Your Bainbridge Island Home Sale and Kids DO Mix!
Every Bainbridge Island home sale is unique. Not only is the product being offered one of a kind – to the customer, it represents a gigantic, life-changing purchase. Usually, the only comparison economists site is with buying a new car, but in reality, that isn’t even close. There is no production line creating new land.
Any home sale takes carefully thought-out advertising, the right price, and excellent exposure. When you are selling your house while still living in it, there is some additional juggling to be done. Then, especially if you have young children, there’s that extra ball in the air to juggle!
Have no fear. There are tried-and-true solutions to that one!
Kids make messes (it's part of their job description) – yet it’s every Bainbridge Island home seller’s goal is for the whole property to be clean and tidy whenever buyers come to see it. This becomes more doable if you minimize the mess by keeping most indoor activity in a centralized area. Try to use a room with a hardwood floor where the kids can play and be kids. Hardwood floors wipe up quickly and are less prone to odor buildup and snack staining.
From time to time, apply the Tom Sawyer strategy: when all else fails, get the kids involved. Just like teaching your child to enjoy helping in the kitchen, getting the kids involved in keeping the home clean during the home sale process is a win-win for everyone. Make it fun: who can put away the most toys? Fluff the most pillows? Make them the fluffiest? Kids like to feel part of things, so figure out what small job they can perform to “help” before each showing. Depending upon their age, the same approach can give them a feeling of connectedness in the whole family moving process. That will be a lifesaver later.
Many developmental experts champion the idea that respecting ‘their space’ is a positive for kids. When children feel that their space is special and truly theirs, it builds their sense of security. Ask their permission to show the room while they are gone (and be prepared to bargain hard if they don’t want to grant it)! Use this as a teaching moment that shows the children how proud they can feel to present a clean and tidy room.
Juggling family life with a home sale may not be easy, but with the right approach, it can become a positive, family-building exercise. Instead of having a sour, nothing-but-lemons-for-lunch experience, it can become a true lemonade-making opportunity. I’m here to help with all the challenges of a real estate offering, from beginning to end, so if you are thinking that this may be the time to sell your home in Bainbridge Island, do call to schedule a consultation.