However, if you live in a very "family" like area---leave it all up---it may help a "family-to-be" see themselves there with children some day...

Hi Cara,

Our recommendation is to error on the side of "safety." Do what needs to be done to protect your child.

Most people will understand and look beyond those little flaws that can be resolved in a 10 minute repair job. An issue of greater concern is freshening up the home so it looks tidy and presentable for all showings. This will be a challenge with a toddler.

Cara - before I had a child myself, the baby gates and hardware posed a challenge to me when showing property. A gate is a barrier which impedes traffic flow. You don't want a buyer to remember your baby-proofing, you want them to remember your house. I recommend removing any obstacles which could deter a buyer from seeing the "real" house. Also, if the buyers viewing your home are childless, they may see all of the baby items and think "this is a neighborhood for people with children, not for people like me". Depersonalize as much as possible - but of course, you still have to live in the house so make it as livable for you as possible too. Good luck!

Hi, Cara!
As an agent who works primarily with home buyers, I would suggest you remove some of the cabinet locks and things, perhaps in places where it would not put your own baby in imminent jeopardy. As for the gate, is the gate such that you can remove it for showings and put it back up for your own living? If not, I would say if you just leave it unlocked so people don't have to climb over it would be enough. Those of us who don't have small children anymore have a hard time figuring those things out and we don't want to put our own clients in danger of being hurt either.

Over all, I'd say do what will help your house show the best, give buyers a way to see the cabinet space, but without creating safety issues for your own family, too.

I think for the safety of your toddler I would leave it and have your agent put in the instructions to other agents that it will be removed and the holes will be patched at closing. People understand that you are living there and some things just cannot be eliminated for safety reasons.

Troy Seelhammer
Keller Williams Premier Realty