When it comes to selling houses, presentation is everything. You can’t let buyers imagine how good it could be, you have to show them. Decide on the strengths of your property and then do everything you can to show them off. Our sales negotiator Andy Mitchell has given his top tips on getting your home ready for a sales viewing:
Many buyers will make a drive-by visit to your property before they decide whether or not to make a viewing. Stand outside your property and try to look at it with a fresh pair of eyes and then take the required action. Do you need to mow the lawn, trim hedges and remove any weeds from your beds or pathways. Consider giving the front door and the window frames a lick of paint, clean the win-dows and if it’s the right season put some pots or baskets outside your property. Make them want to come in, and once inside, don’t let your porch or entrance hallway disappoint!
A full redecoration is probably unnecessary, but it is important to give your home the once-over and do any little jobs that might be making the place look a little tired! For instance, repair any peeling wallpaper, touch up chipped or marked paintwork, dust the skirting boards, clean the kitchen cup-boards, wash the floors, replace any light bulbs or missing door-knobs and fix any dripping taps! You should thoroughly clean and tidy every room - bathrooms and kitchens help sell homes so pay par-ticular attention to these rooms!
Clutter makes a room feel smaller and makes it look like there are issues with storage! Don’t clutter up the window sills as it can block some of the natural light and clear away the mountain of toiletries, sponges and make up that may have accumulated in the bathroom. In the kitchen, you should avoid having too much equipment on the work tops and make sure any toys in playrooms or kids rooms are nicely organised. De-cluttering your property now will make the moving process easier!
If your viewing’s after dark, think about the lighting so your home looks warm and inviting. Make sure house numbers and names can be seen clearly so your potential buyer can find you. Keep the porch or hall light. During day-time, make sure curtains and blinds are left open to maximise the nat-ural light flooding into your home.
Potential buyers always feel a bit like they are intruding so minimise the amount of people in the house when you have viewings. Too many people can be a distraction and can make the house feel smaller.
You may love pets, but your viewer may not! If you have a dog or cat, ask a friend or neighbour to take care of them during the viewing so as not to distract (or scare) a potential buyer from your property. If you do have pets, open the windows well in advance of the viewing to get rid of any odours!
Got a house to sell? Get in touch with our sales team to discuss your options.
