A view to a thrill

Are you desperate to sell your home and need to prepare for viewings? These cheap and simple tips could really help you along!

‘Staging’ your home - the process of preparing your home for a viewing - can really make or break a deal so it is so, so important to have everything properly in place before they come walking through your front door.

UK property figures show that most homes that have been staged actually spend 90% less time on the property market.

You may even get away with adding a couple of thousand to your property value.

But there are also other useful tips to know.

The obvious one is to tidy up your house and do the dusting. It’s also good to make sure door handles are clean.

Give your home a clean so it's not dirty but don't go over the top.

Smell is another important factor and can subconsciously have a big impact on a viewer’s choice.

Walking into a home smelling of baked cookies, bread or roasted coffee can make a big difference and rekindle some comforting feelings but it’s also equally important not to go over the top with cleaning products.

A house with an overpowering odour of detergent and bleach can make a home smell like a hospital or a clinic. Perhaps go for scented candles instead.

Timing is also of the essence.

Make sure you try to arrange viewings at a time when building work or another noisy event is not happening nearby.

Here are some other great pointers to help sway a viewer:

You never get a second chance to make a first impression First impressions always matter when it comes to property viewings because the majority of buyers make their decisions within the first few minutes. Make sure your windows and roof are looking tip-top. Another great tip is to ensure your pathway, fence or garden look well-maintained.

Make sure your home isn’t cluttered Make sure your home doesn’t look too busy with clutter and other items bunched up everywhere. Put them away somewhere out of sight or better still, sell them or give them away.

At the same time, don’t make it too formal and looking like a hotel lobby. It needs to have a homey feel to it. Add some nice flowers or perhaps try pushing back large furniture as much as possible to show more space.

It is so important to make a good impression and having a presentable roof will go a long way towards clinching that sale.

Freshen up your walls Painting your walls is another great way to go and if you want to be really clever, paint them a neutral colour instead of something loud like a bright purple or green. This will actually make the room look bigger.

Get your home fixed up and cleaned up Any cracked tiles, damaged carpets, holes in doors or broken door knobs? Get any minor repairs sorted out. We mentioned before about not over-doing the cleaning but that doesn’t mean opening your days to a dirty home. The same goes for the garden. Get rid of any weeds or clutter like broken chairs or wheels out of the garden and out of sight.