Getting Your Idaho Falls Home Ready for Photos and Showings

Here's something most sellers don't think about: your first showing happens on somebody's phone. Buyers scroll through the photos, usually at night on the couch, and decide right there if your place is worth a drive. So the work you put in before photo day matters more than almost anything else.

Good news is it's mostly elbow grease, not money. Not sure it's time to sell yet? Find out what your home is worth first.

Clear it out

Countertops, tables, floors. Get them as bare as you can stand. Put away the family photos, the mail pile, the kids' toys and the stuff on the fridge. If a room has an extra chair or a big recliner, think about moving it to the garage. You're moving anyway, right? Start packing now and you're ahead of the game.

Clean like your mother-in-law is coming

Windows, baseboards, ceiling fans, light fixtures. Bathrooms and the kitchen get the most attention, from you and from buyers. If the carpets need it, get them cleaned. A clean house tells a buyer the place has been taken care of, and that's what they want to believe.

Then fix the little stuff. Burned-out bulbs, a wobbly cabinet handle, nail holes, the faucet that drips. None of it costs much, but a buyer adds it all up in their head.

Light and curb appeal

On photo day, open every blind and turn on every light. Try to match your bulbs so one room isn't yellow and the next one blue.

Outside depends on the season, and around here the season can change by the hour. In summer, mow and trim and sweep the walk. In the fall, rake the leaves. In winter, keep the driveway and sidewalk shoveled and salted. Nobody wants to slip on your front step in February. Spring is mud season, so put a good mat by the door.

Right before the photographer shows up, pull the cars out of the driveway, hide the trash cans and pet bowls, make the beds and close the toilet lids. Trust me on the toilet lids. Wondering what you'll pay to list once it's ready? Here's how listing fees work.

During showings

Keep it close to photo-ready, which I know is hard with kids and dogs. Lock up valuables and medications. And leave while buyers are there. They need to be able to open closets and talk honestly without the owner standing in the hallway.

Every Smart Seller program comes with HDR photos. Gold and Platinum add drone photos, and Platinum adds a 3D tour and virtual staging. Selling in Idaho Falls, Ammon, Ucon or nearby? Start with your free home value or email me at alan@smartselleridaho.com. If you want the whole picture, here's how to sell your house in Idaho Falls. - Uncle Al