Stuart Zullo 
Preparing your Liverpool home for an open home can be extremely nerve-racking. You’re probably wondering how many people will come through, what they’ll be looking for, and whether or not your property will match their wish list. There are many factors that will come into play when buyers and tenants are choosing the property that’s right for them, but there are a few things you can do to help your Liverpool home maximise its appeal.
Start by doing a big clean up. This may sound pretty obvious, but let’s face it, there wouldn’t be TV shows like Selling Houses Australia if people always got it right. Cleaning up can mean many things in many homes. Some may be regular cleaners and only need to do a quick sweep through prior to inspection, while others will be decluttering, scrubbing, dusting and polishing. Removing the origin of any odours is always better than trying to cover them with deodorisers. Make sure toys, shoes and papers are put away neatly, garbage and pet’s beds are kept out of sight and the mailbox has been emptied. All traces of your household pets should be gone – pet hair on floors and pet smells can be huge turn offs. Don’t forget to give the insides of cupboards and wardrobes a quick once over too, as buyers may want to open them up to assess your home’s storage.
Optimise the openness of your Liverpool home by inviting air and light in wherever possible. This will be particularly important if you’re not currently living in the home, as a house that’s been closed up for a while likely feel stuffy when the doors are first opened. Keep your home fresh by cracking open a window or two leading up to the inspection time, if security permits, and have the whole house as open as possible if you’re still living there. Have curtains and blinds open to let in as much light as possible, and it can also help to leave lights on even for twilight inspections, as it can create a real sense of warmth and homeliness.
While it’s great to keep furnishings and colour choices reasonably neutral to appeal to the broadest possible range of buyers or tenants, don’t underestimate the effect of small personal touches. Leaving an album or digital slideshow of photographs of your house in various lights and seasons or photos of local attractions can have a great emotional impact on buyers. Similarly fresh flowers, lit candles (out of reach of children) or a dish of lollies in the hall for people to take from can be similarly personal and inviting.
Finally, add the finishing touches. Set the temperature gauge high enough to make the house comfortable, while adding warmth with your lighting. Showing that your home can meet the needs of a winter climate will add great appeal. Fragrance your home subtly as a fresh clean smell is always better than anything manufactured, but a lightly scented candle or carpet deodoriser can add to the affect. And lastly, keep your valuables safe. While real estate agents attending inspections will always strive to minimise any security risks, we’d recommend keeping cash and valuables well and truly out of sight and locked away, or take them with you to avoid any possible loss.
If you’d like more real estate tips please contact us today for your FREE copy of our ‘Showtime, 101 Ways To Sell Your Home’ guide.