Selling your home can be an extensive and drawn-out process, so when you are ready to offer your home for viewings and open-house events – it’s incredibly important to present your living spaces in the best possible light in order to draw the most attractive offers from potential buyers.
Ash Read, interiors expert at Living Cozy has shared his top tips on how to stage your home ahead of an open house.
Finalise the DIY List
Before allowing viewings, you should ensure that all home DIY tasks are complete. Your house will be more enticing to buyers if it is not in need of great amounts of maintenance – finalising these tasks can also add value to your home if they are largely for aesthetic purposes.
Ash says: “DIY tasks can add great amounts of value to your home – especially if they focus on increasing storage or entertaining space so we would advise prioritising these tasks in order to draw in higher offers from potential buyers.”
Clean & declutter
A common mistake home sellers often make is not showcasing and utilising their spaces in the best way possible. Potential buyers will want to inspect every inch of a house that they are considering making their ‘forever home’, so it’s important that your home is cleaned to a high standard, to ensure your space can be viewed as a clean slate for the next owners.
Decluttering your home is also the best way to show your home’s full potential, by maximising space and allowing potential buyers to view rooms differently than you may have originally. Boxing up items that you do not immediately need day to day can make your home look more spacious, organised and minimal – all positive attributes for those looking for a future in the home.
Cleaning and decluttering your house to such a high standard will also save you a considerable amount of time in the long run when it comes to waving goodbye to your home!
Depersonalise
This initially sounds like a daunting task, which may be more difficult for those who are sentimental – but beginning to depersonalise and remove your personal knick-knacks from the house will make the living spaces more approachable and simple for potential buyers. With personal images and mementoes at a minimum, it will be easier for potential buyers to envision themselves in the space.
Ash says: “A neutral base is the best environment for potential buyers to envision themselves within your space, so it’s important to keep a balance between a decorated home and a ‘personally’ decorated home. Keep colourful accessories such as cushions and rugs to make your space look comfortable and homely but restrict items such as family photographs, toiletries and hobby-related items when arranging viewings.”
Focus on ‘Curb Appeal’
The front of your property will be the first impression that potential buyers will get of your home. Setting aside some time to spruce up your entrance can greatly impact how people see your home. Tasks such as weeding, gardening and cleaning front windows can give a positive impression and instil that your house is clean, cared for and more than ready to host a viewing.
Add some flair
A few last-minute touches can really sell your home to potential buyers – make sure to ventilate your space before a viewing (by cracking open a window) to make sure the room is full of fresh air and doesn’t appear stuffy. Add some fresh flowers or potpourri to add an element of colour to the room, as well as a subtle, greeting fragrance – candles and reed diffusers are a great way to introduce this to your spaces.
Ash says: “Clean, neutral fragrances are the best accompaniments for an open house – think clean linen, vanilla or citrus tones. These scents all contribute subtle and soothing undertones to your living areas that viewers will associate with a calm, clean atmosphere. Other natural scents like jasmine, pine and sandalwood will also work well, but it is best to avoid intense scents as those viewing may not like the scent and it could convey that you are trying too hard to sell!”
