Successfully mastering a viewing appointment: The most important tips

The viewing appointment offers prospective buyers and tenants the opportunity to get an on-site impression. To ensure the viewing runs smoothly, prospective clients as well as agents and property owners need to follow a few ground rules.

In this article, you will learn what the viewing is actually for, which tricks you can use to increase your chances, and more about apartment viewings.

Arranging a viewing appointment

Anyone looking for or offering an apartment or a house generally uses major portals such as Immonet or Immobilienscout. Advertisements in newspapers, whether in print or online, complement the offer. Platforms like Ebay Kleinanzeigen and certain Facebook groups also offer properties for sale or rent. Real estate agents usually have their own websites where they list properties, ideal for anyone who relies on detailed information, local knowledge, and personal support. The rule for every portal is: the more detailed the search and filter functions, the more accurate the results.

Once you have found the ideal property, it is usually possible to arrange a viewing appointment by phone or email. For group viewings, interested parties can often simply show up without prior registration.

What is the purpose of a viewing appointment?

During a house or apartment viewing, interested parties have the opportunity to view the prospective rental or purchase property directly on site. Beyond descriptions and sales listings, they can get a realistic picture of the property:

What is the layout and condition like, as well as the building structure and history?

What are the transport links like?

What does the neighborhood look like?

Especially during individual appointments with an estate agent, seller, or landlord, interested parties have the opportunity to ask questions. Both parties can get to know each other in peace during the property viewing and gain a first impression, which is important for agents and property managers to select a suitable candidate for the client.

In the case of open houses, group viewings, or public viewings, only brief information is usually conveyed within a tightly scheduled timeframe, but here too, the first impression plays an important role. You can find out how both parties can present themselves perfectly under “How to prepare optimally for a viewing appointment”.

Canceling a viewing appointment: Can the current tenant refuse the apartment viewing?

In principle, the tenant must give the landlord the opportunity to re-let the apartment after the termination of the lease, and must also allow viewing appointments for this purpose. Although the right of inspection does not regulate how often a viewing can take place, one apartment viewing per week is considered reasonable.

Canceling a scheduled viewing appointment without reason is therefore not an option for tenants. However, the landlord should inform the tenant a few days in advance and, if possible, accommodate the tenant's needs and working hours.

How to prepare optimally for a viewing appointment

At an ideal viewing, both parties are optimally prepared. Below is a clear checklist of what you, as an owner, agent, or prospective client, should pay attention to before and during an apartment viewing.

Preparation of the viewing for landlords, sellers, and agents

Companies, agents, and private owners have the opportunity during the viewing to present their property/properties in the best light. Careful preparation helps to answer questions with more confidence, project competence, and find the ideal buyer or tenant more quickly.

• Schedule professionally

By scheduling the viewing carefully, you save yourself and prospective clients unnecessary stress. Decide on an individual or group viewing, invite a reasonable number of people, and keep sufficient time free. Stay as reachable as possible before the apartment viewing, avoid scheduling conflicts, and be punctual. Scheduling represents an administrative challenge for many owners and agents. This is not least because interested parties frequently cancel at short notice and also have busy schedules.

With EverReal, interested parties book their appointments themselves. You determine the availability, rescheduling, and cancellation policies: professional, time-saving, and straightforward.

• Ensure cleanliness

The apartment or house should be clean during the viewing. This starts in the hallway, where no bulky waste should be visibly stored. The floors and furniture must also be kept in an appealing condition. It is also recommended to clean the windows and bathrooms. A freshly mown lawn and trimmed hedges also contribute to a well-kept impression of the property.

• Offer an attractive atmosphere

A clean apartment is not all it takes. Especially with properties for sale or challenging rentals, it helps to create an attractive ambiance in the apartment. This includes, for example, airing out the rooms before the viewing, decorating the apartment, ensuring pleasant lighting, repairing minor defects, and opening the curtains for more daylight. Here, it is worth focusing on the target group and considering what steps are necessary.

• Know the property

If you don't know the apartment, prospective clients will notice during the viewing. The more you know, the better you can answer questions and present the facts that convince them. Particularly relevant details about the property include the square footage, the year of construction, information on renovations, a description of the location, defects, and parking options.

• Prepare for uncomfortable questions

Questions will arise during the apartment viewing. Some of these questions will not be pleasant. Prepare for these questions and think about how you can respond to them. The goal is to know the disadvantages and honestly admit them. Transparent and open communication builds trust. With a targeted focus on positive counterarguments, you can subsequently mitigate the disadvantages somewhat.

Preparation of the viewing for prospective tenants and buyers

Buying or renting a property is an important and usually long-term decision. Therefore, as a buyer or tenant, check all details thoroughly. It is best to use a checklist and check off your points one by one during the house or apartment viewing appointment.

• View systematically

Start, for example, with the living areas, then inspect the cellar, underground garage, and attic, and finally take a look at the neighborhood and surroundings.

• Measure

Also bring a tape measure and take measurements if you need space for specific furniture.

• Arrange a second apartment viewing

If you want to buy a property, there is usually a second viewing appointment for any remaining questions.

What prospective clients should avoid during the apartment viewing

During property viewings, there are a few things that can leave a negative impression. For example, do not argue with the landlord about the amount of the deposit, as this can put you at a disadvantage compared to other applicants. Also avoid asking for a later move-in date, as this implies potential rental loss for the landlord.

Demands or modification requests

Demands or change requests should not be a priority for the tenant and are best not mentioned at all. An overly obvious search for defects in the apartment can also reduce your chances of securing your dream property.

What do you need to bring to a viewing appointment?

Preparing for an apartment viewing also includes having the necessary documents ready:

Documents: What landlords, sellers, and agents need

• Important documents

As an agent, property manager, or seller, bring important documents such as the exposé, the energy performance certificate, and the floor plan. Have tenant questionnaires ready, but in stages, as set out in the model questionnaire of the German Data Protection Conference (Datenschutzkonferenz): at the viewing, ask only for first name, surname and address, and for social housing also whether a housing entitlement certificate (Wohnberechtigungsschein) exists and for which floor area and number of rooms it applies. Hold back questions about occupation, employer and income until an interested party has said they want to rent the apartment. Also be ready for any questions about the property.

• Keys and business supplies

Do not forget the keys to all areas of the property, including the cellar, laundry room, bicycle storage, and garage. Additionally, a notepad, business cards, and a measuring stick can be helpful in case prospective clients want to take measurements.

For individual appointments, plan seamless follow-up appointments to be as time-efficient as possible during viewings.

Documents: What prospective clients need

Less than most people think. For a rental apartment, all you need at the viewing itself is at most your ID card to show, and for social housing also the information whether you hold a housing entitlement certificate (Wohnberechtigungsschein). Proof of income and a credit report come later.

The guidance of the German Data Protection Conference (Orientierungshilfe, version 2.0, January 2026) distinguishes up to three stages, and at each one a landlord may only ask for what is necessary at that point. If you have the later documents ready, you can hand them over as soon as they are requested.

At the viewing

• First name, surname and one way to contact you: an address, phone number or email address is enough; further contact details are voluntary. As a rule, nothing more is needed at this point.

• ID card, to show only: If you view the apartment on your own, the landlord may check your details against your ID card and record that the check took place.

• Housing entitlement certificate, for social housing only: Stating whether you have one and for which floor area and number of rooms it applies is enough. You hand over the document itself only once you have declared that you want to rent the apartment.

Once you have declared that you want to rent the apartment

• Tenant questionnaire: Now the number of people moving in, occupation and employer, the amount of your net income, ongoing consumer insolvency proceedings, an eviction order for rent arrears from the last five years and planned pet ownership (small animals such as hamsters or ornamental fish excepted) are permitted questions. For income, a confirmation that a certain amount is available to you for the rent is enough instead of an exact figure. Questions about income are not permitted if a public authority pays the rent in full directly to the landlord. You may not be asked how long you have been employed.

Once the landlord has chosen you

• Proof of income: Payslip, bank statement or income tax assessment. You may black out anything that is not needed for the assessment.

• Credit report: It only needs to contain the information required for a tenancy. The SCHUFA-BonitätsCheck is designed for this. The free data copy under Art. 15 GDPR is not: it often contains far more than a landlord may ask for.

• Rent guarantee: Without a regular income, for example while studying, parents, grandparents or partners can act as guarantors for the rent. The guarantee is agreed in writing between guarantor and landlord, not at the viewing.

The guidance does not provide for a letter of recommendation from your previous landlord; you do not have to provide one. A landlord may not, according to the guidance, demand a certificate confirming that you have no rent arrears: the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has ruled that previous landlords do not have to issue one at all (judgment of 30.09.2009, VIII ZR 238/08).

What data may landlords, sellers, and agents collect from applicants?

During the viewing of an apartment, owners and agents may not collect just any data from interested parties. At the start, first name, surname and address are enough. Only once someone declares that they want to rent the apartment may you ask about occupation, employer and the amount of income in order to assess their ability to pay.

According to the GDPR, only relevant data may be collected both during the viewing and during an ongoing tenancy. As soon as this relevance no longer applies, the data must be deleted or destroyed. If someone withdraws their interest in the apartment, that person has the right to have their data erased.

Digital renting

Anyone letting digitally needs a process that supports this staged logic: information and documents are requested only when they are needed and deleted as soon as they no longer are. What this means for property managers in everyday work is covered in the article on credit checks in tenant selection. In EverReal, you set once what is asked before and what after the viewing, contacts, interested parties and applicants are deleted after the periods you set, and the form editor warns about fields that are a data protection risk before the viewing. More on the product page for letting.

Viewing appointment tips: Successfully renting or buying (or letting/selling) your dream apartment or house

Anyone who applies tips and legal tricks for the viewing appointment will be more likely to stay ahead of the competition:

• Allow enough time for the apartment viewing, for a thorough walkthrough, but also for possible questions.

• A well-groomed, friendly, and competent appearance always leaves a positive impression. Arriving late, on the other hand, is a no-go. This applies to prospective clients as well as to landlords, sellers, and agents.

• Also trust your gut feeling and first impression when viewing an apartment: What is the atmosphere like, what is the light in the rooms like? Do you hear noise from outside or from the neighbors? Do you notice unpleasant odors?

• As an applicant, keep your application folder ready at hand; as an agent or property manager, keep the folder with the property info and tenant application template ready.

• As an applicant, be prepared for questions regarding smoking, parties, music, or pets: Answers like “Rarely,” “No,” or “Not in the apartment” are received best.

• Write down all your questions and use a checklist; clarify points on site, afterwards by phone, or during a second apartment viewing.

• As an applicant, ask the agent or landlord as many questions as possible, for instance regarding service charges, neighbors, hallway cleaning, winter services, or floor maintenance. Every landlord wants conscientious and dutiful tenants.

• Take your time to reflect on the viewing of the apartment or house, and definitely sleep on the decision overnight.

If you are planning to purchase an apartment or house but have doubts about the property's value, bring an expert appraiser along to the second viewing appointment. They will inspect the house or apartment for defects or damage and can provide competent advice.

What should I do as an applicant after the apartment viewing?

After the apartment viewing, it is time to wait. Since there are usually several competitors, this waiting period can be nerve-wracking. Especially when you have a strong interest in the apartment, it can be difficult. To make better use of this time, you can take the following steps:

1. Ask the landlord right after the viewing when feedback can be expected.

2. Call after a few days of waiting to confirm your interest, without appearing too pushy in your approach.

3. After a rejection, actively ask for the reason and inquire whether similar apartments are available or becoming vacant soon.

Conclusion: How to make the viewing appointment a success

A viewing appointment gives prospective clients the opportunity to gain a realistic impression of an apartment or house. To ensure everything goes smoothly, prospective clients as well as agents and owners should be well prepared.

As a landlord, seller, or agent, you should have all the necessary documents for the property ready, such as the energy performance certificate and the floor plan. Potential tenants, on the other hand, need hardly any documents for the viewing. According to the guidance of the German Data Protection Conference, first name, surname and address are enough at this point; at the viewing, the ID card is at most shown, not copied. Proof of income and a credit report only become relevant once the landlord has decided on an applicant. The guidance does not apply to prospective buyers.

How long does an apartment viewing take?

An apartment viewing for rental properties generally takes 10 to 30 minutes. Viewing appointments for properties for sale usually take significantly longer, ranging from 30 minutes to two hours. The main factors determining the duration of the apartment viewing are the purpose of the viewing and the size of the apartment.

What is a landlord allowed to ask applicants?

That depends on how far the process has got. At the viewing, the landlord may only collect first name, surname and address (for social housing, plus details of the housing entitlement certificate). If you then declare that you want to rent the apartment, they may ask about the number of people moving in, occupation and employer, the amount of your net income (unless a public authority pays the rent in full directly to the landlord), ongoing consumer insolvency proceedings, an eviction order for rent arrears from the last five years and planned pet ownership. According to the guidance of the German Data Protection Conference, the following are not permitted: questions about religious affiliation, ethnic origin and nationality, criminal records and ongoing investigations, plans to marry, pregnancy and the wish to have children, membership of political parties or tenant associations, and how long you have been employed.

How many viewing appointments does the right of inspection prescribe?

The right of inspection stipulates that tenants must allow their apartment to be viewed before they move out so that the landlord can find a new tenant in good time. However, the number of viewing appointments is not specified in the right of inspection. Nonetheless, one apartment viewing per week is generally considered reasonable and should be tolerated by the current tenant.

Are group or individual viewings better for a rental apartment?

Whether you as an owner prefer group or individual viewings for your apartment is entirely up to you as a landlord. While individual viewings offer higher quality, they require more time and effort. Many owners choose individual appointments for less popular rental properties and rely on group viewings for high-demand properties to handle the volume of applicants more efficiently.

How can prospective tenants increase their chances when looking for an apartment?

Have your documents ready, but do not hand them over without being asked. For the viewing, first name, surname and address are enough. Proof of income and a credit report may, according to the Data Protection Conference's guidance, only be requested once the landlord has chosen you. If you can then provide them right away, you have an advantage. At the viewing, you can instead score points by being punctual and friendly and by bringing a short personal cover letter.