House viewings are one of the most important parts of the selling process. To make sure you get the offers you want, you’ll have to make sure that you give the best first impression possible so that your home stands out against all the others out there.
This isn’t easy, as there might be a lot of competition but with some help from the tips below, you can give yourself a much better chance. Remember that part of a potential buyer’s decision will depend on you and how you present your home, as well as factors beyond your control so doing everything right is no guarantee but it will improve your chances.
What’s the first thing they see?
The outside areas can often be forgotten or seen as not important but you have to remember that when viewers arrive, this is the first area they see. While this is harder during some months of the year, keeping it as clean and well maintained as possible will go a long way to ensuring you make a great first impression.
When the weather is bad, this won’t count against you but if the drive or path is broken and needs to be repaired, this may encourage lower offers when the time comes. It’s the same as when work needs to be done inside so the earlier it can be fixed the better.
Keep things clean and tidy
This might seem obvious but it is very easy for life to get in the way, with jobs and families not standing still while your home is on the market. While house viewings tend to be arranged in advance, some can be at very short notice and this means there might not always be time to do a full clean up.
We understand this can be a very stressful time and we want to help as much as possible, especially getting you a quick resolution. To help us do this, we need your help to keep your home as clean and tidy as possible, so that when viewings do occur, there’s nothing to distract them from your home!
Make as much space as possible
The goal of all house viewings is to entice the viewer to make an offer and one thing that most buyers are looking for is space. Without going to the extreme of removing everything from your home, it can be really useful to rearrange your furniture to help with this.
You have each room set up for a reason, whether it’s style, function or a bit of both. This time, by focusing on the space each room has, you allow potential buyers to really visualise what they would do with your home and that then encourages them to make an offer. Furniture is useful, though, as it gives them an idea of what they can put where.
Match the seasons
Houses are put on the market throughout the year and adapting to the time of year can instantly make your home feel relevant and cosy. We’re not saying you should redecorate with the season’s latest design trends (that would get expensive) but there are some very quick and subtle things you can do.
Choose flowers to add colour, fragrance and life to your rooms, and by using in season flowers, your home will match the seasons. This is great throughout the year although in winter, we’d also recommend going for warm and bright rooms as this is going help create a cosy environment. Another idea is to use curtains, wall hangings and paintings if you can. Rather than generic, year-long options, have various options for the seasons that you can change easily.
Be open to questions
While you might not always be around for house viewings, on the occasions you are be ready to answer questions that viewers may have. They might be about the property or the area, the facilities and amenities or transport links. While you might not be an expert in all of those things, having a basic idea will be helpful and they’re relying on you to give them insider knowledge.
This helps form a relationship which can not only help you stand out but also receive favourable offers at a later date.
Do you have any other tips on how to make a great first impression during house viewings? Get in touch and let us know. If you want to know more about any of the points listed, please contact us today.
