Lots of Viewings but No Offers? Is Your Estate Agent Targeting the Wrong Thing?

If you are selling your house and choosing an estate agent, you may be impressed when an agent talks about generating lots of viewings.

More viewings must mean a better chance of selling your home, right?

Not necessarily.

If an estate agent or negotiator has targets based on the number of property viewings they arrange, it can create the wrong incentive.

When selling your property, the objective should not be to get as many people as possible through your front door.

It should be to find the right buyer and achieve the best possible result.

Are They Generating Viewings or Finding Buyers?

If an estate agent is targeted on viewing numbers, there can be pressure to fill the diary.

But is every person viewing your house genuinely interested?

• Can they afford it?
• Do they have a property to sell?
• Does your home actually meet what they are looking for?

Of course, estate agents should not over qualify buyers to the point where genuine opportunities are missed. Buyers can change their minds once they walk through the door.

But there is a big difference between giving a potential buyer an opportunity and arranging viewings simply to create activity.

A Real Example From 360 Properties

We recently took over a house for sale that had been marketed by another estate agent for 16 weeks.

The previous agent averaged four viewings every week.

That is approximately 64 property viewings.

The result?

• No second viewings.
• No offers.

360 Properties then took over the marketing.

We conducted six viewings.

• Four resulted in second viewings.
• Four offers were received.

Approximately 64 viewings versus six.

The seller did not need more viewings.

They needed the right buyers.

Lots of Viewings But No Offers?

If you are trying to sell your house and getting lots of viewings but no offers, simply arranging more viewings may not be the answer.

This is the point where a good estate agent should be asking why your house is not selling.

• Is the asking price right?
• Is the property marketing attracting the right buyers?
• Does the online listing accurately represent the property?
• Is there something viewers consistently dislike?
• Are buyers choosing other properties for sale in the area instead?
• What is the viewing feedback telling us?

If your house has had 20 or 30 viewings without an offer, that is valuable information.

Your estate agent should be using it to decide what needs to change.

Your Time Matters Too

Preparing your home for a viewing takes time.

You may need to clean, rearrange your day, take the children out or make arrangements for pets.

Sellers should not be inconvenienced simply so an estate agent can hit a viewing target.

There should be genuine potential behind the appointment.

One Viewing Could Be Enough

Imagine your estate agent conducts one viewing.

That buyer loves your home, makes a strong offer, is in a good position to proceed and eventually completes the purchase.

Was one viewing a bad result?

Of course not.

Equally, 30 viewings without an offer should prompt questions.

When selling a property, the number of viewings is not the objective.

Selling the property is.

Choosing the Right Estate Agent to Sell Your Home

If you are comparing estate agents or deciding who is the best estate agent to sell your house, do not focus purely on how many viewings they promise.

Instead of asking:

"How many viewings will you get me?"

Ask:

"How are you going to find the right buyer for my property?"

And if your property is already on the market with lots of viewings but no offers, ask:

"Why are people viewing but not buying?"

At 360 Properties, we believe viewing numbers are useful information, but they should never become the target.

Because ultimately, you are not instructing an estate agent to generate viewings.

You are instructing them to sell your property.