Timing viewings when you have a baby

[sleepyhead]

We're just about to start advertising our flat for sale. Will be doing viewings ourselves and clearly will not have the dcs around for preference (flat is very small, ds's are 6 and 6 months)

I'm guessing that evenings and weekends are going to be when people are likely to want to view so how do we manage evenings with small dcs - ds2 goes to bed at 7pm and isn't particularly amenable to much later than this.

At Weekends one of us will take them out so not so bad.

My DDs were v little when we sold our flat- make sure the estate agents know you only want serious ie in a position to buy people coming round. Nothing worse than spending 2 hours tidying up, shipping the kids out after dinner and then having people just coming round for a 'look'. Also insist on 7pm or earlier being last viewing app- at the end of the day if someone is keen on your flat they will look at it over the weekend or straight after work. Good luck!

That's good to know that 7pm wouldn't be too early for finishing viewings.

It hadn't occurred to me to think about this until this morning!

We were co concerned about this, what with a toddler who loves her nap still in the day. We mainly had viewings at the weekend, or occasionally a weekday if I was off. Generally, I found that people were very flexible and respectful of the fact we have a young child, and were happy to wait perhaps a day or two until it suited us. If people are genuinely interested in your house then they should be happy to see it whenever.

Co concerned? No. Just concerned.

If you are in an area where properties are moving, stipulate block viewings, preferably a dozen or so people dhown round by the agent at a time when you can all be out on a Saturday. Anyone who wants a second viewing will be serious enoug to be a little flexible on times during the week.

I agree... 7pm moratorium is totally fair. Anyone serious can come straight from work, or fit it into their weekend. Friends of mine are currently house hunting, and have taken a couple of half days leave to fit in houses that were otherwise difficult to see, and a couple that they were serious enough about that they wanted to see them at different times of day.

You might not get as much footfall, but most of the ones filtered out will be spectators anyway.

We sold when DS was 8 months old. I couldn't cope with constantly trying to keep the house in pristine condition so we had a weekend open house and cleared off to the in-laws for a couple of nights. I think 7pm is quite late for a viewing, I think the latest I've ever been to see somewhere is 6.15pm? Estate agents tend not to book viewings later than 6.30pm, so people won't be put off if they can't come later than that. I agree with trying to block them up if possible.

I think 7 pm is fine, especially if you say you would do the weekend instead.

We once tried to purchase a property that was tenanted. The tenant would only agree to m-f 9-5.30, we didn't buy it as my dad was working those hours.

The ll told us in the end, he knew he would have to accept about 10% below asking or wait until she had vacated, as so many people couldn't make it.

Thanks for all the feedback.

I'm not sure that more than one potential buyer at a time would work as it's very, very small! But will bear that in mind if there's a rush (I wish..)

That makes sense about early evening viewings. It's been a long, long time since I was last looking but I can remember it usually being 6ish.

Id say was a perfectly acceptable time to stop viewings. We sold our last house when DD was about 7mths.
I remember once viewing where DD had literally fallen asleep on the living room rug whilst playing. I left her there rather than put her in her room as it was only a tiny 2 bed house and didn't want them not be able to see a room IFYWIM. They were fab about it and found it to be very sweet and just tiptoed past her to view the conservatory. They Joked about her coming with the house. :)
Generally we found people very accepting.

We have just sold again and the girls are now 5 and 3. The estate agents was fab and said hes get viewings done in blocks so that it was easier. He also had children of a similar age so understood what a nightmare it was tying to keep the house in showroom condition! Thankfully we sold the first day so didnt have to stay tidy for long

First viewing tomorrow evening @ 6pm - wish me luck!

Good luck sleepyhead! Hope you've got all shipshape :-)

We sold our house last year and evening viewings tended to be earlier than 7, maybe 6pm or so. We had open house on a Saturday and went out and let the EA show as many people round as possible. One of the advantages of that is that you tidy up once for lots of people instead of for one person who sometimes cancels.

Our EA closed at 6ish and viewings were before then. We could do viewings first thing in mornings and lots of people wanted that (and be a bit late to work) or around lunchtime (would always take pram & baby into garden). Always take your pram out of the flat. Makes hallway cramped & unwelcoming.

Now there's two viewings tonight.

I'm sloping off work an hour early to cast an eye over the place. Dh is at home with ds2 (and ds1 after school) so he's going to keep on top of things as much as he can. Ds1 is banned from pouring out his entire lego collection onto the floor.

Buggy is in the car, as are several boxes that haven't been taken to storage yet. Dh is taking the boys to McDonalds for tea and won't come home until ds2's bed time so hopefully they'll be gone by then. Estate Agent reckoned 15 minutes per viewing?

Two done. Three more viewings tomorrow and three more later on this week..

No real idea of what they thought of the place, so we'll just have to wait and see