Strategies for selling your home when you have kids. Regardless of how many times you’ve sold a home, you can always expect a few obstacles along the way. A roof repair, a broken appliance and an unexpectedly long wait to get an offer are annoyances common for sellers, but selling a home when you have kids adds a different layer of complexity that could make the process slightly more challenging if you don’t plan ahead. Consider these tips to make the whole process a little more pleasurable.
Tell your kids you’re moving. Moving to a new home is a major life event, even for your little ones, and this isn’t necessarily the type of “surprise” that will bring tears of joys. Whether your children are very young or getting ready to head off to college, explaining to them why you’re moving and what the next steps are can go a long way toward getting them to help make the best of process.
Find an experienced agent. While most qualified agents can probably do a great job of getting an offer on your home, agents with experience helping families with children understand the extra considerations involved, like having advanced notice before bring potential buyers around to see the home.
Keep the home cleaner than usual. Obviously you’re going to clean up before letting people come by to see your home, but as any parent of small children knows, kids can hide things better than anyone else. Make sure toys are put away, clothing is picked up, all beds are made and there are no mysterious odors coming from mysterious places. Finally, make sure the mud room is clean and tidy.
Have a plan for showings. Imagine you’ve just arrived home from work with the kids in tow, only to get a call from your realtor that someone wants to come see the house in 20 minutes. You nor the kids have had dinner, and homework still needs to get done. Having a plan for these situations will help the selling process go more smoothly for everyone involved. Map out a few places near your neighborhood where you can take the kids for an hour or two. The library, the movies, the park or a friend’s house are great options for easy and inexpensive entertainment while your realtor sells, sells, sells.
Stage the home for people who don’t have kids. Not everyone who considers buying your home has children, and it might be difficult for people without kids to envision themselves living in your home if there décor is too child-centric. To the extent that you feel comfortable, take down your kids’ artwork from the refrigerator, pick up sports gear and toys, and make sure there are no clothes lying around.
Remember, selling a home is the start of a new beginning for you and your family. With these tips and a Nan & Companies Properties agent at your side, your home will sell in no time.