Author Archives: Sam

If you have a dog or cat, or any other pet, they are probably a very important member of your family. (My lovely collie, Georgie, kind of rules our house…. ) However, even though it’s sometimes difficult for pet lovers to imagine, there is in fact a large proportion of the population that just doesn’t like animals in the house. In fact, if they see any evidence of pets at all in the photos, they just won’t even book a viewing!

So what do you do with Rover and Moggy (or Georgie) when you have a viewing arranged?

You need to make sure you don’t alienate your viewers and put them off your home from the moment they step through the door, so get rid of all traces of your pets if you can. If your agent accompanies viewers, then take the dog out for a walk; if you conduct the viewings yourself, and the weather allows it, let your dog have a sleep in the car, or leave it with a neighbour.

Also, don’t forget to hide all pet paraphernalia: litter trays, pet food, dog beds, cat toys, etc. Close the cat flap, and ask a friend to look after the budgie and the tortoise.. and the snake…..

But you protest “I want to sell my home to a pet lover just like me!” I hear you, and even sympathise, but we’re talking about selling your home here for the most money possible! Don’t limit your market, instead if you appeal to everyone, you have the best possible chance of a successful sale. If you only want to sell to someone who has rabbits, rats and an iguana, you may be waiting a while….

Give your buyers the chance to fall in love with your house and your beloved pets will soon have a new home to move to.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch

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The agent calls, a viewer will be there within the hour. What can you do to ensure they see your house in the best possible light? Here’s my ten top tips to make your house shine in a hurry!

1. Grab a washing basket, and go through each room removing any bits and pieces that don’t belong there: paperwork, laundry, dirty dishes, shoes – anything that’s cluttering up the space. Pop the basket in your car, out of sight;

2. Swap the towels in the bathroom for freshly laundered ones. Even better is to have new white fluffy towels that you keep especially for viewings;

3. Make up the master bed with laundered or new bedding. Again, if you can keep some new bedding to throw on for viewings, it will always look at its best. One tip is to put your usual duvet cover and pillow cases over the top of your special ones, and whip them off for viewings – ta da!

4. Open a window in each room to let some fresh air into the house – only a fraction if it’s cold!

5. Make sure the heating is on, and light any fires you have in the house. If you don’t have time, fill the grate with church candles and light them for a cosy glow. This also works in the summertime when it’s too hot to have a fire lit;

6. Unless it’s an extremely bright day, have your lamps lit upstairs, and a mixture of overhead and low level lights lit downstairs;

7. Create the right atmosphere with low and relaxing music, to encourage your viewers to linger over their viewing;

8. Make sure your home smells as good as it looks: spray beds with a tiny spray of perfume, pop a tumble drier sheet in the bottom of all your bins, and put a vanilla pod in the oven on a low heat for a subtle, homely scent. If you don’t have one, try some drops of vanilla or lemon juice in a bowl of water and put that in the oven.

9. Raid your garden for some greenery and colour, and arrange in vases. Even in winter, you can usually find some sprigs of foliage to add some life and interest to your home.

10. Finally – give yourself a mini-makeover! Make sure your outfit is smart, your shoes are clean (never slippers!) and you are well-groomed and looking professional. Your image should reflect that of your home – neat, well-kept and stylish.

Keep these 10 quick staging tips taped on the inside of a kitchen cupboard, so you can implement them quickly, and make sure your family is well-trained so they can leap into action when required!

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

Whether you’re taking the photographs yourself, or enlisting the help of a professional, you want your home to look it’s best when picture days rolls around. Because when your home is listed on Rightmove, great shots attract more buyers. Let’s put your homes best features forwards, and showcase the unique qualities of each room. That way, we can tempt more people to step inside, and take a closer look. So here’s how we do it:

Five days to go

Home styling and staging are great ways to prepare for your house photography shoot. With less than a week before you’re planning to shoot your home, it’s time to get prepared. Take a walk through each room, and take a picture.

Now nip outside to shoot the front and back garden, before finding a comfy spot to flick through the album. Try to imagine yourself as a potential buyer. What do you notice in each room? If anywhere looks a little cluttered or busy, your home is in great company, as almost all homes have that comforting lived-in look. But, sadly, not many people choose to view a lived-in looking home. Because moving into another family’s ‘lived-in’ space isn’t all that appealing.

Four days to go

Let’s take another look at the pictures with fresh eyes, and take note of anything distracting. Because great home photography showcases the home, not the things inside the home. And there’s only so much a photographer can do.

So, let’s tick off the lounge. Are the sofas positioned just right? With a little straightening and shuffling, furniture can frame a fireplace, or draw your eye to an elegant bay window. Textiles shouldn’t be the main focus, so if the curtains are clashing with the cushions, it’s worth indulging in a few new accessories. In your lunch hour, have a quick browse on a few Homeware websites. John Lewis and The Little White Company are great choices; opt for any neutral tones, and steer clear of clashing patterns. And with a few clicks, you’ll have a fresh new look for your lounge delivered to your door-step.

Three days to go

If you have children or pets, give the grandparents a call and do some sweet talking. A family visit is something for the children to look forward to, and it would be ideal timing for the upcoming shoot day too. The sounds of little pattering feet are lovely, but your photographer will thank you for keeping them out of shot.

Two days to go

Let’s look at the master bedroom shots. This room should look like a sanctuary; it needs to appear peaceful, calm and indulgent. But this is the room that often falls short. Most people like to show a little personality with their bedsheets and throws, but unfortunately, not everyone shares the same taste. Keeping bed linen plain and fresh is key. So if all your sheets are wonderfully loud and garish, you’ve just got time to order a calmer alternative. Throws and cushions should be in keeping with the decor, and complimenting curtains complete the ambiance.

One day to go

Head to the kitchen, and remove any appliances off the worktops. Having microwaves, mixers and coffee machines to hand is convenient, but they’re off-putting to potential buyers. Having chopping boards, tea towels and bins on show makes a room appear cluttered. So, with just one day until the shoot, it’s best to find them a temporary hide-away home.

The day of the photoshoot

So, the photographer is on their way, and you’ve got just enough time to grab a bag, and double-check that each room is ready ahead of their arrival. File away any paper-work on the office desk, pop the children’s’ beakers in the dishwasher, and tidy away any rogue clothes. Because a photographer may be a professional, but there’s only so much they can do. A good rule is: anything you can pick up and pop in the bag, pick up and pop in the bag.

Straighten all bed linen, and smooth over curtains, because clean lines and crisp edges make a surprising difference. And once you’ve finished checking each room, leave the door open to create a sense of space.

When the photographer arrives, don’t be afraid to work with them. Yes, they are skilled and experienced, but you know your home better than anyone. Point out all the features you love about each room, and remember the things that made you smile on your first viewing. Make sure to point out any nice fixtures in the bathroom, and encourage them to take close up shots of any original features too. Standard, wide angle shots give a sense of space, but a few snaps of artful details is memorable too. Because if the pictures of your home are memorable, potential buyers are sure to get in touch.

So it’s as easy as that! Happy selling 🙂

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

Sam

I have a dream.. that one day in this country, property will be marketed with the cost per square foot clearly indicated. These are my arguments:

1. It’s much more common in the US and in Europe

2. It’s easier to see how much house you’re getting for your money

3. It will help stop massive over-valuing or ‘buying boards’ (the practice of over-valuing to win instructions)

4. It allows direct comparisons of properties

5. We even buy our loo rolls like this – 2p per sheet for example, so why not our houses?

I always present my clients with a Price Per Square Foot Analysis, and whilst the critics out there will argue that there’s much more to property valuing than this, it’s a very good starting point.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

Gardens generally look awful at this time of year; the grass is patchy, the flower beds are covered in leaves, and your patio is covered in some slimy stuff that you’re sure wasn’t there last year. In addition, family gardens may be scattered with unloved toys, a rusty barbecue, a whirligig showing signs of wear and the discarded Christmas tree, which you haven’t got round to taking to the tip yet.

But it’s spring time! The buyers are back, and they are raring to view; your house is on their list, so with only a few days’ notice, what can you do to make your garden look its best once again? Follow my 10 point action plan to help your garden really sell your house:

1. Take out anything that is letting your garden down; toys, rubbish, dead plants, washing line, dog chews; anything and everything that wouldn’t be there if your garden was in a gardening magazine! Throw it, give it away, or hide it in your shed or garage.

2. Clean every single plant pot, plant holder, window box, bird table, and anything that needs the winter dullness replacing with spring shine.

3. Now get out your gardening tools, and turn your attention to the flower beds; turn them over well, getting rid of any weeds, old plants, any debris, and cover with a layer of good quality bark chippings, so you don’t have to keep doing it.

4. Pruning is next: take your secateurs to your trees and bushes, to make sure they look neat and tidy, with no straggling ends. If you’re not sure a shrub is adding anything to your garden, perhaps because it’s too old and looking a bit sorry for itself, maybe it’s time to send it to the garden in the sky. Be brutal, your garden will thank you for it.

5. Hire a power washer, and clean off your brickwork, patio slabs, paths, decking and anything else that needs a good scrub down.

6. Re-paint and re-stain anything you think might look better with a refresh; your garden gate, fence, shed, all would look much better if given some tlc.

7. Now is the fun part! Go to your local garden centre or DIY store and treat your garden to lots of colour; don’t go mad with lots of different colours; try to stick to two or three key and complementary colours and buy plants for pots, bedding plants for your beds, and some nice new pots to dress your patio and paths.

8. If there’s room, a bay tree, or shaped conifer, look very smart when placed either side of your front door, and really help to define your entrance.

9. Look critically at your patio furniture; is it good enough to stay? If it’s of a good quality, and can be successfully spruced up, then spend some elbow grease bringing it back to its former glory. If on the other hand it’s broken, split or otherwise just not salvageable, get rid of it and replace it with a nice new set. The value it will add to your garden will be many times your investment.

10. Open your parasol; is it green with mould and on a skew? Time to replace it then. Unless it’s blowing a gale, have it up for viewings, to help your viewers imagine themselves sitting there in our oh so fragile English summer.

And there you have it – follow these ten steps and your viewers will be wowed into an offer!

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

I’m often asked to conduct ‘Mystery Shops’ for my agent clients, and usually, both they and I are disappointed by the results. Sloppy answering, disinterested staff, and a lack of engagement are all regular elements of these calls. What a wasted opportunity!

“But my agent isn’t like that” I hear you protest. Good! I hope you’re right. Care to put your claim to the test?

Ask a friend to do this for you, in case your agent recognises your voice. Have her call your agent and tell them that she’s looking for a house in a price range and area that would include your property. Then award the following up to ten points for each element:

Asked for my phone number

Gave their name

Buying position ascertained

Offered to register your requirements on a mailing list

Asked any questions about your buying criteria

Engaged, interested, friendly?

Mentioned your property and commented positively

Mentioned a viewing
Took email or physical address in an efficient manner

Details requested arrived promptly

TOTAL OUT OF 100

How did they score?

Over 70 points – good effort! Worth persevering with this agent, perhaps give feedback on the elements where they could improve but keep it positive.

50-70 points – not quite so good. Where did they score lowest? Are they omitting to engage callers in an interested way about your house? Or missing the fundamentals of gathering information? Perhaps sit down with your agent and discuss these points, but again, keep your feedback positive.

30 – 50 points – oh dear! Are you getting viewings? I bet you aren’t! This really isn’t a great result. Consider seriously changing agents to a more proactive one who will engage callers and take information for follow up.

Under 30 points – time to move on! Seriously, if your agent scores this low, you’ll never sell your house! Move on to a new agent as soon as you possibly can.

If you’re wondering which agent to move to, repeat the exercise above with several of the agents in your area and see who scores the highest!

Need some help and advice with this? Let me know.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

If you’re selling your home and have children, have you considered their impact on your home viewings? As much as you love your little ones, there are a few things you need to consider when selling up.

Noise and clamour. If there are people over viewing your home, the last thing they want is to be interrupted by screaming children. Yes, children make noise, but it will dampen a home viewing and could leave viewers feeling negative. Ideally get the children babysat during viewing times, or have your partner take them out.

Toys and clutter. No one likes to see clutter during a home viewing. Your home might be lovely and tidy in the majority of the space, but with piles of toys elsewhere mid-use, and Lego pieces lying around to get caught under shoes, it can make a space look smaller.

Lifestyle. We’ve talked about it before; buyers are buying into a home’s lifestyle. If your viewers are a couple with children, they might appreciate a child centred home. People without however, can sometimes lack the imagination needed to see past the Batman duvet and picture their private study. Try to make any children’s spaces as tidy and neat as possible, and put the toys in a wardrobe to have a clear floor.

Pink. Magnolia sells, deep pink walls don’t. Explain to your little ones that you’ll paint their new bedroom pink/with Superman wallpaper in the new house, but for now the walls need to be painted for the new buyers. Your house well sell quicker.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch

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As home stagers, we are often accused of staging the personality out of a house. In the 1980s when home staging first came to the UK from our friends across the water, the trend was for neutral floors, neutral walls and generally neutral taste throughout. Bland and boring was definitely the order of the day, though when you think about the décor in those days – peach bathroom suites and flowery borders everywhere – perhaps it’s understandable!

However, home staging has moved on. It’s far more sophisticated these days, and having a home with personality definitely doesn’t have to mean it’s ‘unsellable’.

Here are my top DOs and DON’Ts for home staging in the 21^st Century:

DON’T just paint every wall Magnolia – choose a sophisticated colour palette with different but complementary shades for each room.

DO clear away anything you wouldn’t see in a show home: toys, pet paraphernalia, laundry, coats and shoes, all need to be put away out of sight.

DON’T have carpet in your bathroom – the 21^st Century buyer won’t be impressed!

DO replace any carpet in high traffic areas that is over 10 years old, or 5 years if you have pets and children.

DON’T choose patterned carpets – this is one area where boring is best!

DO shop for modern accessories like lamps, vases and ornaments from a well-known brand like Next or John Lewis, to ensure quality and good taste.

DON’T keep your collection of teapots, fluffy toys or scarily realistic dolls on display. Time to pack them away for your (hopefully) forthcoming move.

DO set the dining room and kitchen tables using dining sets, good glasses, flowers and mats.

DON’T be afraid to use colour, but stick to an overall colour palette for the whole house, with different shades and accents in each area.

DO be careful with strong colours and prints: they can be a bit overwhelming. Best to keep them to small items like cushions, rugs or throws.

DON’T forget the bathroom when you stage – fill it full of special toiletries and hide away the Pantene, the Colgate and the half-worn soap

DO visit your local show homes for more ideas for staging in the 21^st Century, and browse through Pinterest, which is a fabulous free source of inspiration. You can even create your own boards to keep your ideas together in one place.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

When you’re ready to sell your home, you want your listing to be on Rightmove fast. But without great photography, you’re unlikely to have many people take a closer look. So how do we make sure that the shots are tempting? Let’s head to the lounge and check that it’s ready for the photographer to arrive. Because the secret to great house photography isn’t the photography itself. It’s the home styling and preparations before the photographer arrives! Follow these simple home styling tips, and your lounge will be picture perfect from every angle.

Take a step back

Perhaps you’ve lived in your home for so long, you don’t pause to appreciate the lovely oak fireplace anymore. Or maybe you’re so ready to move, you overlook the chipped paintwork on the skirting boards. Either way, seeing the same room every day brings a sense of familiarity and comfort. And, sometimes, we can all become a little too comfy with our surroundings. That’s when we start to overlook the details that may be the key to selling your home.

So how do we see the lounge through fresh eyes? We start with a little nostalgia. Let’s go back to the first viewing of your home. What did you feel the first time you walked into your lounge? Perhaps the gently lit window seat, or rustic exposed beams, made you smile. Maybe it simply felt spacious, and you knew it would be the perfect space to entertain guests on a weekend afternoon. But, with time, our home adapts to our family. Maybe your brood is now a few children heavier, and the lounge that once felt spacious and adult, is now cramped with toys.

This is when rooms can start to lose their identity. And to make the room appealing to other families, it’s important to remember the function, or purpose, of each room. So what is the lounge? It’s the communal spot that brings everyone together, and to enjoy each others company. It should feel big enough to gather friends and family comfortably, yet cosy and inviting too. So how do we strike the balance?

We take a look at the ‘things’ inside the room. Because, as time passes, we find ourselves with more and more ‘things.’ Perhaps you brought a new three-piece suit last year, but you just couldn’t bear to part with your favourite old armchair. So it sits in the lounge next to the new suite. Then there’s the coffee table; it might be a little too big for your current place, but you know it’ll fit just right in your next home.

Don’t worry, you’re not on your own. We all do this. But when someone is flicking through your homes pictures on Rightmove, you won’t be on hand to explain why the bookcase is in the lounge. Potential families will simply assume that there isn’t enough space in the office. And a home that looks small isn’t appealing. Too much furniture is suffocating, so creating a spacious-looking lounge is key.

Shuffle some furniture

It’s not quite moving day, but if you follow these steps, you’ll be a little closer to scheduling the removal men.

So, has your furniture sat in the same position for the past few years? If the answer is yes, maybe it’s time for a little shuffling. With time, we position our furniture so that it’s convenient for our everyday living. And that makes sense. But in doing so, it’s easy to cover up, hide and block the homes natural features too. Repositioning furniture can help you rediscover special qualities, and making sure that they’re in frame when the photographer arrives is key.

Flick through a few Homeware magazines for room layout inspiration, because a little sofa shuffling can help breathe some life back into a space. On that note, if you are thinking of indulging in a new suite for your new home, consider replacing the old one now instead. A contemporary set can transform a tired room, and it’ll instantly make the lounge look loved and inviting.

Consider putting big items of furniture, or anything that detracts from the room’s natural features, in storage too. Moving furniture can create space, frame features, and create a more sociable environment.

If your family has grown by a baby or two since you bought your home, you might find that it’s now not quite fit for purpose. That’s why you’re moving. But. And it’s a big but. Potential buyers don’t want to feel that the living space is cramped. They want it to feel spacious and roomy; it needs to look like a family hub, and a perfect space for entertaining too. So any toys, animal beds, or make-shift furniture should be hidden out of shot.

A final five-minute spruce

By following these home styling tips, you’ve done the hard work. But before the photographer arrives, spend a few minutes dressing the room. Neatly fold throws, and plump up the cushions. Open blinds, and turn on any low-level lamps too. Because the lighter the room, the better your photos will show off your home.

Happy selling!

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

Sam

We’ve all spent our fair share of time on Rightmove; have you come across some POA’s in your browse time? Instead of a nice shiny price, three letters are sitting in front of you. Price on Application as it is better known means the price is a secret, unwrapped – at least partially – by a shrewd call to the people in the know. What does it make you think? Are you encouraged to ring the agency, or do you drift to the next listing?

Here’s why you shouldn’t allow your agent to add a POA to your property:

It isn’t really a secret –Rightmove and its competitors don’t allow much to be a secret. While it may look like your homes price is hidden under Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, it really isn’t. POA is only the description; a price has to be input on your listing. A buyer simply needs to widen their price and area search, and your secretly priced home will sit prettily in amongst the homes that its value lies between. Not much of a secret anymore!

People are put off – Would you like to think you’re putting people off your listing, don’t you want the opposite effect? While your house might be the height of perfection, if people see POA they are likely to wander past you, and look elsewhere.

So if you or your agents are considering adding a POA to your lovely home, think twice. It isn’t doing anything positive for your home sale, and can actually be adding negativity.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.