Prepare Your Home For A Show Day

Always ask yourself, “Would I buy this home” when getting ready for a show day .

The first impression a buyer has of your home will assist to set it apart from the competition and can be the deciding factor for them to put in an offer. So, the time spent staging your property for a show day is an excellent investment.

The objective is show great design and overall comfort, by neutralising, depersonalising and making your home as free from clutter as possible. Your potential buyers want to see themselves living there. Buying a home is an emotional purchase so packaging it accordingly is key.

The perfect balance will mean that your home creates an appeal within a neutral enough context, for your visitors to imagine living there. You have already prepared your property to sell, now make it shine for the show day.

• Give your home an extra special clean
• Make sure the kitchen and house smell fresh and clean
• Clear work surfaces in the kitchen
• Open the windows, airflow is vital
• Open all doors that lead out onto the garden
• Put clean linen on the beds
• Turn on lights if necessary
• Put some music on - an appropriate DSTV channel is a good idea
• Have a vase of fresh flowers in the house and/or Introduce greenery by picking a range of leaves from your garden
• Make provision for your pets either to be with you for the afternoon or to stay at the house.
• Remember that the gate will in all likelihood be open and pets can escape.
• Brush all pet hair off of the beds, couches and covers
• Depersonalise your home by removing personal items.
• Remove anything that is not meant to be in a room ie. all laundry, ironing boards and exercise equipment
• If you have a scullery, extra rooms, playrooms or offices, stage them for their intended function. Multi-use rooms can confuse buyers
• Remove any unnecessary furniture and arrange the furniture to show that the property has space Multi plugs and extension cords are an indication of not enough plug points so remove them
• Neaten all cords, cables and conduits
• Hide fans, heaters and air purifiers
• Tidy the garden and clear up all leaves
• Cut-off any dead flowers from bushes
• Ensure the pool is clear, blue and sparkling. Remove the pool cover
• Roll up hoses and put away any garden implements
• If the property has any special features like a water feature, put them on

Ensure that all precious items, computers, cell phones and jewellery are locked away.