The way that you present your home during a viewing can have a tangible effect on the amount of money that it is eventually sold for. Prospective buyers will pour over photos, floor plans, and location of your property, but ultimately the sale is made or lost during the viewing. Here is a guide on how to present your house in the best possible light to buyers.
Increasing natural light
Having more natural light filling your home can make your rooms look bigger and create an enticing clean freshness that just cannot be achieved with lamps.
For some properties, their layout will always mean that there is a scarcity of natural light. This is particularly common in smaller apartments where there are only windows at two of the four walls.
No matter how much sunlight enters your home at any given time, there are always ways you can always make your interiors appear brighter by reflecting what light is already in your home. Ways to do this include:
- Hanging large mirrors: At the right angle, mirrors will reflect sunlight into the darker corners of your room. Mirrors also give an illusion of depth, making interiors appear bigger.
- Repaint your walls using a light paint with a satin finish: Darker colours absorb light, meaning that you have less natural light to play with when showing off your rooms. Opt for soft, pale colours and choose a satin finish over matte if you want maximum reflection. Do not go for pure white however as this can leave things feeling cold and clinical.
- Get your windows professionally cleaned: Even small amounts of dust or smudges on windows can block sunlight. Second and third floor windows may well benefit from a professional clean to maximise the perceived value of your bedrooms and bathrooms.
Removing clutter
Buyers are looking for houses with potential to turn into their dream homes. This can be harder to visualise if your personality is printed all over the house.
Cleaning and decluttering is therefore essential before a house viewing. The success of your decluttering efforts should be measured by the amount of empty floor space on display.
In larger homes with utility rooms, decluttering should not be too difficult. Just purchase a few cheap cabinets and put excess stuff in there and stick them away in the utility room.
In smaller homes you may need to get creative. Hiding possessions under the bed, in drawers, or even leaving it to your neighbour to hang on to for the day may be your best options. You could also use this as a time to re-evaluate what you really need to take with you when you sell up and move out.
Once your home has been decluttered, and as much available space has been made as possible, polish any hard flooring and deep clean your carpets. You want your home to appear as “new” and unlived in as possible to potential buyers.
Prioritise the ground floor and front of house
According to Property Reporter, 20% of buyers take less than 15 minutes to make a buying decision when viewing a house. First impressions are therefore of highest importance.
If you are strapped for time, prioritise getting the ground floor of your house in as good a shape as possible, as this is what viewers will see first. Do not neglect the outside of the front of your home.
Keep your front garden as tidy as possible and redecorate your front door if it has started to look a bit scruffy. If you have a front path that leads up to your house then it’s well worth washing it with a power washer.
There is no silver bullet when it comes to staging your home, lots of small improvements add up and can increase the speed as to which you sell your home as well as its eventual sale price.Guest author: Jon Graham is an estate agent with over 20 years experience and the owner of Dwell Estate and Lettings Agencies.
