How to prepare for a last-minute viewing: our sixty-minute countdown!

The couple visiting relatives for the weekend, they won’t be back for another six months, but they’re cash buyers and keen to move to the area. You know the sort.

Even in the most organised and pristine of homes, a phone call from your estate agent to inform you of a last-minute viewing request is enough to cause palpitations.

Introduce children, pets, Nana’s 90th birthday celebrations or the school holidays into the mix and those palpitations are accompanied by cold sweats, a sudden headache and, quite possibly, the need to lie down in a darkened room.

Before you reach for the smelling salts, take a deep breath, sit down and relax, with our sixty-minute countdown guide on how to get your home ready for a last-minute viewing. Enjoy!

60 minutes to go…

You’re tempted to jump straight into the tidying and decluttering.

Don’t.

Before you know it, the hour will be gone, the viewers will be here, and you’ll be caught short in your marigolds, transporting armfuls of cardboard, children’s toys and half dried washing to the garage as their car pulls up your drive.

Instead, grab your keys, pop the dog on the lead, round up the children and leave the house. Once they’re safely at the grandparents’/friends’ house, you can return home and calmly complete your reccy.

Now, you’re approaching your home as a viewer would. Tour the outside, taking note of anything unsightly. Once the bins and recycling are neatly stowed out of sight, the path to the front door is swept free of leaves, it’s time to head inside.

50 minutes to go…

Now that you’re back indoors, it’s time for the smell test. It’s often hard to discern the ‘smell’ of your own home, so if you’ve got a trusted friend close by who can pop in, perhaps they could help you here.

Pay close attention to the odours and aromas in each room as you move around the home.

Hopefully your home smells box fresh, but don’t underestimate the unpleasant whiff of your beloved fur baby after a rainy morning walk, or the lingering presence of your precious baby’s nappy contents even an hour after his last change.

Open windows to invite fresh air in now, so you can close them prior to the viewing. Light softly scented candles in plenty of time, so that your viewers aren’t breathing in the overpowering smell of vapourised wax as they step foot through the front door.

Take out the bins, pop bleach down the loos and empty, clean and put away any pet food bowls that might be lying around.

Check the dishwasher has been switched on, or emptied so that inquisitive viewers aren’t treated to stale smells of your previous meal.

40 minutes to go…

Walk through each room like a prospective buyer. Look from every angle and pop back any books left on the side, or toys that have escaped the toy box. Straighten curtains. Resist the urge to complete a major tidy-up operation; now is not the time!

If you do see any major problems, such as black mould on windowsills, or a stain on the curtains, make a note to address the problem before the next viewing and move on.

Once the floor is as clear as it can be, if you feel it’s essential, a quick run around with the Hoover is better done now than later. Sweep the porch floor, but avoid mopping at this late stage.

30 minutes to go…

Bedrooms and bathrooms.

Ensure all beds are neatly made. If you have bought yourself time on the earlier tasks and want to embellish with symmetrical cushions and fresh bedding, now’s your chance. You might also like to switch on any mood lighting – even during the daytime – to create a soothing, sleepy mood.

A quick, wet cloth wipe down of bathroom surfaces should suffice but pay special attention to dusty or toothpaste splashed mirrors; your viewer is bound to!

Finally, flush the loos and place lids down.

20 minutes to go…

You’re doing great – you’re on the home straight now. It’s time for the final details. If the weather is bleak and you’ve a log burning stove, give the glass a quick polish and set a fire going. (Note – to save time, it might be handy to keep an instant light log handy for such occasions as these).

Pay attention to unnecessary sounds. Ensure any washing machines, dishwashers and oven fans are switched off. This is particularly important in open plan kitchen-living areas.

If you opened the windows earlier, now’s the time to close them and pop the heating on ‘boost’.

10 minutes to go…

At ten minutes to zero hour, you should be well away from home. Preferably relaxing with a cup of tea and a biscuit, either at a friend’s house or in a local café, picturing the impressed look on your viewer’s face as they step into your warm and welcoming home.