The 90-second problem

Most buyers form their initial impression of a property within the first 90 seconds of arriving. They have already been through the photos multiple times before they arrive, so they have a mental image. What the open home does is either confirm or disrupt that image.

The sellers who spend $20,000 on a kitchen renovation hoping to shift that impression are usually disappointed. The kitchen is often not what buyers notice first - or most. What they notice is harder to renovate and easier to fix.

What buyers notice first: the order

1. The approach and the street presence

Before a buyer walks through your front door, they have already judged the property from the street. This is the most underestimated part of presentation. A freshly mown lawn, a clean path, maintained garden edges and a front door that does not look tired costs almost nothing compared to a kitchen - and it shapes the filter through which everything that follows is interpreted.

A property that looks after itself from the street reads as a property that has been looked after everywhere. A scruffy front garden creates doubt before the buyer has even set foot inside.

2. Light

Light is one of the most powerful emotional triggers in a property inspection. A bright home feels larger, cleaner, and more liveable than an identical home with less light. Before an open home: open every blind, pull back every curtain, replace any dead globes, and consider leaving lights on in darker corners.

Buyers rarely articulate 'this home doesn't have enough light' - they feel it without naming it. And that feeling affects their offer.

3. Smell

Smell is the most immediate sense. A property that smells of pets, mould, damp, or last night's cooking creates an almost impossible first impression to recover from. The fix is not air freshener - heavy scents signal masking, which creates suspicion. The fix is ventilation: open the home for several hours before inspection, clean carpets, address any moisture issues, and keep it simple.

4. The entry and main living space flow

After the street, the entry sequence is what buyers remember most clearly. How does it feel to walk from the front door into the main living area? Is it intuitive and spacious, or confusing and cluttered? Furniture placement matters here. A single piece of furniture removed from a hallway or entry can transform the sense of flow.

5. Storage (or lack of it)

This one surprises sellers. Buyers think about storage constantly during inspections - particularly family buyers. Where does the linen go? Is there a functional pantry? Where do the bikes live? Decluttering before inspection addresses two things simultaneously: it creates a sense of space, and it allows buyers to visualise the storage rather than feeling confronted by its absence.

What sellers often over-invest in

The most common over-investment is a full bathroom or kitchen renovation immediately before sale. There are contexts where this makes sense - specifically when the existing configuration is outdated enough to push the property into a lower price bracket. But in most cases, buyers want to renovate to their own taste. Your investment often does not transfer.

Similarly: expensive landscaping, new carpet throughout, or feature walls added specifically for sale. These can signal to buyers that work was done quickly and for them, rather than as genuine home maintenance.

The highest-return presale investments

• • Fresh paint in neutral tones - walls, skirting boards, door frames. One of the highest returns of any presale spend.
  • Pressure washing - paths, driveways, decks, fences. Cheap, fast, and the visual difference is significant.
  • Garden tidying - not landscaping, just maintenance. Edges, mowing, weeding, removing dead plants.
  • Professional cleaning - particularly carpets and bathrooms. Worth doing before photography, not the morning of the open home.
  • Minor repairs - dripping taps, sticking doors, broken light fittings, missing door handles. These signal maintenance and raise buyer doubt.
  • Styling review - not necessarily full professional styling, but a clear-eyed edit of what to remove. Less is almost always more in a property presentation.

The photography question

One thing sellers often do not think about: most buyer decisions are made before the open home, based on the photographs. The physical presentation of the home matters enormously - but it matters most for the camera. A property that photographs beautifully and presents well in person is a different proposition from one that looks fine in photos but feels cluttered in the room.

This means preparing the home for photography is its own discipline. Your agent should be guiding you through this. If they are not, ask.

A note from Bec

Before any property I work on goes to market, I do a walkthrough with the seller. We go room by room. I tell them what I see - not what I think they want to hear - and we build a simple priority list of what to address. It almost never involves significant spending. It almost always involves removing things rather than adding them.

If you would like a pre-sale walkthrough before you invest in anything, I am happy to do that. It is a useful conversation even if you are not ready to sell for several months.

Frequently asked questions

Should I style my home professionally before selling?

Professional styling can make a meaningful difference, particularly for vacant properties or homes where the existing furniture does not show the space well. For owner-occupied homes in reasonable condition, a careful edit (removing excess furniture, decluttering surfaces, refreshing soft furnishings) can deliver similar results at a fraction of the cost. Ask your agent for an honest assessment.

How long does it take to prepare a home for sale?

For most homes, three to four weeks of focused preparation is sufficient - allowing time for painting, cleaning, minor repairs and any landscaping. Starting this process before you sign with an agent means you go to market faster once you are ready.

Does carpet need to be replaced before selling?

Often no. Professional carpet cleaning can transform the presentation of older carpet at a fraction of replacement cost. Replacement is worth considering only if the carpet is genuinely beyond cleaning or if it is visually jarring enough to affect price. Ask your agent before you commit to the cost.