Open viewings v individual appointments—What’s best for selling a property?

Pauline

This is an excellent question and one that many homeowners ask as they prepare to sell. Choosing between open viewings and individual or private appointments depends on several factors, including your property type, the current market, and your personal circumstances. Let’s have a look at how they both work, discuss their pros and cons and help you determine the best fit for your property.

Open Viewings 

As the name suggests open viewings are events where multiple potential buyers are invited to see your property during a designated time slot. These events are particularly useful for homes attracting high interest, allowing many buyers to explore the property at once. Typically scheduled on weekends, these viewings are widely advertised to ensure a strong turnout.

During an open viewing, your agent will promote the viewing time across multiple channels—like property listing sites and social media—ensuring your home reaches a broad audience. And of course, it’s easy for buyers to drop by within the set time slots to explore your property. This method allows you to showcase your home to many potential buyers in a shorter period.

Open viewings can be especially effective for properties with a lot of interest in them or to generate buyer interest.

So, if it’s the former and you’re selling a home in a popular area open viewings can help to create excitement. When potential buyers see others expressing interest, it can lead to quicker offers.

Open viewings can also serve as a great starting point to attract a wide range of buyers. Those who are genuinely interested often follow up with individual appointments, allowing you to focus on serious inquiries afterward.

Open Viewings: Pros and Cons Pros:

• Time Efficiency: Open viewings can save you time by accommodating several interested buyers simultaneously, which is especially helpful if you have a busy schedule.

• Generating Buzz: The presence of multiple viewers can create a natural sense of urgency and competition, potentially leading to quicker offers.

Cons:

• Privacy Concerns: Open viewings may attract casual visitors or nosy neighbours, making it hard to control who enters your home. This can be a concern if you have valuable or personal items on display.

• Limited Personal Attention: With many buyers viewing at once, your agent may struggle to provide detailed information to each person, leaving serious buyers feeling they missed out on important insights.

Individual Appointments 

Individual appointments offer each buyer a private, scheduled tour of your property. This approach is particularly suited to homes with unique features or larger properties where buyers may need more time to appreciate all the details.

Individual appointments are ideal for properties with unique features. For example, if your home boasts distinctive architectural details, expansive grounds, or high-end finishes, buyers will appreciate the opportunity to take their time during a one-on-one tour. Your agent can tailor the experience to showcase these special features.

Individual appointments also allow agents to build rapport with buyers, which is crucial. A more personalised tour often leaves buyers with a stronger impression, making them more comfortable with their decision.

Individual Appointments: Pros and Cons Pros:

• Personalised Experience: One-on-one viewings enable your agent to answer specific questions and provide tailored information, helping buyers connect with your property on a deeper level.

• Controlled Environment: You have greater control over who enters your home and when, reducing privacy and security concerns.

Cons:

• Time Investment: Scheduling individual appointments can be more time-consuming, requiring flexibility to accommodate buyers' availability.

• Reduced Sense of Urgency: Without the competitive atmosphere of open viewings, buyers may take longer to decide.

Safety and Privacy Concerns It’s perfectly natural to have concerns about safety during open viewings but there are a number of steps you can take to address your concerns.

Before an open viewing, remove any valuables, sensitive documents, or personal items from plain sight. Lock away jewellery, electronics, and paperwork to ensure peace of mind.

Choose an experienced agent who you trust and understands your concerns. A good agent will manage the process carefully and pay close attention to the people entering and exiting your property.

If necessary, you could also consider limiting the number of people allowed in at any one time.

Which method is right for you?

I find that for larger properties or homes with unique features individual appointments are often the best choice, allowing buyers to take their time and appreciate your home fully.

But for properties in popular locations open viewings can generate excitement and give multiple people a chance to view your property, which can lead to quicker offers.

If still undecided seek the advice of your estate agent who will know the market and should be able to guide, you on which approach would work best for your property sale.

Some sellers find success using a combination of both methods—starting with an open viewing to attract initial interest, followed by individual appointments for those who are genuinely interested. This hybrid method can give you the best of both worlds. Good luck with your sale.

Majella Galvin is Chair of the Membership and Public Affairs Committee of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland. A chartered surveyor, estate agent and registered valuer at DNG Galvin auctioneers Bandon, she has been working in the property sector for over a decade - www.dnggalvin.ie If you have a property related query or issue you would like to raise with Majella, please email irishexaminerpropertyqueries@scsi.ie