Waiting for a buyer... Anyone want to join me?

toc25

Hi, I'm about to join you all, The estate agent is coming round on Thursday to value my house.

How do you all manage to keep your houses spotless? I have 4 children a dog and a husband who is worse than all of them put together. I feel like I'm becoming a nightmare, nagging everyone and following them all around all the time and it's not even on the market yet!

I'm even considering having an open day because I can't cope with trying to keep my house perfect.

Also worried about the dog during viewings and what I am going to do with him. He is about over friendly and I'm not sure viewers will appreciate it.

Any advice will be appreciated, thanks.

hazyjo

toc25 wrote: »

Hi, I'm about to join you all, The estate agent is coming round on Thursday to value my house.

How do you all manage to keep your houses spotless? I have 4 children a dog and a husband who is worse than all of them put together. I feel like I'm becoming a nightmare, nagging everyone and following them all around all the time and it's not even on the market yet!

I'm even considering having an open day because I can't cope with trying to keep my house perfect.

Also worried about the dog during viewings and what I am going to do with him. He is about over friendly and I'm not sure viewers will appreciate it.

Any advice will be appreciated, thanks.

It's rare you get a call saying someone wants to view immediately. You get time to tidy. Have an action plan and stick to it. We now know what things to hide and what to leave on show. If it means hiding things in the laundry basket (as we do), or the car, so be it. Make a list so you know what to check/remove/hide.

Can your husband (or kid/s if old enough) take the dog for a walk the second your viewers turn up?

tbh I would much rather a dog than kids lol. They all seem to stay in their rooms and it's just SOOOO awkward as they can be very precious about their space and you never get to have a proper look round.

Put all dog bedding, blankets or whatever in the car/garden.

Jx

toc25

Thanks
I was thinking that myself, I remember when we were viewing houses years ago going in to rooms with kids in, you just want to get back out because it feels awkward.
Think I will have to make sure they all are out :rotfl:

phoebe1989seb

toc25 wrote: »

Thanks
I was thinking that myself, I remember when we were viewing houses years ago going in to rooms with kids in, you just want to get back out because it feels awkward.
Think I will have to make sure they all are out :rotfl:

I still recall six year old DS - he's now 27 - *entertaining* a viewer of our house, by playing the piano loudly whilst I was attempting to show the single bloke round. DH had been delayed getting home that day - non-serious car accident - and I had a call at the last minute to say the EA was unable to do the viewing Suffice to say the viewer was unimpressed and didn't buy it.

I think we only ever viewed one house where the kids were in. The grandparents had been roped in to keep them in one room watching TV while the EA showed us round. Not sure why they didn't just go out, tbh.....

Whilst I actually prefer vendor-led viewings, I'd rather no kids were present

Pumpkim

toc25 wrote: »

Hi, I'm about to join you all, The estate agent is coming round on Thursday to value my house.

How do you all manage to keep your houses spotless? I have 4 children a dog and a husband who is worse than all of them put together. I feel like I'm becoming a nightmare, nagging everyone and following them all around all the time and it's not even on the market yet!

I'm even considering having an open day because I can't cope with trying to keep my house perfect.

Also worried about the dog during viewings and what I am going to do with him. He is about over friendly and I'm not sure viewers will appreciate it.

Any advice will be appreciated, thanks.

I'm in a similar position, getting the photos done this week. I have a dog and a six year old, was trying to think where to hide the dog paraphernalia for the photos and viewings :undecided

I'm planning on getting hubby to take dog and son out when we have viewings.
We have recently neutralised the whole house with the colour coming from accessories only but I'm still worried people won't like it, I just keep seeing all the things I would change if we were staying here!
Feeling stressed already and it's not even 'live' yet :eek:

toc25

I would have found that hilarious if a child started performing for us, that's brilliant. My children would be more likely to go for a poo while they were here or start telling them our life story.

toc25

Pumpkin-

I'm driving myself mad, I am looking at everything thinking will other people like that? I'm cleaning everything over and over again. I'm obsessed! By the time anyone actually comes to view it I will be an exhausted, nervous wreck.

The worst part is - I know only investor's or first time buyers will be interested in it. So it doesn't need to look like a show home. I actually think I'm more bothered about photos being on the internet with people I know and nosey neighbours all having a look at them, it makes you feel very exposed.

LoopyLoops

I have got very good at getting 'viewing ready'. I can do it in fairly quick time.

Can you hide the dog bits in the boot of the car? I find the boot really handy for things that just don't have a home.

I have 3 children. Mostly I get them out for viewings as ours are EA led. With our first agent I did have a viewing, that at the last minute the EA pulled out of and couldn't get hold of the couple to cancel. It was a bit of a mare as all 3 of mine are autistic, with the eldest and youngest having development delay and a few other problems. Youngest went in to full stress over load as it was a last minute change of plan and we had to be home for the viewing. The couple were very understanding. But it was a really tough viewing! So viewings are always a risk that I might not be able to get them out of the house. Our current EA's are aware of the children's difficulties (as were the old agents). If we get a viewing the EA can't do they are usually on days that my husband is working from home to enable me to get out of the house with the 3, or I go out and leave the EA here.

We also have 3 cats. 2 of them being very lazy! And often asleep on one of the children's high rise bed. We did have one viewing when one the cats popped her head out at a viewer from the high bed and made her jump, luckily the viewer thought the cat very lovely. Fortunately the viewers have all been ok with the cats.

toc25

Think there will be a lot of hiding stuff in the cars going on stuff like washing will definitely be going in there.

Hoping that I can get rid of any doggy smells too, I can't smell it myself but my step mum said yesterday that my living room smells like dog. Which was nice of her.

smallholdingsister

Toc25 Our purchaser was an impromptu viewing, they were literally looking at the front of the house and expressed interest so I invited them in. We were all at home (3 kids, smelly dog) the washing was everywhere, toys everywhere, but it was that or no viewing.

When I think about all the angst over spotless skirting board and architrave for previous viewings I realise it is possible to get TOO hung up about the perfectly presented house.