Agencies' innovative idea opens the door to more househunters

The photographs and the specification can't convey how a property feels or works and they don't always reveal its potential.

But a hybrid of the American-style free for all open house viewing, where anyone can turn up unannounced to nosy round your home, and the traditional British system is proving a big success.

Yorkshire estate agencies Beadnall and Copley and Strutt and Parker have both staged open house events recently and are planning more.

The idea is that a number of homes are open to view over a weekend, but anyone wishing to look at them has to register through the agents.

"It's not an open house in the American way where they put a sign in the garden and anyone piles in. Security then becomes an issue.

"We do it in a much more organised and controlled way but it means that people can see lots of property in their price bracket in one day and they get instant confirmation of an appointment when they call," explains Andrew Beadnall, who reveals that the firm's Multi View Open Day Weekends generated 574 viewings with a number of properties under offer as a result.

"We did it in price brackets over four weekends. So the first was properties up to 200,000 and the last was over 500,000. Vendors taking part in the event agree to make themselves available between 11am and 3pm on Saturday and Sunday and we then fix up a number of viewings for them during that time.

"The response from buyers was phenomenal and that's partly because it tapped into the confidence that is beginning to return to the market."

This strictly by appointment system is useful to agents, because it means that they can add new house hunters to their database and can also "cross sell" and persuade buyers to view properties they may never have thought of looking at.

"For sellers it's also been a real boost. They haven't seen that much viewing activity for years. Interestingly, they've also got a lot of feedback and that's been a big reality check for some, especially on price," says Andrew.

Charles Yeoman, head of Strutt and Parker, Harrogate, agrees and adds: "These events put some zest in the market and are incredibly successful. The figures are stunning," he says.

"We have found that prospective purchasers like the idea of going out on a Saturday and viewing lots of properties without having to make specific, individual arrangements, which can be a faff.

"They also feel less pressure when they know lots of other people are visiting on the same day. In fact, we had one or two houses in Harrogate where there were queues of people waiting to look round. That kind of scenario is good for a vendor because it introduces an element of competition."

With the Strutts events would-be buyers register and are

sent an invitation to view any house that is participating in the Open House day.

"The point of registration is that there is some security for the vendor. They have the assurance of knowing that the people turning up have given us their contact details. The vendor can then ask for their names and we can follow up later and get feedback," says Charles.

Scores of houses took part in Strutts last Open House Day and well over 16 per cent of those sold as a direct result of taking part.

Both Strutt and Parker and Beadnall Copley are planning more Open House weekends, though with some trepidation.

"There's a colossal amount of work. It starts with promotion of the event and setting up a section on the website with all the properties open to view. Then there's the appointments, putting details into the database and hundreds of follow-up calls afterwards," says Andrew.

"Not all agents have the staff to cope with this."

Darryl Digpall, who came up with the idea at Beadnall Copley, adds: "It's not entirely new, but it's a way of stimulating

interest and not just sitting back relying on the old methods of selling.

"Best of all it entices people away from sites like Rightmove where people base their decision on one image and it brings them to us. I think this initiative shows that people sell houses."

n Beadnall and Copley is staging another Multi View event in May tel: 01937 580850 and Strutt and Parker has another Open Day on April 24 tel: 01423 706776.

Case study: Making the effort leads to offer

Nigel Stewart, a former estate agent turned primary school teacher, has his Harrogate apartment under offer thanks to Beadnall and Copley's Multi View weekend.

His two-bed flat on Franklin Mount was put on the market for 169,950 in July last year and although he had 10 viewings over six months, the open days boosted interest.

"I had eight viewings over that weekend and having the appointment system made it very well ordered.

"You know who is coming and at what time and I much preferred that to the American-style open house where anyone can turn up."

He suggests that sellers agreeing to take part in an open viewing should prepare well.

"I'd already decluttered, but we also bought fresh flowers, mirrors and pictures for the open viewings. It made me make an extra effort," he says.

Showing people round was also a revelation.

"I began to adapt what I was saying, but it was a bit like taking the same lesson twice and it is quite tiring.

"But it paid off."