When selling a property, viewings are your opportunity to showcase your home’s best features and clinch a sale. A well-prepared viewing can make all the difference, transforming a casual looker into a serious buyer.
Here at Arden Estates, we’ve helped countless homeowners prepare for successful property viewings. Drawing on our years of experience, we’ve compiled our top five tips to help ensure your viewings go smoothly and leave potential buyers impressed.
- First Impressions Count: Enhance Your Kerb Appeal
The first thing a prospective buyer sees is the exterior of your property and its surroundings. Improving your home’s kerb appeal is crucial in making a strong initial impression. Here are a few steps to ensure your property looks inviting from the moment buyers pull up:
Tidy Up: Keep your garden well-maintained; mow the lawn, prune bushes, and clear up any fallen leaves or debris. Ensure that the pathways and driveway are clean and free from weeds.
Repair and Refresh: Fix any peeling paint, broken fence panels, or cracked windows. A fresh coat of paint on the front door can also be very welcoming.
Add a Touch of Nature: Place some attractive potted plants near the entrance. Choose flowers or greenery that are easy to maintain but add colour and life to your exterior.
Check out 5 Ways to Boost Your Kerb Appeal.
- Create a Blank Canvas
While personal touches make a house a home, potential buyers need to envisage themselves living in the space. Overly personalised decor can make this difficult, so it’s advisable to neutralise your space:
Declutter: Remove excessive personal items like family photos, keepsakes, and eccentric decorations. Clutter can also make spaces feel smaller, so clear away any non-essential items.
Neutral Palette: Consider repainting brightly coloured walls with neutral tones like beige, grey, or white. These shades help to brighten up rooms and make them appear larger.
Furniture Placement: Arrange furniture to maximise space. This might mean removing pieces that make the space feel crowded. Ensure each room has a clear purpose, as this helps buyers understand how they can utilise different areas.
- Illuminate and Brighten
Good lighting can transform the mood of a property and make it feel warm and welcoming.
Here’s how to brighten your home effectively:
Maximise Natural Light: Open all curtains and blinds during viewings to let in as much natural light as possible. Clean windows both inside and out to enhance this effect.
Artificial Lighting: Replace any burnt-out bulbs and consider adding additional light sources in darker areas. Soft, warm bulbs can make the atmosphere cosy and inviting.
Highlight Features: Use lighting to accentuate key features such as fireplaces, beautiful countertops, or high ceilings.
- Ensure a Nice Atmosphere
A property that smells fresh and feels airy is instantly more appealing. Bad odours can be a significant turnoff for potential buyers, so it’s important to address them:
Freshen Up: Air out your home thoroughly before the viewing, especially if there are lingering smells like pets or smoking.
Neutral Scents: Use neutral scents or lightly scented candles to create a pleasant but not overpowering aroma. Avoid strong air fresheners as they can be overwhelming.
Control the Temperature: Make sure your home is comfortably warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A comfortable temperature makes the space more inviting.
- Prepare for the Viewing
Finally, preparing yourself (if you are carrying out your own viewing) and the property on the day can help the viewing go smoothly:
Documentation Ready: Have all relevant documents on hand, such as energy performance certificates and receipts for any major work done. This shows prospective buyers that you are organised and transparent.
Be Accommodating and Informative: Be ready to answer questions about the property and the local area, but try to remain unobtrusive. Let the viewers take their time to look around.
Follow Up: After the viewing, speak to your estate agent and invite any further questions the viewer may have. Feedback from your agent can also be invaluable, so ask what they thought of the property.
Implementing these tips should help make your property more appealing to potential buyers and increase the chances of a successful sale. Remember, every viewing is an opportunity to sell not just a house, but a potential home.
If you’re looking to sell your home, contact us today!
We have offices across Worcestershire and the West Midlands including Barnt Green, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Rubery, Solihull and Worcester, and out friendly team of experts are here to advise and help you every step of the way.