How to increase property viewings around Christmas

Like most things, the property market has a reputation for dropping into second gear during the festive period. This can be frustrating for homeowners looking to sell their property swiftly, especially if another property purchase is hinging on the sale of their home with a tight deadline.

There will of course be some things outside your control at this time of the year, but there are also things you can do to maximise property viewing and increase your chances of agreeing on a sale around Christmas. Here are our estate agents’ top tips for sellers.

Be flexible

Even if you have some extra time off work, the festive period could be busier for you and your family. This can make it difficult to accommodate viewing enquiries by potential buyers, who may be pressed for time themselves. The greater amount of viewing availability and flexibility you can provide will increase your chances of securing viewings.

You should work with your estate agent in advance to make them aware of the days and times you are willing to allow viewings during this period. These times can be advertised in advance to prospective buyers and make the process smoother. From our experience, the less back-and-forth the better chance of success.

Choose the right agent

Choosing the right estate agency to represent your home and arrange viewings is also important. It’s always better to choose a local estate agent, typically because they have specialised knowledge in your area. However, choosing a local agent has additional benefits when it comes to squeezing in more viewings during the Christmas period.

Local agents may be able to accommodate more viewings due to logistical conveniences, such as being located closer to your home with less travel time between their appointments. Of course, there are some things outside your control, such as the days and times the estate agency will be open during this time of the year.

Hold off the decorations

If you’re only just listing your property in the lead-up to Christmas, you’ll require professional photos to market the property best. This should be part of your estate agent’s services, which often include in-house photographers to ensure the best images are used.

However, at this time of the year, you will likely have Christmas decorations on display. No matter how good your singing Santa or glow-up Rudolf’s nose looks, these aren’t ideal for your marketing photos. Therefore, you will need to hold off any Christmas decorations until the photos have been snapped. Most estate agencies can edit out your Christmas decorations, but buyers may be able to spot this and lose trust in the listing as a whole.

Last but not least, make sure you start your selling journey with an accurate property valuation that sets realistic expectations. Overhyped property valuations can lead to a slow sales process with lots of unfruitful viewings.