House on the market ....

Clear and clean the hall or entrance, 1st impression and buyers sometimes stop to ask a question here on their way out. No smelly shoes!

And the fresh smell of paint … that is not to say diy done 6 months ago.

Agree with you! Clean sells!!

Yes, I would be cleaning. I just want to say good luck.

I think people are wise to the coffee and bread aromas now

Oh, I won't try that then!

I agree with Terribull - 'presenting a property in the best light is quite crucial to achieving the best possible price, in a way you are selling a lifestyle and need to stage the home accordingly'.

We have sold a few houses over the years. All of them sold quite quickly. All of the houses were 'presented' well.

I think you should remove clutter from surfaces and make sure the house is clean and tidy, especially kitchens and bathrooms. Don't have too many knick knacks around. Things like bookcases are different but I would make sure they look tidy.

Some people cannot see beyond what is already there.

I am always suspicious if there is a strong smell of air freshener or scented candles as it makes me wonder if it is covering up something. I would use flowers and open the windows prior to let some fresh air in (weather permitting of course). I think people are wise to the coffee and bread aromas now.

I also think that people are put off by pets, especially if they are not animal lovers. We had two dogs when we sold one of our houses. On the open day we moved the baskets and dishes from the house and made sure there was no doggy smell. It was quite easy for us as we had hard flooring.

Good luck with the sale

Or Northumberland.

merlotgran

I would be the same with knobs on.

Cleaning calms me down when I’m anxious. I must be weird. ?

Would you like a fortnight's working holiday in Wales, merlotgran? ?

GillT57

Good luck. We have done this several times, each time have said we are never moving again.....until the next time. What drove me mad was not cooking 'stinky' foods in case we had a call about a viewing, so no curries, and I spent a fortune on flowers. Hope all goes well!!

Put on a pot of coffee and apparently cinnamon is a good scent, like home baking!

Oh goodness yes!
We had an estate agent just come to give us a valuation the other day and I did the best I could which isn't good enough at the moment!
DH assumed he'd be taking photos and I said "No - it would need a huge springclean before photos are taken!"

Put away anything too personal like a lot of family photos - the car makes a good storage space ?

Teacheranne

My daughter’s house was advertised online this Monday, she had six viewings on Wednesday and had two firm offers yesterday! She now needs to get a move on finding her new house!

We were tempted to sell up and get a more modern house but on speaking to a lovely EA , she had dealings with our family before , we were well put off . She told us about a house about the price we were looking at which had 8 people bidding for it ( Scottish Law ) and it went for £20 over the asking price. The only answer for us is to buy a new biuld giving us time to sell ours but we have decided to stay put at the moment .

My daughter’s house was advertised online this Monday, she had six viewings on Wednesday and had two firm offers yesterday! She now needs to get a move on finding her new house!

We moved last year, presenting a property in the best light is quite crucial to achieving the best possible price, in a way you are selling a lifestyle and need to stage the home accordingly. Heaven knows there are enough programmes on this theme these days.

I can never understand how some people let their property be photographed in a dishevelled state with unmade beds, washing airing etc., to be displayed on Right Move for the whole world to see. Also feel if an agent is involved why they don't speak up and tell the vendor "clear up for God's sake do you want to sell your property and get the best achievable price?" that but with more diplomacy, must be in their training!

We made absolutely sure the kitchen and bathrooms were gleaming with surface paraphernalia cleared away, subtle lighting. Hoovered, dusted, cushions plumped, windows cleaned, bedrooms staged with superfluous cushions and throws. I like a property to look clean and tidy but not sterile some signs of living visible such as books, but surface clutter is off putting. We had an open day and let them, the estate agents get on with it, they need to earn their fees which can be considerable. We got two offers, one at the asking price, one just below, it was a sellers market then and more so now, there is a real shortage of properties around.

Very good luck Hazel hope all goes well for you.

I did the same. Cleaned top to bottom, put away family photos, nothing on view in bathrooms, dogs in the car etc. Husband staged some lighting and cut grass and tidied garden. Open Day yielded 8 viewers and it sold for asking price.
Good luck, let us know how you get on.

SHazza - back in 1976 similar story for us. We had our 4-year old house on the market for about three months (the recent birth of twins had made it far too small for us). With five small children it was difficult to keep it tidy. Not a single offer. Took it off the market to give us a breathing space. About a month later, whilst hubbie was out with the three older children one Sunday morning, knock at the door and a man saying he knew the house had been on the market, had i t sold? If not could he have a look around?. Brought his wife back that afternoon, we agreed our asking price and divided between us the amount that would have gone to the EA and all went ahead very quickly.

Of course, these days, most EA have a clause saying that they will still get their cut upto six month after the house is taken off their books.

Good luck you are sure to sell Especially if its sparking!
Around my area houses are being snapped up over the asking price by £5-10 k.
My friends daughter put in offer 5k over asking price offer rejected as the seller got one £15 k over the asking price.

Good luck hazel93, I hope you get an offer or two.

Should have added many thanks for all good wishes !!

Decided on an "Open Day" as it means one day of being tidy rather than viewings over a period of time when you are constantly plumping cushions, clearing any surface etc.
I'm cleaning, not removing all signs of family life !
Sorry Germanshepherdsmum, cupboards now full of all manner of crap - have made certain if doors are opened it will not be a Health and Safety issue !!

When we sold our house in 95 it had been on the market a year without luck but this one day a couple knocked on the door and said they were passing could they look at the house.
I said ‘well you can but it’s a bit of a mess’ . We’d just come in from the seaside with kids buckets spades and sand everywhere but I had put a joint of pork in the oven. I’m sure that’s what sold it. They loved it and said it was homely and bought it.

I would be the same with knobs on.

Cleaning calms me down when I’m anxious. I must be weird. ?

Just to send best wishes and hope it is a successful day for you. Did not know that these Open Days are continuing, thought it was back to viewer just making appopriate appointment.

Obvously you want to show off you home a clean and tidy as possible. Assume you have been invlolved in the de-cluttering process. Have you anything in mind that you are moving to?

Don’t hide everything away in the cupboards - viewers might open them!

I preferred looking at empty houses.

I cleaned my house . But didn't hide away my photos or craft things . It's a home I was showing not a show home . So no flowers and if they smelt my dinner from the night before no one complained to the estate agent about any bad smells. How many people have cats and dogs do you banished them from your home just because you are selling it? People want to see a home . As soon as I walked into my bungalow knew this was what I wanted . Photos of family on the walls . Bookcases full of books.

But when I went viewing places went with an open mind and saw beyond what was there.

If somewhere I viewed was perfect everything just so I got suspicious about what they where hiding.

Yes clean your home but remember it's a home . People viewing are looking for a home not a house . A place to live for years.