Have You SHOWCASED Your Home?
Today we are seeing mortgage rates higher than we’ve seen in years, first time buyers struggling to get onto the property market and home owners suffering from price reductions and longer periods on the market. On average its taking between 10-12 weeks from listing a property to receiving an offer and house prices are, in most cases, struggling to hold the value they’ve had previously. I believe now, more than ever, its so important to present your property well so it will STAND OUT in the sea of listings, attract eager buyers and help you achieve your market’s worth. I get asked often, “How should I present my property?” so I thought this would make a worthy article to help you all.
Here are my tips:
S – Shine
Give your property a good clean from top to bottom, paying special attention to kitchens and bathrooms. Make sure all your kitchen cupboards are wiped down, taps gleaming and bath and showers free of soap scum and limescale. If you get time, clean your oven! Give your windows a clean, inside and out too and give your front door a wipe over! Making your property SHINE will help your buyers see your property as one that’s been looked after and a pleasure to walk into. Remember first impressions count!
H – Home Improvements
Address any visible issues, leaking faucets, cracked tiles, loose curtain poles etc and touch up any paintwork. Anything that noticeably looks broken or needs attention, I’d suggest you jump on those jobs ASAP. Its wonderful for your buyers to walk into your home and have that wonderful first impression without coming away with a list of “To Do” jobs as this could be off putting for some and could also result in a lower offer.
O – Open Up
Open up all your curtains, blinds and lift up any low hanging pelmets that may obscure your window frame and let in as much natural light as you can. It will really open up your space. I’d recommend giving your windows a clean as well. Doing these things lets in lots of natural light and will help to brighten darker spaces especially with darker days on the horizon. TIP: Curtain poles – if you want to go that little bit further, you can also adjust any poles and fit just down from the ceiling and swap out for a longer pole so your curtains sit at the side of the window frame and not in front. Bringing up the height of your poles can make rooms and windows feel much larger and allow the light to flood in.
W – Welcome
Create a welcoming environment for your buyers. The smell of a property can have a huge impact on buyers, positively and negatively! You could consider baking some bread, brewing some coffee, emptying the bins and brightening up your space with fresh flowers and plants to help create that positive first impression. If flowers are tricky for you, you can also use reed diffusers or plug-ins. I also urge you to think about your pets. Cleaning up after them, whipping the vacuum around to remove any fur and making sure all bowls are clean and litter trays fresh, or better, popped away for viewings. Present your property well and your buyers will leave with a positive impression and your property will come out smelling of roses – so to speak!
C – Curb Appeal
Don’t worry, I know this is the American spelling, but SHOWKASED would look stranger! Your property frontage is the first thing your buyer will see as they approach your property. A well kept frontage gives the impression that your home has been loved and cared for and gives a reassuring start for your viewings. As I’m always saying, FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT, so giving your front garden a little tidy up can make all the difference. So mow your lawn, trim your bushes, sweep your driveway and brush any gravel back to where it belongs. If you get chance, and you have a paved driveway, you could also give it a pressure wash to return the paving to their former glory and this also helps remove moss and weeds growing in-between. Give your front door a wipe down, address any chipped paint on front or garage doors and tidy up any outdoor boots/shoes, log store etc that you may have in your porch area too and update that old door mat if its seen better days. If you own an apartment, I’d recommend giving your front door a wipe down, popping out a new welcome mat and giving your door number a little buff with a cloth. If you have outside lights, clean those up, remove the cobwebs and change any broken bulbs, especially as we embrace Autumn and shorter days where viewings may happen outside of daylight hours. Another thing to consider and if its possible, is to park your own car(s) on the road, allowing your buyers to use your parking space or driveway or even better, allowing them to fully visualise the property without cars obscuring the view! When you think kerb appeal, think scene setting, an introduction to what lies ahead and get them excited of what’s to come.
A – Arrangement
Re-arranging (and removing) some your furniture can have a huge impact on the space within a room and can improve the flow through your property. Try and arrange the furniture to show off a feature, like a fireplace, rather than drawing the eye to the TV! If you have surplus furniture, I’d recommend either selling or storing it away ready for your next property and open up and create a wonderful flow through your home.
S – Storage
I can guarantee that buyers will have a good nosy in some of your storage cupboards and in the kitchen drawers! The main reason being that they’re trying to see how much space is available and whether the storage is enough for their needs – its nothing personal! I know that when you’re getting ready for viewings its VERY tempting to chuck EVERYTHING into these spaces to clear down surfaces etc so instead of stuffing and chucking things into drawers, try mindfully arranging instead. If you have tons of personal items, I’d recommend boxing those up and popping them in your loft or garage and storing them away for your next property. After all, you’ll be moving soon, so think of it as getting ahead of yourself!
E – Evidence
By that, I mean evidence of your daily life. When you have your photography done and when you have viewings, I strongly recommend washing up and putting away any used bowls or plates, don’t leave them on the drainer or in the sink! Clean down the kitchen worktops and empty the waste and recycling bins. Put away all clothing back in their drawers and your wardrobe. Hang up or fold your towels neatly. Put away any items on your dressing table and MAKE THE BED (use white sheets if you have them as they help with light). Clean up or put away any evidence of pet bowls, litter trays etc. Remove your DAILY LIFE on show and generally have a good tidy up. Don’t forget to fluff the cushions!
D – De-Personalise and De-Clutter
Last on the list, but certainly not the least important to do! Over the years I’m sure you’ve created many memories living in your home and with that comes many precious and personal items and captured moments. To enable your buyer to see THEMSELVES living in your property, I strongly recommend packing up and putting away all your personal items, photographs and really de-clutter your space so your buyers can see the property and the space as their own and one they can make a home in. I know its hard, but please remember, you want to move and you want to create a space that your buyers can fall in love with, so grab some boxes and pack away those items, pop them in your loft, garage or storage.
Summary
- Clean – make your space shine – yes even those windows!
- Tackle those outstanding DIY jobs – fix the leaking tap, touch up paintwork
- Let in the light – open up all your curtains and lift up low hanging pelmets
- Create a welcoming atmosphere – bake the bread and empty the bins
- Kerb Appeal – first impressions count so mow your lawn and trim your bushes
- Arranging your furniture and/or removing surplus – open up your space and make it feel bigger
- Storage – appeal to the peeper, dont be tempted to ram everything into your cupboards! Box up surplus items and put it into storage
- Evidence – wash up, make the bed and fluff the cushions
- Declutter and Depersonalise – let your buyer see themselves living in your home
I hope this article has given you some inspiration on how to SHOWCASE your home and specific advice on how to present your property for sale.
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HAPPY SELLING!