Viewing Best Practices

How to conduct a successful property viewing – virtually or in person

Viewings are crucial to the success of any property transaction. With the agent typically doing their best to impress the viewer, it’s equally important for you as the renter or buyer of the home to come ready to ensure you ask the right questions and don’t miss any important details.

To help you plan the perfect viewing, we’ve put together a best-practice guide for you to make the most of your viewings – whether in-person or virtual.

Arrive early and well equipped with priorities 

Ensure that you arrive in time for your viewing. Not only does this display a sense of responsibility and seriousness (two things agents take into consideration when there are many people ready with offers for the property), it also provides a few minutes to run through your checklists and your priorities when deciding between several potential homes. 

Your preparedness can prevent you from forgetting about any key questions you wish to ask and for confirmation of any points that require further clarity. It will show the agent that you have really thought about the things that matter, and should you not be interested in the property, the agent may be able to find one that is more suitable for you based on this experience. 

Know your deal breakers

When looking for a property, there are many different reasons why one given property may be your preferred choice over another. When attending a viewing, it’s important to always remember what your personal deal breakers are. For some, it might be the need for double-glazing; for others, it might be how much storage space there is in the closets; others it may hinge on the local area and access to important amenities. No matter how big or small these deal breakers may be, knowing them clearly will allow you to view each property objectively, and stop your heart from ruling over your head!

Check the details!

Alongside your deal breakers, the details of the home being viewed can often matter an enormous amount in the decision-making process of choosing a home. It’s very easy, especially in virtual viewings, to overlook these small details and only discover issues once you move in. 

We recommend having a short checklist of things to keep in mind as you go from one room to another. If you’re conducting your viewing virtually, be sure to ask the agent hosting your your to address these points for you!

• Will the property be furnished? If so, is the furniture that will be left behind the same as the furniture visible during the viewing? What condition is it in? Does any of it need replacing? You could negotiate this as part of your offer
• Check room corners and the ceiling for mould and damp (virtual viewing tip: ask the agent to raise the camera angle and show you the corners of the rooms, especially the bathrooms)
• How much storage space is there? (virtual viewing tip: ask the agent to open the cupboards and to take a step back so you can assess the space)
• Are you close to sources of noise pollution? Look outside the windows to see if there are any train tracks or busy roads that you overlook (virtual viewing tip: ask the agent to show you what the view outside the windows looks like, and ask them to open the windows too)
• How well-lit is the street and surrounding neighbourhoods, would you feel safe walking home after sunset?
• Are the utilities fit-for-use? It is always worth checking things such as water pressure in showers, kitchen appliances, and boilers and radiators.
• If you have a car – what is the parking situation within the property or the development? Are there necessary permits? Is the road always congested?

If you are planning to view a property virtually, then it would be advisable to request all the added information you’d like from the agent ahead of the viewing, agents will be more than happy to adhere to special requests such as showing the view out of the window, opening cupboards and showing storage space. 

Your Neighbourhood

One of the overwhelming benefits of attending in-person viewings is that you’re able to quickly get a sense of the neighbours and local neighbourhood alike. If doing so, we would highly recommend either before or after a viewing, to take a walking-tour of the neighbourhood. How far are the local amenities? Is there green space in the neighbourhood? Is the area well-trafficked? What is the noise level like? Are you getting strong mobile signals in the area? 

Doing so will give you a sense of what the day-to-day community is like and whether it’s one that you would feel comfortable becoming a part of. In addition to this, you will be able to get a practical sense of what the local amenities are in relation to your future home and confirm if the locality of the park/shops are to your liking. 

Of course, SearchSmartly’s smart search functionality can help you get matched to the perfect homes based on your ideal neighbourhood, so you could save dozens of hours of time avoiding viewings of homes that just aren’t going to be a good fit your needs.
If you’re ready to take the leap in finding your next home and arrange a viewing, why not use our intelligent property search platform and find that perfect place for you?