Yippee! Your home’s on the market, you’ve got some viewers booked in, and you’re ready to sell. The only thing left is to find your buyer – and that’s where things get interesting.
In an ideal world your home would speak for itself, but sometimes viewers need a little help seeing its full potential. Never fear – from sprucing up your home the hour before an appointment to giving the perfect tour, there are some brilliantly easy things you can do to help your house sell for the right price.
So pop the kettle on, put your feet up, and read on – we’ll help you get viewings-ready in no time.
Before the viewing
It goes without saying that tidying the house is one of the most important things you can do before a viewing, but not everyone has the time for a full-on clean. Here are some options for getting thing ready whether you’re an early bird or you’re in a last-minute rush.
If you don’t have much time
If you don’t have loads of time on your hands or your home just won’t stay tidy all week (especially if kids or pets are involved), just make some quick fixes the hour before a viewing.
- Give it some kerb appeal – The outside of your property will set the tone for the rest of the house, so make sure things like recycling bins are neatly lined up or even hidden away, and consider moving your collection of garden gnomes and relocating that stack of bikes. If possible, park your car around the corner so viewers see a clear first view of the house.
- Kitchen quick-fixes – For many viewers the kitchen is the heart of the home. Make sure they’re not distracted from the kitchen by washing and putting away all pots, pans and utensils (or just stick them in the dishwasher). Make sure everything on the worktops is neat, and give all your surfaces a quick wipe. Pasta stains no more!
- Give some love to your living spaces – As always, clearing away unnecessary items is a must. If there are kids around, get them involved by asking them to pick up and tidily stow any clothes and toys they have around. Finish by straightening throws and fluffing pillows – this can make a surprisingly big difference to how welcoming your space is.
- Blitz the bathroom – Cleaning wipes are your best friend when it comes to the bathroom. Give surfaces a quick wipe, and temporarily stash all your toiletries away. If there’s nowhere to put them, use your resources and temporarily stow them in the car (which might be around the corner by now).
- Prep your pets – Not all potential buyers love animals, and evidence of a pet-heavy household might put some off. Make sure litter trays, hamster cages, and pet toys are out of the way and, most importantly, give your home a good vacuum to get rid of any hair. If your pets tend to get over-excited by visitors (especially dogs), see if you can leave them with a friend or a neighbour.
If you have a little more time
If you find yourself with a few spare hours over the weekend, it pays to have a more thorough declutter before viewings begin, and maybe even make a few simple repairs.
- Reorganise – If you only have time for a few quick fixes hiding things in cupboard might be enough, but some viewers will want to look at these storage spaces too. If you have time to really reorganise, invest in some decent boxes and tidy your things away, neatly stacking them in the loft or even hiring a small storage unit. This is also a great opportunity to get rid of the things you don’t want to move with.
- Fix obvious problems – If there are some things that look less-than-great but are easily fixable, tackle them now. Door squeaks when you open it? Put some oil on the hinges. Fence post wonky? Hammer it back in. Fixing some of the smaller things quickly will help people form a better first overall impression of your home.
If you have lots of time
You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘home staging’ by now, and it can feel like an option that’s only for professional sellers with lots of cash to spare. But if you have enough time on your hands, with just a little investment home staging can really inspire viewers to fall in love with your home.
The idea is to make each room in your home look like it’s part of a show home (but not in a clinical, impersonal way). This makes it easier for viewers to imagine themselves in your property, living their own lives.
Start by cleaning and decluttering, then add some finishing touches – the home staging part – to draw viewers in.
- Put out clean, folded towels in the bathroom, hotel-style, and hang a new shower curtain to give your bathroom more of a just-renovated look.
- Clear away personal items like photographs and replace them with neutral ornaments or subtly-scented candles (nothing too fancy or overwhelming).
- Lay tables with placemats and cutlery so viewers can imagine themselves eating and socialising there.
- Choose a new rug to distract from an older carpet and add a cosy feel to your living room. If your room is very neutral go for a pop of colour. Otherwise, play it safe with pastel.
- Put fresh flowers out to brighten the room and make it feel more welcoming.
- Consider rearranging furniture to give your rooms a feeling of more space.
- Invest in new duvet covers for the bed and cushions for your other furnishings. Think about how soft furnishings in furniture stores are displayed, and aim for the same thing.
- If you have loads of time and want to go the extra mile, try painting your rooms a neutral (but not cold) colour, especially if things are looking a little old.
No matter how much time you have to prep your house, do the same three things before each viewing: open all the doors (including the back door) to accentuate the feeling of space, turn on lights (if it’s dark), and crack open the windows to get rid of any smells and to make everything feel ‘fresh’. Our Local Yopa Agents swear by it!
During the viewing
So your home is ready for visitors, and everything looks its best. Now for the main event – showing them around. Your prep work should have them in a good frame of mind as soon as they walk through the door, but this is your chance to really show them how great your property is.
How to conduct a viewing
- Decide on the order of the tour in advance – Having a plan in mind means you won’t miss anything out, and it shows the viewer you know exactly what you’re doing.
- Start and finish in the best room (if possible) – This is the room they’ll remember most strongly, and finishing in the same place reassures viewers that they’ve had a thorough, inside-out tour.
- Let them look around independently – No viewer expects to explore your house alone, but you can give them breathing space in each room. Let them go in first, then stand back as they walk around the room.
- Don’t sell too hard – Building genine rapport is far better than being too formal or trying to sell too hard. You want your viewers to be relaxed and feel welcome – if they feel like you’re trying too hard to sell your home, their trust can be eroded.
- Give them information they won’t get anywhere else – They’ll be able to see the floor plan online, but only you can tell them about the neighbours or how close the best restaurants are. Share your own knowledge to help them really get a feel for your home.
Things to do…
- Greet your visitors warmly when they arrive, the way you would like to be greeted.
- Start with a general overview of the house, such as its history, its layout, and why you’re moving.
- Give them personal insight into all the rooms, like how much light it gets, as it’s not something they’re likely to know about by themselves.
- Remember to show them things that are less obvious, such as hidden storage space.
- Tell your potential buyers to get in touch if they have any questions. YopaHub is a great way for them to send questions directly to you.
- Remember to keep your cat or dog seperate, if possible. Not everybody likes pets, and they may distract from the viewing.
…and things to avoid
- Overloading your visitors with information. They’ll already have the key information from the property listing, so you don’t need to go into too much detail unless asked.
- Bending the truth. If a viewer asks a difficult question, be as honest as possible; don’t mislead potential buyers, as it can backfire later.
- Negativity, even if it’s part of a lighthearted comment. Don’t jokingly point out the stain on the wall as it will only draw attention – and positive language will put viewers in a much better frame of mind than negative language.
- Talking too much about yourself and your connection to the house. The viewer needs to be able to see themselves here, not feel like they’re intruding on someone else’s property.
Top tip
Before every viewing, ask yourself what you would like to see as a potential buyer. If you’ve viewed a property recently, what could have been better about the viewing, and what really sold it to you? You and the viewer are probably on a very similar journey, so connecting with their experience is one of the best ways to present your home in its best light.
If you need any specific advice on conducting your viewing, homeowners selling with Yopa can chat to their Local Yopa Agent for more tips and advice. And remember, if you fancy taking a step back, they can conduct all your viewings for you for a low fixed fee.
Not selling with Yopa?
That’s alright – all our advice is still the same!
But if you’re selling your home with a traditional estate agent and you feel like you’re paying a lot of money, check us out. You could sell your home for a low fixed fee from £889 (including VAT) with no commission whatsoever. Plus our handy new No Sale, No Fee option means you can choose not to pay until your home is sold.
