A question we get asked the most on this is ‘Should your agent or you the homeowner conduct the viewings?’
Buying property is a very emotional process for most people. The key is simply not to try too hard. An over zealous property owner can quickly become the biggest turn off to the sale. You have to understand that you can’t hard sell a home to someone. A potential buyer will usually get a feel for your home within a minute or two of entering your property. If it’s not for them then no amount of sales tactics will change their mind.
Your focus as a seller is to ensure you communicate to your real estate agent the key selling point benefits… for example walking distance to shops, schools or other local attractions and ensuring that all your properties best features are displayed at their best!
Pointing out things that may not be obvious to a potential buyer such as underfloor heating or proximity to good local schools is of particular value. DON’T point out the glaringly obvious (‘This is the toilet’) and DON’T bore them to death with the technical details of the reticulation system.
If you do have the opportunity to tell the buyers exactly what you have enjoyed the most about your time living at the property, be honest and sound passionate and don’t make it sound sales like. Make sure your real estate agent knows your story and can communicate this on your behalf.
In most cases your agent will be conducting all the viewings especally if you don’t fancy the prospect of watching strangers nose round your home. It is very important to let the agent do their job and make yourself completely scarce. That means you GO OUT prior to all arranged viewings.
There is nothing more off-putting to a potential buyer than being shown around a nice property by the Estate Agent, only to walk into the Living Room and find the homeowner lounging on the sofa with a bowl of peanuts watching their favourite reality show. As you can imagine this creates a very awkward atmosphere and at this point many viewers will feel obliged to engage with the owner of the house (or vice versa) through a sense of politeness. A confusing exchange then normally takes place during which the homeowner often contradicts everything that the Estate Agent has previously mentioned and the whole viewing process becomes very disjointed.
If the buyer leaves the house feeling awkward then that is exactly what they will remember about the property…it felt awkward. So you can rest assured they won’t be making an offer.
REMEMBER. If the price is set correctly and the marketing details are spot on, then most properties will sell themselves. Buyers simply need to be given the opportunity to look round un-rushed and unhindered and fall in love. Then they will make an offer…