Much of the last 18 months has been a sellers’ market, with recent figures from Halifax revealing that September to October saw the strongest monthly rise in UK house prices since 2007.
This, coupled with the perpetual demand/supply imbalance and an uptick in buyer activity as we approach the Christmas period, means that property sellers are in a much better position to list their home for sale than ever before.
With such high demand and increased activity in the market, now is an ideal time for sellers to prepare their home for sale. While small fixes and repairs can do the trick, the effects of Covid have altered many buyers’ priorities.
An ‘eye-tracking’ experiment by Confused.com has revealed what buyers notice first when viewing a home. Here at Kings Group, we look at the results to offer insight on what sellers should focus on when preparing their property for viewings.
What are the top 10 most inspected elements in the home?
To conduct the study, a sample of people were shown a series of images of different rooms in a home.
Confused.com tracked the total number of times people looked at different elements within the room, along with the total amount of time they looked at it for.
Interestingly, office chairs topped the list of overall eye-grabbing features, receiving a total of 410 views. This feature was also viewed for the longest duration at 3,396 milliseconds.
Kitchen floors followed close second with 323 glimpses, and a children’s cot/bed completed the top three with 255 views.
A throw on the bed in the bedroom ranked fourth on the table with 221 glances, while kitchen cabinets received 204 views, coming in fifth.
Bathroom mirrors and drawers under a sink placed sixth and seventh on the table at 177 and 162 respectively, and an office computer monitor followed close behind with 150 views.
In the children’s bedroom, a bookcase received a total of 137 views. Meanwhile, a chest of drawers in the bedroom garnered the least attention at 135 views, placing last in the top ten.
What did buyers look for on a room-by-room basis?
In the kitchen, it’s the floor that people’s eyes are drawn to the most, pulling in over 100 more views than cabinets. For sellers looking to refresh their space, it’s worthwhile to give your floors a once over with polish, as it’s likely to receive plenty of attention.
Soft décor and key furniture pieces attracted the most attention in the living room. Decorative cushions held attention for the longest time, so ensure that this is one of the key focuses in the room.
When it comes to the room we use primarily for grooming and self-care, it’s perhaps no surprise that the mirror attracted the most views in the bathroom. Sink drawers came second, followed by the sink, toilet and bath. Buyers expect a sleek, white bathroom, so regular upkeep here is imperative.
In the bedroom, it was the throw at the end of the bed that pulled the most views, with the chest of drawers coming second. When decorating your bedroom, keep in mind the significance of matching bed throws and other accent furniture to achieve a stylish space.
A cot or bed held the most interest in the child’s bedroom, along with a bookcase, the rug and flooring, and nursing chair – suggesting people’s interest in reading their children a bedtime story.
More of us have worked from home than ever before over the past 18 months, so when it comes to the design of a home office, the chair is by far the feature that people looked at the most and for the longest amount of time – perhaps because people wish to avoid sitting in a rigid chair for most of the day.
What can sellers do to prepare their home for sale?
No two homes are the same, with our decoration, style, furniture and ways of living making our home unique.
However, favourable furniture and interior design trends are very much apparent in the market, and so keeping up with the latest buzz could prove beneficial for sellers.
That’s not to say you must alter your style completely, but incorporating small, yet effective elements in your property could be the difference between attracting the attention of eager buyers or receiving no offers at all.
Of course, ensuring your home is safe, secure and fully protected is paramount. You will also need to guarantee all small fixes have been seen to, as potential viewers are likely to notice even the smallest defect.
In such a frenzied market, you need to work with an experienced, reputable estate agent. Here at Kings Group, we can help you to remain compliant and get the most from the sale of your home.
For more information on how we can assist you on your selling journey, please contact one of our branches in Essex, East London or Hertfordshire today. We also offer a free and instant online valuation to give you an idea of how much your home could be worth on the current market.
