PART 4 — Making Sure Your Home Is Ready for Showing

You have done the hard work. You have decluttered, depersonalized, cleaned, and prepared. Now the showing is scheduled and it is time to make sure your home puts its absolute best foot forward. Here is your complete showing day checklist.

Inside the Home

Make all the beds. Even the guest room. Even if no one has slept in it in months. A made bed signals a cared for home.

Open all the curtains and blinds. Natural light is your best friend during a showing. Dark rooms feel smaller and less inviting. Let the light in.

Put everything away. Countertops clear, personal items stored, laundry out of sight. This is especially important for jewelry, medications, and any valuables. Please put them somewhere safe before every showing without exception.

Turn the lights on. Yes, all of them. Bright homes feel warm and welcoming.

Put the toilet lids down. Every bathroom, every time. It is a small thing that makes a surprisingly big difference.

Outside the Home

Blow off the sidewalks, driveway, and patio. Clear away any debris, leaves, or clutter. First impressions start before buyers ever open the front door.

About Your Animals — This Is Important

If you have pets, please take them with you for showings. Not everyone is an animal lover, and that is okay. The moment a buyer notices animal bowls, a litter box, or any pet related items, their attention shifts. Suddenly they are not looking at your beautiful kitchen. They are wondering if they can smell something. Take your pets with you, put the bowls away, and let your home speak for itself.

A Note for Your Front Door

If your REALTOR does not have a showing feedback card or sign for the door, make one. A simple note that says: Thank you for showing our home. We appreciate your feedback. Please make sure all lights are turned off and all doors are locked. Thank you again.

Feedback from showing agents is genuinely valuable and your REALTOR should be collecting it after every single showing.

The Bottom Line

Showing day is your home's moment to shine. Everything you have done to prepare leads to this. Walk out the door, take a deep breath, and trust that you have done the work.

Paula Messer, CRS | Associate Broker | iXL Real Estate 251-510-6665 | paula@paulamesser.com Serving Mobile, Baldwin County, and the entire Gulf Coast