While most property viewings are conducted by a letting agent, sometimes a landlord will prefer to do it themselves – in order to save money or meet potential tenants. Whatever your reason, if you find yourself in the position of conducting your own viewings, here are some tips to make them run smoothly.
Prepare the property
To give the best first impression, you want your property to look as good as it can for the people who will be viewing it. That means making sure it is clean, well-ventilated and well-lit, at the very least. If there are currently tenants living there, ask them to tidy up before the viewers arrive, and make sure you arrive a few minutes early to check the place over before the viewing begins.
Take the viewers around
First and foremost, the viewers are there to see the property, so show them into every room and tell them about all the parts of the property they will have access to (e.g. parking spaces, the garage, the garden, any attics or basements). You should give them enough time to look at every room without feeling hurried, and after the tour you could even give them a few minutes to look around by themselves, so they can really get a feel for the place.
Show off the best features
It’s always helpful to know your property’s best features – such as an impressive kitchen or a big garden – and make sure you highlight them during the viewing. You can also ask the viewers what they’re looking for in particular and tell them how your property meets their needs. Of course, this isn’t just restricted to the property itself. You might also mention the location, local schools, transport links or nearby amenities.
Know your stuff
Potential tenants usually come with questions: What is the council tax band? How much do the bills cost? What furniture is included? It’s important that you have all this information to hand during the viewing, so you can make a good impression with the viewers and avoid any follow-up emails or phone calls. Even better, why not print out a list of all the important information for them to take away? They might be viewing several properties that day, and giving them a cheat sheet could mean yours is the one they remember.
Get to know the viewers
While the viewers are getting to know your property, this is also a golden opportunity for you to get to know them. You can ask them questions, such as why they’re moving, what they do and who will be living in the property when they move in. Remember, you don’t want to interrogate them – any detailed information you need will come from references and background checks – but the viewing is a good chance to get to know them as people and look out for any red flags.
Be friendly and professional
During a viewing, as well as looking at the property, potential tenants will also be sizing you up as a landlord, so it’s crucial to make a good impression. Be friendly, honest with your answers, and always maintain a good level of professionalism. Over-friendliness can be as off-putting as rudeness, so try to strike a comfortable balance and show them the approach they can expect from you if you become their landlord.
If you would rather hand over responsibility for the viewings to a lettings professional, talk to your local lettings agent. For rental properties in Bristol, Gough Quarters offers a complete Tenant Find service that includes marketing the property, conducting viewings and organising all the associated paperwork. Contact us to find out more.
Image sources:
Cover photo by Henry & Co. on Unsplash
Window view by Rich Brown on Unsplash
