Why first impressions are so important when selling

They say that it takes you one-tenth of a second to judge and form your first impression on someone. Although this saying was probably meant to be about first impressions on other people, there’s no reason not to apply this idea when selling your home. First impressions always count, and it will certainly matter when potential buyers come to view your home.

Before potential customers have set foot inside your house, it’s likely that they have already formed their first impression of your house, so you better be sure that you’ve done all the right things to make the first impression count!

Instead of focusing on the interior design, we’re going to focus on the exterior design since it’s first impressions we’re talking about. The interior is something that prospects will come to inspect either way, but if you want your house to stand out then you will need to work on what your house looks like from the outside first.

Advertised photographs

There are many platforms you can advertise your house nowadays like websites, social media, and print publications. No matter which option you pick, the one thing that they all have in common is that your house will be represented through a photograph. The photograph of the house will probably be the potential buyers’ first impression, so this is something that you should take time preparing.

To get some inspiration take a look at how houses are professionally advertised, look at all the photographs and notice which photos stand out to you and which don’t. With that in mind, think about how you can produce an aesthetically desirable image. Investing in professional photographers through your real estate agency will make the difference between having an average first impression and an amazing first impression that could make a difference in getting your house sold.

Jazz up the garden

Imagine that you’re the buyer, what are you going to think about this house when you walk through the front yard for the very first time? Would you even consider buying a house if you saw an unmanaged garden full of overgrowth and weeds? Simple answer, you probably wouldn’t think much of the house after seeing how the exterior has been poorly looked after.

Now, you don’t have to hire a horticulturist to make your front yard look like something that had been taken right from ‘Better Homes and Gardens’. A simple clean will make the exterior look like it has been properly looked after.

What does this mean though? Once again, imagine you are the buyer as you walk through your front yard, look at all the things that you think are unappealing – a creaky gate, broken fence, weeds growing through the cracked pavement. There are so many little things that could turn off potential buyers, so it’s best to go through and fix those little things up.

Minimise and depersonalise

A quick walk through your property is the best way for you to observe and pick out anything that makes the place look cluttered. It’s not good enough just to make your house look neat and presentable to prospects; it’s also an excellent idea to depersonalise your entire house.

You want to make it easier for the potential buyers to see themselves in this house. You should remove any clutter and just about anything that could get in the way of the buyers’ imagination. Keep the look neutral and minimal, this gives buyers some room for them to imagine how this house could be theirs.

Not sure where to start or what areas of your property would add the most value? We can help.