Preparing your property for last-minute viewings - a checklist for sellers
Nothing can put you into a tailspin more than a last minute viewing request when your house is just not ready to show. This checklist can help you whip around the house and get things just right so you don't have to turn down any appointments. Read on to find out how.
If you've just put your home on the market for sale, you have likely spent days, if not weeks, getting everything 'just right'. You'll have made sure that the front of the property looks perfect, cutting back plants and bushed, maybe even giving the front door a lick of fresh paint. You will have decluttered and deep cleaned, throwing out anything you can to reduce the amount of stuff in the house. You will be making sure that fresh flowers are on display and staging items are put out to show the property as shown in the brochure photographs.
But as with all best-laid plans, there is bound to be a spanner in the works somewhere. What if there is a last-minute request for a viewing? What if you are at work all day and don't have time to prepare and present the house before the viewers want to come?
Having a rushed viewing appointment is not ideal, but if there's no other way to get that viewer booked in to see your property, you'll just have to be resourceful. Follow these tips to prepare your home for a last-minute viewing so that you can take advantage of the opportunity.
- Quick tidy-up: The first step would be to have a quick tidy-up. Remove any clutter, paperwork or excess stuff that has found its way onto surfaces in the property. You don't need to sort any of this; just get it out of the way. A great option is to have a plastic stacking box available and simply sweep anything lying around into the box. You can then hide this box in the car or the garage until the viewers have left, and it can be sorted out. The emphasis here is speed, not a deep clean.
- Hoover and polish: Run the hoover around and polish surfaces. This will deal with the majority of dust and dirt that settles between cleans.
- Toilet cleaner: You might not have time to clean the bathrooms, but you can keep the toilets smelling fresh by putting some toilet cleaner or bleach into the bowls.
- Smell nice: We all know that the smell of our home becomes familiar to us, but it won't be familiar to your viewers, so make sure that you have air fresheners or scented candles with a lovely welcoming scent. Something fresh or floral for warmer months, whereas a heavier scent of cinnamon or vanilla might be possible in winter.
- Plump it up: Make sure that the cushions are all plumped, curtains or blinds are all opened, and, if the weather is warm, open the windows. These finishing styling touches are important to make it seem like you have not been surprised by the viewing request and you are ready to welcome the viewers.
- Let there be light: Turn on lamps, but not necessarily the overhead lights, as during the summer months, the light from the windows should be bright enough, and overhead lights might feel a bit like your viewers are under interrogation. It is important not to leave corners dark, but this is not Blackpool illuminations, so perhaps if it is daylight, leave the big lights off.
- Bins emptied: Emptying the bins is a quick way to get the house ready and ensure that it feels clean and smells fresh. Make sure that all bins are emptied before the viewers arrive.
- Pet Beds and Bowls: Removing pet food bowls and beds is best. Ideally, leave them in the garage or the boot of your car until the viewing has finished. They are necessary for your pet, but they are not ornamental and certainly won't help you sell your home. Not every viewer will be a pet lover, so it is best to remove the issue altogether.
- Coffee anyone?: It's a bit of a cliche, but that's because it works; brewing a fresh pot of coffee just before the viewers arrive is welcoming; it smells inviting and has friendly connotations because you will share a coffee. Of course, you don't have to serve the coffee if the occasion doesn't feel right. After all, the viewers are there to see the house, not get to know you.
It is hard to keep your home ready for viewings while living in it, particularly with a family. You can't ban them from rooms in the house whilst you are on the market, so it is best to have a strategy for getting the property ready for viewings. If you don't put your property's best foot forward, you might not impress the viewers when they come. You don't want to turn them away completely, so there needs to be a plan for those last-minute appointments.
For more advice on how to manage the sale of your home, get in touch with our property experts today.