The property viewing is one of the most important stages of selling a home, and it is vital that homeowners do what they can to make the best possible impression. Here are 10 steps to take before any property viewing.
First, you should have a clear-out at your home and make sure you declutter the property as best as you can. One of the most important attributes a buyer is looking for is space and when you have clutter, your home will not be as spacious as it could be. This means that decluttering your property will create more space, or at least the sense of space, and this will help to convince a potential buyer of the merits of your home.
There is also the fact that when you declutter, you remove many of the personal artefacts, and this will help the buyer to picture themselves living in the home. If your home is filled with pictures of yourself and your loved ones, it will feel like your home. Removing these images, and offering a blank canvas, will make it more likely a potential buyer will be able to see themselves in your home.
After the property has been decluttered, you need to ensure it has been cleaned to a professional standard. A clean home should be the bare minimum when presenting a property for a viewing and you want to make sure that people feel as though your home is in great condition.
This may involve hiring a sitter or pulling in a few favours but you really want to make sure that kids and pets are out of the way when a property viewing is taking place. If a buyer loves pets or kids, they may focus more time and energy on the kids and pets as opposed to the home. If a buyer doesn’t like pets or kids, they’ll not be impressed. Add in the fact that kids and pets can be unpredictable, and you have many reasons why it is best to remove them from the home before a viewing takes place.
You want to let as much fresh air and natural light into your home as you possibly can. This will help to create a natural atmosphere, which will make people feel relaxed and at home. Fresh air can also help to make the home smell better, which is always important when it comes to presenting a property at a viewing.
Hopefully there will be enough natural light to brighten up your home but the use of mood lighting can really improve the atmosphere and ambience of a room or property. Use focused and localised lights as opposed to “the big light”. Also, use shades or covers to change the appearance of the light in the room, creating a different style of atmosphere.
These are the everyday items that stick in people’s minds, so if you want to create a positive memory in people’s heads, make sure these items are new or fresh and clean.
When you have a lot to think about, steps like making fresh coffee or baking may seem trivial, but these are the steps that can live long in the memory or create a positive impression. Take these steps to ensure you please your guests and make sure they have a positive feeling towards you.
While it is natural to focus a lot of time and energy in your home, don’t forget the garden or outside area. This is commonly the first area that people see at your property, and this is what is responsible for creating the first impression. This means you want this area to be clean, stylish and appealing.
During the viewing process, it is likely that guests will have questions for you. This means you should be ready with answers for them, so do some research about your home and the local area before inviting potential buyers to your home.
When conducting a viewing at your home, you don’t want to trail the guests at all times. You should provide them with a degree of freedom to explore your property and then answer any questions or queries they may have.
If you follow these 10 steps before taking a property viewing, you should find that the viewing runs a lot more smoothly.
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