What Should I Do If My Property Isn’t Getting Any Viewings?
When you’ve taken the exciting step to list your property, it may be slightly disappointing if you don’t receive as many enquiries as you may have expected.
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To help you maximise your chances of your property being viewed and avoid such disappointments, we will look into the do’s and don’ts when listing your property.
Target the right market – know your demographic
When you advertise your property, you may already have a target audience in mind. For example, if you want university students or a family renting your property, you can take several appropriate steps to increase the chance of getting a viewing.
For families, it is useful to include local school options and their rankings or any local facilities such as parks, playgrounds or leisure activity centres. For student flats, listing your property on student portals and forums increases the chances of reaching the right audience.
By ensuring you place your listing on websites that your targeted demographic use, you set yourself up for greater success in attaining viewings.
Check that the price is right
A fundamental mistake that landlords often make is to list their property at an unreasonably high price. You may perceive the property’s inherent rental value as superior to neighbouring homes; however, before being able to confidently list the property, you should assure yourself that the price is justified.
The easiest way of doing this is by comparing how your rental price compares to similarly sized properties in the area. If your rent is significantly higher than that of any surrounding properties, it should come as no surprise that the general public may not be jumping at the chance.
That is not to say that your rental charges cannot be higher than the local average. Suppose you notice that you offer more benefits than your neighbours (e.g. a newly renovated flat or a garden).
In this case, a higher price may be justifiable, and these benefits should be emphasised in your listing. On the other hand, if you have no real tangible argument explaining the price difference, you may need to consider lowering the rental charge.
Make sure your photos show off the property
Show off your property’s best side by making sure you have good photos of every room. Unfortunately, it is common practice to see many property listings without photos or poorly lit images.
Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words and provides prospective tenants with a first impression of the place. Good-quality, professional photos will make your property stand out and catch the eye of renters as they scroll through tens, if not hundreds, of online property listings.
By putting up good quality pictures of your property, prospective tenants will be able to see whether it suits them and request a viewing.
Fix up the property – keep everything well maintained
Keeping the property and its various fixtures well maintained will show off your qualities as a landlord and provide a homely atmosphere.
Essentially, you want the prospective tenants to start imagining themselves living there. A few touch-ups around your well-kept property can most definitely increase the number of viewings you are getting.
What to expect – realistically
Finally, before you find yourself disappointed over the low number of viewings, it may be worth getting a better understanding of what you should expect.
In the first few weeks, landlords tend to receive a higher number of enquiries, after which the number gradually subsides. By keeping your listing active and updated, you can make sure that the number of viewing requests doesn’t come to a standstill.
If, after a few weeks, you’re not receiving any enquiries, consider re-evaluating your offering, for example, the price, the photos or updating certain areas of the property itself.
It’s also important to note that you should be prepared for every single viewing – whether it’s your first or your last visit of the day.
Furthermore, keep in mind that sometimes you may not have any viewings for a week, and then they all come in at once. Be patient, but also keep your eyes peeled for any changes in the local market.
