Seller declining viewings

[Dog Star]

Bluesgirl said:

Not if the EA didn’t introduce the buyer.

They certainly didn’t.

[Bluesgirl]

I put my house on the market in September. Lots of viewings and one ridiculously low offer. The couple who offered weren’t on the market and took 3 weeks to get it on. At Xmas I took mine off with a view to starting again in April/May. They’ve had theirs on since October and have only just got an offer. I’m glad I didn’t wait for them to sort themselves out.

[Driver101]

Going from my own experience when we sold a house recently.

There was people wanting a nosy with zero intention to buy. Some even said that when they came to the house. Why do they think it is ok to waste our time?

Some thought it was logical to view our house in preparation for buying a house at a later date.

We had potential buyers expecting us to hold off until they sold their overpriced houses that had been on the market for ages. Or if their house had depreciated by xx% they automatically wanted the same off our house.

We had a couple of potential buyers trying to convince us the market was dead, we didn't have as many viewing as we claimed, and we would be wrong not to accept their low-ball offers.

We also had we will buy this house instantly with cash offers. We never heard from them again after they left the house.

I can see why a seller would want proof that the viewer was in a position to buy.

[beanoir78]

That’s the way it is, we gave our agents (on the last two properties) strict instructions that viewers would be either sold, or be genuine cash buyers with clear proof of funds for the full asking price.

Having people visiting is a pain enough as it is, even if they’re credible. Ultimately, if a seller doesn’t want certain people viewing then that’s totally up to them, it’s their home.

Edited by beanoir78 on Tuesday 14th March 08:17

[rodericb]

If the present owner can't afford the mortgage it can throw some other opportunities into the mix, such as a reduced purchase price (within reason) in return for a lease. This will allow you to pay less, breathing room for the buyer and time for you to sell your own place (if you want to move to this new place). In a different type of market the seller might ask for above-market in return for known-good tenants if the buyer is buying for investment purposes.

[lonny]

I did this with last sale to avoid the time-wasters but I did allow them to view if a buyer who was in a position to proceed was viewing that day. Book one at 1pm, the next at 1:30 etc. Minimises disruption to bunch the viewings and hopefully the first one leaving sees the second coming in.

[bennno]

borrowdale said:

I wasn't really looking to move, but we spotted a house on Rightmove that really appealed. On since at least November last year, two agents' listings, premium listing and featured property, recently reduced twice by 50K each time.... i.e. all the hallmarks of a degree of urgency,

I called one of the agents to arrange a viewing, but the seller has given strict instructions that only people with a house on the market and a buyer lined up can view!

Is that a normal thing to do?

100% normal, why spend at least an an hour tidying and cleaning and going out to permit somebody to view who effectively isn’t on the market.

[the-norseman]

We had this, tried to view a house for sale and was told no viewings unless you have sold.

When we eventually sold and moved, the house we wanted to view was still for sale.

[bennno]

the-norseman said:

We had this, tried to view a house for sale and was told no viewings unless you have sold.

When we eventually sold and moved, the house we wanted to view was still for sale.

That says it all really. Clearly you weren’t interested in the other house if you didn’t subsequently go and view it once sold.

[Mr Pointy]

Dog Star said:

Bluesgirl said:

Not if the EA didn’t introduce the buyer.

They certainly didn’t.

But you said:

Dog Star said:

We had this a few weeks ago - agent wouldn’t let us view, quite snotty.

So it seems you had some contact with the agent & therefore they will be due their full fee?

[Sheepshanks]

bennno said:

100% normal, why spend at least an an hour tidying and cleaning and going out to permit somebody to view who effectively isn’t on the market.

For sellers who are keen to sell, it does seem a little odd to just blank viewers completely if you haven’t got other active potential buyers. Surely if you’re selling something you want to engage with as many people as possible? You just never know what might come out of it.

Some qualification by the EA on the viewers’ motives could screen out proper timewasters - selling late FILs place the EA insisted on walking people through a video viewing first. You’d have to be fairly committed to put up with that!

It’s just as much of an issue the other way - we know people who’ve sold but can’t find anything to move to. What would happen if people only viewed property that had no onward chain?

[the-norseman]

bennno said:

That says it all really. Clearly you weren’t interested in the other house if you didn’t subsequently go and view it once sold.

They wouldn't let us until be physically had the money, and we were in a chain so we had to look elsewhere.

[Unreal]

Sheepshanks said:

bennno said:

100% normal, why spend at least an an hour tidying and cleaning and going out to permit somebody to view who effectively isn’t on the market.

For sellers who are keen to sell, it does seem a little odd to just blank viewers completely if you haven’t got other active potential buyers. Surely if you’re selling something you want to engage with as many people as possible? You just never know what might come out of it.

Some qualification by the EA on the viewers’ motives could screen out proper timewasters - selling late FILs place the EA insisted on walking people through a video viewing first. You’d have to be fairly committed to put up with that!

It’s just as much of an issue the other way - we know people who’ve sold but can’t find anything to move to. What would happen if people only viewed property that had no onward chain?

Whilst it's true that you never know what might come from a viewing, the odds are not in favour of a positive outcome from a viewer who hasn't even put their own property on the market. These odds have to be balanced against the other factors such as not wanting to simply entertain window shoppers and the hassle involved. Very few people are desperate to sell, despite what stories an agent may spin and that's evidenced by how many will hold out for a price near to asking. There are certainly more reductions at the moment but that's largely a function of agents and sellers not wanting to accept that the market had cooled at the time of the valuation. Expectations need to be adjusted.

[Blib]

If I couldn't afford the mortgage payments for my house I'd be dragging passers-by into the place to view.

[Petrus1983]

Very normal - I had to have my place under off before I got to view the house I really wanted. I think the reality is that it takes so long to sell houses these days if you’re not actually under offer you can’t realistically view something with a mindset on making an offer.

[Louis Balfour]

Petrus1983 said:

Very normal - I had to have my place under off before I got to view the house I really wanted. I think the reality is that it takes so long to sell houses these days if you’re not actually under offer you can’t realistically view something with a mindset on making an offer.

Basically yes.

We really need to look at the property market and how to make it more liquid again.

[vaud]

Louis Balfour said:

Basically yes.

We really need to look at the property market and how to make it more liquid again.

We are, we are building in high risk flood zones in loads of areas.

[Unreal]

Blib said:

If I couldn't afford the mortgage payments for my house I'd be dragging passers-by into the place to view.

We don't know if that's true. Even if it is true, it could mean a few things. 'Can't afford' could easily mean uncomfortable, not facing repossession down the line. If an urgent sale is required they're not going to want to get tied up in a chain with someone who hasn't even marketed their property. My suspicion is that the sale is not that urgent. If it was, they could sell at auction in weeks.

[Louis Balfour]

vaud said:

Louis Balfour said:

Basically yes.

We really need to look at the property market and how to make it more liquid again.

We are, we are building in high risk flood zones in loads of areas.

Not sure that is really the problem. I think lenders and solicitors are the problem. I think lenders' criteria need to be less arcane and solicitors should be made to adhere to fixed timescales, upon pain of death.

[vaud]

Louis Balfour said:

Not sure that is really the problem. I think lenders and solicitors are the problem. I think lenders' criteria need to be less arcane and solicitors should be made to adhere to fixed timescales, upon pain of death.

Woosh parrot for aisle 6.