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What sellers should always do – and never do – when conducting viewings of their own home

At Oscars Estate Agents, we understand how stressful and emotional it can be when showing prospective buyers around your home – which is why we offer accompanied viewings with our highly experienced agents to ensure all goes as smoothly as possible.

Sometimes, a last minute request for a viewing or out-of-hours appointment can mean sellers choose to do their own viewing without an agent at their side, so we have put together a short list of ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ that could make all the difference to selling your home.

What should you do before prospective buyers arrive, how much time should you spend with them, should you leave them entirely alone, and what about the tricky questions they may ask?

Be ready and prepared

Ensure your house looks clean and presentable and that you also look smart. If a buyer views you and your home as disarrayed it could be off-putting as they may think it means your house may not be well maintained or cared for.

De-clutter your home

Make it look like a house they could imagine THEIR family living in, so that could mean filling a few boxes and bags with personal items and stashing them out of the way until you move. ?A cluttered home can also give the impression of a lack of space, so try and put things away which may usually be left lying around.

Give them space and time alone

Potential buyers don’t want to be followed around by the home owners from room to room. They will want to look around without you breathing down their necks. ?Let them have a wander around and say you’re free to answer any questions should they wish, but wait for them to ask first. ?Appearing too desperate to highlight the positives is off-putting. They need to convince themselves that your home is suitable, not you convince them.

Don’t give too much away

It is likely you’ll be asked why you are moving and what stage of the process you are at, but it is best not to be too open about your situation, as these could easily then be viewed negatively by potential buyers. ?Too much personal information can also be off-putting – they don’t need to know about your divorce or children leaving home and will feel more comfortable being in your home if you are cordial and polite without knowing your life story!

Try not to get into any negotiations and don’t give your own contact details

A common mistake easily made.

You want to develop a good relationship with potential buyers, but you may find it much harder to reject an offer below market price opposed to an agent who knows to hold out for full value.

Your agent is there to ensure all negotiations are handled professionally and to reflect the true value of your home to make sure you get the best deal.

Take out the personal side of negotiation and ask for all inquiries to go to them.

Be warm and welcoming

Nobody feels comfortable with viewings whether you’re the owner or potential buyer, so make them feel welcome and of course let them know that they are welcome to come back and look again at any time – that second viewing could be the one to seal the deal.

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