1. Your personal documents
Let’s start with the obvious, mostly because it needs repeating. Something that lists your full name and a bunch of numbers (e.g., your Social Security card, checkbook, or credit cards) is an identity thief’s dream haul.
Put them in another location like an office desk or a little safe. Another place would be in an attic or basement because most people do not look into these areas much. A wannabe criminal would never think of looking under your cat’s litter box, for instance. Gross.
2. Mail addressed in your name
What’s so wrong about leaving out your Dish or Verizon bill, still in a sealed envelope unless you want people googling your name and knowing all about you.
3. Space heaters, fans, and more
Some items that you use in your daily life might unwittingly give prospective buyers the wrong idea. (“Wrong” as in “You don’t want to live here.”)
Before your showing, hide the following things: a space heater (the house is too cold!); multiple fans (the house is too hot!); the baseball bat next to your bed (the neighborhood is sketchy!); and even those tiny foam earplugs next to your bed, which might suggest that your home is too loud at night. The same goes for an eye mask or books with telling titles such as “How to Survive Noisy Neighbors You Hate.”
4. An empty ashtray on your patio table
Cigarettes, even if not smoked inside, are a huge turnoff. The mere presence of even one ashtray (even an aesthetically pleasing one) on your backyard patio could send your deal up in smoke.
5. Your pet snake, noisy dog, or moody cat
Some people aren’t big on pets, so you might want to put them in an area where they are no running the house. And don’t stop there. You should also pick up your pet’s dishes and toys.
6. Your ‘Make America Great’ or ‘I’m With Her’ sign
Even if it’s not proudly taped to your fridge, perhaps it’s halfway buried under other papers on your office desk and you have yet to file it away, it doesn’t matter. Buyers will zero in on political endorsements.
A simple campaign sign, no matter which side you are on, can turn off half your potential buyers. Keep your home neutral, and make it welcoming to individuals of every political persuasion to maximize your chances of a quick sale.