Some people will argue that presentation and tactics like home staging have the potential to add significantly to the selling price of a home, while others will disagree.
Regardless of which side of the argument they fall on, I think that when selling, most people and their agents will try to make a property look its best. And while ideally you'd like to be able to ensure that every room in a house or unit is prepared to look as good as it possibly can, many times we lack either the time or resources, or both, to give an entire property the golden treatment.
To that end, if you are preparing your property for sale and know that you may not be able to give every room your full attention, it may be worth focusing on certain key areas to maximise the viewer appeal of your property.
The first room that people walk into when entering your home is a strong contender to be the most important area to focus on when selling. This is the first impression people will get, and their initial thoughts could shape their subsequent and overall opinions about whether or not to purchase the property.
With this being the case, it is therefore important that this area gets the benefit of your focus when making selling preparations. Ensure that your entry is not crowded with furniture and has ample room to allow your agent to chat to people as they enter. Additionally, some attractive artwork could work well to make your property look elegant and inviting.
Another important space to focus on is the main area where people congregate in your property – the living room for example. Again, this room should not be crowded with furniture and the furniture that remains should be configured so as to convey a sense of interaction. Essentially you are trying to make sure that prospective buyers can see themselves feeling at home in your property.
The kitchen is a further essential area that deserves consideration. No matter how the rest of a property is used, the kitchen is a room that is (in most cases) consistently utilised in the day to day movements of the occupants of a home. Consider associating this space with notions of healthiness by ensuring it is clean on inspection day and even placing a bowl of colourful fruit in easy view of entrants. If the kitchen in your property has windows, make sure they are open, maximising as much natural light as is available.
In the end, buyers can usually make a decision on a property regardless of the way various rooms look. However, it definitely can't hurt to present your property in a way that appeals to as many buyers as possible, allowing them to visualise themselves living there. While I can't make any promises, this sense of connection could help prospective purchasers to assign a higher value to your property than what they may have otherwise considered it to be worth.