Remove These Scary Items Before Showing Your Home

"Scary" is a relative term. While one person might view something as an interesting piece of art, another might see it as downright disgusting. Rather than take the risk with something as important as a home sale, here are some items that should always be removed before showing the home to any potential buyer. While going viral on Instagram with accounts like "Zillow Gone Wild" may help your sale there are some things that can leave a bad taste in a buyers mind.

The key in making a house as appealing as possible is to cater to a wide audience. Even though you might love the following items, they each have characteristics that can turn off buyers and sabotage your home sale.

Noticeable Smells

As someone who is used to living in your home every day, chances are good that you aren't even aware that it has a particular smell; however, many homes do have vague, indistinct odors that can turn off buyers. If you can isolate the source, such as an old carpet, then it should definitely be dealt with before anyone views the house. On the other hand, these smells often can't be removed because they don't seem to have a source; in this case, bake cookies or light some fragrant candles immediately before the buyer arrives.

Pets

Obviously, you love your pet, but that doesn't mean everyone else does too. Some people might be afraid of large dogs or less conventional critters like snakes; others might be allergic to furry friends. Regardless, the best course of action is to make sure that any pets are removed from the home before the potential buyer arrives. If you can't find anywhere to take your pet, at least be sure that it is safely tucked away somewhere that it won't interfere with the showing.

Lots of Locks

If you are the type of person who is very security-conscious, it might never occur to you that others don't see your door full of locks as a positive. Unfortunately, beyond two locks, many buyers will wonder why you're so nervous about security. Someone unfamiliar with the area might reasonably assume the neighborhood is dangerous or suffers from frequent break-ins. 

Eclectic Art

Everyone perceives art differently, and this is most apparent with art that is less than conventional: anything with nudity, body parts, violence, or other potentially offensive subjects. Yes, these items are not being sold with the house, but they still influence the buyer's mental image of the property. Rather than leave them with a bad impression, simply remove these items before the showing.

(Real) Stuffed Animals

You are proud of that huge buck that you have hanging on the wall, but many people will see any taxidermy as weird, unpleasant, or downright disgusting. Much as with controversial art, taxidermy is not the kind of thing that attracts the widest range of buyers. Instead of risking the sale, place the creature in the basement.

Read about other items that can scare away buyers on realtor.com.