1. How to get your home ready to sell (no tantrums required)<\/h2>\n
There will be some planning required when you\u2019re selling a home with kids, but it\u2019s nothing you can\u2019t tackle if you follow these steps.<\/p>\n
Remove clutter<\/h3>\n
Declutter your home by removing anything that might prevent a potential buyer from visualizing that they are living in the home. Your goal? To make it look as much like a model home as possible.<\/p>\n
If you must leave some toys out in view, consolidate them into one place designated for kids\u2019 stuff.<\/p>\n
Todd Jones<\/a>, who ranks in the top 2% of real estate agents in Los Angeles<\/a>, advises sellers to, at the very least, get rid of toys in the common area. \u201cIt\u2019s more acceptable to have it in the kids\u2019 room,\u201d says Jones. \u201cBut definitely do your best to make the living room look like a living room, not a playground.\u201d<\/p>\n What to put away or store?<\/p>\n Once you think you\u2019re done, wait a few days and then go through the house again. Guaranteed you\u2019ll find more to pack away.<\/p>\n As any parent who has snuck a trash bag of old stuffed animals out of the house while the kids were sleeping can tell you \u2014 kids don\u2019t always react well when they see beloved objects \u201cdisappear.\u201d Younger children, particularly, may not understand why you\u2019re removing their favorite toys and could throw temper tantrums or cry.<\/p>\n Follow these tips to manage emotions as you pack.<\/p>\n Years of boogery faces pressed against windows and entry-level art projects on the walls can really<\/i> take a toll on a house. It\u2019s time to deep clean like you mean it<\/a>.<\/p>\n Start at the ceiling (you might find some baby food up there) and work your way down. Clean the crayon off the walls, wipe off the handprints on windows and doors (inside and outside), and scrub every bathroom until it shines (don\u2019t forget to remove toys from the kids\u2019 tub).<\/p>\n Here are some of the best home cleaning products for your various needs that you can find on Amazon:<\/p>\n While you\u2019re at it, grab a paintbrush. To reel in multiple offers, a house has to appeal to every buyer<\/a>, and most buyers don\u2019t want to see kid\u2019s decals on the walls or height markings on the doorframe.<\/p>\n Psychological studies about how buyers experience colors, and top agents surveyed about the hot color trends, revealed that more buyers can picture themselves best in a home with neutral-colored interior walls. Paint every room in clean white, cream, or light gray paint<\/a>, and your house will look brand new.<\/p>\n A house with carpeting can be a turn-off to buyers, especially in a home with kids. If the carpet is more than five years old, steaming cleaning may not be enough. Most buyers can see past a deep clean.<\/p>\n Replacing the carpet yourself is often cheaper than giving buyers a credit at close for dingy, stained carpet. You can pick the price point, and even though most buyers prefer hardwood floors<\/a>, they\u2019re more willing to look past carpeting in a home if it\u2019s nice, new, and neutral<\/a>.<\/p>\n What if you\u2019re lucky enough to have hardwood floors? They may only need a quick once-over with a floor refinisher<\/a>. But, if you\u2019ve raised a puppy and taught three kids to roller skate on these surfaces, you may need a professional\u2019s opinion. Ask your agent if they need a good clean and condition, or a full refinishing.<\/p>\n Here are some products to help shine up your floors.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve cleaned your house and prepared it to sell, the hard part is keeping it that way. It\u2019ll be a joint family effort, so you\u2019ll need all hands on deck. Yes, this is hard\u2026 especially if your kids are dead set on not moving.<\/p>\n On important occasions, your home will need to look its best. And as anyone with children can attest, it\u2019s during the most important days that kids will wreak havoc. Here\u2019s when a clean house matters most:<\/p>\n HomeLight’s free Agent Match platform can help you find an experienced real estate agent in your market who knows how to sell a house when you have children living in the home. To connect with a top-performing agent, simply tell us a little bit about your property and how soon you\u2019re looking to sell.<\/p>\n \n As if planning a family\u2019s schedule \u2014 with ballet, soccer, and art class \u2014 wasn\u2019t hard enough, you\u2019ll need to include your agent. Make sure your agent knows when your family is out of the house, even if it means eating out or hanging out at the park more.<\/p>\n \u201cMost buyers want to look at homes after 5 p.m. on weekdays or on weekends,\u201d said Jones, adding that over half of the sellers he works with have kids. Freeing up at least some evenings and time on the weekends benefits everyone.<\/p>\n Your real estate agent can consolidate showings<\/a> and hold them back to back, speeding up the process. You should know when the house needs to be spic and span \u2014 no last-minute tidying up! Building fun outings into your week can make your kids happier and helps get them on board with moving.<\/p>\n Once you create a schedule for showings, here are some ideas to get the kids out of the house:<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a hectic week. Your child is sick, the house is a mess, it\u2019s Thursday morning and there\u2019s a showing this evening. Or, your real estate agent calls you to tell you they\u2019re on their way with a buyer. Unfortunately, you don\u2019t always have hours to prepare for a showing.<\/p>\n Making the house spotless without much notice may seem impossible. Don\u2019t panic, you\u2019ve got this! Keeping empty bins or totes handy to fill with items that buyers don\u2019t want to see will help you get showing-ready on a minute\u2019s notice. In addition to tidying up clutter, here\u2019s what else to spot clean:<\/p>\n Discuss with your children early in the process that this situation might happen so they aren\u2019t confused or upset when it does.<\/p>\n Whether they\u2019re sad about leaving a house they love or worried about going to a new school, most kids will have an emotional reaction to moving. As a parent, try to respond sensitively and give them space to express themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard enough selling a house. It\u2019s one of the most stressful things you do in your life. The kids should be able to be kids,\u201d says Jones. Give them the freedom to share how they\u2019re feeling without fear.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you need to know to be prepared to help your kids cope.<\/p>\n A study in the Journal of Social and Personality Psychology <\/i>says that frequent moves are tough on kids<\/a> and could disrupt important friendships. Most parents try to avoid moving a lot \u2014 both for their child\u2019s mental health but also because it\u2019s expensive.<\/p>\n A move could affect an introverted child more than an extroverted child. However, the reason the move is happening in the first place could be more important than the move itself. If it\u2019s due to a disruptive situation (like divorce or job loss), your child may experience more negative emotions.<\/p>\n Make the move easier by staying positive, supporting each other as a family, and being flexible with adjustments.<\/p>\n This depends on your child \u2014 their personality, their friendships, and whether they fear change. But you can make it easier by doing the following:<\/p>\n It\u2019s up to you whether your children should be involved in the home sale process. If they show interest, let them help. If not, don\u2019t force them. Be open to answering any questions they may have while keeping stressful details to yourself.<\/p>\n It\u2019s normal for children to have different moods and behaviors through major changes such as selling a home. According to Psychology Today<\/i>, most kids will mope<\/a> for a few weeks or months, but then eventually settle in.<\/p>\n However, if you sense your child has a deeper issue or the negative behavior continues longer than six months, you may want to consult a therapist.<\/p>\n Here are some symptoms<\/a> that could be brought on by major changes that the Association for Children\u2019s Mental Health marks as possible red flags:<\/p>\n Trust your instincts and seek help if you think your child may need it. If your child acts in a violent way toward themselves or others intentionally, get immediate assistance and do not leave your child alone.<\/p>\n At certain ages, children process change differently. In this list, find out how your children are likely to react to your home sale.<\/p>\n Babies are typically the easiest to handle when selling a home (they\u2019ll definitely be the least opinionated). As long as their needs are met, removing them from a house will have little to no effect.<\/p>\n However, as an infant grows into babyhood (around 5 to 6 months), trouble can occur if a routine is broken, especially at bedtime. Keep all bedtime (and naptime!) routines the same. Avoid scheduling showings that could interfere with their regular sleep patterns.<\/p>\n When decluttering, keep the furniture, linens, and decor from your baby\u2019s room until you have completely settled into a new environment. Your baby will associate it with a known environment in your next home, creating a calm, safe haven for sleep.<\/p>\n Aside from keeping the same routine as you would a baby, it\u2019s important to communicate with toddlers and preschoolers about the process of selling a house. Children\u2019s books like those featured on this list<\/a> are a useful tool when preparing for upcoming events that may be emotional.<\/p>\n Findings in a study by the University of Adelaide and Menzies School of Health Research<\/a> suggest that \u201cyoung children exposed to frequent family upheaval may experience considerable stress, while not having the language skills to fully understand what is happening.\u201d Remain upbeat and calm, letting your little one see that packing up everything and leaving isn\u2019t a bad or scary thing.<\/p>\n Avoid unnecessary stress when selling your home by helping little ones understand that there are no threats to their well-being and by urging them to share their feelings with you.<\/p>\n The older a child gets, the easier it is to explain what\u2019s happening and why. It\u2019s still important to answer any questions your child may have, but at this age, your child will mostly mimic your attitude.<\/p>\n The European Proceedings of Social & Behavioral Sciences studied the perception of parental love<\/a> in children ages 4 to 6 and concluded that, during early years, children use emotional clues from parents as a social reference. In this stage, children notice changes they may have in their emotional reactions and will learn to control them based on the expressions they experience from adults.<\/p>\n One of the biggest issues parents face when selling a home with elementary-aged kids is leaving beloved schools and friends. Advice is mixed \u2014 some experts say moving in the summer avoids school-year disruptions, others believe that moving in the middle of the year will help them make friends immediately. You\u2019ll have to make the best decision for your children, but ultimately the move takes place when you sell your home.<\/p>\n When you decide to list, it\u2019s best to sell as fast as you can to avoid throwing off your school plans. Before moving, gather necessary documentation (vaccination records, past grades, and performance records) to process the school transfer so that there\u2019s no delay.<\/p>\n The older a child gets, the less they want to change schools, so consider reaching out to their school or school district to explore your options.<\/p>\n When working with families selling homes in the Los Angeles area, Jones sees this a lot. \u201cI\u2019m selling a home now that has kids,\u201d Jones says. \u201cThey\u2019re moving close enough that they got permission from the school district to let their kids go to the same school. The people buying their house have a daughter in high school which is now 30 minutes away, but they\u2019re just going to keep making the drive until she\u2019s out of school.\u201d<\/p>\n Stay calm and caring when dealing with angsty teenagers. Listen to what they\u2019re saying and let them know their feelings are valid. Keep communication around the move open and judgment-free so they know they are not being punished and that their needs are considered. With teens, you can explain more about the reasons behind the move \u2014 such as a new job opportunity or needing more room \u2014 to help them feel included.<\/p>\n A teenager may also benefit from inclusion in the process. Ask them what they want in a new house, and invite them to attend open houses with you. By knowing that their thoughts matter, they can better adjust to the idea of change.<\/p>\n Lastly, consider the relationships your teen may have to leave behind, such as life-long friends. If distance allows it, give them the opportunity to come back and visit friends or return to attend a highly-anticipated school event. Remind them that they\u2019ll make new friends and the move is a practical experience for college and future jobs.<\/p>\n It could take over a month to get the house ready to sell, depending on how messy it is now! You\u2019ll need a plan. Be sure to talk to an experienced real estate agent in your area to get advice on home preparations and the best time to list<\/a> based on when you need to move, local market conditions, and where you really need to declutter.<\/p>\n\n
Involve your children in the process<\/h3>\n
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Deep clean everything<\/h3>\n
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Paint over kid-themed walls<\/h3>\n
Replace carpets and refinish floors<\/h3>\n
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Keep it clean<\/h3>\n
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\n <\/div>\n \n Consult With an Experienced Agent Who Knows<\/h3>\n
2. Handling showings and open houses with kids<\/h2>\n
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Have a game plan<\/h3>\n
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It\u2019s hard enough selling a house. It\u2019s one of the most stressful things you do in your life. The kids should be able to be kids.<\/span><\/q>\n
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3. How to help your kids cope with the sale<\/h2>\n
Will the move affect my child\u2019s development?<\/h3>\n
Will my child have a hard time making new friends?<\/h3>\n
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Should I involve my kids in the selling process?<\/h3>\n
What if my child starts acting differently?<\/h3>\n
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4. How kids react to home sales at every age<\/h2>\n
Infants and babies (0 to 2 years old)<\/h3>\n
Toddlers and preschoolers (2 to 4 years old)<\/h3>\n
Young children (5 to 7 years old)<\/h3>\n
Elementary school (8 to 12 years old)<\/h3>\n
Teens<\/h3>\n
Bottom line: Selling a home with kids takes a plan<\/h2>\n