A viewing for sale is successful when interested parties understand the offered property better and know which questions remain open. It is not enough to open doors and then ask for an offer. The following procedure is an editorial recommendation for the in-person sales appointment of an Austrian residential property. It does not create any legal binding of statements and does not replace a technical inspection.
Establish the shared starting point before the appointment
Check the actually used advertisement and the documents sent along. Do the scope of the property, pictures and current details still match? What has been changed since then? Have a necessary correction ready and explain it before the wrong impression shapes the entire walkthrough.
Confirm meeting point, reachable contact person and which areas can be shown. Ask about concrete support needs for the procedure, without promising unverified accessibility (Barrierefreiheit). For inhabited or otherwise used rooms, access must be agreed in advance. An organised appointment does not create a general right of access against third parties.
Prepare a floor plan for orientation and the property documents suitable for the appointment. Do not mentally postpone the energy performance certificate: § 4 EAVG requires that for recorded sales the certificate be presented in good time before the contract declaration; the basic rule also states handover within 14 days after conclusion of the contract. [EAVG-4] Special exceptions and existing certificates are dealt with separately.
Plan a route that explains the floor plan
Walk through the appointment yourself first. Start at the access point and show the rooms in a comprehensible sequence. Explain changes of floor, separate ancillary rooms and areas that are actually not shown. At the end, the interested parties should understand which room is accessible how and which areas are part of the offer.
Show room accesses openly, without hiding actual restrictions. A cluttered room cannot be replaced by the claim that it looks the same as the neighbouring room. Note what still needs to be shown or inspected separately. Do not invite operation of unfamiliar systems or entry to areas that are not safely accessible.
Use three types of statements deliberately
Our recommendation: distinguish in conversation between visible observation, documented information and open technical question. “Here is the spot” describes an observation. “This invoice names the work carried out” refers to a document. “This therefore permanently eliminates every cause” would be an additional conclusion for which the invoice alone may not be sufficient.
Prepare brief factual explanations for essential property features with their basis. You do not need a memorised promotional text. If a question exceeds your confirmed knowledge, state the open point and how you will obtain an answer. An answer after the appointment is more useful than a spontaneous technical or legal assurance.
Show known decision-relevant peculiarities in the appropriate context and forward questions to the responsible advisor. This guide does not definitively determine which information is required in the specific transaction. A friendly walkthrough or a general reference to documents does not replace this classification.
Record questions visibly and allow time to absorb them
Plan space for quiet observation and follow-up questions. If you cannot answer a question immediately, note its subject and not just “send documents later”. For example: Which document explains the allocation of the attic? Which proof describes a completed measure? Is a technical second inspection required?
Collect the necessary contact details for further processing via the intended route. The visitors’ private personal details do not belong in your property report. Agreements about photographing or additional persons should be clarified before the corresponding step; this article does not grant a blanket permission to take photos.
An invented appointment with a usable answer
In a fictitious flat, an interested party asks whether the cellar compartment is suitable for a particular technical use. The seller shows the actual room and the known allocation. She does not claim a professional suitability that she cannot assess.
After the appointment she sends the document corresponding to the allocation and names the still open question about use. If the interested party pursues the property further, this question will be clarified with the responsible authority. The outcome of the appointment therefore does not read merely “cellar viewed”, but: room and allocation explained; desired technical use still unexamined.
Create a brief follow-up report instead of a promotional message
Our recommendation: Record for the appointment the date, areas shown and omitted, essential questions asked, documents promised and next steps. For every outstanding answer there should be a responsible person and a realistic response deadline. Check before sending whether the answer actually addresses the question asked.
If an answer changes the previous property description, also correct any versions that are being reused. If the same incorrect detail was an issue at earlier appointments, clarify the necessary information channel as well. Maintain a shared property status so that different visitors do not continue planning based on contradictory explanations.
Close with a clear next step: further checking, a specialist appointment, a complete proposal or no further contact for the time being. A viewing report documents the proceedings; it should not contain a purchase or waiver declaration unnoticed. For an intended offer and its legal significance a separate, professionally assessed step is necessary.