When you sell a condo you're still living in, how much of a good impression you make on prospective buyers during viewings can affect both how quickly you sell and the price you get. A few points around tidying up to reduce clutter, cleaning, and how you handle yourself during a viewing can put your mind at ease.
- When selling while still living in the home, how you handle viewings is a key moment that shapes the outcome.
- Before a viewing, cutting down on unnecessary items and tidying up storage areas too makes the room look more spacious.
- Cleanliness in the wet areas (kitchen, bathroom, washroom, toilet) is especially closely scrutinized.
- During the viewing, it's smoother to let your agent handle the explanations while you focus on answering questions.
- Preparing some flexible time slots in advance makes it easier to accommodate viewing schedules.
Tidying Up Before a Viewing
During a viewing, prospective buyers check the room's size and storage capacity while picturing their own life there. A lot of items on the floor or crammed into storage can make the space look smaller than it actually is. Before a viewing, cutting down on unnecessary belongings and tidying up the inside of closets and storage areas to some degree improves the impression of how much storage space is available. Rearranging furniture and clearing walkways and traffic lines is also effective for making a room look more spacious.
Focusing on Cleanliness in the Wet Areas
The kitchen, bathroom, washroom, and toilet are areas prospective buyers tend to pay especially close attention to. Water stains, mold, and grime around the drain are worth cleaning thoroughly before a viewing. Some sellers use a professional house-cleaning service, but even careful day-to-day cleaning can noticeably change the impression.
Attention to Odor, Brightness, and Room Temperature
A room's smell and brightness also affect the impression during a viewing. Ventilating beforehand so no lingering household odors remain, opening curtains to let in natural light, and turning on lights during a daytime viewing to add brightness are all effective touches. Keeping the room temperature comfortable for the season also shapes the impression.
How Sellers Should Conduct Themselves on Viewing Day
On viewing day, it's smoother to leave the explanation of the property and any negotiation over terms to your brokerage agent, while you focus on answering individual questions from prospective buyers — how equipment works, the surrounding area, how the management association operates, and so on. If you keep a pet, it's worth considering moving it to another room or taking it out during the viewing time as a courtesy to prospective buyers. It's best to avoid overly pushy sales talk and keep a calm, composed manner.
Common Questions Asked During Viewings
During viewings, prospective buyers often ask about the trend in management fees and the reserve fund for large-scale repairs, the history of major repairs, whether there have been any disputes with neighbors, and how much sunlight and noise the unit gets. Organizing your answers with your agent in advance makes it easier to respond calmly on the day.
Tips for Scheduling Viewings
When selling while still living in the home, you'll need to coordinate between prospective buyers' availability and your own daily schedule. Letting your agent know in advance which time slots work well for you — weekday evenings, weekends, and so on — makes scheduling go more smoothly. If work commitments make it hard for you to be present, you can sometimes arrange with your agent to hand over a key and have them manage the viewing on your behalf. Keeping your home reasonably tidy on an ongoing basis also helps you accommodate last-minute requests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I renovate before hosting viewings?
A major renovation isn't required. Start by considering cleaning, tidying up, and repairing any noticeable damage, and decide with your agent's advice from there.
How often will viewings happen?
It varies depending on the property, pricing, and market conditions, but it's common to have several viewings within the first while after listing. It helps to discuss your scheduling preferences with your agent in advance.
Is it okay for my family to be home during a viewing?
It's fine to be home, but it helps to stay considerate so the prospective buyer can view the space easily and your agent's explanations aren't disrupted.
Summary
When selling while still living in your home, how you handle viewings shapes both the time it takes to sell and the terms you end up with. Keeping things tidy, focusing on cleanliness in the wet areas, paying attention to odor and brightness, staying composed on the day, and being flexible with scheduling all go a long way.