We had a seller ring us last week, a little anxious about viewings now the evenings have closed in. The reality is we will try to schedule viewings during daylight hours, but work commitments and travel times sometimes mean viewings take place as it’s going dark.
She’d accepted that the photos looked great, the price was right, and interest was there — but she hadn’t thought much about what a buyer actually sees when they pull up outside her semi on a tree-lined road off Formby village at half past five on a Tuesday.
The answer, if nothing has been done to prepare, is not a great deal. A dark path, a porch light that may or may not be working, and a front door that gives nothing away. That first thirty seconds on the pavement matters enormously, and it’s something no Rightmove photo can fix.
Formby’s roads are genuinely beautiful — the mature trees, the wide verges, the mix of detached and semi-detached homes that give the L37 postcode its character. Southport’s Victorian terraces and wide avenues in the L38 area can look equally impressive. But all of that is lost if the path is unlit, the house number is hidden behind an overgrown shrub, and the only light visible is a faint glow from a back room. Equally, a well-placed exterior light or a lit porch can make those same streets look genuinely inviting.
So before any late afternoon/ early evening viewing, it is worth walking to the end of your own path and looking back. Is the house number clear? Is the approach safe and welcoming, or are there bins in the way and leaves making the step slippery? Small things, but a buyer forming an impression before they’ve even rung the bell.
Inside, timing matters too. We will usually host the vierwings but we need time to get the lights on before they arrive — not just the overhead ones, but lamps in the sitting room and bedroom where you have them. Lamps take the edge off and make a room feel lived-in rather than inspected. The hallway is especially important: it is the first space a buyer steps into, and a cold, dim entrance hall can set a tone that’s hard to recover from. Put the heating on in good time. Nobody needs it tropical, but a chill in the air sends people mentally towards the door.
If you have outdoor lighting — even a simple solar path light — switch it on. If a bulb has gone, replace it. These are ten-minute jobs that can genuinely shift how someone feels about a property.
One more thing worth saying: an evening viewing does not have to be the only viewing. We always encourage buyers who like what they see to come back in daylight, particularly to look properly at the garden and the wider setting. That second visit, on a bright Saturday morning, is where gardens, outlooks and the feel of the neighbourhood really land.
If you are thinking of selling in Formby, Freshfield, Hightown, Ainsdale or anywhere across our patch and you’d like an honest conversation about presenting your home well through the winter months, give us a call on 01704 516 626 or pop into the office in the village. We’re always happy to talk it through.
Service without Compromise.
