Question for those selling their houses

[NormaLouiseBates]

Morning all,

We currently rent and our LL is selling the house. There is an EA coming this morning to take the photos for the listing and I've been cleaning all week and setting the house so it looks like no one lives in it 😂

My question is if/when they have any viewings should I be making the house look like it does in the photos again or is it okay to look a little more lived in? For example I have hidden away my laptop, printer, dog toys, other various signs of life etc for these photos. Do I need to do this for viewings too?

(In case anyone is wondering, the LL has been very good to us and is helping us financially with our move so I'm happy to do this for her)

No you won't need to get it to "photo stage" for any viewings. Just present it as it is. Good to hear your landlord is helping you with costs. A lot don't, but that doesn't mean you have to disrupt your life for the viewings.

It's ok for the house to look like a normal house for viewings.

When we were renting and the owner was selling we agreed that the estate agents could show people around on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings but that they would try and avoid all other times. They obviously still let us know if they were coming but it worked really well. It meant the agent didn't have to keep checking with us and it meant we had the rest of the days to our self

Nope just have it clean and tidy but you still have to live there. No one is not going to buy a house because there is a laptop on the coffee table etc. We do take our dog out of the house for viewings though partly because he is a git and partly because some people don't like dogs.

I agree with eveyone else. When you have viewings just make a bit of an effort to tidy up i.e no dishes in the sink etc and just have a general tidy round and maybe run the vac round a little but you do live there so you don't need to present it immaculately every time someone views. Just present it as well as you can. It doesn't need to look like a show home.
We are selling ours and we have just been keeping the house as clean and tidy as we can from day to day. Then if we get a viewing we put one or two things away, have a tidy and vac round, then my husband takes the dogs for a walk while I show the people round. But that's because are barking lunatics and would jump up at people and want attention!

Oh thank god for that!

Thanks all, much appreciated. It's a house with very little storage so finding places to hide everything has been challenging!

Well I wouldn’t leave valuables like your laptop out but that’s for your sake!

I would just wear my best attire.

You’re a lovely tenant, most wouldn’t go to the effort you have gone to for the photos. But no, you definitely don’t need to keep it pristine for viewings.

I'm taking the credit for this of course 😂 it sold to the first person who viewed it!

how lovely that you have a good relationship with your LL and you were thinking about this. You obviously did something right with the house selling quickly. Hope your move goes smoothly to your next place.

Thank you @Katkincake she really is the nicest person and the best landlord we've ever had in terms of dealing with issues quickly and with no fuss. We're sad to be leaving of course but it's all worked out really well, we've got a lovely brand new build to move to so it's all good 😊