My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Other subjects

Preparing house for viewing

43 replies

Beccarollover · 16/04/2004 19:11

Ive got first viewing on my house tomorrow - the person who is coming is recently divorced woman, not sure if she has any kids - what kind of things can I do to make it attractive to her (bear in bed its 19.10 and a tip and she is coming at 12 noon tomorrow so alot of my time will be tidying/cleaning but thought it would be nice to think of some things that would make things look good and divert from crayon on walls etc!!

OP posts:
Report
Beccarollover · 16/04/2004 19:12

ok

Where the hell did bear in bed come from !!!!!!

I meant to say bare in mind

OP posts:
Report
bunny2 · 16/04/2004 19:14

BR, fresh coffe brewing is meant to be a good one, makes the place smell homely as does baking bread so if you can get up early and put a batch it, that's even better!

Fresh flowers

All the lights should be on so I was told by an estate agent.

Report
GeorginaA · 16/04/2004 19:18

lol

I would say the biggest thing is to make sure you don't sell your property short by having too many things in it. If you can shove a load of stuff in a friend or relative's garage/loft and aim for a more minimalist look it can really make a difference to a room.

Try and make sure there's loads of light. If it's even a slightly dingy day tomorrow, it's worth making sure all the rooms have their lights on before you show her around.

Don't feel you have to obliterate any signs of the presence of children, but do try and minimize the number of toys on show so they look tidy and not overwhelming.

Kitchens and bathrooms tend to be the most scrutanised, so if you only have limited time, concentrate cleaning efforts there and have them immaculate.

Bear in mind (or bear in bed, I like that ) that many viewers are pretty nosey and will want to look in understairs cupboards etc, so don't just shove stuff in there hoping no-one will look I think most viewers expect the understairs cupboard to have mostly junk, but it'll look like you have more storage space than you do if it's fairly neat junk (or at least make it so any meters can easily be seen!)

If I think of anything else I'll add it later.

Good luck!

Report
GeorginaA · 16/04/2004 19:18

Oh... always let the viewer enter a room before you do - makes the room look bigger.

Report
Vee33 · 16/04/2004 19:21

clutter clear and remove all the personal stuff (like photos etc). Fresh flowers too. We are trying to sell our house too at the moment - it seems that buyers spend longer there when there aren't any children around .

Apparently vanilla behind the radiators is another tip...

Report
Blu · 16/04/2004 19:22

LOL Bear in Bed...
Yes, put all lights on, make sure all curtains are wide open, and leave doors open...that spacious feel.
De-clutter as much as poss. (I used to pile high chair, etc into the car before viewings!)
Let her walk into rooms ahead of you (feels less crowded for her).
Good Luck!

Report
GeorginaA · 16/04/2004 19:23

It's also worth seeing if you can arrange for the estate agent to do all the showing around and pop out with the kids when they call (agreeing with Vee really). I certainly felt much more comfortable spending more time looking around when I was a viewer and the owners weren't there. The estate agent tends to get more honest feedback in those circumstances too.

Report
grumpyzebra · 16/04/2004 19:28

DH says that very few of the houses he's viewed (he's done more viewings in our house hunting effort) did the people make hardly any effort at all! He tells me stories of wading through rows of clothes hanging up in the carport to get dry, just in order to get into the house, etc.
Wouldn't recommend brewing coffee, though; personally I hate the smell! Although better than most store-bought room air "freshioners", at least.
I found that viewers simply won't go into a room if I didn't lead the way for them, don't know why. But it seemed good if I could say after taking them upstairs, "Why don't you look around on your own and I'll just be downstairs in room X?" They spent more time in the house, that way.

Report
Beccarollover · 16/04/2004 19:40

no shoving in cupboards!?








oh dear

OP posts:
Report
podgegl20 · 16/04/2004 19:43

I'd agree with grumpyzebra, suggest they look around on their own once you've showed them round. We've just agreed a sale on a house and we didn't feel very comfortable looking and talking about things when the vendor was in. I think cleanliness and de-cluttering is most important. We viewed a house that needed a really good clean - ds1 needed the loo and it was making me heave.
Good luck.

Report
Codswallop · 16/04/2004 19:45

clean new towels

all tooth brushes and stuff hidden

tell the truth/tell them what you like to do

have lunch in gareden or the light hits this room int he aftenoon - thats the stuff they sill remember
get dp to take the kids out

Report
Codswallop · 16/04/2004 19:48

heating on if warm no kids

have shoes on yourself(!)

I remmebr this woman in crappy old slippers

Report
Beccarollover · 16/04/2004 20:03

Dp will be taking kids out so will just be me

I need to (in the morning) hide most of evidence of kids

Put all washing away, none on radiators etc

Have kitchen and bathroom sparkling

Not sure ill get the chance for fresh flowers will this be ok?

Shove as much as possible out of sight/in the car/in the loft

BUT I dread them opening my wardrobes - it is shove city and dont think I have time to sort them as well as everything else!!! eek!!

OP posts:
Report
GeorginaA · 16/04/2004 20:06

Are they fitted wardrobes, Becca? If not they should be fine.

I wouldn't worry about the fresh flowers thing, I think they can look a bit contrived (in my personal opinion only). I think from your list, putting washing away and making the kitchen & bathroom spotless are the most important - they were the real deal breakers for me when looking around a property.

Report
Beccarollover · 16/04/2004 20:12

Yes they are fitted wardrobes arrggh

OP posts:
Report
bluesky · 16/04/2004 20:29

Beccaroller, Good Luck, went through all this last year, I had the cheap boxes from B&Q and tipped all kids clutter in etc and hid it all in my car.

Floors clear, I agree kitchen and bathroom pretty empty and sparkly, loo seats down.

We went to view a house where they had the coffee percalator going in the kitchen, and when we were trying to have a conversation with them in the kitchen, they had to turn it off it was making such a racket!

Dont worry too much, I remember from going on viewings that afterwards I couldnt tell you the colour of peoples sofas or their bedlinen etc, you are taking in room sizes, the feeling of rooms, looking at if you could put your furniture into places, and thinking do we need to replace a) kitchen b) bathroom c) windows!

Let us know how it goes!

Report
Demented · 16/04/2004 20:43

All the best for tomorrow BR!

I agree with everything that has been said but decluttering and cleaning IMO are most important. Also agree with Coddy about saying a little (but not too much) about what you have enjoyed whilst living in the house, for example:- 'this room is lovely, it gets the evening sun, I love to sit here having a glass of wine once the kids are in bed' etc.

Good idea getting your DP to take the children out, when were selling our flat DS2 was 10 weeks old and I just couldn't bring myself to take them out every time there was a viewing so DS2 slept in his babyswing and DS1 sat beside me being bribed big time to sit quiety while everyone looked round. If I was to do it again they would definately be taken out.

Report
noddy5 · 16/04/2004 20:47

clean clean clean esp bathroom and kitchen
clear clutter if you can
hoover everywhere
cut up a couple of lemons and hide here and there -smells divine
open all curtains/blinds as wide as poss to let loads of light in
dont draw attention to scruffy bits or be in any way apologetic

Report
Codswallop · 16/04/2004 20:49

Lol demented - you mean I might waffle on a nd on?

Report
toddlerbob · 16/04/2004 21:03

Nice towels, clean taps for today.

Take as much as possible off the kitchen bench to make it look bigger.

Put all the lights on and open all the doors to the rooms. Show them to a small room, but do not go in after them.

Good luck

Report
OldieMum · 16/04/2004 23:22

Others have made lots of useful suggestions. My main memory from house-hunting was how much easier it was to think carefully about a house when the owners were not around. Some owners were obviously very proud of their houses and I used up brain cells trying to find nice things to say about each room as they hovvered around, rather than being able to take in things like space, potential for fitting in our furniture, what I'd like to change about the house etc. I'm sure it's no coincidence that our current house had nobody living in it when we saw it. You say that you will be around, so try to be unobtrusive and give the viewer a chance to walk around alone at some point.

Report
buzzybee · 17/04/2004 01:26

Probably too late for advice now but I've been told its a good idea to plan your "route" around the house - i.e. pick the best rooms to show first. First impressions are so important so if you can't declutter everywhere - declutter the first rooms (inlcuding the front entrance) you plan to show. Also make sure any pets are well out of the way!

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

gemilou · 17/04/2004 01:28

Hi
thats a good idea but we live in a 2up 2down, so there isnt a good place to start

Report
essbee · 17/04/2004 01:41

Message withdrawn

Report
Beccarollover · 17/04/2004 07:23

Thanks for all of the advice here girls!

I have started the challenge this morning and just going round putting anything away that isnt used daily - got a load of stuff ready to be shoved into the loft until we move.

I think I will have to compromis and tidy HALF the wardrobe that way I can pull open that bit and say "oh I just LOVE all this storage space" without her seeing everything shoved in any which way.

I hope it sells quickly! I couldnt be arsed with too many viewings lol

Oops another thing, last night friends and I had chinese and now the house smells a bit cantonese chicken-ny - that should go with cleaning and airing shouldnt it!?

OP posts:
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.