When selling a property, it is easy to assume that every viewing is a positive sign.
The more people who walk through the apartment, the greater the chance of finding a buyer — or at least that is how it may appear.
In practice, a high number of viewings does not necessarily mean that the sale is progressing. It may simply mean more cleaning, rearranging schedules and opening your home to people who are not yet ready to purchase.
That is why we do not arrange a viewing for everyone who calls.
Before scheduling a visit, we try to establish whether the buyer can realistically complete the purchase, whether the property matches their requirements and how close they are to making a decision.
We first ask how the purchase will be financed
One of the first questions concerns the buyer’s method of payment.
Will they use their own funds or require a mortgage?
When financing is involved, it is important to understand whether the buyer has already spoken with a bank, received an initial assessment of their borrowing capacity and prepared the basic documentation — or whether they are only beginning to consider a mortgage.
This is an important distinction.
A buyer who has completed the initial banking checks may be ready to purchase within a relatively short period. Someone who still needs to determine whether they qualify for financing is at a much earlier stage.
This does not mean that they will never become a serious buyer. It simply means that it may not yet be the right time to view every property that attracts their attention.
We then establish what they are actually looking for
A serious buyer can usually explain what they need.
They know why they are considering a particular area, which type of property suits them, which features are important and where they may be willing to compromise.
We therefore discuss:
- why they are interested in that location;
- how much space and how many rooms they require;
- whether a lift, terrace, parking space or particular floor is important;
- which properties they have already viewed;
- how they perceive the asking price;
- which requirements are essential and which are flexible.
A genuine buyer may not have an answer to every detail, but they generally know the direction in which they are moving.
Someone who is simply observing the market may have no clear criteria, no understanding of the available supply and no readiness to recognise the right opportunity.
Their intended purchasing timeframe also matters
The third important factor is timing.
Does the buyer need to move within the next few months? Have they sold their previous home? Is their lease coming to an end? Are they buying because their family is growing, they are returning from abroad or they are starting a new job?
A buyer with a genuine reason and a defined timeframe is more likely to make a decision.
Others may monitor listings for a year without a clear plan, viewing each apartment merely as another source of information about the market.
This does not mean that they should be rejected. It means that their stage in the process should be understood before another viewing is arranged for the owner.
We are not looking for a perfect buyer
The conversation is not intended to interrogate anyone or guarantee that every person who attends a viewing will immediately make an offer.
Buyers often change their opinion only after seeing a property in person. The space may feel different from how it appeared in the photographs, and a purchasing decision can never be predicted with complete certainty.
The purpose is to remove viewings that clearly have no realistic basis.
If the buyer does not have an appropriate budget, is seeking a completely different property or is nowhere near ready to proceed, a viewing is unlikely to benefit either side.
A useful conversation before the appointment saves time for both the buyer and the owner.
You should not prepare your home simply to satisfy someone’s curiosity
Every viewing requires organisation.
The property needs to be prepared, schedules need to be coordinated and the owner may have to leave work early or rearrange family responsibilities. If the owner still lives in the property, every appointment also affects their privacy.
The number of viewings is therefore not a reliable measure of an agency’s performance.
An agency may bring many people through the door without moving any closer to a sale. What matters far more is who attends and why.
The objective is not for as many people as possible to see the property. It is for the property to be seen by people who can buy it and for whom it is genuinely suitable.
A qualified buyer does not guarantee a sale
Even when a buyer has the necessary funds, clear requirements and a defined timeframe, there is no guarantee that they will choose your property.
However, the viewing still has a genuine purpose.
The buyer can assess the apartment seriously, compare it with other options and enter negotiations if it suits their needs.
The feedback from such a viewing is also more valuable. It can reveal whether the main obstacle is the price, layout, condition or another factor affecting the property’s market position.
Fewer viewings can lead to a better sale
A well-managed sale is not measured by the number of phone calls or people who have walked through the apartment.
It is measured by the quality of enquiries, the seriousness of the buyers, the usefulness of their feedback and the progress towards an offer that can actually be completed.
That is why, after a brief and focused conversation, we decide whether arranging a viewing makes sense.
We do not want an owner to prepare their home every time someone is simply curious.
We want the people who enter the property to:
- have a realistic financing plan;
- know what they are looking for;
- understand the price range;
- have a reason to make a decision within a reasonable period.
The objective is not to bring everyone. It is to bring the right buyer at the right time.
