Q: Dear Ed, my husband and I recently decided to put our home on the market. It’s quite a small two-bed terrace, just off a busy road but it has some lovely original features and a gorgeous sun-trap back yard. How can we make sure that our property is seen in the best light by viewers?
Kind regards,
Clodagh, Blackrock
A: Most property sellers recognise the tremendous importance of ensuring that as many prospective buyers as possible see their property. After all, more viewings means more buyer competition, thereby maximising your chances of securing the highest price the market will pay.
However, not all estate agents give enough consideration about when the best time is for a property to viewed. They don’t know the property as well as the owner and they may also be handling several viewings on any given day and tend to order them according to what works for them and the buyers.
We all know that a picture can say a thousand words – and it is important to ensure that your marketing brochure has images which highlight the key attributes and unique features of your property – but even the best brochure won’t have the same wow factor as walking into a home or garden at the best possible moment.
At Ed Dempsey & Associates, we always accompany our potential buyers on viewings for a host of strategic reasons, including selecting the best times to make the optimum impressions – and we urge all of our sellers to help us identify the best times of day for viewings.
When arranging times for buyers to view a property with attributes such as yours, I believe that it is important consider the following factors:
- You say that your property is off a busy road. If there is congestion at certain times then it would be best to pick times when it is less busy. Similarly, for properties that are on a school route, it might be best to avoid the morning and afternoon drop-off and pick up times – at least during term-time. That may even include break-times if you live very close to a school.
- Likewise, if your parking is on-street, are there times when finding a space is easier than others? You don’t want potential buyers to struggle for parking when coming to view your home.
- This applies to other local amenities. A property close to shops, restaurants and bars can have a great vibe when the footfall is light or even steady – but not so much if there are crowds of people milling around during lunch or in the evening.
- You mention that your home has original features. I’d recommend decluttering so that there are fewer things to detract from them when viewers arrive.
- A sun-trap yard, even a small one, is a great selling point. Consider which way it faces. Bright accommodation and a sunny garden are great selling points, so choose times when the position of the sun is at its best. Perhaps a follow-up viewing is best organised for a different time of day to highlight a feature that might have been missed initially.
Despite their expertise, an estate agent will never know your home as well as you do – so be sure to tell them all the reasons why you fell in love with the property in the first place. It can help us find a new owner to fall in love with it for the same reasons.
It must also be remembered that agents and vendors alike have a duty of care not to misrepresent or mislead, so if there is an issue, then this should be disclosed. However, the importance of a good first impression cannot be overstated, to the extent that many people will dismiss a minor inconvenience in light of having first fallen in love with their otherwise perfect home – hopefully yours!
Do you have a question about selling or letting your home? Email it to property@eddempsey.ie or contact us on 01 288 0004 for any advice about how to maximise your sale prospects.