Buyers Ghost Private Viewings as Sellers Turn to Gimmicks, Including Free Buckets

Real estate agents in Pirkanmaa say prospective buyers are increasingly 'ghosting' private viewings, and some sellers have turned to gimmicks to lure visitors. At a recent open appointment in Nokia the owners promised buckets with prizes, but no potential buyers turned up, agent Minna Hyvärinen told YLE. Similar stunts elsewhere have included a pizza event in Espoo organised by artist Kasmir.

Industry leaders warn that giveaways are no substitute for correct pricing, quality photos and staging. Tuomas Viljamaa, CEO of the Real Estate Agents' Central Association, calls the freebies novel but of limited effectiveness. Maria-Elena Ehrnrooth, CEO of the Finnish Real Estate Brokers' Association, says small prizes are acceptable as long as good-practice and consumer-protection rules are followed.

The shift to private viewings since the pandemic has made no-shows more common, especially for rentals. The prolonged market downturn and a culture of repeated browsing, dubbed 'Tinder-buying', are also blamed. The sector has shrunk from over 5,000 agents in 2021 to around 3,700 now. Viljamaa says he sees early signs of recovery as consumer confidence improves and offers come in faster this summer.

The trend comes as local home sales have lagged this summer during the Lempäälä Housing Fair.