'Second house viewing' - wwyd?

[LadyGrey66]

Evening all,

I'm looking for a little advice about whether to allow a 'second house viewing' by our buyer. The background is we accepted an offer four weeks ago. The buyer offered over the asking price on the basis that we would take it off the market prior to a planned open house viewing weekend, which we did.

So far the estate agent says the buyer has instructed a solicitor (as have we), but is yet to arrange a survey. The agent phoned today and left a voicemail saying the buyer wishes to arrange a 'second viewing' for this Thursday in order to measure up for furniture etc. We're in a fairly standard 3 bed semi and all room measurements etc have been taken by the agents already. While I want to accommodate the buyers as much as possible, i can't help but feel this is a little premature in the process and they have maybe got cold feet so are hoping for another look around? What would you do?

Just to add, if all goes to plan completion should be approximately first week of June.

Let them. It's normal practice.

They are probably just excited and want to see it again. I would let them in. If you don’t, you make it look like you are hiding something that they might not have noticed first time round.

I think it would be very strange not to allow a second viewing. If I was the buyer I would be really suspicious and would wonder why you weren't allowing a second viewing. Second viewings are usual and even third sometimes.

Dont most people do a second view?

I would let them come for a viewing. I think it’s a perfectly reasonable request. It always astonishes me that a house purchase is the biggest purchase we will ever make yet we make it after what is really the most cursory look round. I know when we bought our current home we looked round and made a fairly quick decision (we’d looked at lots of places so had something to measure it against). After our offer had been accepted I wanted to go back to see what we had bought - I had photos and measurements, but couldn’t really remember it. I wasn’t getting cold feet it was that I genuinely hadn’t been able to take everything in and I wanted to look at the space again to think about how we’d arrange our furniture. When we eventually moved in I remember being astonished by the height of the ceilings and various period features I hadn’t really noticed while being firmly focussed on practicalities. If your buyers pull out it’s because they would have pulled out anyway not because you’ve let them have another look.

I think it's a bit odd after you've had an offer accepted. Most second viewings take place to help buyer make up their mind before offering in my experience.

Ok, thank you very much. I've only ever bought before and never sold, so I wasn't sure if this was standard practice or not.

Of course you should let them. This is the biggest purchase they have ever made and a second viewing is standard as would a third if they want.

I'm in the middle of buying a house. I think you're being very unreasonable. They're just about to make the biggest purchase of their life. Of course it's reasonable for them to visit again, so they can make plans for after they move in.

The people buying my flat did 2 viewings in quick succession. I told them they can come back at again if they need.

If I was your buyer, and you refused a second viewing, I'd be suspicious that you have something to hide. I would seriously consider pulling out if a second viewing was refused.

And by the way, just because there are floor plans with measurements, doesn't mean they don't need to do more measuring themselves. Estate agent floor plans are often inaccurate and don't include details like chimney breasts. Your buyers may need more accurate measurements to decide if they're leaving furniture in their current home for their buyers, for example.

2nd viewings are totally standard.

When you bought did you only do one?

I must have been the buyer from hell, I ended up doing 3 viewings before making the offer!

Yes when we bought it was a total fixer-upper so we only had one viewing before making the offer and then none afterwards. I just wasn't sure what was standard practice so I really appreciate the advice.

Well if you don't let them in then high chance they will withdraw offer. Goodness my buyers popped round several times without prior notice.

Ours buyers wanted to pop over for another viewing. Made me nervous as they made an offer before it had even gone on to the market (we had instructed agents but had got no further along). I was convinced they would pull out but just wanted a measure up, they were excited and everything went smoothly.

If you don’t then there is a good chance that they will pull out.

This is definitely usual practice

It's standard. I call it the socket counting viewing.

Even if the reason is that they are getting cold feet, then you definitely need to allow them come again. If they are uncertain and can't see it again, they will almost certainly withdraw. Seeing it again is the only way to allow them reassure themselves. Or they will still pull out but they would have done that regardless. Best of luck.

You need to push for a survey ... this should be done in the first few weeks.

When we bought this house I suddenly got all superstitious and refused to go for a second viewing until we exchanged. Our seller (who we already knew a bit) rang once to see if we were coming again as she was worried we were getting cold feet. So yes, completely normal.

(I probably should have done a second viewing as I said we could live with the blue carpets and the pink bathroom for a while. There were no blue carpets and the bathroom was "champagne" - we lived with it for 13 years!)