Conducting property viewings

This article from Lawpack's Sell your own Home Kit discusses how to conduct a viewing of your house or flat when a potential buyer comes to see it.

Now is the moment when all your hard work will pay dividends. You have given your property a makeover and spent time and energy staging it like a show home, so don't forget the important finishing touches.

Make sure your property is spotless and tidy
Don't let all your hard work go to waste, make sure everything is spotless, stuff those loose papers in a drawer, and don't leave dirty washing-up in the kitchen sink.

Make sure your property smells sweet
Forget the old adage about the smell of coffee and baking bread being the key to a successful sale. It's far better to air the property well by opening all the windows for half an hour or so. In winter, do this several hours before your first viewing to give the property a chance to warm up again. Light a scented candle and put out fresh flowers.

Make sure the windows are clean
Make an appointment with the window cleaner before the first viewings. There is nothing that makes a property look grubbier than dirty windows, especially on sunny winter days when the angle of the sun is low and light shines directly through south- and west-facing windows.

Remove all pets
Viewers are not necessarily charmed by a peacefully dozing cat, or boisterous, barking dog. Make plans to remove them during viewings.

Be friendly and businesslike but not over familiar
Viewers have made an appointment to view your property because they are considering buying it. They want to see the property, not hear your life story, so keep the first viewing welcoming and friendly but businesslike.

Show the best rooms first and last
Remember, it is up to you to control the sequence in which your viewers see the property. You can give your viewers the impression that they are in control by guiding them round the house, but always allow them to enter any room first. Some estate agents still insist on showing houses by starting at the top and working down. But you only have to think about it for a minute or two to see that this is nonsense.

First impressions are crucial, so why would you show viewers the stairs before anything else? Your aim is to create a favourable impression, which viewers take away with them and which they can easily recall. For this you need to decide on your key rooms. It is helpful if one of these rooms is on the ground floor, so that you can return to it at the end of the viewing.

This will have the effect of reinforcing the overall message of the property and is the last image viewers take away with them. For example, if your key rooms are the kitchen and living room, then show these rooms first, followed by the bathroom and the bedrooms but then return to the kitchen or living room so that your viewers leave with the best room fresh in their minds.

Emphasise the positive
There's no need to mention any negative aspects of your home. Instead, make a list of all the positive things which you can mention as you are going round the house, but don't overdo the hard sell.

Dealing with viewers' questions
It's normally a good sign if viewers ask a lot of questions; however, you should also be aware that some people may simply be gathering ammunition to make a low offer. You must answer all questions honestly, although it is worth anticipating any difficult questions so that you can put a more positive spin on your answers.

Buyers are often curious as to why people are selling. Answer this question in general terms. For example, 'We want to move on to a new project', or 'We need a bigger house for our growing family'. Buyers are often trying to find out if you are selling because your marriage or relationship has broken down.

Some buyers are reluctant to make offers in these circumstances because one partner may be a forced seller, which can result in months of fruitless negotiations. If you are divorcing, whatever your feelings, try and present a united front when conducting viewings. You don't have to mention that these are your circumstances, unless you are asked the question directly.

20 August 2008