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Original poster

Showing viewers round your house - what's the best way to do it?

22 replies

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 10:54

We are selling our house. Are getting viewers but no offers.

What is the best way to show people round? I have read on here how people like to look round themselves but when people come in and say "show us round then" I feel I need to make a bit of an effort .

The entrance to our house is into the kitchen (front door) although we mainly use the back door as there is parking there. I am tending to take people to the back door, show them conservatory, utility room and converted garage and in use garage and parking, then bring them back in and take them through living room and upstairs. But I keep feeling like I am in their way so am trying to think of a better way to do it.

Have a viewing at 2:45pm and would love it to be The One (although I think that about all the viewings ). Also have the problem of DS (6) and DD (4) who have to be somewhere (don't have anywhere to ship them out to unfortunately) - don't want them to look in the way either.

Any suggestions welcome

OP posts:

Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 11:44

Just had feedback from last night and they "liked it" but "didn't feel they would gain enough from moving here". Whatever that is meant to mean .

So people who have sold a house, how did you do it? Please

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HousewifeOfOrangeCounty · 09/04/2010 11:46

Isn't that what the estate agent is for, get them to do it and you and the dc's go out.

OrmRenewed · 09/04/2010 11:46

Personally I always preferred to be left to it and then ask any questions that i had. This happened only once and it was great. Owner offered us a cuppa and then told us to wander at will . Afterwards we had a few questions about parking and CH. Funnily enough it was the only house we made an offer on.

Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 12:03

The estate agents keep being busy on appointments. But they are finding viewers so they are doing something.

The one today they told me about yesterday and I should have asked then if they could do it but didn't. Tried asking them this morning but they were all busy.

Will try Orm's approach this afternoon, but will remember to tell them about the low ceiling on the stairs .

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Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 12:05

Thank you for the thoughts by the way

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BigBadMummy · 09/04/2010 12:08

"busy on appointments". Er... what are you paying the fee for then?!!!!

When showing people round, I wouldnt say "this is the kitchen, this is bathroom". That is kind of obvious and drives me nuts.

I would stand outside the room, don't go in with them, three people in a room can crampt it, let them see how big it is.

They probably felt that as you had a converted garage and conservatory they couldnt do anything to the property.

Have you got a boarded loft? Couuld it be converted?

LIZS · 09/04/2010 12:13

If there isn't an obvious route perhaps ask them where they would like to start or what they are looking for. Remember that the first impressions are crucial so they need to see something really good immediately, which you can enthuse over, and also end up on a positive note be it the garden , kitchen . Have clear lines of sight formthe entrance so the eye is drawn to the best features - flowers by a window with a view, fireplaces. Let them go in ahead of you. Offer them to have another look by themselevs after your tour.

Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 12:13

I will probably have a go at the estate agent some time but as property hasn't been on the market that long (just feels that way to me) then I probably don't need to panic quite as much as I am.

Sadly loft is (a) small (b) not boarded (c) not convertible .

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Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 12:15

Our kitchen is lovely and big and hopefully looks quite nice. I am losing all confidence in my ability to do this, which is Not Good. Will try and perk myself up a bit.

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Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 14:18

Just had a surprise viewing at 2pm and then will have one at 2:45. At least we are getting viewings (unlike my mum and dad whose house has been on the market for 6 weeks and have had one viewing)

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wubblybubbly · 09/04/2010 14:28

Just point out all the features you love about the house!

When I sold my flat it was to a young women my age when I bought it. I tried to paint a picture of my life there, how the huge bathroom was fantastic when all the girls were over getting ready to go out, how the main bedroom overlooked the church, which was great for privacy and looked beautiful all lit up for evening services. How the area was so great for getting into town, the bus services, the shabby little shared back yard was a sun trap etc.

Then I explained how much I'd loved living there and how much I'd miss it and promptly burst into tears (DS was just a few months old, I was still rather hormonal!) That did the trick!

wubblybubbly · 09/04/2010 14:29

Oh and good luck Noah!

MillyMollyMoo · 09/04/2010 14:56

Unless the office is shut the agents should be doing the viewings, what the heck are you paying them for otherwise, you could stick an ad in the paper and put the house on right move, remember they will be billing you for around £4k at the end, make the buggers earn it.

pagwatch · 09/04/2010 15:01

I would phone the estate agent and ask them to be specific about what fee reduction they will be giving you as they are not doing their job. And, if absoloutely anyone can do viewings are they suggesting that they have no skills to add to the process at all?

You are being treated like a sap.

Speak to some other esate agents and get alternative quotes and specify that you expect them to cover ALL viewings.

I have sold 4 houses and I have only once even been in the house when someone was being shown around

displayuntilbestbefore · 09/04/2010 15:08

OP - I wouldn't do the house after having been in the garden. Agents tend to do the garden last so as not to tramp mud through the house if it's been wet.
Let the viewers go ahead of you into every room so they get the full view of the room as they walk in without you in the way.

Do you have a real selling point such as a fab kitchen or amazing bedroom? If so, maybe make those the last things to show viewers so they are left with the last thing they saw on their minds.

I don't always think the agents do a better job at viewings than the owners, not least because they don't always have all the answers to any questions the viewers might have.
Key thing is not to seem too keen, don't oversell things, don't talk too much, just give a brief bit of info about the rooms if there's stuff to be said - view, light, features etc but give viewers space to look themselves and discuss anything with each other without feeling you're hovering.
Good luck

Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 15:12

Viewings were OK - I will talk to the estate agents about the showing around as I am slightly wondering about the sapness I am showing. I think when I signed the contract I did say I was fine with doing viewings - I mostly did them when we sold a house before.

Shall see what comes of these anyway - house has only been on the market for two weeks and has had 10 viewings so something must be OK.

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Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 15:14

First viewer did say I was friendlier than the house he'd just come from - it was a repossession with a very unfriendly neighbour who kept banging at the window and shouting abuse. Hopefully our house appeared very tranquil after that .

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displayuntilbestbefore · 09/04/2010 15:16

10 viewings in 2 weeks is good.
I missed the bit about you saying your DCs are there. Is there definitely no-one who can have them for the duration of viewings? No friendly neighbour? If not, I would definitely suggest that when you can't ship them out, the agent does the viewing so you are not distracted by them and also so your viewers are not distracted by them.
When we sold our last house, I had 2 young children and insisted that the agents gave me at least a day's notice of viewings so that I had time to sort out childcare and tidy up the toys etc so maybe you can ask this of your agent to enable you to avoid last minute viewings. Rarely do viewers have to see a house there and then. If they're really interested, they will be able to wait until the next day.

Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 15:19

Toys are always tidied at the moment . Have got children well organised.

At least DH will be here tomorrow and so one of us can remove the children for tomorrow's viewing. Although I need to check when the Grand National is on - viewing is at 3:30 and I am concerned they may clash .

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displayuntilbestbefore · 09/04/2010 15:27

Sounds like you have it pretty well organised. I wouldn't worry too much - you're getting the viewings and as long as it shows that you like your home and that you are a friendly person, you will do alright IMO!
Good luck with them all.

merlin · 09/04/2010 18:51

The estate agent should be doing the viewings and if not - why not? I would be changing agents!

neversaydie · 09/04/2010 19:38

I have sold 3 houses and the estate agents have never once done a viewing for me. The only time I pushed it the viewing was mysteriously cancelled...

I used to make sure that the house looked spotless and as nice as I could make it, show them round (not that any of the three houses was of a size where anyone would have got lost) and then offer them a chance to go round solo.

I think it helps enormously to think beforehand about what made you fall in love with the place when you bought it, and try and put that feeling over. That said, most of my houses have been bought because they had the biggest possible garden in the price band I could afford and for a lot of people that was irrelevant.

I did once turn down an offer purely because I detested the people, though!

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