Alexanders helpful advice and tips

Your home is on the market, the viewings are booked, 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 buyers need a little help seeing its full potential. Never fear – from sprucing up your home an hour before viewing to giving the perfect tour, there are some easy but impactful things that 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 viewing-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 viewing, but not everyone has the time for a 

full-on deep clean before every viewing. Here are some options for getting things ready whether you’re an early bird or you’re in a last-minute rush.

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 an hour or so before a viewing. If you can, schedule the viewings back-to-back or as an open house event so that they are all done in one go. When buyers see that other buyers are interested in your property this can also encourage interest and early offers!

• Give it some kerb appeal – The outside of your property will set the tone for the rest of the house, so make sure 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 buyers see a clear first view of the house.
• Kitchen quick fixes – For many buyers, the kitchen is the heart of the home. Make sure they’re not distracted by washing and putting away all of your pots, pans and utensils (or just pop them in the dishwasher). Make sure everything on the worktops is neat and give all your surfaces a quick wipe. Bright red pasta stains, be gone!
• Give some love to your living spaces – As always, clearing away unnecessary items is a must. Get the kids involved by asking them to pick up and tidily stow any clothes and toys they have left lying around. Finish by straightening throws and fluffing pillows – this can make a surprisingly big difference to how welcoming your home appears.
• 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 people 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 stray pet 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, stowing miscellaneous items in a cupboard might be sufficient, but some buyers 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 take with you when you move.
• Fix obvious problems – If there are some things that look less-than-great but are easy to fix, tackle them now. Does the door squeak when you open it? Put some oil on the hinges. The fence post is wonky? Hammer it back in. Fixing any smaller issues quickly will help people form a better overall first 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, just a little investment in home staging can 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 on 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, matching, folded towels in the bathroom, hotel-style, and hang a new shower curtain or replace mouldy sealant to give your bathroom a just-renovated look.
• Clear away personal items like photographs and replace them with neutral ornaments or subtly scented candles (nothing too overwhelming).
• Lay tables with placemats and cutlery so viewers can imagine themselves eating and socialising in your home.
• 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 pastels.
• Put fresh flowers out to brighten the room and make it feel more welcoming.
• Consider rearranging and removing 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 lots of time and want to go the extra mile, try painting your rooms a neutral (but not cold) colour, especially if the paintwork is looking a little tired.

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, and it shows the buyer 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 buyers that they’ve had a thorough, inside-out tour.
• Let them look around independently – No potential buyer 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 genuine rapport is far better than being too formal or trying to sell too hard. You want your buyers 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 the 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 any work you have done to the property since you bought it. Share your own local 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 a personal insight into all of the rooms, like how much light it gets, as it’s not something they’re likely to know already.
• Remember to show them things that are less obvious, such as hidden storage space.
• Remember to keep your cat or dog away from the viewing 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 light-hearted 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 buyer 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.

Good Luck!

# Team Alexanders