How to Sell a Davis County Home While You Still Live in It

Yes, and most sellers do. It takes a plan for showings, a plan for clutter, and a plan for the days when life gets in the way. With those three in place, an occupied home can sell as well as an empty one.

Charisse Walker is a real estate agent with Chalker Properties Group in Salt Lake and Davis County, Utah, and a licensed mortgage lender. The steps below are the ones I use with sellers who are still living in the home during the sale.

The goal is simple: make the house easy to see, easy to like, and easy to leave, while you keep your routine as close to normal as you can.

Decide how much notice you need. Many sellers ask for a few hours. Others prefer a day. The shorter the notice you can handle, the more buyers can see the home, but you decide what fits your life.

Pick your windows. If you work from home, you may block mornings and allow afternoons. If you are away on weekdays, you may allow showings during the day and keep evenings free. Tell your agent so the schedule on the listing matches real life.

Consider a lockbox and an appointment system. Your agent can set it so you get a message before each showing. Ask for the system you prefer: text, call or both.

Pets are the most common problem. A barking dog or a cat under the bed can end a showing early. Plan where they go during showings: a friend's house, a daycare, a car ride or a closed room with a note on the door.

Keep the routine light. Set one place for the daily mess: a basket for mail, a bin for shoes, a spot for laundry. Before you leave for the day, run through a short list: dishes done, beds made, counters clear, trash out, lights on.

If you have a home office, think about a way to close it down fast. A laptop bag and a small box can clear a desk in two minutes.

Declutter first. Pack the items you will not need in the next two months, such as off-season clothes, extra books and décor. A buyer is walking through your home and trying to picture their own, and they can do that more easily when there is room to look.

Stage second. You do not need new furniture. Move pieces to make rooms feel clear. Open the curtains. Replace worn bulbs. Clean the windows. If a room has no obvious use, give it one: an office, a reading chair, a guest bedroom.

Rent a small storage unit if you need one. It is usually cheaper than a lower price caused by a crowded home.

Buyers judge the front first. Sweep the porch, clear the walkway and put away hoses and bins. In Davis County, snow shapes this in winter. Shovel and salt the path before each showing, and check the driveway and steps for ice.

Garages are on every buyer's list. Clear a path and shelve what you can. If you park in the garage, pull the cars out before showings so the space reads as a garage and not as storage.

In spring and summer, mow, trim and weed. A clean yard sends a plain message: this house has been looked after.

Put away anything you would not want a stranger to see. That includes mail, prescriptions, jewelry, small electronics, spare keys and important papers. Lock these up in one place, such as a closet or a small safe, before each showing.

Ask your agent how showings are scheduled and who can enter. Buyer agents are expected to arrange visits through the listing agent, and a good system shows who came and when. If you have cameras inside, check the rules for notice and disclose them when asked. Your agent can advise you on what to do.

Do not stay at home during showings. Buyers speak more openly when they are alone with their agent.

• Refusing short-notice showings, then wondering why there are few.
• Staying home and following buyers through the house.
• Leaving personal items on display on every wall and surface.
• Skipping the daily reset and missing a showing that would have been the right one.
• Pricing the home high because it is lived in and loved.

Price is the last item for a reason. A home in good shape and priced against recent sales will draw interest. Our home valuation page explains how I approach it.

This is an example, not a client story. A seller in Layton lists on a Thursday. She sets showings from 4 to 8 on weekdays and anytime on weekends, with a two-hour notice. Her dog goes to a friend on showing days. She spends ten minutes each morning on the reset list. In the first weekend, five parties tour the home. She receives feedback through her agent, trims a few items from the shelves based on a comment, and a buyer writes an offer the next week.

None of that needed a perfect house. It needed a steady plan.

How many showings should I expect? It varies by price, season and condition. Your agent can give you a realistic range from recent activity.

Can I limit showings? Yes, though fewer showings usually mean fewer buyers.

Do I need to leave during an open house? Yes, plan on being away for the time it runs.

When should I start packing? Before you list. Pack what you do not need now.

What if I am in the middle of a life change? See our downsizing page or the divorce home sale page.

Tell me when you hope to move, and I will build a plan around it: price, prep and showing schedule. You can read more on the selling your home page and the Layton and Syracuse area pages. When you are ready, contact me here.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice.