Hidden hazards of opening your property to scrutiny
Q. We have spent the last couple of months going to open homes, some of which we’ve been more interested in than others (we went to one down the road just because we were nosy!). We’ve been a bit surprised by how they have been run – some seem more organised than others. We’ve now found a property to buy and so we have to face the process ourselves. We just want to feel confident that any open homes at our place will be run well and that people won’t be rummaging through our cupboards. How can we make sure?
A. As Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently commented while visiting a family in Samoa, there is nowhere more sacred than your home. Welcoming visitors is one
thing, opening it up to complete strangers is another situation entirely.
As a seller, you get to decide how the open-home process is run. If you’re working with a real estate agent, this will be part of the marketing plan that you agree upon with them before you sign the agency agreement.
The real estate agent will advise you on the timing and frequency of open homes, or any other viewings. If there is anything you are uncertain about, talk to the agent and make your feelings clear. There’s no law that you have to have open homes – you may decide that you’d rather have viewings by appointment only. Bear in mind, though, that in order to sell your home, people will have to see it. You may have to be flexible on when viewings are held, even if they are not particularly convenient.
If you are selling privately, you have full responsibility for running any viewings. This can be timeconsuming and has the potential to be distressing if you’re not braced to hear other people’s criticisms of your property. Some private sellers get a friend to help out for this reason.
When it comes to the marketing and selling process of your home it’s a good idea to look at things from the perspective of the real estate agent and any prospective purchaser.
As you know from your own experiences, open homes often attract people who are just browsing to see what’s around, or neighbours who have always wanted to see what ‘‘that house at number 10’’ is like. The agent will report back to you after the open home to let you know the level of interest – if they have kept an electronic or paper record of visitors it will give you an indication of how many visitors were sticky beaks from down the street.
In an ideal world, people will treat your home with respect when viewing it. If you suspect they will need reminding, request that the agent asks visitors to remove any wet-weather gear or shoes before entering. Most people go on a major cleaning, tidying and de-cluttering mission before putting a property on the market, which will make it much easier to prepare it for an open home.
It’s a good idea to clear away any valuables or personal items (if time is short, dump them all in a washing basket that you can pick up and take with you) and use your own common sense about what you want strangers to see. Don’t shove things into cupboards or wardrobes – prospective buyers will be keen to gauge storage capacity. Remember that families with small children could be going through your property and delicate ornaments or family heirlooms might be better out of harm’s way.
Selling a property can be a stressful time, but you’ll make it much easier on yourself if you work out a plan of attack, including getting the advice of professionals along the way. Present your home well and it’s more likely to attract another set of owners.
❚ Kevin Lampen-Smith is the chief executive of the Real Estate Authority (REA), the independent government agency that regulates the New Zealand
real estate industry. If you have a question about buying or selling property, send it to susan.edmunds@stuff.co.nz For independent advice on buying or selling property, check out settled.govt.nz.