We finally have a viewer!

Sarahbear666

Hi,
First time poster - long time lurker. I'm sure i'm covering old ground but i have little time for searching the forum so would be grateful for some advice...

Our house has been on the market at a, let's say, 'optimistic' price for 5.5 weeks with no interest, no viewings at all. But we finally have a viewing booked for tomorrow night.

Quick question - what do i tell him if he asks how many viewings i've had? I wouldn't want to lie but how do i not make it sound like i'm desparate for him to put in a reasonable offer?!

Longer question - i work full time so i have exactly one evening to make the house clean and presentable. As a viewer what would you say is the priority in terms of presentation?
I'll obviously tidy away as much clutter as possible but i meant to hoover the skirtings at the weekend but ran out of time, and i could do with steam cleaning the oven (etc. etc.) and now i'm panicking!
I need some focus so your top preparation tips will be much appreciated!

Thanks all!

ognum

Sarahbear666 wrote: »

Hi,
First time poster - long time lurker. I'm sure i'm covering old ground but i have little time for searching the forum so would be grateful for some advice...

Our house has been on the market at a, let's say, 'optimistic' price for 5.5 weeks with no interest, no viewings at all. But we finally have a viewing booked for tomorrow night.

Quick question - what do i tell him if he asks how many viewings i've had? I wouldn't want to lie but how do i not make it sound like i'm desparate for him to put in a reasonable offer?!

Longer question - i work full time so i have exactly one evening to make the house clean and presentable. As a viewer what would you say is the priority in terms of presentation?
I'll obviously tidy away as much clutter as possible but i meant to hoover the skirtings at the weekend but ran out of time, and i could do with steam cleaning the oven (etc. etc.) and now i'm panicking!
I need some focus so your top preparation tips will be much appreciated!

Thanks all!

Actually you have had 5 weeks to make it presentable! declutter, make it smell nice, just do as much as you can.

Tell the truth, it has not been on the market very long (in today's market it hasn't)

what has the EA told you about the viewer?

bluedrop

As a viewer, a well lit, reasonably clean , nice smelling house will impress me.

Sarahbear666

That's true, i have had 5 weeks, but with a toddler in the house it doesn't take long to look messy again!
Good tip about the smell i hadn't thought of that, we will have just had dinner so i guess i ought to plan that it isn't an off putting smell.

The EA just said that it's a man, no mention of family (but it's a 4bed detached so i assume he has family), lives not in the same town but a larger and similar one near by, but doesn't have a property to sell.
That's it, i was so shocked i didn't ask EA any questions! Are the any pertinent ones you think i need to ask teh EA?

doyouwantfrieswiththat

Good luck

**sparkles**

oh thats great news! hopefully il be in the same position soon (4 weeks, no viewers )

def, clean bathroon/kitchen and a good hoover and dust

i wouldnt mind clutter as much as long as the house is clean

i am also the same as you, first couple of weeks on the market my house was kept spotless, its definately not that way now :eek:

Slinky

I doubt a man is going to be looking in your oven on a first viewing!

If we've got visitors coming and I need to clean, I always start with the 'what would I be most embarrassed about if they turn up now' and start with that!

hazyjo

See where your eyes are drawn when you walk round your own house. Don't worry about every skirting board, but try and clean the ones up the stairs that will get noticed.

You don't need to polish everything to within an inch of its life. Just grab a duster and wipe things. Check for fingerprints on doors, cupboards and lightswitches. Always a turnoff if dirty.

Also don't worry about packing everything away in its rightful place (my mistake - I like things to have a home and if I'm tidying, I like to do it properly). A quick scoop into a binbag or three, shove it in the car boot or a wardrobe, and then worry about sorting it when you have time.

Make sure iron/board, hoover, etc are hidden in a cupboard, and bath towels are all out of sight and not hanging on doors. Keep kitchen surfaces as clear as possible. I'd only leave a toaster, kettle and microwave out (and maybe one other thing if it was smart like a fancy mixer or coffee maker). Clear all else.

Jx

fannyanna

hazyjo wrote: »

A quick scoop into a binbag or three, shove it in the car boot or a wardrobe, and then worry about sorting it when you have time.

Haha - the amount of times we have had to hide junk in our cars because we've had a last minute viewing arranged (and of course the fact that we are generally not tidy people).

GAH

Perhaps you sould reduce your home to a realistic price rather than an optimistc price.

On average it normally takes between 8-12 viewings to get just 1 offer

VfM4meplse

hazyjo wrote: »

Check for fingerprints on doors, cupboards and lightswitches. Always a turnoff if dirty.

IME straight men rarely notice these things, it's the big things rather than the details that count.

If there's been no interest so far, I would blame your agent!!