Showing Your Home
It is almost always best to allow the estate agent to show your property. But on occasion it may be necessary for you to do this yourself. Remember that you are hoping that the viewer will pay tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of pounds; so when showing your home it is a good idea to think in terms of what you like to know or see when you are looking at other peoples’ homes.
The guided tour
Almost without exception it is best to say as little as possible when showing a prospective purchaser around a home. The art is to be aware if they have missed something that is important – the number of power points in your kitchen is hardly likely to be your property’s main selling feature, so best to maintain a studied silence on minor matters unless asked. Be friendly, but try not to interfere with the viewer’s ability to absorb the ambience of your home – to get comfortable with it.
Let your prospective purchasers feel at home. Let them open cupboard doors themselves. Let them ask questions. Invite them to join you in the pot of tea you have just made for yourself. Try to ensure that nothing interrupts their easy movement from room to room. Children should be kept quietly entertained. Barking dogs that jump up at strangers should be banished.
Each of these suggestions will help you achieve a quicker sale, probably at a better price. The extra effort will be worth it.
Answering Questions
If a prospective purchaser asks a specific question about your property you are obliged to answer it honestly and accurately.
