Quite often, sellers will place heaps of pressure on themselves when showing potential buyers their property. There’s no doubt that it is indeed a critical part of the house buying process. Simply put, the “viewing” will ultimately decide whether or not somebody wants to buy your property…
However, like all things, it’s easy when you know. Over the last ten years, here at Hannells we’ve carried out tens of thousands of viewings on properties of all shapes, sizes and prices so we feel that we’re in a pretty decent position to be able to provide some top tips and help you to make the most of each and every viewing.
Here’s our top seven tips to generate the best first impression and increase your chances of receiving those all-important offers!
1) Be Positive
The first tip in our count down seems pretty obvious but you’d be surprised at what sellers accidentally blurt out when they get carried away and feel pressured to expand on every little detail.
It’s best to see you house no longer as a home, but almost a “product”. When was the last time you went to a car dealership and they decided to point out the negatives of the car you were interested in. Firstly, it wouldn’t sit right with you and secondly, the chances of you showing any further interest in that particular car are pretty slim – even if it was one that you originally liked.
We’re not saying to lie about things because they will only show up in the survey report and cause fallings out later down the line. However, you should definitely focus on the positive aspects. What have you enjoyed about living at the property, what were the features that attracted you when you first bought it etc.? If the buyers aren’t local – what are the local schools like and what amenities are nearby?
Again, you don’t need to go over the top. A first viewing is very much a “reccy” of your property and buyers aren’t going to want to be bombarded with information on every minor improvement you’ve made since you’ve lived at the property. They’re more there just to get a “feel” for the place and see how it compares to the other properties they’ve been to.
2) Be Personable
Considering that the majority of buyers will view 7-8 properties before making their final decision on what will become their new home, every little bit counts to help yours fall top of the shortlist.
Buying a home is just as much an “emotional” purchase as it is a “financial” purchase and if people leave the house feeling good, they are more likely to show further interest and maybe even arrange a second viewing or put forward an offer.
You will have a considerable impact on how your viewers feel. If you’re cold and unwelcoming, that’s how the house will feel and nobody wants to buy a house that feels that way. However, on the flip side if you’re accommodating, welcoming and forthcoming with information, your viewers are going to feel happy in the home and they’ll feel confident that they are buying a good property.
Offering to make your buyers a drink, leaving out some snacks and inviting them to ask questions will all go a long way in helping to create a great first impression.
The chances are that you will get a variety of different types of personality and people viewing your property. Some will be more than happy to chat with you and sit down for a drink etc. On the flip side, you may get viewers who hardly mutter a word the whole time and can almost come across as rude.
However, don’t take this personally. Not only can this be a stressful experience for the buyer (they’re walking into a complete stranger’s home and evaluating whether they like it or not almost in front of the very person that lives there!) but people are just different.
If the viewers aren’t asking questions and being chatty, it’s not to say that they’re not interested. We’ve carried out countless viewings where those with less experience would conclude that it was a complete waste of time – only for the viewer to come back and make a full asking price offer! As the saying goes, you can never judge a book by its cover. Especially when it comes to the housing game!
3) Detach Yourself
A great question that all good estate agents will ask when calling for viewing feedback is “Could you see yourself living there?” and If the answer is “Yes!” you could be on to a winner.
It’s essential for a buyer to be able to imagine themselves living at the property they are viewing and there are a number of things you can do to help encourage this.
Firstly, we would always recommend removing family pictures and photos where possible. From a buyer’s perspective, there’s nothing more distracting than seeing pictures of someone else’s family. It makes it almost impossible for them to make an emotional connection to the house. It need only be for the viewing, but stash them in drawers or stick them in the car boot so you can them back up again once the viewing is over.
Also, everybody’s taste differs and what other people consider acceptable is completely unpredictable. If you have risqué pictures or artwork that my offend others, remember the priority is getting the house sold. Get these taken down to maximise your chances.
4) Best Foot Forward
When showing your buyer around the house, always start and finish the tour in what you consider to be the best room. It will create the best possible first impression and leave a great lasting impression too.
If your lounge is particularly nice, get them to take a seat in there whilst you make a drink. If the breakfast kitchen is your pièce de résistance, that’s where the tour should start and finish.
It goes without saying that the other rooms should be clean, de-cluttered and presented in their best possible light. If you’ve got a fireplace, get it lit to create a warm and welcoming ambience. Make sure that all the curtains are wide open too and that all the lights are on in the property to make it as light and airy as possible.
5) Remove The Pets
When you have a pet, and in particular a dog, it’s easy to forget that not everyone loves your pooch as much as you do. Regardless of how small, harmless and cute your four legged friend might be – not everyone will view him or her in the same light. A lot of people are terrified of dogs, regardless of size or cuteness and having one present during a house showing will be incredibly uncomfortable for the viewer.
I’ve been at a number of viewings where the owner has been oblivious to this and not only has their dog been present, it’s been getting excited and jumping up at the viewer! Not only will this petrify people that are scared of dogs, and particularly those that bring small children with them, but the priority for the viewer is all of a sudden to leave the house as quickly as possible, rather than taking the time to view it properly.
Again, it may not be ideal having to drop your dog round to a friend or neighbours house for half an hour, but remember the reason for it is to give you the best chance of selling your home. It’s for a good cause.
6) De-Odorise
Referring back to those with pets, the chances are that if you have one – there is going to be a slight odour that you may have been become accustomed to, but your buyer won’t!
Again, walking into a house and being hit with a strange smell can be massively off putting, even if the rest of the house is show home condition. The same goes for smokers. Whilst the house is on the market, it’s best if you can refrain from smoking inside the house because whilst you may not notice it, there is nothing worse for a buyer that doesn’t smoke than to walk in to a house with a strong smell of cigarettes – it’s an immediate put off.
Other common offences that can kick up a pong are cooking smells such as garlic, bacon, fish and spices. If you know you have a viewing coming up, try to choose meals to cook that don’t include these ingredients.
A lot of people may plug in air fresheners or use a whole can of deodoriser in one sitting. However, people may be allergic to these and it may come across that you’re trying to cover something up. The best thing to do is simply open the windows and let in some fresh air.
If you’re going to bake cookies or simmer spices etc. make sure viewers aren’t disappointed. Put out some munchies to stop their tummies from rumbling!
7) Be Prepared
As soon as you put your house up for sale, it’s a great idea to get organised and dig out all the documentation, guarantees and certificates you have. Not only will this speed the process up one your sale has been instructed, it means that you’ll be able to answer the more difficult questions that buyers may throw at you. Plus, if you can provide guarantees and the like, it will give buyers confidence that they are buying a low maintenance house where they’re not going to have to be spending on repairs.
Some common questions that buyers will ask:
1) Which fence boundaries belong to who?
2) What are the average cost of your utility bills?
3) What is the Council Tax Band?
4) Is the boiler serviced and how old is it?
5) When was the property las re-wired?
6) How long is left on guarantees for double glazing, conservatories etc.?
7) What school catchments does the property fall in?
8) Do you have cavity wall insulation and loft insulation?
9) How old is the property?
The more information of this type you can have to hand, the better you’ll be able to answer any questions and satisfy the requests of your viewer there and then, rather than having to make them wait to find out the information.
So there you have it, our six top tips for a brilliant viewing. If you follow these steps, you’ll be maximising your chances of really impressing your viewers and edging closer to getting that sold board up!
The most important thing is just to relax and be yourself. There’s no point in piling the pressure on and getting stressed out about a viewing – it will only come across at the viewing and your viewers will feel uncomfortable. After all, if the property is right for them, it will sell itself!
And finally, don’t put pressure on the buyer to make an offer there and then. This is a massive decision for them that will require some thinking – plus that is what estate agents are for. Pressuring them into making an offer whilst still at the property will only see them retracting their offer later down the line if it’s not the right one for them which is no good to anyone, especially once you’ve paid out for surveys and other moving costs!
Be prepared, be yourself, be personable and you’ll have nothing to worry about.
Good luck!
