin in a bottom cupboard. If you’re still living in the home while you’re showing it, any carrier of the virus could be leaving the virus on surfaces throughout your home. Rather than worry about all the items in every cabinet, you only have the bin to concern yourself with. Consider hanging plastic sheeting over your clothing in the closet. Reduce linens to just what you need and use another plastic bin for towels and sheets that you must keep in the house.
Donate, Sell or Discard
Go through each room of your house with the following tools:
- A black plastic trash bag for items you want to discard
- A white trash bag for things you want to sell or donate
- A box for items you plan to take with you to your new home
Be ruthless in getting rid of things. Every item left in your house during showings can become a space for the virus to linger, so you want to clear out as many items as possible.
As soon as one of these containers is full:
- Take the black bag to the dumpster
- Take the white bag to your car so you can drop it off at the consignment or thrift store
- Tape up and label the box for the movers
At this time, don’t count on dollars from the items you’re planning to sell. There’s simply too much uncertainty about shopping in general, let alone shopping for second-hand items. Only leave out the things you really need access to every day, and consider putting them in plastic bins for easy cleanup. Store these under beds and in cupboards to reduce exposure.
Cleanup
There are several cleaning wipes that will disrupt the exterior of the corona virus and render it harmless. Try to stack showings close together with a little extra time between sessions so you can wipe down high traffic areas quickly before the next guests arrive. Don’t worry about wiping every single surface between sessions. Focus on areas that are typically touched. After all of your showings, you can do a deeper cleaning by going over every cabinet handle, door handle, light switch, and faucet handle. If you need help with cleaning up junk in your home, contact RedBoxPlus Dumpsters North Central Ohio.
For those who must sell their homes and move, the stress level can be quite high. By packing early and sealing up the items you need to keep in your home, you can reduce the risk of exposure from a home viewer. Be vigilant about protective gear and with wiping up after a showing.
