Make the first few seconds count! Your front door is the centrepiece of your kerb appeal so think about giving it a repaint in a tasteful colour and adding identical potted plants or hanging baskets either side. Make sure to move bins out of view and clear away anything unsightly in the driveway.
Don’t forget to check the outside lights work too, as some viewings may be in the evening and lighting up the entrance will look a lot more welcoming.
The entrance hallway will create the memorable first impression, so make sure it’s the right impression by removing any bulky furniture and shoe clutter. Upgrade lighting and paint walls in a neutral colour to create a bright, welcoming look. If there is plenty of space, additional accessories like rugs, welcome mats and modern wall art will boost instant attraction too.
Deep clean
Buyers are searching for their dream home, so they’ll be expecting to see immaculate rooms with zero signs of dirt. They need to imagine themselves living in your home, so make sure all your bits and bobs are neatly put away.
Cleanliness should never be underestimated and this includes deep-cleaning the carpets and scrubbing bathrooms until they sparkle. A sparkling floor will instantly lift the room and the smell of freshness will definitely be appreciated by your guests. Get rid of limescale, clean and repair tile grout, wax the wooden floors and hang up fresh towels.
Use air fresheners and candles to get rid of any faint smells and make your house smell delightful throughout. If you have pets, it will be your luck that not one of your prospective buyers will love animals, so it’s definitely worth making sure all the carpets and rugs have been thoroughly cleaned and smell fresh.
Declutter your home
Clutter will never help sell a home – instead it makes them seem smaller and disorganised. Take time to remove as much as possible without leaving the rooms bare and boring. Either throw clutter away, store it neatly out of sight or give items to your friends and family. All floors and surfaces should be clutter-free, while cupboards should be neatly organised in case sneaky guests start peeking.
Show off your storage space
Plenty of storage is a huge selling point for buyers, especially if they have children – or plan to. So it’s important to make sure that all of your cupboards and drawers throughout the house are neat and tidy. People like to see for themselves what sort of space they can utilise, so be prepared for cupboards to be romaged.
Start packing before you’ve even sold
If you’ve already outgrown your home, it’s a good idea to start packing before your house photos are taken. Sadly, potential buyers won’t see your family pictures as charming decorations, but as house-shrinking clutter. Removing personal photos will also make it ten times easier for buyers to envisage living in your home as they won’t have strangers smiling at them from the walls.
Get the lighting right
The wrong lighting can make your home feel dark and drab. If your bulb has been flickering, or just looks plain dull, now is the time to replace it.
Install bright, modern lighting throughout your home. This will not only make living areas feel bigger, but it also makes it feel a lot more cheerful too.
Fix it!
Still got some long-overdue DIY jobs on the to-do list? Now is the time to finally get these ticked off. Dripping taps, creaky floorboards, cracked tiles, and grubby sealant will send all the wrong messages to potential buyers. Many buyers want to move in without the dreaded costs of DIY jobs, so prepare for this.
Getting any problems fixed before putting your home on the market is a smart idea. Just by installing new faucets, mirrors and doorknobs will instantly refresh your home.
Keep your home neutral
Bright colours and wacky wallpapers aren’t for everyone, but neutral colours won’t put any buyer off. Giving walls a fresh lick of paint will help freshen up rooms and look more attractive to a buyer.
Using sophisticated, neutral hues allows viewers to see your home as a blank canvas. It lets them easily plan how they would put their own stamp on the house. Yes, it may take a few weeks to paint every room white, but it will be worth it in the end.
Compliment your windows
All windows should have blinds or curtains, but avoid nets – they’re far too old-fashioned.
If some rooms have smaller windows, you can make them appear larger by adding long curtains. Just make sure curtains are pulled right back with attractive tiebacks and any blinds are open to let plenty of light flood the room. If you’re in need of a curtain upgrade, you don’t have to spend a fortune – Ikea, B&M and The Range all offer great value for money.
Give your home some TLC
There are many simple, yet effective, interior changes you can make to help bring your home to life. You really don’t need to spend a lot of time or money on it either.
From adding mirrors to make rooms appear bigger, to plumping cushions and re-pleating curtains, it only takes a few minutes to make a room look that little bit more attractive. Try adding rugs to spacious rooms – it will help create a warm, homely feel.
Plants and flowers bring colour, life, and light to a room, as well as smelling wonderful. It’s still important that your home looks lived in though, so adding flowers and fresh fruit in a bowl on your kitchen counter is a nice touch. Good smells can make a property feel like an alluring home that anyone will want to come back to.
A well-presented shelf can do wonders in creating a stylish look. Avoid overfilling them, but use them to neatly display plants, flowers, pretty books and modern artwork.
Make the master bedroom inviting
Your bedrooms, and in particular the master room, are key selling points for a potential buyer. To really impress your guests, use white or neutral bedding that is freshly cleaned and neatly ironed. Plump up pillows, add decorative cushions and drape a throw over the end of the bed for added cosiness.
Make the most of your garden
Spending some time tidying up the outside of your house will definitely pay off. Gardens or any type of outdoor space can be another great selling point – but an overgrown jungle could see your buyer running a mile.
Potential buyers want to visualise themselves using the garden, playing with the family or hosting BBQs with friends.
If the first thing people see when they walk out the back door is an unkempt garden or loose concrete slabs, it’s likely they’ll instantly compare yours to all of the looked-after gardens from previous viewings.
First things first – tidy up the garden by cutting bushes back, clean the patio, cut the grass, remove weeds and sweep or power wash pathways. While this doesn’t add much value to your home, it will help make it more likely to sell. If need be, buy inexpensive patio furniture, potted plants and install some outdoor lighting to tie it all together.
Tips for improving a successful viewing
Leave your doors open
Make prospective buyers feel welcome and free to wander around your home by leaving the doors to each room open. It’s a fantastic way to immediately impress people by showing off the main selling points of a room just from the doorway.
Always be prepared for last minute viewings
Be ready to scramble for last minute viewings, you know what people are like!
Once you’ve done your deep clean, DIY jobs, and your garden is looking fantastic, all you’ll need to worry about is keeping every room smelling and looking fresh. Just make sure the beds are always made!
Spread the word
Tell everyone that you’re selling, including neighbours, friends, friends of friends, and even your hairdresser. Use social media to spread the word, such as Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook. These platforms are all free, so use them to your advantage. You never know where an unexpected buyer might spring from.
Stay out of the way!
When potential buyers come to view your property, let them wander freely around the house. You want them to feel comfortable and as though they can spend time looking at each room and imagine their life there. But don’t run off, as you may need to be on hand to answer questions after the viewing.
