Getting your home ready to view

What they do/Home Er, makeovers: No time to prepare your home for a viewing? Don't worry, let somebody else do it

Given the deluge of interiors magazines and TV home makeover programmes you'd think that anyone putting their house on the market would have the whole declutter n' clean formula down pat. But it's not the case.

"We've been at house viewings where there have been dirty saucepans in the sink, bedroom smells and filthy toilets," says Stephanie Elliott who, together with her business partner Mandy Fox-Clarke, has been at a number of house viewings over the past few months - all in the name of research. Other classic no-nos are bedrooms used as junk rooms and reception rooms with so much furniture that walking around is bit of an obstacle course.

After careers in the theatre and television as a set dresser and choreographer, the two decided to put their interest in interiors to work by setting up a home style consultation service called HomeEr. The thinking behind their new business idea is that it's no use simply putting a "for sale" sign on your property, you have to get it ready first. "One of the first things we would do is depersonalise a house by taking away personal photos and the clutter of ornaments," says Ms Fox-Clarke. "What you're trying to do is give prospective buyers the chance to see how they can put their own stamp on the house without the seller's clutter getting in the way."

After an assessment of the house they can bring their own props in to make the house more appealing for the viewing. They have a stock of throws, cushions and accessories that can spruce up a property.

"Basically, we can provide whatever a house needs to make it more appealing," says Ms Elliott, whose number one piece of advice to sellers is to clean, clean and clean again.

"The exterior can be as important as the interior," says Ms Fox-Clarke who advises clients to clean the rubbish from their gardens and trim any overgrown greenery. If the client doesn't have the time or the inclination to clean and declutter, HomeEr can organise the whole thing.

"A house that's shown to its best advantage will sell more quickly," says Fox-Clarke. The pair promise to identify and highlight a property's most desirable features, edit out memorabilia and personal items and rearrange furniture for the most dramatic impact possible with the space available. "It's true that a lot of people do know what has to be done to get a house ready for sale," says Ms Fox-Clarke, "but these days people are too busy to do it themselves." Their service starts with a consultation (€100) and prices then vary depending on how much the seller wants HomeEr to take on.

HomeEr, tel 01-4902343 or 087-9725577

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