These tactics are designed to make homes more appealing to buyers and are being increasingly used, according to research by PrimeLocation.com and Grand Designs Live.
Overall hiding clutter is the most popular tactic with 77% of sellers admitting they do this followed by displaying fresh flowers at 59% and hiding wear and tear at 55%.
Some 20% admit to hiding family pictures, 31% deliberately bake food prior to a viewing and the same amount offer refreshments. In addition17% say they’d play relaxing music to welcome viewers.
The more unusual measures include leaving out stylish magazines, 16% of those polled, and 10% said they would consider displaying luxuries such as exotic fruit and upmarket wines.
For buyers an ugly exterior is the most off putting aspect of a property with 47% citing this as a reason not to buy while 7% said that it would not make a difference.
The research also shows that buyers are interested in more practical considerations such as bright and airy rooms, 87%, efficient storage, 73%, a well maintained garden, 69%, and neutral décor, 67%.
And devotees of striped sofas and floral lampshades take note, a quarter of home buyers, some 26%, said that they would be put off by dated decor.
‘Every single home and type of home in the UK has potential. You may question this statement looking around your existing home, wondering how it could be transformed but it is true. It is not the size that matters but the way you use your space,’ said TV architect George Clarke.
‘That is no to say all properties don’t have their drawbacks and difficulties that must be addressed but there are solutions for any space. Work with what you have got and embrace some of the tricks of the trade to transform it,’ he added.
According to Nigel Lewis, property analyst at PrimeLocation.com, the main trap people fall in to is thinking of their home as an extension of their personality when in reality they are selling an empty space where the next owner will fulfil their grand desires.
‘Using home makeover tips such as clearing clutter to maximise the space and welcoming viewers with flowers and homely smells and sounds can be a great way to help potential buyers get the best possible viewing experience and imagine how they would live in your house without being distracted,’ he said.
Visitors at this year’s Grand Designs Live event at the NEC in Birmingham which starts of 07 October, will be able to get top expert advice on preparing homes for sale and rent in the Dulux Grand Interiors Theatre. Experts will take to the stage to tell people how they can make their property stand out from the crowd, whatever the budget.
