How to prepare your home for viewing.

It goes without saying that first impressions count for a lot. Especially when it comes to selling houses.

When a buyer walks into your home, you want to maximise the possibility that they fall in love with it. Ticking these boxes before you walk out the door can help you achieve that outcome.

Turn on all the lights.

It's important to turn on all your interior lights before you leave the home, even on a sunny day. When it's bright outside, every home feels dark when you walk inside as your eyes slowly adjust to the change in lighting. You can smooth this transition by turning on every light and lamp in your home in advance of any viewings.

Turn on some music.

There is something comforting about hearing soft music when you enter a home. It relaxes you and lifts your mood. Go for a safe option like jazz or soul and play it at a level that provides background noise, without drowning out conversation.

Turn on the heating.

If in doubt, make your home warmer than usual, even if it's not a particularly cold day. Remember that buyers will be opening and closing every exterior door, so your heating system will need to counter-balance this and provide a warm and inviting experience for your potential buyer.

Clear surfaces.

The best way to make a home feel less cluttered is to clear all surfaces. Kitchen benches, fridges, bathroom vanities, bedside tables and sets of drawers should all be cleared of everything except the bare essentials (like fruit bowls). This small change will maximise the feeling of space throughout your home.

Turn off appliances.

A common mistake homeowners make is to leave their home for a viewing but leave a washing machine or dishwasher running while they are away. As owners, we become desensitized to these sounds but when a buyer walks into an empty home, noisy appliances are all you can hear. These can be a distraction when buyers should be soaking in the welcoming ambience of their future abode.

Bonus points!!

If you really want to put the icing on the cake, then light a few scented candles around your home to add another welcoming touch. If you have time, run a mop over any hard floors, too. Most buyers will be walking around in socks or bare feet. Because of this, they will be extra sensitive to any dirt or crumbs left lying around.