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Original poster

Viewing houses when not in position to buy

51 replies

OneThreadOnly0101 · 28/04/2019 07:48

Can I?

At the moment I live overseas. I will be moving back to somewhere in the UK in the next year or so. Date and location not fixed.

I don't own anything that I'm selling and will likely be a cash buyer. I know roughly what I want in terms of number of bedrooms but struggle to visualize size/layouts when looking on rightmove as I have no frame of reference - I currently live in a small 1 bed terrace and will be wanting a 4 bed detached.

I really need to do a few viewings so that I have a better appreciation of size etc. Am I allowed to? I don't want to waste the time of sellers, but equally how can I look for a house if don't know what I want/need? Confused

Do I need to lie to estate agents about how proceedable I am?

I will be in Scotland for a week in late May and was hoping to arrange a viewing or two...

Because my return plans are so vague, I can potentially afford either a large beauty of an abode in the North or something I like less, in the south...

Sorry, that turned into a ramble.

OP posts:
RocketSurgery · 28/04/2019 07:50

Can’t you just look at photos? I don’t understand what viewing will give you that looking on Rightmove won’t. Surely you know what houses look like?

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 28/04/2019 07:55

I imagine that lots of people do this and there is not a lot that estate agents or vendors can do to stop you

I would just be vague about when you are returning from overseas

As long as you don't give the vendors false hope by giving them the impression you are definitely planning to put an offer in then you aren't wasting anymore time than the majority of other viewers

Disappearedtothe80s · 28/04/2019 08:00

You won't be the first OP.

I'll be honest I have sometimes turned up to house on the market just to have a nosey round but tbf the houses are normally down the road to me or ones that had a special connection to me (I once went round a house that my parents had sold donkeys years ago).

Just be v casual "I am just having a look round" etc

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Diddleysquat · 28/04/2019 08:01

Why not go to some show homes? The ones at new build housing developments. That way you can get an idea of size and not upset any homeowners who actually want to sell their houses.

JenniferJareau · 28/04/2019 08:02

Some people won't allow viewings from people who are not proceedable, but some will.

NoWordForFluffy · 28/04/2019 08:03

Some agents / sellers won't let you. It's a necessary evil showing people round and most sellers would prefer to show to as few people as possible so they don't have to keep tidying etc. So they'll limit the viewings to people in a position to move.

I don't see what you can't get from the internet really though. There are dimensions listed.

IndianaMoleWoman · 28/04/2019 08:06

The agents will ask you a lot of questions about your position, it’s in their interest to weed out time wasters before they get through the door. If you must see some houses, then lie to the agents, but I think it’s a bit cruel to get the vendors’ hopes up and waste their time if you know for a fact you won’t be buying.

Hwory · 28/04/2019 08:08

So you want people to take time out of their day to leave their house, have an estate agent book an appointment and have them have to sort their house out for a viewing when you have no intention of buying their house?

Arsehole behaviour.

UnderTheSleepingBaby · 28/04/2019 08:14

You may have to lie/be vague to get viewings booked in as some estate agents won't show people around if they aren't actually looking to buy.

From a seller perspective, we sold last summer with 2 small children and getting the house clean and tidy to the standard required for a viewing was a nightmare and I'd have been gutted to know I'd bothered for someone who wasn't even considering it (I'm sure there were some given the weird reasons for not being interested, but heyho).

Before I'd sold a house though I looked at things that weren't really what I wanted, just for perspective, which essentially did the same to those sellers, it didn't even occur to me that they might have to go to any effort, and equally the house we recently moved into we just looked at to provide some comparison and were surprised to find we loved it.

Could you be moving back imminently if you saw a house you loved? If not then you might set yourself up for disappointment (sods law says you'll see the perfect thing now and nothing close to it when you are actually looking!)

MatchSetPoint · 28/04/2019 08:18

Lots of people do it, but remember the poor people cleaning their home all day, getting children out of the way and then to find out you’re not really interested. Maybe when you ring the estate agents view empty properties.

Original poster
OneThreadOnly0101 · 28/04/2019 08:19

It's my vague position that's causing me trouble. I can possibly settle for a 3 bed however maybe the 5 bed that's within budget would be better. I won't know til I look.

Yes, I can see plenty of photos on rightmove however I'm clearly poor at visualisation.

I guess I'll be wasting someone's time whenever I go viewing. It's just a matter of whether I do it now or when I'm actually in a position to buy.

So you want people to take time out of their day to leave their house, have an estate agent book an appointment and have them have to sort their house out for a viewing when you have no intention of buying their house?

Well, no. I'm actively trying to avoid being an arsehole, but the same questions will arise now as when I'm in a position to buy, so someone's time is always going to be wasted. Surely every buyer doesn't buy the first and only house they ever view? Confused

Show homes are a good call. Will see if I can find any...

OP posts:
PH03b3 · 28/04/2019 08:22

Nothing worse than that! As a seller i would perfect my home for a potential buyer and have to arrange an afternoon or morning or childcare... For you to wonder round my house? No thanks

hidinginthenightgarden · 28/04/2019 08:23

Me and DH used to go around show homes all the time just for a look. Ending up buying one Blush

I wouldn't do it to a person selling their home but show homes are just open so are fair game.

Original poster
OneThreadOnly0101 · 28/04/2019 08:25

Could you be moving back imminently if you saw a house you loved? If not then you might set yourself up for disappointment (sods law says you'll see the perfect thing now and nothing close to it when you are actually looking!)

I couldn't move back imminently, but I could potentially buy it and leave vacant... Although that's not ideal and I would then need a mortgage as am waiting on severance pay when I leave this job.

Maybe when you ring the estate agents view empty properties

Also a good call. Will see what they have. I genuinely don't want to dick anyone about but equally I do need to look. I can't do any viewings in the country I'm in as the house styles/layouts are completely different.

OP posts:
Portulaca · 28/04/2019 08:26

That was so frustrating when we were selling, having a "buyer" turn up for a viewing but not be proceedable for whatever reason. We told the estate agent only to book in those viewers who were SSTC, to filter out timewasters. That worked and the next viewer bought.

Original poster
OneThreadOnly0101 · 28/04/2019 08:27

I definitely don't want people arranging childcare and hiding in cafes for hours on end so that I can nose at the size of their master bedroom 😱

House buying/selling looks like a massive pain the arse.

OP posts:
SilverGiraffe7 · 28/04/2019 08:29

I know you want to get it straight in your head - I'd be the same - but do you actually need to view before you're able to proceed? Seems like a bit of a waste of your time too.

JenniferJareau · 28/04/2019 08:32

Surely every buyer doesn't buy the first and only house they ever view?

Of course not but at least with people who are proceedable, you know they are in a position to buy if they do like your home. You have not gone to all the time and trouble for a viewing where the person has absolutely no intention of buying and is just a lookie loo.

nespressowoo · 28/04/2019 08:33

We had our house on the market for over a year before we sold. Agreed sales three times before it eventually sold. It is a massive ball ache getting the house 'viewing ready' with DC and a dog, making plans for kids and dog was also a pain in the arse. Don't be an arse. Wait til you're properly ready. Show homes are good.

EluphNaugeMeop · 28/04/2019 08:35

Some properties have an "open house" day where there are lots of simultaneous viewings - including you in one of those would be no bother.

The thing that would be unkind is making entirely independent appointments so that vendors put in a load of effort to prepare the home to look at its best when there was never any hope of making a sale.

I suggest you email a few agents and say "I'm not in a position to actually house-hunt just yet but when I am ready I shall be overseas. I am in the area on (dates) and would like to see a couple of properties while I am here so that it's not just pictures on a computer - do you have any open house viewings already planned for that week that I could tag along to?"

Alicecooperslovechild · 28/04/2019 08:37

Agree with previous posters - show homes and open days would be ok but not expecting people (home owners and agents) to facilitate private viewings.

Original poster
OneThreadOnly0101 · 28/04/2019 08:38

I know you want to get it straight in your head - I'd be the same - but do you actually need to view before you're able to proceed? Seems like a bit of a waste of your time too.

Possibly not, I can probably wait, just twitchy I guess. I like to have solid plans and currently have none. If I leave here homeless I'll be landing in the UK with a husband and 2 cats trying to find a short-term, pet friendly rental...

It all makes me so anxious.

Will have a look for show homes...

OP posts:
mrbob · 28/04/2019 08:38

I agree with the show home thing- thats what I did when we were building and I could not get my head around the sizes. Then you are not wasting peoples time and energy. The only other time maybe would be if there was an open home so they were preparing it anyway and you were not putting them out. Otherwise I think it is a bit shitty

Etino · 28/04/2019 08:39

Shrugs
It is a mpita Wink selling a house, there will always be annoying viewers, but you can minimise the intrusion- we had one who turned up early and was vocally put out at not being welcomed in. I was literally rinsing a potty and trying to get 2 toddlers out in the rain.Angry Just don’t be late, or take too long or ask questions you could find out online.
Looking at some show houses is a great idea. Also google houses you know well- you can often find floor plans and knowing that the third bedroom is smaller than Nanna Brown’s sewing room but the garden is bigger than your childhood home is very useful in weeding out impossibles.

Decormad38 · 28/04/2019 08:39

I wouldn’t have let you view ours when we were selling as you are not in a position to proceed.

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