OK – you’ve agreed an asking price, put your home on the market and your estate agent has just rung to say your first viewing is tomorrow afternoon.
It’s time for your home to “woo” prospective buyers!
At Sims Williams, we’ve been helping customers to sell their homes for over 35 years and we’ve picked up a few top tips that we want to share with you.
First impressions count
We all make a judgement about people within a few seconds of meeting them and it’s the same with your property.
You need curb appeal
If you live in a house, go and stand at the front gate and take a good look at the outside of your property.
Tidy the garden, get rid of weeds and make sure the pathway is unobstructed. Move dustbins out of sight, give the front door a quick clean and make sure the doorbell is working.
If you live in a flat, check your communal entrance hall is tidy – it might not be your job to do this but if it’s going to help sell your home, roll up your sleeves and make sure any post is stacked tidily and recycle any unwanted leaflets and fliers that you find.
The sweet smell of success
As you open your front door, take a good deep breath – what can you smell?
If it’s anything other than air freshener or furniture polish, chances are it isn’t very pleasant!
Now, there’s no need to start baking bread and brewing coffee, but you do want your home to smell clean and fresh.
Not everyone loves our furry friends
If you’ve got cats or dogs, you’re probably immune to the odour but your prospective buyers won’t be. Wash all your animal bedding and, if possible, move their beds into the garage or somewhere unobtrusive when you have viewings.
It’s probably a good idea to ask someone to take your dogs for a walk while you’ve got viewings – dogs have an amazing knack for pestering non-dog lovers and not everyone will appreciate a slobbering welcome from your friendly labrador!
Cleanliness is next to ….. selling!
We all know that we’ve got to “see beyond” the clutter and look at the “potential” of a property but the reality is, nothing turns a prospective buyer off more than a dirty house.
A sink full of dirty dishes and a tide mark in the bath will make viewers run a mile – not picture themselves living in your home.
And, they’ll assume your lack of care and pride extends to the maintenance and structural soundness of your property. It might be an unfair judgement, but that’s what we all do.
A bit of elbow grease takes you closer to the asking price
Before every viewing, enlist the whole household to share chores to keep the house tidy: –
- Wash up and put everything away.
- Empty any smelly bins
- Clean the bathroom and put the lid down on the toilet
- Leave your kitchen counter tops as uncluttered as possible – it will make your kitchen look so much bigger
- Ask everyone to make their bed and put all their clothes away before they leave the house in the morning
- Vacuum and polish
With luck, these shared habits could continue in your next home!
Use your friends
Ask a friend to pretend they are a potential buyer.
Meet them at the entrance and walk around the property with them. Ask for their honest feedback on how you could make your home more appealing. You’ll be amazed at how many little things an “outsider” to your home can spot.
Good luck!
Sims Williams is an independent estate agent with offices in Chichester, Arundel and Walberton. We cover the beautiful towns and villages along the coastal strip between Emsworth and Climping, including parts of the stunning South Downs National Park.
Contact us today for a free, no obligation valuation.