Things to avoid during a property viewing - as a seller
Nathan Walker, Sales Director, highlights a few things sellers should avoid during a viewing...
As a seller who has recently put their home on the market, the moment you're first told that a potential buyer would like to view your property things suddenly become very real and very exciting. However, it's important to not get carried away with the excitement and instead hold your focus and remember that although there is a long list of things you do need to do, there are also plenty of things you should avoid doing as well - particularly during the actual viewing.
Some sellers like to do all they can to ensure they are not at home during the viewing, instead leaving the property vacant so that the estate agent can whisk the potential buyers through each room with zero distractions. In many other cases, this is simply not possible or perhaps even preferable to the seller, with some even opting to conduct the viewings entirely by themselves.
Whatever the case may be, below you'll find a short list of things you might want to avoid doing when buyers are viewing your property and weighing up its credentials.
Avoid lack of organisation
When a buyer is viewing your property they are using this as an opportunity to get a feel for the place, to size it up and to ultimately picture if they can see themselves living there. What they won't want to see upon entering is a maze of clutter everywhere and general disorganisation because this can make it more difficult for them to imagine how they would utilise the space.
Even if you prefer to live your life in a disorganised fashion, it's still worth dedicating a spare hour or so before every viewing to have a quick clear up so that everything is left relatively neutral and as tidy as can be. Simple things like ensuring coats aren't randomly draped over doors, or that the kids toys aren't left in a small visible heap on the floor. It's also a lot safer, as objects on the staircase or in hallways could lead to an increased risk of your viewers unexpectedly injuring themselves with a fall. It's also worthwhile trying to arrange a family member or friend to look after any children or pets you may have during the viewings.
Avoid getting in the way during the viewing
As soon as your potential buyer is walking towards the front door they have already started exploring what's in front of them and are absorbing information, so it's important that you give them the space and time to freely continue doing this once they step inside the property and begin to work their way around. Sometimes they may be keen to try out certain items or features, such as testing the taps or appreciating a log burner. Different rooms will interest different buyers and they'll often want to spend a little extra time exploring the most important rooms to them, so they won't want to feel rushed.
If you're conducting the viewing yourself or happen to be at the property while your estate agent shows them around, it's useful that you'll be on-hand to answer any specific questions, but be mindful of not distracting them in an annoying way such as having the TV or music system blaring. This is also why it can be a good idea to eliminate any potential distractions from the kids or pets by having someone look after them elsewhere for an hour or two.
Be polite, but avoid being over-familiar
It goes without saying you should be polite and courteous at all times, but it's also important that you remain entirely professional throughout the viewing. A little chit chat to build some friendly rapport is perfect, but aside from that you want to ensure any conversation is focused on the positive aspects and best features of the property as opposed to learning more about their hobbies or where they went on holiday last year.
If you try to become overly-familiar with your viewer, there's a chance they may see this as you being fairly desperate to win a quick sale. So, be polite, be courteous, be relaxed and most of all - just be yourself.
Are you looking to sell your home in Cardiff? If so, our property experts here at CPS Homes are keen to help you find the right suitors and achieve the best sale price. Contact us to discuss things in more detail by calling 02920 668585, e-mailing enquiries@cpshomes.co.uk or by popping into one of our three Cardiff branches.
