A good place for sellers to start with presenting their property for sale, is to step into the shoes of a potential buyer. They do not want to view your property from the prospective of how you live in your home, they want to see how they could live in your home.
In general, it is best to take a less-is-more approach in preparation for your property’s viewings. A few ways you can carry out this approach are as follows.
Remove the following items
Family photos, personalised ornaments, memorabilia, animal feed bowls, cages, pet beds and animal toys.
Clear Away
Remote controls, video game equipment, non-racked DVD’s & CD’s, books, magazines, visible electrical cords, and any additional clutter.
Make sure windows and mirrors are clean and streak free.
Make sure floors have been freshly vacuumed and/or mopped, remove door mats, floor mats, rugs, and any litter bins. These few tips will really enhance the floor space.
Turn on all lights and lamps to maximise the light – if you are shooting or viewing in the evening, make sure all of your light bulbs are working. Failure to do this could create unwanted shadows and ruin the overall visual of the space.
When taking photos, choose three rooms you want to showcase (Up to six if you are having one of our member agencies provide you with photos.)
Now let’s look at individual rooms:
Hallway, Stairs & Landing
When photographing these areas, remove all the clutter possible (bags, umbrellas, shoes, coats, dog leads etc). Remove anything that does not need to be there. For viewings, reduce the clutter as much as is practical.
Lounge/Living Area
When viewing or taking photos of these spaces, remember that dining tables look best when neatly laid out with placemat settings, cutlery, and a table centrepiece. You could use a large candle, a bowl of fresh fruit, or fresh flowers.
Make sure all cushions on sofas and chairs are freshly plumped.
Kitchen & Utility Areas
Put away any washed dishes and leave worktops free of any clutter. Hide away any unnecessary small appliances and tea towels. Unit doors, worktops, and main appliances should be clean and streak free. Remove any fridge magnets or calendars, or child’s drawings from view. Turn on the oven light for photos to give a little extra ambiance to the room.
Bedrooms
Have freshly laid linen on the bed and clearway all clothing into wardrobes and drawers. Clear away any bedside table paraphernalia.
Bathrooms & En-Suites
Make sure to clean the shower screen, bath, sink, and toilet, double checking there are no streaks. Make sure to place the toilet seat down, or closed. Make sure you have matching, neatly folded towels on your displayed towel rack and remove any clutter or washing baskets.
For Viewings: Property Exterior
Remove any cars, caravans, trailers, bikes, skateboards, play equipment and any other debris. Cut the lawn and tidy any boarders removing any large weeds. Place waste bins neatly away and sweep all paths and driveways. Outside patio furniture should be cleaned and neatly laid out.
Congratulations, your property is now ready for a successful viewing or for photographing. If you are taking photos of your property, please check out our more technical photography tips in our Photo Tips blog here.
Max Fuller is Founder and Creator of Mutual Pre-Portal Property Platform