First impressions are absolutely key when it comes to conducting viewings to help sell your home. Think about it this way, you certainly wouldn’t turn up to a first date or a job interview looking messy, unclean and tired, and the same should go for selling your house if you want to increase the chances of success.
To maximise the chances of a potential buyer falling in love with your home, you first need to make it as appealing as possible from the first day they walk through the door, as you only get one chance to win them over.
Below we have some guidance on how you can increase the likelihood of finding a buyer for your house as quickly as possible.
Pack up unnecessary items
Store all excess items that are not needed such as crockery, magazines, toys and ornaments. Shelves and tables should be free of excess items to give them a clean look. The aim is to make your house as clutter free as possible making it feel more open and spacious. This also helps potential buyers to visualise how the house will look when they make it their own home. It is also key not to clutter up garage space with all of these boxed up items, to fully demonstrate the space that is available to viewers.
Keep colours light
Having light coloured walls will help to make rooms feel cleaner and more spacious. If you currently have dark walls or interestingly patterned wallpaper, then it is recommended to apply a couple of coats of white, or ivory paint to brighten things up. It is also important to note that people have different tastes and what may seem like beautiful stylish wallpaper to you, might not to your potential buyers. This again helps with the visualisation that viewers need to picture the home as it would be when they’re living in it.
Depersonalise as much as possible
You want to make it easy for your potential buyers to imagine themselves living in your house. You can make this difficult by having family pictures everywhere, bedsheets with your children’s favourite football team on them, or posters of your favourite rock band on the walls. Depersonalising will create a blank canvas for potential buyers, which can make your house appear a little more desirable. Minimal decor is a current trend, so displaying a clean, clear, space free of memorabilia and photographs can create the show-home feel that is sought-after today.
Give your house a spring clean
A given of course, but after considering the above, make sure you give your house a good, deep clean. Clean your windows and mirrors to allow more light to flood the rooms and create the illusion of more space. Vacuum the carpets and puff up the pillows to give the house a fresh look. Open the windows to let in some fresh air and purchase some scented candles or incense to give the house a fresh smell. This is especially important if you have any pets. You may become accustomed to the smell of pets in your home and stop recognising it, but for new visitors it will likely be the first thing they notice and it can definitely be off putting. Pay close attention to the smaller, more intricate areas such as door handles, light switches, skirting boards, tops of cupboards and anywhere that generally collects dust.
Get the lighting right
When a potential buyer is coming to view your house, make sure that the curtains and blinds are fully open to allow as much light into the house as possible. If you have any rooms that are dark and don’t have much natural light, make sure that all of the lights are working and of a good quality. Lighting can make a big difference to the look and feel of a home and it may even pay to invest in one or two lamps to help with the ambience, particularly if viewers are visiting in the evening.
Using the above tips to give your house a more minimalistic look will certainly be worth your time and often they will help you to sell your house quicker, and for the price that you are asking for. It also means that you have started the process of moving out, making actual move-out day a lot easier.
Removing your personal belongings and decorations throughout the advertising period is difficult, but opting to rent a storage unit on a short-term basis can ensure you can do this seamlessly. At Storage World, we can provide you with a clean, secure, convenient space to hide all of the items which you may feel make your house a home, but to an outsider may look like clutter. You can still access these items should you need them whilst in store as we offer round-the-clock, 7 days a week access.
We don’t tie you into any long-term contracts, meaning you’re free to stay for the exact length of time that you need to, and we will never try to sell you more space than you need.
Once moving day arrives,,we can even assist with moving your stored items to your new home should you wish to do so. We often find that our customers have enjoyed the minimal look created and wish to extend their storage period, but of course this comes down to personal preference.
Interested in a short-term storage unit rental? Call one of our storage experts today for a free no obligation quote, we will recommend the right size storage unit for you based upon the items you need to store.
