Showcasing your home to appeal to your prospective buyers. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.
Consider these top hints and tips received by those who recently sold their home:
- Ensure curb appeal is as good as it can be, a freshly painted front door is a good place to start. – whatever the season.
- Make sure the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans wafts through the hall and smacks likely buyers in the face – just as they walk through the door. Air in – damp smells out. Make use of ‘plug-ins’ or scented candles.
- In winter, have lights on during the day time. They can add enchantment. Draw back those curtains – and open those windows. In summer, natural light can liven a place up and give a feeling of freshness and cleanliness. Make sure all the windows are clean.
- Kitchen and bathroom(s) should be kept clean.
- During viewings keep pets and their food bowls, litter trays etc. out of sight. Not everyone is a pet lover and they may suffer from unpleasant allergies!
- Keep clutter under control and keep cupboards tidy – potential buyers WILL open doors!
- If you have a fireplace, have a fire blazing
- Make sure all those little maintenance jobs have been done. Peeling paint on a window – or a garden gate hanging off its hinges – suggests that work needs to be done on the property. This could be used to re-negotiate the price. Have a close look around for any signs of past problems and repair them. A damp stain caused by a minor past leakage suggests an impending flood to a nervous first-time buyer.
- Check outside the house is as neat and tidy as the inside.
- If you could, then we would advise you not to be present when a viewing is carried out by the agent. Give them a bit of space and the freedom to feel free to wonder around your home.
Some safety and security tips for sellers:
Property Investment Agency will always accompanies viewings and supervises any Open House Marketing but it’s worth observing these few security tips while your home is being marketed.
- Small valuables – don’t make it easy for the “bad guys” to pocket small valuables like jewellery, iPods, prescription drugs etc.
- Large valuables – don’t show off any precious or priceless artwork or objects – viewers will have had access to photos of your property on the internet and will of course have your address.
- Hide bills and important documentation – it only takes a few seconds for someone to gather enough information to be able to use your details illegally or even steal your identity.
- Put away your family calendar so that any information about when the house may be empty is not open to misuse.
If you would like some friendly and honest advice concerning your preparation for a house move, please contact us. We are always here to help.