House Viewing Advice for the Seller
So you have potential buyers wanting to view your house, don’t panic, with a little preparation you can show them around your property far better than any traditional estate agent.
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First things first, is your house ready to be viewed?
As we all know first impressions are important! The last thing you want to do is undersell your property or put off a potential buyer because the place is a mess. A clean house is a happy house and even the small details can go a long way.
Make sure you are prepared to sell and consider what improvements you can make to your house to maximise its potential.
Your house is ready, are you?
With the house is looking its best it is time for you to prepare for your viewings. Yes it’s true that you are the best person to host your viewings but by following some simple steps you can maximise your effectiveness when showing someone around your property:
• Before your viewings take a walk around your house, detach yourself emotionally and try to think what you would want if you were thinking of buying the place.
• Make a list of the best features, fireplace, en-suit, skylight, AGA oven, what features stand out? This is important as it can differentiate your house from similar properties in the area, as well as help outweigh the cons that a buyer may note.
• Take another walkthrough, although minor, try and plan the route you will take a buyer on.
• Ask a family member or friend to stage a mock viewing. This can help to rehearse your selling points and settle your nerves, they may also pick up on something you’ve missed and ask questions you might not have considered.
• Local knowledge can be invaluable when hosting viewings. 53% of buyers prefer to be shown around by the host as they have greater local knowledge than an estate agent and are on hand to answer questions in person. Although you may have a great knowledge of the local area it could be beneficial to read up on a few things such as local schools and catchment areas, nearest stations for public transport and the routes available, council tax bands and so on.
• Remember like searching for a job, you could sell to the first person who views or the 33rd, don’t feel disheartened if your property isn’t selling.
On the day of the house viewing
Although harder than it seems try and arrange viewings at a time you can make your house child and pet free to avoid distractions and potential put offs for buyers.
Ask the person when they arrive if they want you to show them around or if they want you to leave them to it.
If they do want you to show them around, take your time and go at your own pace. Stick to your planned route and avoid rushing so you don’t forget to point out any key features. Finally, don’t panic if you can’t answer a question you can always find out and get back to them.
Keep conversation natural, ask them about their house hunt so far to get a sense of what they are after and ask questions to establish their needs so you can highlight parts of your house that will appeal to them most.
Some buyers can make an offer on the spot, as exciting as this can be, don’t feel obliged to give them an answer straight away. Let our expert offers team handle all negotiations for you to ensure we validate the offer.
