How to get your house market ready

All the world’s a stage Laurie O’Flynn gets advice on how to get your house market ready.    

During the boom years, every second house on the market was brand new with a pristine showhouse available to wow potential buyers and give the viewer ideas on what they could do, if they bought one.

Fast forward to today and the market is slowly starting to wake up again, but nowadays most of the properties for sale are ‘gently worn’ and so need some tweaking to give them broader appeal in the current competitive market.

This is where interior designer Peigin Crowley and project manager Emma Hayes step in.

The two Cork based friends and neighbours have started working with homeowners eager to maximise the impact of their properties in order to sell, with some very positive results.

“We saw a gap in the market where houses were coming to market through Nama after a year of being neglected, so we got involved with Sherry FitzGerald and it has gone from there,” explains Peigin Crowley.

Besides Nama properties, they have also transformed and staged previously rented properties, deceased estates and family homes which sold quicker than most properties new to the market.

Their mantra is ‘The way you sell is not the way you live.’ This takes the sting out of some of the more drastic changes that might be recommended, but it’s all part of the strategy to appeal to as many potential buyers as possible.

Peigin warns that expecting just one particular category of buyer for your property and trying to appeal to them only, is a mistake.

“It’s best to keep your mind open about potential buyers. Neutral staging works best, especially for people who may have limited imagination. What will appeal to these people is a house that is a positive blank canvas. It gives it a good energy,” explains Peigin who adds that this approach helps people imagine what the house could look like with their own possessions in there.

There is no set price for a job as it could be a complete renovation, which Emma costs and organises in order to meet strict deadlines, or it could just be a morning consultation resulting in a to-do list for the owner. It all depends on what’s required and on the owner’s budget. The main aim is to make a good first impression and get the house sold.

“You have just one chance to make a first impression. When we come for a consultation we give an honest opinion on our first impression. We are brutally honest, but it is for people’s own good and we do it gently. We want it to be a pleasurable process for people,” she explains.

For some it can also be an emotional journey when they see the ‘reveal’ once the property has been staged and styled, ready for the photoshoot.

Getting a house ready for sale with professional help isn’t all about paying a fortune for consultations, buying expensive fabrics and adding loads of accessories.

Space and light are the main assets of any property and it’s Emma and Peigin’s job to make the most of these within the client’s budget, using what people already have at home as much as possible. A lot of their simple but effective tricks include upstyling furniture and features, repainting, de-cluttering, rearranging furniture, and adding items only where necessary.

“It’s about maximising your greatest asset. We’re show-offs, we want people to be wowed,” says Peigin who shares some of their top tips on how to make a property more appealing to a broad range of potential buyers.

TOP TIPS 

* Space and light are the greatest assets in any home; remove any excess furniture and all clutter — dump unwanted items or use storage.

* Don’t use furniture that is too big for the room and don’t have too many tables.

* Remove all personal items like photographs, trophies, toys etc to maintain your privacy.

* Maximise light by painting with light colours. Also, paint the inside of the front door. It can really brighten the hall space. If a room is north facing, use yellow tinted paint and avoid blue.

* Mirrors can double the light in a room.

* Each room has to have a clear function. If you have an office or playroom upstairs, put a bed in there and dress it. The same in the attic.

* Have the house professionally cleaned — especially before putting the house on the market. If you are busy with family etc, you won’t notice what a prospective buyer would. It is well worth the investment. Have an open house rather than individual viewings. Getting a number of people in at the same time can help start the bidding process.

* Dark furniture absorbs light, add cream throws, for example. Dress or paint what you have and avoid dark blinds and window frames.

* Bathrooms are very important. It’s worth re-grouting, replacing old silicone, installing a new toilet seat and shower curtain.

* Put some potted plants out front.

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