There is a lot of speculation over the state of the housing market in America at the moment. But in July 2019, real estate sales actually rose by 2.5%.
That might sound like a small number but this year Americans will sell an estimated 5.25 million homes.
Nevertheless, selling your home can be a long and frustrating process. It’s common to have multiple viewings without any offers. Wouldn’t it be great if there was something you could do to make your home more appealing to house buyers so you can get an offer?
Well, there just might be! Read on to find out how removing personal photographs from your home could help you find a buyer in record time.
Why is Removing Personal Photographs Important?
One of the biggest selling points on your home is another family being able to see themselves living there. Imagining that moment is what changes a house into a home in the eyes of the buyer.
No matter how nice the property, if a seller can’t see themselves living there they’re unlikely to make an offer. So you need to encourage that.
By removing pictures of the people who already live there, you make this easier. They’ll be able to look around the living room and envisage themselves and their family in it instead. Coming across a photo of another family while doing this can shatter the illusion.
Obviously, unless you buy a new-build property someone else will have lived in your house before you. But most of us don’t like to think about the reality of this. It can make us feel less connected to a property.
But removing personal photos isn’t just about the buyer. It also protects you and your family’s privacy. After all, you can’t always control who comes to view your property.
Use Your Judgment When Removing Pictures
Removing pictures and family photo frames doesn’t mean you have to remove all the vibrancy from your home. It’s about striking the right balance.
You should get rid of anything very personal to you. As well as photos, put away any personal artwork, such as drawings from your children or family portraits.
You might also want to think about removing any statement pieces of artwork or fittings. If these are too bold for a buyer then they could put the buyer off, even if they don’t come with the house. A buyer will have to envisage what would replace them if they bought the house and this can be challenging.
A buyer should be able to automatically see what they could do with the house if they bought it. The harder it is for them to do this, the harder it will be to sell.
But this doesn’t mean you have to present buyers with a plain, dull space either. In fact, not keeping enough vibrancy in your home can also put people off. If a place feels boring they might not be able to see the potential that a house offers.
Strike the balance in your home by holding onto a few pieces of gentle artwork. These shouldn’t be eye-catching and will balance out the lack of family photos at your home.
And whatever you do, don’t leave empty frames lying around! These will be extremely off-putting for any buyer.
Don’t Reveal a Flaw in the Property
When getting rid of any family photos around your home make sure you do so carefully. And keep an eye out for any flaws they might be hiding.
We’ve all popped a painting up over the odd scuff mark. If this is the case them taking the frame down might not be the best idea. Instead, change the frame’s contents to something neutral.
You also don’t want to leave random picture hooks hanging around the house. Again, if there are only a few hooks around then replace the photos with some neutral artwork. But if you have lots of hooks then you might want to consider removing them altogether.
What Else Can You Do?
Getting rid of your personal photos isn’t the only thing you should do before a buyer looks at your home. There are plenty of other home selling tips to bear in mind.
Remove all clutter. A busy surface is distracting and it’ll make it look like there isn’t enough storage in the house.
You need to tidy this clutter away properly. When people look around a house they’ll look in any built-in cupboards and drawers. Stashing it in a drawer won’t deal with the problem either!
It does without saying that your home should be spotless before any viewings. Deep clean any carpets and get the bathroom in ship shape. This isn’t always a quick job so give yourself plenty of time before a viewing.
This cleaning should also involve tidying up any garden or communal space around the property. If you have a curb outself your house, make sure it looks great. This will be the first thing a potential buyer sees when they visit!
And make your property look and feel even cleaner by airing it out. This is extremely important for anyone who smokes or has a pet.
After all this cleaning you want to show off your home to the best of your ability. This means creating as much light as possible.
Let the sunshine in and add lamps to darker areas of your home. This will make it feel light, airy and open. You can also use strategic lighting to draw attention to your property’s best assets.
Finally, when you have a viewing give the buyers space to look around. If you have a family, try to make sure they’re out of the house on viewing days. Again, this helps to make the house feel like a blank slate full of possibilities!
There You Have It!
Removing personal photographs from your home before a viewing can make a world of difference for potential buyers. It’ll help them envisage themselves living there and could help you close a sale!
If you’re selling your home, then check out our website for tips on how to hold the perfect open house.