The viewing is where the magic happens, the time where potential buyers, who have bottled up their hopes and dreams, get to experience the reality of your home. No doubt, they will have devoured the photographs, been addicted to the video and scrutinised the floor plan, which is why your property has made their cut of possibles. Therefore, you don’t want to dampen their enthusiasm at the first hurdle, which is why we have put together our top tips on how to prepare your home for a viewing.
Change your outlook
Hopefully, you will have already done the work to prepare your home for sale, so now it is just about checking everything is ready and adding those finishing touches. It is often the little things that buyers notice on a viewing, and it is these things that you can easily miss as a seller. Our eyes can play tricks on us because everything is familiar and comfortable, so this is why you need to change your outlook. Instead of looking at your house as a home, you need to walk around from room to room, and round the exterior from front to back with prying eyes, just as a buyer would. You are not looking to make any major changes at this stage, just those quick fixes that add that final touch of pizzazz to your already beautiful home.
A memorable welcome
It starts at the very beginning: decisions and opinions are formed from the moment they arrive at your property. If you don’t have off-road parking, are you able to keep a space for them to be able to park? Check if any litter has blown into your garden and give your front door a quick wipe so it is looking its absolute best. As the front door opens, what are your buyers met with? How can you make that more appealing? Adding a plant and a lamp will add warmth if you feel this is missing.
Remember it is a home
Where some sellers go wrong when preparing a property for a viewing is that they tidy it to within an inch of its life and by doing so can rip out the heart of what makes it a home. Of course it needs to be clean and tidy, but it also needs to feel the warmth and affection, as it is this emotional connection that buyers will fall in love with. So make sure you think about how you dress your home, little vignettes will provide an insight into what it would be like to live there. A couple of place settings and a bottle of wine on your dining table, a throw and book on a garden bench, flowers, candles and cushions all add to the ambiance.
Make it light
One resource your home has that you must take advantage of is its natural light; it is a powerful asset to any room, making it feel brighter and more spacious. Ensure all your curtains and blinds are fully open and add lighting in rooms that could do with an extra lift. Even in the summer months, arriving at a dark, ill-lit home can be extremely unwelcoming, and we know that is certainly not the impression you want potential buyers to leave with. Open some windows too if the weather is mild, as it will fill your house with a natural freshness.
Keep it simple
In your kitchen and bathroom it is about keeping it simple, sleek and sexy. Keep surfaces clear and ensure that your cupboards are organised and looking lovely. Buyers tend to open cupboard doors to look at space, and you don’t want them to see a disaster zone behind the sleek façade. Add finishing touches that add freshness, such as a vase or glass bowl of lemons in the kitchen and a plant or two in the bathroom, and always make sure the seat is down!
Share the love
You have loved this property, and even if your feelings have dwindled, you know what it has meant to you over the years. When you are preparing your home for a viewing, share this love in each area of your home through your final staging and it will be hard for buyers not to lose their heart to it as they view. For more advice on how to prepare your home for a viewing, contact our team today.
