Estate agent viewings – how they shouldn’t be done!

Viewings are the lifeblood of any sale, whether you have them beating down your door or more likely in the current market, a handful of quality buyers coming to look around your home. Attitudes in recent years have shifted. Gone are the days of ‘tyre-kicker’ individuals viewing multiple properties because they’re bored on a weekend. If someone comes to view your home, they will usually have done their research beforehand – they don’t like wasting their own time. As a result, if someone wishes to view your home, as an owner you know you are a good distance down the road already. So when that call comes through from an agent to arrange a viewing, grab the opportunity with both hands.

However a few recent instances have left me utterly staggered as to what some agents think is acceptable when it comes to viewing protocol.

Making contact

Firstly the call through to the estate agent themselves. After several attempts with the phone just ringing out or having to leave a voicemail, I finally got through to someone in the office to arrange a viewing for myself and a client. The agent was speaking so quickly and was incredibly keen to get me off the telephone. This left no time to run through the property and giving the agent the opportunity to quiz me about my client. They just glibly arranged it and sent me an automated confirmation email. There was good reason for their extreme haste. When I spoke with the agent, the consistent ringing of the telephones in the background was like a swarm of cicadas that never gave up. Evidently the negotiator and their colleagues were drowning in incoming telephone calls. Not a great start.

Viewing

We then come to the viewing itself. From my perspective, I would expect any agent to be there 5 to 10 minutes early, open up the property, turn lights on and be ready. This is their opportunity to shine and capture that elusive offer on behalf of their vendor client. What ensued was the viewing agent turned up late, with an envelope of keys for multiple properties that they had to work through to get us inside. We were bundled into the house and I asked them to fill us in about the property and what the vendor was looking to do as an onward purchase. As this was their first time to the property, they didn’t have any answers. Their response was ‘I only open the door.’ My heart sank as we were left entirely to our own devices, whilst the viewing agent got on their mobile phone to catch up on their social media.

How long to view?

After 20 minutes, the client and I were informed that the viewing agent needed to leave for their next lack lustre appointment. Bearing in mind the property we were looking around was more than just a one-bedroom apartment, we made it clear we weren’t overly happy about this. The viewing agent then said don’t worry – they would leave us at the property whilst they went onto their next viewing and they would be back shortly. I was truly taken aback, but as it was offered we went with it.

Feedback

The next day one of the estate agency team rang to get my feedback. Desperate to just get a snippet of information from me so they could tick a box having obtained my feedback, the conversation promptly ended. If I was given more time, I could have elaborated what my client really thought about the property and perhaps feedback how they could improve their viewings. The agent was already gone, off to firefight their ringing telephones.

So when it comes to instructing your agent, go into their office and observe how they operate – are they acting in their clients’ best interests? Viewings are like gold nuggets, but no vendor likes wasting their time with fool’s gold.