We Tried to Sell Our Home by Owner

Did you know that many successful real estate agents report that as many as 20% of their sales come from open houses? Open houses provide potential buyers with the opportunity to get a good look at the layout of your home. They will get a better appreciation for the architectural styling of the home, along with many other factors. However, after spending hours cleaning and staging your home, the last thing you want is for the guests to trek mud and dirt onto your floors. This article will look at 3 tips you can implement to protect your floors from dirt.

Keep the Doors Closed at All Times

While many realtors advise keeping your front doors open to invite guests into your home, wind or even a small breeze will easily blow dirt and dust into your home. An open door will also allow pests and bugs to get into your home. To protect your floors, it's best if you keep the doors closed at all times. Have the realtor station an assistant to answer the door when guests knock or ring the doorbell. The assistant can also ensure that every guest signs in before entering the home.

To compensate and make your home still appear inviting, turn on the lights at the front of the house. You can also put signs up that confirm that you are hosting an open house.  

Place Several Floor Mats at Entrances and Request that Guests Remove Their Shoes

The front entrances tend to be the first places to get all muddied up. To prevent hardwood floors from getting scratched and carpets from getting stained, place several floor mats at the entrances to cover up as much ground as possible. Look for floor mats with hard bristles for guests to scrub the mud off of their shoes. The floor mats should also be made from materials that can absorb water, just in case it rains.

On top of having floor mats placed at all entrances, you can even go one step further and request that all guests remove their shoes before stepping foot into your home. If you want to be fancy, you can provide some cheap slippers for guests in the event that they don't feel comfortable walking barefoot or in their socks through the home.

Line the Floor with Plastic Sheets or Other Alternatives

Even if you're extremely careful, accidents are still bound to happen. This is especially true if you will be serving beverages and finger foods at your open house in order to create a more welcoming atmosphere. To prevent yourself from having to deal with spilled drinks and other issues, you might want to consider lining the floor with plastic sheets or towels. Plastic sheets tend to be a better option, as they still allow potential buyers to get a good idea of what the flooring looks like.

You might want to consider placing protective plastic sheets and other protective flooring at specific areas of your home. For example, if you are providing beverages and finger foods in the kitchen, consider lining only the floors at the kitchen. A realtor can advise you as to whether this might be a good idea or not. Depending on the layout of your home, lining the floor with plastic wraps and other alternatives might ruin the atmosphere or prevent potential buyers from getting a good look at the condition of the flooring, which can be a shame if you just installed new hardwood floors or carpets.

Conclusion

Upon listing your home for sale with a realtor, they will advise you as to whether open houses have a positive response in your local area. They can also help you determine which preventative measures can help protect your home during an open house and prevent it from getting dirtied by the traffic.