After much deliberation and research, your home is on the market, and you are ready to sell. However, the bigger question is: is your property ready to be sold?
With the current property market moving at an accelerated pace, it is more crucial than ever to create that all-important good first impression to ensure your home is given the edge when it comes to viewings.
Whether it's a simple declutter, a fresh lick of paint or fixing that leaky tap, small changes can make all the difference when it comes to presenting your property to potential buyers and ensuring viewers can see its full potential.
Here are our top tips to making sure your property is viewing-ready:
Kerb Appeal
You must never underestimate the importance of a property’s kerb appeal. Potential buyers will make an immediate assessment of your home from the moment they see it. In fact, many buyers will drive past a property before deciding whether to view it at all.
The outside of your home will set the tone for the rest of the house (and viewing), and there are a few things you can do to ensure that all-important initial perception is a good one:
Ensure the front lawn is mown.
Clear the front drive/pathway of mess, leaves and weeds.
Make sure any front hedges have been cut back and tidied.
Clean your windows and make sure the front door looks presentable.
Ensure your recycling bins are out of the way or hidden from view.
Some pots or baskets at the front of the property can also go a long way in making your home feel welcoming.
Clean & Clutter Free
This one seems all too obvious, but it is of utmost importance to ensure your home is spotlessly clean and free of clutter before viewings take place. Remove any distracting mess, don those marigolds and get scrubbing!
The old saying ‘kitchens and bathrooms sell houses’ has a lot of weight to it so be sure to give these spaces particular attention. Put away as many of your personal effects as possible, clean any surfaces, cupboard fronts and appliances and ensure they look shiny and inviting. If you have pets, now might be a good time to get carpets and sofas cleaned as well.
De-cluttering is key when making a room look more spacious and storage space is always a popular addition so make sure you are maximising any you have. It is also worthwhile turning spare bedrooms that you are using as offices or storage rooms back into bedrooms so that buyers can properly visualise the space.
Small repairs & renovations
Once you’ve de-cluttered, you’ll be amazed at the scuffs, scrapes and breakages that you will start to spot. Try and walk around your home as if you were a potential buyer and make a note of anything that needs refreshing or repairing.
Small jobs like broken windows, peeling paintwork or faulty lightbulbs can be fixed relatively quickly and will give your home the feeling of TLC that many buyers are searching for.
Where possible, keep interiors to a neutral colour scheme – this will make rooms appear larger (a major selling point) and will allow the viewer to visualise your home as a blank canvas.
The Garden
The pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns have seen a huge rise in the popularity of private gardens, with increasing demand for that all-important outside space. In fact, for many, a property’s garden is one of the biggest selling points so it’s imperative to make sure yours is pulling its weight.
Ensure front and back gardens, and any communal spaces, are neat and weed free. Freshly mown lawns and tidy flower beds will make buyers stop and imagine themselves using the space, and garden furniture can help break up a large garden. Be sure to cut back any boisterous bushes, particularly in smaller gardens.
Finishing Touches
Remember, house viewings are there to allow prospective buyer to picture themselves making your property their home. The idea here is to sell the lifestyle to your buyers. To help them do this:
Put fresh flowers out to brighten the room and make it feel more welcoming.
Make sure your fruit bowl is well stocked.
Remove your everyday personal effects like family pictures, children’s artwork and souvenirs.
A few new cushions, throws, rugs, or small decorative accessories like candles are all easy ways to smarten up a room without spending a fortune.
Choose your best or buy new bedding and throws for each bed.
Let the natural daylight flood in by pulling back curtains and removing any items that might block light such as vases or photo frames on windowsills.
Keeping the lights on throughout the house is also a good way to brighten rooms and make them seem more spacious.
Keep the house warm in winter but always be sure to open the windows to let fresh air in before a viewing.
On Viewing Day
Now that your home is looking immaculate and presented to its best, you should be well prepared for viewings. However, there are a few things you’ll need to consider on the day itself:
Keep any pets out of the house. No matter how much you love your furry friends, others may feel differently – or be allergic – so its best to take them out of the house during viewings (and clear as much pet paraphernalia out of the house as possible).
Similarly, small children can be very distracting so if you are home during viewings, try and see if someone else can babysit if possible.
On viewing days, make sure the driveway is free for your visitors to park.
Make sure the washing machine and dishwasher are empty.
Remember, we are here to help
Your agent will work closely with you to advise how to optimise your property’s appeal to the widest demographic of buyers. If you have any questions, contact the team today.
