You already know how the first few seconds of a viewing make the biggest impression and set the tone, right? You also know that the first few seconds of a viewing usually happen in the hallway, so don’t mess things up by neglecting this most vital of portals.
Here’s how to find a clear passage to a sale.
Get rid of the clutter
We get it. Your hallway is the place for your shoes, wellies, school and work bags, dog leads, junk mail, bike locks… It makes sense, but it also makes a mess. Just for the duration of marketing (or at least before viewings), limit everyone to one outdoor coat and one pair of shoes in the hallway. Clear up the junk mail, rake up those leaves that keep appearing and hang up the dog lead elsewhere.
If necessary, install a modern-looking new rack to keep everything organised.
Paint the hall in pales and neutrals
No, it’s not a weird version of that Christmas carol, it’s very sound advice. Unless you live in a big period house, your hallway probably can’t support bold and dark colours; not without looking oppressive, anyway. If you already have pale hues in the hallway, give them a new coat just to freshen up and maybe paint the skirting boards in the same shade to open the space out even more.
Lighten up
Once you’ve refreshed the walls and skirting boards, turn your attention to the lighting. If you have high ceilings, you can get away with a pendant light, but if not, you’ll need an uplighter. Opt for pale or transparent lampshades to maximise the amount of light in the hallway. You could also, if your front door doesn’t have a window in it, change to one that does.
Check out your flooring
People always look at the floor in a hallway, so make sure it passes muster. If your carpet is past its best, then either clean it or replace it. Stripping the hallway back to its floorboards and varnishing it is a relatively cheap and quick fix. You should also put down doormats inside and out so no one trails mud all over the place.
Make things impersonal
Take down your family photos and remove any trinkets. Not only does this help you with your packing campaign, but it also helps your potential buyers imagine themselves living in your home. Some say that installing a big mirror helps people to (quite literally) see themselves in your home; at the very least it’ll help to bring more light into the space and add some interest.
