Everyone with children knows that the point between calm and chaos is often virtually non-existent. You could have made your home look like perfection and behind you, comes a trail of destruction! unravelling your hard work. Living in a home you’re selling is never easy and, we have to admit, it’s an even bigger challenge when children are involved, but it doesn’t have to be so stressful. This is one reason at Maurice Kilbride we have put our heads together to find six ways to turn the chaos to calm when selling your home with children.
It’s only natural that this property that you call home is filled with countless memories, but you have decided it’s time to move on and therefore you have to put a certain amount of sentiment aside. Yes, it’s your home for now, but it’s also a property for sale and, as such, the decisions you make have to be made with this in mind.
This may be hard to hear but there will be buyers who will not be so fond of your daughter’s princess pink bedroom. Not everyone who views your home will have children, or they may not be the same gender as yours, so themed bedrooms are not advisable. When a buyer steps into your home, they are trying to see how they can make it their own; bold and specific colour schemes can hinder this.
Neutral colour schemes are always the best way to appeal to all, as you are creating a blank canvas from which the buyers’ imaginations can do the rest. As much as it may niggle to paint over all your hard work, remember this now a home for sale and, as such, your mind needs to be focused on your onward destination and not on your past.
Moving home is something you are going through as a family; you know your children and how best to approach the move. Some children prefer to be involved whilst others may be too young to understand the situation. Try and include your children as much as possible so they feel part of the process, from sorting out their rooms to viewing houses. On moving day, let them pack a box of their favourite toys and let them accompany them on the moving journey. The more they understand what is about to happen, the easier they may find all the changes unfolding around them.
We don’t think anyone actually realises how much stuff you acquire when you have children, it seems to pour out of every nook and cranny of your home with wild abandonment. For buyers, rooms filled with your kids’ paraphernalia, from toys to teddies, cause a distraction, maybe make the room feel smaller and more cluttered than it is and make it hard for them to picture themselves living there.
You want to create organised spaces. Storage needs to become your friend, keep most toys, but not all in boxes to make rooms look tidy and clutter-free. As much as you enjoy seeing your children’s artwork and recyclable material creations on display, it might be a good idea to simply pop these away for viewings.
5. Put restrictions on your viewings
If you elect to do your own viewings, you may have to put some restrictions on viewing appointment times, such as no viewings past 7 pm, so as not to disrupt your children’s sleep patterns.
It might be better to discuss this with your agent, maybe let them have a key to arrange and conduct viewings during school hours or at weekends. It will take the pressure of you and mean you can relax in the evening when you get in from work and enjoy your family time with no added pressure.
If you have space, many families turn into a playroom, we can completely understand this and why it works for you. But just like any other room in your home, you need to make this space appeal to as many buyers as possible, so we suggest you give it a multi-purpose feel.
As before, use storage to tidy away as many of your children’s toys as possible and keep the decoration neutral. Little fingers have a habit of creating marks so give the room a fresh coat of paint and, if the space allows, add a small sofa. Try and keep the space as open as possible, it makes it easier for buyers to start seeing the possibilities rather than its one static use.
Please remember you don’t have to make your home too sanitised. We believe that a buyer will want to buy your home despite the matchbox car left on the coffee table or the little smear of yogurt you missed on the work top, left courtesy of your baby!
You have to let some things go so you don’t miss out on living during this sale process. It’s just not worth it. Truth is, most buyers will give you more grace than you give yourself and will see past the toys and your full dishwasher. Enjoy your tiny humans let the stress go and embrace the move as a family.
At Maurice Kilbride we want all members of your family to have a good experience when moving home. If you would like more advice on how to present your home for buyers and how to prepare for a viewing, contact Joe, Patrick or myself on 0161 428 3663, e-mail sales@mkiea.co.uk or better still, why not pop into our office on Cheadle High Street for an informal chat and a brew!
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