When someone asks to see your home, you know almost nothing about them. They may be ready to make an offer, they may be on their third viewing of the week to get a feel for the local market, they may have just started looking around. These are all normal situations. The trouble is not knowing which one you are in.
A viewing costs both of you time. You, who tidy the house and perhaps give up a morning; them, who travel and form an impression. A short exchange before the appointment is for this: to bring the right home and the right person together, or to say politely that it is not the right fit.
What home they are looking for
The number of bedrooms says little. One family may want an extra room to work in, a lift or a corner of garden; another prefers compact rooms and shops close by. If your home is lovely but lacks something essential for the visitor, it is better to know beforehand: it is not a rejection, it is time saved for everyone.
By when
Someone whose tenancy is ending, who has a home to sell before buying or a job move already set thinks differently from someone who is just weighing things up. Asking about timing is not rushing anyone: it helps understand whether the two sides’ needs can meet. Nobody has to decide before seeing the home.
With what budget, and what mortgage
Asking how much someone can spend is not prying: it is the question that avoids wasted viewings, and it can be asked politely. The figure should be read together with the costs of the purchase and any work needed. If a mortgage is involved, a talk with the bank or a credit advisor before the offer saves everyone time.
Confidential financial details and personal documents stay between the person and the professionals who advise them. The agency needs the information useful for the search, not their bank statement.
What you can prepare
Before the appointment, keep the floor plan, the condominium charges and the main documents of the property to hand. Visitors will have questions about the layout, outbuildings, condition and availability: answering precisely, and saying “I’ll check that” when you do not know, is worth more than a guess.
After the viewing
A well-prepared appointment gives you more than a count of visits. It tells you which features people like, which questions keep coming up and where the presentation of the home leaves doubts. Not every doubt can be cleared on the spot: what matters is knowing which checks are still missing.
No question guarantees an offer, and that is worth saying clearly. The point is not to waste viewings and to give the process a direction.
If you are thinking of selling and would like to talk about it, write to us or drop by the studio in Cossato: we will tell you how we organise viewings, with no obligation.
