Selling a house with a toddler? (We don’t mean it literally) Or worse even, with a few pint sized humans constantly messing up the rooms. You know you have a viewing but know that cleaning up their mess will feel like shovelling earth upwards on a downhill.
It’s a fact they will make the process harder and you think why bother?
Well there is one simple reason why and that is money, dinero, l’argent, geld. And who doesn’t want that? Most of us aren’t able to look past cluttered and messy rooms not to mention dirt. So unless you want to turn your buyers off we suggest you do something about it.
First get an agent, or a couple to give you an idea of which bracket you should market your property. Remember it all depends on the current market and what someone is willing to pay for it; the latter is where you are able to influence. And you do it by doing everything you can to show the buyers their dream home the moment they walk through your front door.
Here are our top tips:
Communication
Make sure your kids are aware of the sale so that you are able to make them excited about the move and help you with the chores, i.e. keeping their rooms clean, coming up with ideas on what to do or go when there are viewings and help you thin out the amount of toys which leads us to the next tip.
Purge
Now is the time to simplify toys to a bare minimum.
Prepare three signs – donate/sell, recycle and keep. Now with the help of your children go through all their toys, games and books. If your kids make a scene whenever you want to get rid of a toy tell them if they sell it they can buy a new one once you move. You must figure out which method will work better with them and if all fails resort to bribery but whatever you do, don’t give in. Recycle any unusable toys and you should by now have downsized the amount they want to keep.
Pack
Now that you have purged you must pack at least half of what you have decided to keep. Again you will want their help and ask them to put aside their favourites. Those you keep and the others you pack and store in your garage, loft or failing that see if a friend or family member will let you store until you moved.
To help you have less toys and make your life easier ask friends and family to give experiences gifts (kids paintball, trip to the zoo, chocolate workshop, circus experience, etc) instead of toys. They will create memories that will last a lifetime instead of cluttering your home.
Clean
You must have heard it before that “cleaning with small kids is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos”. And although painful, you’ll have to clean every day you have a viewing while your house is on the market.
Here is a cleaning list to help you keep your home looking spotless:
- Erase crayon and scuff marks of the walls
- Wipe all surfaces of fingerprints and juice rings
- Clean bathroom from evidence of children’s lack of aim (you know what we mean) and toothpaste spit from the mirror
Depersonalise
Now you need to tone it down so buyers can envision the rooms turning into the space they desire:
- take down any posters or drawings (including the ones stuck to the fridge). Not to hurt their feelings frame a couple of their chosen drawings and use them as art in their bedroom.
- Replace colourful and child like rugs and duvets with a more neutral choice.
- Paint over bright walls or murals with light beige or even light grey.
Keep it simple and neutral enough to appeal to a variety of buyers. You must remember not everyone has children so they will find it difficult to imagine what that room may be good for when it’s covered in murals or posters.
Viewings
Make sure you have a game plan with your kids to how to put the toys away when there is a viewing. Or tell them to put their toys in a box as fast as they can, and they’ll have a treat once they’re done.
Make sure your agent is aware of your children’s nap time if they are of that age but also remember you don’t want to miss a potential buyer by limiting your availability. You may also consider taking your child to see if they’ll nap in the car. They usually do go to sleep faster so it’s a win win for you.
Avoid sleep over and play dates, there is nothing worse then your agent asking for a viewing and you have muddy shoes and toys all over the place.
Don’t forget your back garden especially if it’s full of slides, trampolines and footballs. Each needs its place and most of all be clean even though it’s harder in the winter. Again consider storing them away if you struggle to keep them pristine.
Do consider staging your home to help it stand out. And have fresh flowers and fruit to add to the appeal and make your home stand out.
We know that selling your home when you have kids isn’t easy however if you follow our top tips, it will likely sell much faster and for a higher price. Do get in touch and we will send you a check list to get ready for viewings.
Happy selling!
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