When it comes to selling your home, first impressions matter. Ensuring your property is shown in the best possible light can make all the difference in securing a sale. While there’s no denying the importance of a well-maintained property, how you show it to potential buyers is just as crucial. Here are six top tips to help you give the best viewing experience to your potential buyers and maximise your chances of a successful sale.
1. Designate One Person to Show Viewers Around
If you live in a family home, it’s wise to appoint just one person to show the viewers around. Ideally, the rest of the family should leave the house altogether during the viewing — even if they just sit in the car or drive around the block. If that’s not possible, ask everyone to stay in one room while you show the viewers around, and make sure any distractions, like the TV or music, are turned off.
Why?
When multiple people are involved in showing the property, the viewer is left unsure of who to take direction from or who to ask questions. Additionally, too many people in a room can make spaces, especially bathrooms, kitchens, and bedrooms, appear more cramped than they are. It also allows for too much small talk, which can detract from the main purpose of the viewing — the property itself. A single person showing the property creates a streamlined, focused experience.
2. Keep Pets Out of Sight
If you have pets, ideally, they should be taken out of the house during the viewing. If this isn’t possible, consider covering any cages or pet enclosures and putting away feeding stations and litter trays until after the viewing.
Why?
For some viewers, pets can be a source of discomfort, and if your pet makes them uneasy, they may struggle to focus on what your property has to offer. Even if your pet is friendly and well-loved, its presence may still serve as a distraction. Whether it’s a tarantula in a cage or a dog that insists on following guests around, your viewer might not appreciate the distraction. In the worst case, it could cost you a sale.
3. Avoid Cooking, Showers, or Baths Before a Viewing (And Don't Forget the Toilet Seat!)
Try to avoid activities that significantly affect the atmosphere of the home just before a viewing. This includes cooking, taking a shower or bath, or anything else that can impact the environment, such as using the bathroom (and don’t forget to put the toilet seat down!).
Why?
The smells from cooking, steam from a shower, or the lingering scent of dampness can give a wrong impression about the property. Buyers might assume these smells are permanent, or that the home suffers from dampness, even if it doesn’t. Scent plays a huge role in decision-making, and first impressions matter. Clean and neutral smells are always the best choice.
4. Follow a Viewing Structure & Communicate Your Plan
When you greet your viewers, introduce yourself and set out a clear plan for the tour. A simple outline will make the viewing less intimidating. Start by showing them the downstairs areas first, then take them upstairs, finishing in the garden.
For the ground floor, follow this order: lounge, dining room, any other reception rooms, kitchen, utility room, garage, and any ground-floor WC. When you move upstairs, begin with the bedrooms, working from largest to smallest, and finish with the bathroom.
Why?
A structured tour helps reduce nerves, both for you and the viewers. Most people aren’t sure what to expect, and a bit of direction can go a long way in making them feel more comfortable. When viewers know what’s coming next, they’re more likely to relax and take in what the property has to offer. Plus, a clear tour reduces the chances of missing any key features of the home.
5. Do the Hallway & Landing Shuffle
When you invite viewers in, ask them to move to the main reception room first, and then follow behind them. This prevents the hallway or landing from feeling cramped, as you won’t be standing in the same space as the viewers. If you’re showing the first-floor rooms, invite them up, but stand in the doorway of rooms you don’t want them to visit first.
Once they’ve looked in one room, move to another doorway and guide them to the next one. Keep this process going until they’ve seen everything on the floor.
Why?
Small rooms like bedrooms and bathrooms tend to look smaller when multiple people are present. By standing in the doorway of rooms they shouldn’t visit just yet, you avoid cluttering up the space and allow viewers to enjoy each room without feeling crowded. This tactic is especially useful in tight spaces, like landings or small hallways.
6. Wrap Up the Viewing with Clear Directions
At the end of the viewing, guide your viewers to the garden and let them know that when they’re ready, they can return to the lounge. Once back in the lounge, ask if they have any questions or if they’d like to see any rooms again.
Why?
Finishing the viewing with clear direction and purpose creates a sense of closure. It helps viewers feel comfortable asking any lingering questions or requesting a second look at a room. This final step gives them permission to take their time and makes it clear they are free to either leave or continue exploring. It also provides a natural ending to the viewing, which helps your potential buyers feel in control of their experience.
