You cannot sell a secret and no-one will put in an offer on your property if they do not know that it is for sale.
Listing your property with an agent is only one part of the marketing process and most agents will tell you that it is vital for the agency to list your property on the various property portals and to undertake a range of marketing activities.
One activity which remains as effective as ever, is to hold an open house or show day because very few buyers will put in an offer on property that they have not seen before, especially if it is going to be their primary home.
Holding a show day also allows the agent to undertake further marketing activities including for example an electronic news blast to potential buyers to alert them to the fact that the property is going to be on show on a particular day.
While most buyers now start their house hunting expedition online, you should remember that property portals are cluttered marketplaces and there is no substitute for a physical viewing of the property.
So, even though buyers may already have seen photographs of the property online and perhaps even seen a video of it, only a physical viewing can give them a real sense of the home and its ambience.
If a buyer takes the time to go and view the property, chances are that they are serious. A hesitant buyer might also generally be persuaded once they have physically seen the property. If they come back for a second look, you can be almost assured that they are interested and serious about putting in an offer.
Sellers need to be accommodating to agents to allow access to the home, not just for show days, but also for scheduled buyer viewings. Agents do a whole lot of networking on your behalf and will want to get their pre-qualified and serious buyers to the property for a viewing as quickly as possible.
By not making your property available for viewings, you could be losing out on a sale. Show days are generally still one of the best marketing tools and it is not unusual to receive offers following a show day.
Vitally though, is to always ensure that your property is in showroom condition whenever it is due to be viewed by potential buyers. Nothing is more off-putting than a cluttered or untidy house and garden.