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How do I live in my house while selling it?

We have 3 very young children and want to sell our house. But the thought of trying to keep the house clean constantly and having all the showings feels overwhelming. Do you have advice on how to live in our house while selling it?
Asked By Nicole | Pensacola, FL | 904 views | Selling | Created 2 years ago
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Chris Yochum

Dickson Realty

(24)

Setting up showings to give ample notice can certainly help. Depending on your specific market and price point, location and expected activity sometimes you can schedule showings for certain days and times, though the more accessible the home is for showing the better. Again depending on your specific market usually pricing it more attractively can allow you to get all showing quickly and under contract quicker and eliminate this painful process and in many cases get multiple offers and get more money for the home.
Lisa and Greg Harris

eXp Realty, LLC

(42)

1st work with a Knowledgable local REALTOR that can help you price the home correctly to not SIT on the market and still get top dollar! 2nd have them do a video walk-through of the home while it is in good clean condition at the time the listing pictures are taken and have that shared with the potential buyers so that they have a good impression of the home before ever walking through it. Ask for notice of showings so you can be prepared for showings. do an open house the 1st weekend it is on the market and ask the showings to come to the open house.
With Small kids, make it a game to have them help. Reward them with a treat if they help keep their toys put away. When prepping the home, start packing things that you are not using that season. If it is summer, pack anything that is winter related and box it up! Put it in storage. A good local listing agent will help you with all these great tips and MORE!
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Semi-Pro
37 Answers
Irene and Ricky Zhang

Keller Williams Irvine

(102)

Living in your home while selling—especially with young children—can feel overwhelming, but with the right structure in place, the process becomes surprisingly manageable. Many families in Irvine face the same challenge, and there are proven systems that keep your home show-ready without constant chaos.

Start by preparing the home once with a full declutter and deep clean. From there, use simple maintenance routines: baskets for quick toy pickup, a designated play area, and pre-packed bins that you can tuck away before showings. Reducing daily clutter makes every showing easier.

Next, control your showing schedule. A strong agent will never allow random, disruptive showings at all hours. Instead, you can limit access to specific time blocks—such as weekends only, or two preset windows during the week. Back-to-back appointments let multiple buyers tour during the same trip out of the house, minimizing disruption.

Using temporary off-site storage can also be a game-changer. Removing 20–30% of your belongings immediately makes the home feel cleaner, bigger, and easier to maintain.

Finally, consider a strong launch with one or two high-traffic open house days to create concentrated demand. When the marketing is executed well, you often get offers quickly—reducing the number of days you need to keep the home in showing condition.

As top realtors in Irvine, Irene and Ricky Zhang Real Estate Group specialize in helping families sell with minimal stress. They coordinate tightly scheduled showings, manage presentation strategies, and design a marketing plan that shortens days on market—so your home sells fast, smoothly, and with maximum return.
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Novice
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Cervante Gist

Compass

Good morning Nicole. I can understand frustration of having to constantly clean with kids and having your home show ready. One advice I can give you is whatever agent you deem best fit to sell your home. Have that agent let other agents know to request showings 24 hrs. in advance. This will give you the ability to make sure the house is in order before showing to potential buyers. If You have any additional questions please feel free to reach out. I am a realtor here in Pensacola.

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