Top Tips for Viewing Preparation

So here’s the scenario; you’ve been on the market for a couple of weeks now and everything seems to be going well. Your estate agent calls you and tells you they have a buyer lined up and they would like to view your property this weekend. It’s your first ever viewing and you want to make a good impression but do you even need to prepare?

The answer is most certainly yes. Inviting a potential buyer to view your property is not like inviting a friend around for dinner, it’s a chance for them to visualise themselves living in your house in the near future and expectations will be high, so while a friend may overlook the pile of children’s toys on the living room floor it might make it harder for any potential buyer to visualise themselves at home, especially if they don’t have children of their own. So here are our top tips for preparing your property for potential buyers.

Damage is damaging to impressions

It’s not a big deal right? Scuffed wallpaper, claw marks on the couch, cracks in the walls. Most home owners are content to live with a little wear and tear on their property, however most buyers are not. Remember that this is supposed to be the house you want them to like enough to pay hundreds of thousands for and live to in possibly for years to come, and the last impression you want to give your buyer is that they will have to spend the first few weeks of their ownership re-plastering the walls, In this case wear and tear doesn’t add character. It adds doubt.

Before booking any viewings spend some time inspecting your property and make note of anything that is in need of repair. It’s best to identify any issues now and fix them while you have the chance than try to hide it later.

However in a pinch scuffed or torn wallpaper is among the hardest to fix and you can’t always paste over a patch of paper to cover it up because the repair would be obvious. Luckily, the most damage to wallpaper occurs between the floor and around 3-4 feet up the wall, so if you have the room, consider placing a piece of furniture in front of the offending mark to hide it from view.

Any broken items of furniture are best to remove from sight unless absolutely necessary, if your viewing is in the evening or the winter months, make sure you replace old light bulbs; often overlooked but how can a buyer visualise using your kitchen if it gets plunged into darkness because the light bulb blew out? And always make sure you have spares, in case a bulb goes unexpectedly and you don’t have time to run to the shop before your buyers arrive.

It’s good practice in the evenings or winter months to turn all your property’s lights on about 15-20 minutes before the viewing, not only does this make your property feel inviting, it gives you a chance to make sure all your lights work and replace any expired bulbs before the viewing takes place. Most light bulbs are more likely to blow when switching them on because of the stress the filament undergoes when heating up. It is highly unlikely a bulb will blow having been switch on for a minute or two, so if they’re on and they work, leave them on.

 Smokers make impressions go up in smoke

This is a big one and something almost everyone who is a smoker and selling their house overlooks. Second hand smoke sticks to everything, the walls, the carpet, the sofa. The worst thing about it is that if you live in the property you yourself can’t even smell it but any visitor to your property can, and it has the power to turn away potential buyers at the door.

The only way to avoid this catastrophe is to stop smoking in the house, or better yet stop smoking altogether (this has the obvious added health benefits). If you can’t give up just yet then you’re going to have to spend some time cleaning up your act. Start by smoking outside and closing the door behind you. Second hand smoke is very persistent and will carry for some distance by even a light breeze. This takes care of the source of the problem. Next, Clean EVERYTHING and I mean everything, floors, carpets, TVs, DVD’s windows, curtains, the dog, the cat everything.

Everything needs a good wipe down with warm soapy water and a cloth (Obviously we don’t advise drenching your electronics in water, resort to anti-bacterial wipes instead. The reason for this is that smoke is actually made up of microscopic particles of ash which once airborne are so fine they can literally cling to anything and everything. Something as light as an air current can disturb them enough to make them airborne again and allow the smell of cigarette smoke to return so you need to make sure you clean every surface.

Once everything has been cleaned washed and dried open the windows and let the house breathe. Have a friend come around every few days to inspect the change when they can no longer smell the smoke throw in a couple of scented air fresheners and you’re in business.

Spotless house = Spotless impressions

While we are on the subject of cleaning up we aren’t saying your house is unclean or anything but your buyers have much, much higher standards than you. Buyers will potentially scrutinise every detail about the property, however the buyers mind will scrutinise every speck of dust in your house and this is simply unavoidable. The unconscious mind will associate dirt and grime with decay and negativity no matter how small. So those fingerprints on the TV screen have got to go and that science project you’ve been growing on the bathroom tiles is never going to win first prize so you had best get scrubbing.

Obviously it is almost impossible to make your home into a sterile squeaky clean environment however it’s the attention to detail that matters. Tidy away any loose papers and box away unnecessary clutter; they are the most important things. From there move on to taking care of the lime and grime. Assume that Her Majesty herself will be in attendance and take the time to scrub everything you wouldn’t normally clean.

Bathrooms are a must, not only for the cheeky buyers (no pun intended) who take the opportunity to relieve themselves but this is going to be the most likely place people will look for an indication of how clean your property is. Your bathroom is for the most part a warm damp environment which certain moulds and germs thrive upon. Inspect regularly for grime as it may only take a day for mould spores to develop into a disgusting black mark on your otherwise pristine white tiles.

It’s also a good idea to leave all your internal doors open, especially the bathroom. If you have cleaned up properly, you’ll have nothing to hide and this positive attitude will reflect on your buyers. Nothing is more inviting than an open door and this just screams the message “Yes this is my house, I want you to see it and I want you to buy it.”

 Vanilla or coffee? Smell the difference

It’s a common tip for vendors. Pop a vanilla pod in the oven for 30 minutes and let that sweet scent fill your home and your buyers with a positive atmosphere. Likewise freshly made coffee has also been suggested to increase your chances of getting a second viewing. However while you may have some success with this tip we would suggest using it with caution. Not everybody appreciates the fragrance of coffee in their home; in fact for some the smell can be utterly revolting. The same goes for strong smells of vanilla.

Use in moderation, pretty much any strong smell can have a negative effect on the senses causing headaches and even nausea if it becomes overwhelming. There is nothing wrong with trying to make your property smell fresh, just be mindful that too much of a good thing can sometimes be a bad thing. If in doubt, a standard air freshener does the trick without over doing it.

Most of preparing your home for viewings is just plain common sense, if in doubt just try to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and think how you would feel having stepped into your home for the first time.