How does a home viewing work?

Most viewings take place on weekdays between 15.00 and 18.00, so you usually do not need to take time off work to be there. Viewings for a home sale typically take place just after the end of the working day.

A home viewing is when potential buyers see the home in person and form an impression of whether it matches the listing. The process can be divided into three phases: before the viewing, when you prepare; during the visit itself, when the buyers are there; and afterwards, when you follow up. As the seller, you also have two options: you can show the home yourself, or you can let an estate agent take care of it. The rest of this guide takes you through each phase, so you know what to expect.

Preparing for a viewing: make your home inviting

How you prepare for the viewing decides whether buyers experience the home the way it appears in the photos. When the setting is right, they can concentrate on picturing themselves living there instead of getting hung up on details.

• Tidy up completely, clean thoroughly and air the home well, so it feels neither stuffy nor smoky.

• Make sure children and pets are not at home during the viewing, so buyers can look around in peace.

• Open all the curtains and blinds, switch on lamps in dark corners, and open the doors between the rooms so the light can flow through.

• Make sure the home looks exactly as it does in the photos in the listing, and put a printed sales brochure out somewhere easy to see.

• If the front door is ugly or broken, get it fixed, and make sure the stairwell is neat and inviting, perhaps with a few flowers.

Showing buyers round: be a host and give them space

A good viewing is about striking a balance between being present and stepping back. You need to be there for the buyers, but not hover over them.

Be welcoming and ready to answer anything, but give the buyers freedom and a little time on their own along the way. When you step a few paces away, they feel free to talk openly about the home with each other, without it feeling awkward to say something critical while you are standing right next to them.

Let the buyers lead the way and experience the rooms at their own pace. Small comments and anecdotes along the way work better than an actual sales pitch, because they give buyers a picture of what the home has been like to live in.

Highlight what is unique, whether it is the view, the new kitchen or the south-facing terrace, but do it honestly and realistically. If you also mention the little flaws during the viewing, you come across as more credible than if everything sounds perfect.

At the same time, be prepared for the questions that almost always come up. Buyers will typically ask about the neighbourhood and its biggest advantages: public transport, distance to schools and childcare, playgrounds, leisure activities, green spaces, shopping, and cafés and restaurants. Other questions are more about everyday life, for example noise, traffic and parking, when renovations were last carried out and by whom, and what handover date you would like. If you have the answers ready, you come across as a confident host, and that rubs off on the whole experience.

Following up after a house or flat viewing

Whether it was a viewing of a house or a flat, a lot depends on how quickly and precisely you follow up afterwards.

• If the buyers asked questions you could not answer straight away, look into it and get back to them within 24 hours.

• If the buyers had no questions, call them within 48 hours and follow up on their interest in the home.

• Note down the reason for any lack of interest, so you can adjust and improve the next viewing.

• Invite everyone who is interested to make an offer, but give them time to look into their financial options without undue pressure.

Show the home yourself or let the agent do it

You really have two routes to choose from, and neither of them is wrong. It comes down to how much you want to handle yourself and how you would prefer buyers to experience the home.

If you choose to show the home yourself, you take on a role no agent can copy. You can tell the story of the home, of the kitchen you built yourselves, of the view from the terrace on a summer evening, and let buyers dream their way into a life there. Many buyers find it more pleasant when it is the seller who opens the door.

Some agents, on the other hand, recommend that you leave the home while it is being shown. The point is that buyers assess the home without being influenced by you, and that they give more honest feedback when you are not standing right next to them. It also makes it easier for whoever is conducting the viewing to gauge the buyers’ reactions.

Whoever handles the viewing, you do not have to guess how it went. You can follow the interest and collect feedback after every single viewing in a digital control centre, so you can see how the home is being received all the way through.

The difference also lies in how much work comes with it. When you sell privately, you handle the marketing, photos, advertising and replies to enquiries yourself, while an agent can take over the whole process. Neither is more right than the other, but they make very different demands on your time.

Make your home viewing a success with Brikk

The viewing falls into three parts: before, during and after. Whether you choose to handle it yourself or leave it to an agent, Brikk can cover the rest of the sales process, so you are not left alone with the task.

The only difference between the two packages is whether you or Brikk handles the viewings. All the other work is the same, whichever you choose.

Brikk has local estate agents all over Denmark. Selling your home with Brikk starts with a free, no-obligation valuation, and you are not committing to anything by having that first chat.

If you want to know what your home is worth and how best to approach the viewing, you can book a no-obligation sales valuation with a local Brikk agent.

Also read: Make your home more attractive for viewings