When selling a home, property viewing is often the most important stage. The online aspect of property selling is becoming increasingly important in promoting the property and generating interest. Most buyers won’t buy a home until they have viewed the property at least once. This makes property viewing an essential component of selling a home.
Feature the highlights
For most viewings, the living room and kitchen are the main events. As the most used, sociable and visible spaces, it’s where buyers make a large part of their judgement. Whether your main living areas are classic rooms or open-plan, it’s time to showcase all their inherent characters.
Fireplaces are a natural focal point of any room and are high on the list of plus points for buyers. They can also be seductive at any time of year: a rack of chunky logs on the hearth, candlesticks and ceramics on the mantelpiece, and a large mirror or picture on the wall above are timeless ways to make them the centre of attention, whatever your personal style.
Special small spaces
Give your little rooms the big-star treatment. Nobody needs to go roller-skating in your spare bedroom, so concentrate on a fabulous feel and a clearly defined role. Having a dedicated home office, guest room, or nursery gives a small space a larger sense of purpose and value. Nurseries and single bedrooms are easy enough to arrange, but a common mistake with offices at home is using miniature furniture to create an illusion of space. The result is usually a room that’s impractical and unenjoyable to use, and it’s an unnecessary step: even the smallest bedroom will comfortably take an adult-sized desk and chair.
Boutique bedrooms
Bedrooms are our most private and personal spaces, but when looking for a buyer, they need to welcome in the world. Nobody knows more than hotels, so take a leaf out of their book to create a sanctuary of rest and relaxation. Headboards are the foundation of a showstopper, whether crushed velvet or rich walnut.
Modern or traditional, they give a bed an aura of grace and look great with pillows plumped and stacked against them. Paint the wall behind in a deep luxurious tone to complement and contrast with your décor. You’ll achieve peak boutique with a pair of bedside tables dressed with the rule of three used by professional stylists and photographers. Perfect accessories include lamps, clocks, books, vases and photo frames – play around until you find your favourite trio. At the bottom of the bed, a throw or blanket draped casually or carefully adds texture, comfort and warmth while softening the room’s acoustic.
Garden delight
By night and day, gardens and balconies are the icing on the cake at viewings. Whether it’s playtime, sunbathing, dining or thinking, having somewhere outside to unwind, relax and socialise is a valuable commodity in any home. Whatever space you have outdoors, look for opportunities to enchant. A table and chairs prove you have the room for dining under the sky, but it’s the styling that sends an irresistible invitation to sit down and stay. Small potted succulents or cactuses on the table are an instant and low-maintenance dash of green that’s not only hardy and handsome, it doesn’t need moving whenever you sit down to eat. Lightbulb chains strung overhead also look magical at night, with yellow-toned bulbs emitting a warm and cosy radiance without attracting insects.
Even if your garden or balcony is free of foliage, placing a few ready-planted seasonal pots around the dining area will elevate the appearance of your photos and your viewers’ experience.
Artful accessorising
Mirrors are perfect for a shot of glamour, extra light or filling a bare wall. Whether you’re going for classic gold, bold upcycling or a sleek modern frame, they give you the freedom for some playful garnish. Seasonal fruit and veg look fantastic on a kitchen countertop, and if you’re feeling particularly arty, try displaying them directly on the surface.
Otherwise, a bowl brimming with colourful fresh produce is a universally tasty sight and talking point. Fluffy towels and robes add a spa-like quality to bathrooms, so treat yourself now to the ones you’ve been eyeing up for your new home and keep them just for viewings. Timber or bamboo accessories like bath shelves, caddies and dispensers add richness and warmth that goes with anything. For anywhere else you feel could use an extra something, Pinterest is your friend! Type in “how to style a…” followed by your room or furnishing of choice, and a world of inspiration will open up before you.
Also, during the property viewing itself, there should be opportunities to find out more about the buyer, and focusing on the following information can help create a picture of who is looking to buy the property:
- Where is the person moving from?
- What is important to them in finding a new home?
- What other properties have they recently viewed?
- What do they like/dislike about the current property?
- What is their buying position?
This information can help the seller provide the potential buyer with the information they want. It can also help to develop a profile of the person or people looking to buy property, which can help to shape the way viewings are conducted in the future.
Be ready to provide information about the property
It is also likely that the potential buyer will have questions, so it is important to be as prepared as possible. The seller should be able to answer questions like:
- How long the property has been on the market?
- Why is the property up for sale?
- The sales history of the property?
- Pertinent information regarding the property and surroundings.
There is also a need to create a positive impression, and this doesn’t just relate to the home, it relates to the person carrying out the viewing. You should make sure your estate agent is as presentable as possible. They should be present at the property before any viewer arrives and you should have all of the information.
