3 things you must do before a potential buyer views your home
Our top 3 things to do BEFORE you have potential buyers view your property
This is your opportunity to make the best first impression of your home to potential buyers. Think how you feel when you go to a friend’s house and you instantly feel at home. Perhaps it smells nice, the atmosphere is inviting, it’s warm or feels bright and airy. That is the feeling you need to emulate when people come to view your property. You want them to instantly feel as though they’ve stepped into their future home. So much so, that they put an offer on your property! A good first impression for a viewer is critical. And it begins the moment they are stood outside your property.
hide your pets
Don’t really hide your pets! But do see if your friend/neighbour can look after them during the viewings.
DO:
Put dog/cat beds away and out of sight
Remove food and water bowls during the viewings
Make sure toys are put away
Get rid of the litter tray and pick up outside wherever your pets may have been!
DON’T:
Leave pet food out on the sides, make sure it is put away
Forget to freshen up anywhere that your pets may have been. Pets often have a distinctive smell which as owners, we grow used to and even love, but for potential buyers, this smell can be off-putting.
Have your pets around during the viewings if possible. Most people love animals, but for some, pets can be distracting or worse, off-putting particularly for those with allergies.
CLEAR YOUR SINKS
No one wants to see your washing up - even if it’s clean!
DO:
Remove all washing up from the sink area and put it away
Hide your dish rack! It just looks like clutter to potential buyers, hide it under your sink
Get rid of anything else that is an eyesore, washing up liquid, cloths, sponges. Hide it all, you can get it back out as soon as the viewing it done
Give the sink a quick clean and make sure your taps are gleaming
DONT:
Leave any washing up in the sink
Forget about all the other sinks in your home - not just the kitchen sink. Clear anything off the bathroom sinks, bath and shower and hide it away, including soaps, shampoo bottles, sponges, face cloths etc.
Forget the areas around your sink. Have a good look at your window sill or shelf closest to your kitchen sink. Has it become a storage area for random things? Hide them away!
increase KERB APPEAL
DO:
Sweep up leaves and debris from your front porch, driveway, entrance
Give the front door a quick clean
Tidy away anything that shouldn’t be there - empty plant pots, trainers, wellies, bins
If your door mat has seen better days, consider getting a new one
Pop some plants or potted flowers by the door
If you have a front garden, make sure the lawn is mowed and weeds have been removed
DONT:
Leave your wheelie bins in the way of the entrance. Ideally conseal them but if not, make sure they’re not in the way.
Don’t leave clutter lying around - even if it isn’t clutter to you, anything that shouldn’t be there will look like clutter to potential buyers (gardening equipment, car washing equipment, rubbish that you’re waiting to take to the tip, etc.)
Leave viewers with nowhere to park. If your drive is full of cars, consider moving one out of the way so that the viewers have somewhere obvious to park.
Don’t leave the gates closed. Open any gates, create a clear pathway to the front door, make the home feel inviting.
Don’t use the side door. Ensure viewers come to the front door so that they can get a true feel of stepping into their potential new home and not having to go in via the utility room or back entrance.