A national estate agency chain with branches in St Albans and Harpenden is holding an Open House Day on 12 May.

Rozanne Edwards, Partner at Strutt & Parker St Albans, believes this sort of event is the ideal way for sellers to maximise interest in their homes.

She says: “If a prospective buyer immediately likes your house, but there are six other couples also walking around commenting on how much they also like the property, this competitive edge can naturally encourage them to put in an offer sooner.

“Similarly, if a buyer sees a house they like before our National Open House Day starts, it is not uncommon for an early offer to be secured in order to take it offline, so as not to risk losing it.”

Strutt & Parker has held successful Open House events across its national network of offices biannually for seven years.

Such events allow registered buyers the chance to view any property on their books - on the same day and at the same time - between 11am and 3pm.

Since 2009, the amount of properties taking part has increased by 28 per cent and the number of viewers has soared by 41 per cent.

“Its success is down to a few key elements,” says Rozanne. “No fixed appointment times mean it’s flexible and convenient and, as it’s for one day only, there’s also a sense of excitement around the properties. As a seller, having lots of viewings in one day saves a lot of time for busy families.”

If you are selling your house and want to take part in Strutt & Parker’s National Open House Day, contact your local Strutt & Parker office on 01727 840285 or visit struttandparker.com/openday.