How Move-In Ready Would Your Empty Home Be Today?
How “move-in ready” would you home be if you moved out today and took all of your possessions with you?
We sometimes lose sight of the fact that long after our personal affects are gone, we’ve still left our mark on a home. And a scratch. And a nick. And a ding.
Just because a home is empty doesn’t mean that it’s move-in ready. And, without laws that govern in what condition a home should be left, it’s up to you to determine how far you want to go to please the next owner of your home.
As a common courtesy, remove all of the trash from your home and sweep/vacuum all of your floors. Do this after the home has been emptied. Don’t leave anything behind because “you don’t feel like moving it” or because you think the buyer “would like it”.
Once artwork and photographs are removed from the walls, you should consider patching major holes. Small holes are normal and acceptable; large holes are not. Use your good judgment on this one. If you patch, paint to match the room so there’s no trace of your work.
Empty your refrigerator and freezer completely. If it’s gross in there, clean it. The same goes for your pantry, kitchen cabinets and drawers, and anywhere else you stored food.
You may even consider a move-out housekeeping service to clean and sanitize your home for the new residents.
You can never go too far in making your home move-in ready, but you can absolutely do too little. If you’re unsure of what to do, follow the Golden Rule: If I were moving in, what would I want?
