How to Prepare for a House Viewing Successfully
How to Prepare for a House Viewing Successfully
Your viewings are booked either with yourself or with your estate agent, but either way, you are in the realms selling your house which is super exciting but very nerve-wracking too. You know that one simple thing could put the potential buyers off so it is important to do all you can to ensure you prepare your home for the perfect viewing experience.
Remember just because this isn’t your dream home anymore it was once and it is someone else’s.
But exactly what do prospective buyers look for in a home? We know that first impressions definitely count, so it is important to make sure everything is in order before your house viewing.
We asked our audience of growing families for some feedback on what matters to them when viewing a house at this is what they said.
So, how can you prepare your home for a viewing?
Kerb Appeal = First Impressions Count
Make sure the exterior of your house is clean and tidy. Increasing the kerb appeal of your house is incredibly important when it comes to wowing your potential buyers and starting the viewing off on a high!
Remember, the outside of the house is the first thing they see when the viewers walk in so put yourself in their shoes and inspect windows, the house from the outside, the front door you could even ask a friend for honest feedback and tips to help you get that much-desired sale you are hoping for.
Clean your windows
Cleaning windows is important, smeared windows can give off the wrong impression that you don’t look after your home on the inside. If you couldn’t be bothered to clean your windows, what else couldn’t you be bothered to do that isn’t visible.
Drawback your curtains
Drawing back your curtains, give a fresh-looking vibe from the outside and natural light is very important for the inside. If you have neutral colours in your home this is a great way to show them off.
Pay Attention – Put away your bins
Putting away your bins is important, the last thing people want to look at your bins. Get them out the way if you can if you can’t put them out of sight then neatly put them together and if they have to walk past them make sure they are clean, smell fresh and aren’t fly-infested.
Keep your Drive Empty
If you have a drive then keep it empty and well presented for your buyers. If your buyers are struggling to find somewhere to park this could be off-putting. Many viewers have said having somewhere to park makes a big difference, if you don’t have a drive, perhaps leave your car parked outside your property and move it a few minutes before your viewer comes to ensure there is a designated space for them to park in.
Cleaning up your front garden
This can mean mow the lawn, trim hedges, pulling up any weeds and clearing clutter, jet washing your front garden can also make it look clean. Ensure your door is free from clutter and clean it on the outside and the inside using suitable cleaning products.
Put some Coffee On
Yes not everyone loves coffee but even the none coffee lovers amongst us admit that the smell of coffee is definitely a turn on when it comes to viewing houses, so 30 minutes before they come get that coffee brewing and let the smell filter through the rooms in their dream home.
Fold your Towels
Having neatly folded towels on display in your bathroom can help your house look organised and neater, don’t forget your estate agent and potential buyer are likely to open every cupboard to get an idea of storage so if you have a cupboard for towels and bedding make sure it isn’t just thrown in as that can be off-putting.
Let some Natural Light In!
As mentioned in the exterior section, drawing back curtains and opening blinds is important, it is as important to do this on the inside too, you want to ensure you are letting a lot of natural light as natural light is the best light to show off bright homes.
Crack Open the Windows and Doors
Opening all the doors in all the rooms throughout the house allows your viewers to easily move from one room to another- and makes your home look more open.
Opening all of the windows in the house in Summer will make your house much more appealing! In winter we would still suggest this to air out the house but perhaps do this a few hours before your viewer shows up.
Use Air Fresheners
Ensuring your home smells nice is a very important step in preparing your home for a viewing. You may think it doesn’t smell but when you are living in it, it is virtually impossible to smell your own scent. Make sure to eliminate any bad odours in your home with an odour destroyer, and make your home more inviting by utilising air fresheners and scented candles. Plug-in air fresheners are a great way to keep your home smelling fresh each and every day.
If you don’t like the idea of air fresheners another great alternative is fresh flowers! Fresh flowers are a brilliant way to brighten up any space, and to bring a pleasant scent into the home and fresh flowers placed on a table definitely give off that homely vibe.
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Pop the Heating On
Having the heating on can make the house feel wonderous and homely for your house viewers. Try and ensure your home is around 21 degrees for viewings.
A Clutter-Free home is essential
Tidying up your house is definitely one of the most important things you can do before a viewing! Remove clutter as many buyers say this is their biggest issue when viewing, they don’t care if you have the whole collection of Beatrix Potter, or the whole collection of TY bears from Mcdonalds, they are only interested to see what space they are working with. Personal items should be mainly away as it creates more space and more space is what many buyers want to see.
Deep Clean your Property
Deep clean all rooms including bathrooms so your buyer gets the best impression possible. Sometimes the easiest thing to do is divide up your house into rooms and do the whole job a room at a time.
- Hoover
- Clean window frames
- Dust the skirting boards
- Plugin your air freshener
- Air the room
For bathrooms;
- Clean windows frames
- Clean toilets
- Sinks
- Mop the floor
Organise the Kitchen
For many houses, the kitchen is the soul of the house; after all, food is known to bring families together! A messy kitchen can severely dampen the appeal of your house, so make sure all of the washing up is done, and any pots, pans or kitchen utensils have been neatly put away.
Make sure all your surfaces are clean and organised- giving them a quick wipe to bring out their shine is a great idea.
Pets? What pets?
It is important to remember not everyone likes pets and for some potential buyers, pets may make them turn away from the property. Before your house viewings, make sure you remove any litter trays, pet cages and pet toys out of sight. After all, a tray full of cat litter isn’t exactly the most appealing of sights- especially if the potential viewer doesn’t like pets!
Having family friends or neighbours take care of them during the viewings is the best idea if you can.
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To find your nearest trusted estate agent visit www.mybump2baby.com/familyprotectionlegal
Carla is the founder of MyBump2Baby. Carla has a huge passion for linking together small businesses and growing families. Carla’s humorous, non-filtered honesty has won the hearts of thousands of parents throughout the UK.
She has previously written for the Metro and made appearances on BBC News, BBC 5 live, LBC etc. Carla is a finalist for Blogger of the Year award with Simply Ladies inc. Carla is also the host of the popular Fifty Shades of Motherhood podcast and The MyBump2Baby Expert podcast.