Want to woo buyers? These are the people you need to win over

When Kylie Harding’s sons were little, she remembers going house hunting and noticing how they reacted to one particular property.

“The boys were running around the garden, squealing and chasing each other and running up and down the stairs outside, and I thought, ‘Oh wow, isn’t that a great sound?’” she says.

“I was immediately connected with the place, because I knew that they were relaxed and happy there.”

While her boys’ excitement wasn’t the only factor, it was still a crucial one, with Harding and her then-husband eventually buying the home.

In her work as a property stylist, Harding tries to help vendors win over potential buyers – and their children – by building that same sense of connection with a space.

“That can make or break a sale, that feeling that the family would be happy there,” she says, noting that if children leave an open for inspection arguing about which bedroom would be theirs, that’s a great sign for the seller.

But how to create that feeling? Property stylists say a subtle approach is usually best, with the help of a few strategically placed items.

Maree Nelson, lead stylist at Achieve Property Styling, says it pays to avoid gender-specific colours or accessories.

“I always suggest a very soft palette,” she says. “It’s still going to be obvious that it’s a child’s room, but I’m not going to go pink and bunny rabbits and butterflies, or blue.

“But there will be elements that I use to make sure that it’s a child’s bedroom.”

For a younger child, that might include a cute throw, a fun lamp or a print geared toward a younger demographic, she says. Bunks are also usually popular.

Nelson says teens love having their own space, particularly an upstairs area or a rumpus room where they can imagine hanging out with their friends.

“So I will select really big comfy couches, big throws and oversized slouchy things,” she says.

“I create a bit of a retreat, like a big TV, and the prints I choose are a little bit edgier.”

Pre-sale renovation consultant Kristen Jackson, who also offers property staging, says children often have far more influence over a buying decision than sellers or agents realise.

“I think people sometimes forget that buying a home is often very emotional and lifestyle-led, rather than just numbers and logic,” she says. “And the kids really bring that emotion into the sale.”

For vendors, Jackson says the first step is to identify your potential buyer, which often depends on the price point and the type of home for sale.

“If it’s an entry-level home, then the kids are probably going to be younger, versus a home that has five bedrooms and is probably in a higher price point and going to require a higher income to purchase – they probably have teenagers,” she says.

Once you’ve determined your buyer pool, it’s about being fairly neutral and providing “universally liked” features, Jackson says.

For younger kids, she suggests popping a tent in one of the bedrooms, plus a few select toys, and maybe a small table where they can draw while their parents are having a proper look around.

For teens, video-game controllers in the rumpus room and a desk in the bedroom are usually winning ideas.

Outside, Nelson likes to create defined seating areas for children and their parents, rather than opting for a cubby house, which might put some buyers off.

If there’s a swimming pool, she’ll add big floaties, bright beach towels and speakers into the mix.

Harding says a cubby or a swing set can be a good addition for family buyers (including grandparents buying a home), but only if they don’t dominate the backyard.

“Sometimes if it’s too much of something it locks it in to a certain thing, and people can’t see past that,” she says.

“They leave with that feeling of, ‘This is a house for a family that’s not us.’”