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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed that estate agent turned up early with clients?

73 replies

ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 16:26

I know it's only 10 mins but when you are trying to speed clean your entire house for a potential buyer to see it 10 minutes matter!

and I would never go to anyone's house early when invited for a specific time anyway, it's just not on

it was just so embarrassing that I didn't have time to hoover the floor, clean the sink and wake up baby!Angry

(we'd normally be out, but today we couldn't and they know we'd be in)

I am really annoyed. would you be? AIBU?

OP posts:
tobiasfunke · 31/08/2013 17:49

Would you rather the EA pissed off your prospective buyers by making them wait?
Happened to me once. EA and I kicking our heels outside a house in Bristol. By the time the owners deigned to let me in I wasn't actually going to buy their house as I thought they were being awkward and wasting my time.

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 17:50

my new passion

as I said in my OP we were in and they knew it.

OP posts:
toomuchtoask · 31/08/2013 17:52

When viewing houses I always turn up 10 minutes early. Might catch things that would otherwise be hidden! E.g. rug or box covering a hole in the floor etc.

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 17:52

welease

very interesting POV - I'd never come to that conclusion.

and I would never try to "pull" anything.

OP posts:
AmandaLF · 31/08/2013 17:52

When we were selling our flat the estate agent turned up with viewers without telling us. The flat wasn't tidy as I'd stripped the bed, there was clothes all over the bed to sort out, the hoovering needed done as well as everything else. When we phoned afterwards they said they'd sent an email but it hasn't sent. Needless to say they didn't buy it.

Budgiegirlbob · 31/08/2013 17:54

10 mins early could be a bit inconvenient but not rude. Our estate agent let himself in with clients when we were out at work, the house was a bomb site, as we were both a bit hungover from a party the night before (in the Pre-kids days when I could drink more than a single glass of wine on a work night!). All the dishes were still in the sink, and they probably had to pick there way across stuff strewn across the living room floor! We got our key back after that!

RobinStinson · 31/08/2013 18:04

robinsparkles Grin similar taste in TV shows I think haha!

And OP, don't displace your MIL rage onto me. I didn't assume you'd done nothing all day. I just wondered why youd leave any important tidying that could affect a buyers opinion to the last minute is all!

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 18:05

I'm so grateful for all these replies btw, the first and only time we sold (our flat) was to a friend so I have no experience in this from a seller's perspective!

but it's really good to hear all these stories.
I don't actually care if I'm BU or not anymore - tell me more please, what else?

OP posts:
Charlottehere · 31/08/2013 18:11

I wouldn't be annoyed if they sell it, 10 minutes is ample time to get a fair bit done.

Charlottehere · 31/08/2013 18:13

I had a viewing once and the cat had shit on the bed...I dint notice until afterwards. Blush they bought it not

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 18:14

Charlotte

Grin thanks for that
now I feel better!Wink

OP posts:
aldiwhore · 31/08/2013 18:20

YABU.

If I view a house I want to be conned into thinking it's always at it's best, not be shown that it's previous owners were such slatterns that they left the essential cleaning until 10 minutes before I was due...

Wink

You know YABU really don't you? Surely? If your house isn't ready 1/2 an hour before a viewing it says to me you're not serious about selling. The last 10 minutes should really be used to relax, light candles, put some fresh coffee on, rearrange the flowers in the vases and lose that flush of stress that come from preparing a house for viewing.

I'm a crap 'housewife', I'm crap at cleaning, I have a relaxed attitude to living... but if I'm trying to sell, anyone viewing my house would think my place cleans itself, as I'm calm when they arrive, bread's a baking, coffee brewing, all is calm... that's because I'd be ready at least 30 minutes before they're due, so if they're early, they won't catch me shoving the general 'stuff' (including children and husband) into the understairs cupboard.

I think you're human, but you need to be canny, and organised if you really want to sell your home for as much as you think it could be worth.

WeleaseWodger · 31/08/2013 18:25

OP, bizarrely people go through the trouble of putting their place on the market without really wanting to sell. We've had (indirectly, in chains) divorcing couples where or party tried to sabotage the sale of the house/and the chain, elderly ladies who changed their mind about downsizing (chain did collapse), and seen overpriced places where sellers seemed to approach viewings as an inconvenience rather than a potential sale. Now anyone who gets annoyed at showing a potential buyer around sends off warning bells. Maybe that's just my area/experience.

Bowlersarm · 31/08/2013 18:26

OP I think YABU not to be ready when a viewer is supposed to be with you in 10 minutes.

I have a good Estate Agent story.

When I was working for an EA blimey, 15 years ago, we had a house on our books that we hadn't been able to get a viewing on for about four months. Imagine my colleagues delight when he actually managed to get a viewing on the house and arranged to take prospective buyers round one Saturday morning. Went into the house, spent a while looking and poking around downstairs. Out in the garden etc. Went upstairs into master bedroom and there were a couple, in bed, looking terrified. They had bought the house and moved in two months previously through a different EA, and thought they were just about to face burglars/racists/opportunists.

Runningchick123 · 31/08/2013 18:31

Okay YABVU.
I have been a buyer and a seller and would always aim to have the house ready 30 mins before the potential buyer was due. The reason for this is that lots of people block view houses (they might have come a long way and view several one after the other) so can't be too precise about the time they will turn up. Although if they were going to be more than 15 mins early or late then I would expect the agent to ring and keep me informed.
I would have been might pissed off if I had tidied the house and the potential buyer didn't bother turning up, but if they were 10 mins early then I would just be glad to get the viewing over and done with and take it as a sign that they are serious about buying a house as they haven't missed their slot with the agent.
I also would never have had a buyer come round if I had 5 children in the house. I do have children and understand the inconvenience of having to take them out or having nobody to take them out, but I gave the agent a key and used to leave the house alarm off for the booking (so he didn't need the alarm code and couldn't come and go at other times). I would then just go out 20 mins before the agent was due and have him ring me as soon as they were done. Having children filling up the sitting room is distracting for buyers and they are less likely to have a proper look if the house is full of kids as they will feel like they are intruding and getting in the way of your life.
Sounds a bit neurotic and unnecessary, but if you really want to sell then you have to be prepared for a bit of inconvenience along the way.
I have sold several houses and managed to shift them all within 4 months for near to the asking price. The key is treating it like a show home rather than your home for the purposes of viewings.

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 18:34

aldi

I see what you are saying and I'm taking notes, but please understand that with 6 kids we are never done and tidy and organized as much as we would like!

if we had the space and time to make our house look good, ever, we would not need to sell it!Grin

and no candles or flowers are compatible with our two youngest.

OP posts:
Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 18:35

welease

again, good point.

OP posts:
Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 18:44

runningchick

as I said we'd be out normally - so everything you said about that I agree with.

we were called yesterday if we'd be ok to have a viewing - and the EA decided to book it in knowing very well that I was unable to be out today.

so in hindsight maybe I should have said no - but I didn't want to be unhelpful.

what do you think?

I really felt caught off guard and as we are sorting the clothes I thought we'd be done with more. but there's always so much to do.

I like the idea of being done 30 mins early - but I don't know how that's going to be possible. ever
I already struggle to get this place looking like it's hit by a only small bomb instead of a full on earthquake - show home quality is just impossible.

OP posts:
Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 18:46

bowlersarm

Shock & Grin

OP posts:
Runningchick123 · 31/08/2013 19:14

Could you have gone out for a walk with the kids 20 mins before the agent was due, therefore having no choice but to have the house ready 20 mins before the booking and not having 6 kids to keep calm and seated?
Was there a reason that you couldnt be out?

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 19:17

runningchick

sorry, but the reason is irrelevant.

OP posts:
Runningchick123 · 31/08/2013 19:20

Fair enough, I'm just being nosey trying to get the full picture about Are you being unreasonable.

Original poster
ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 19:23

and I have now realised that there will not be a "convenient" time in the foreseeable future when our house is going to look like a show home.

It's Catch 22.
I can't tidy up properly because I don't have enough space or time.
but if I don't tidy up properly I'll never be in the position to sell and aquire more space.

that is actually quite upsetting. Sad
whether it is actually the case or not it feels like it.

OP posts:
Runningchick123 · 31/08/2013 19:24

Although I didn't actually ask what the reason was; just if there was a reason that you couldn't be out for the viewing which might have been easier than trying to get 6 kids to stay calm.

GibberTheMonkey · 31/08/2013 19:24

I have never turned up and knocked on the door early for a viewing. We turn up slightly early to make sure we're not late and we sit in our car and look around the street and at the outsides of neighbours houses. They can tell you a lot. We then knock on the door at the time arranged. I feel it's only polite, I also know how stressful it can be getting a house ready for viewing so like to treat others in a way that I would like to be treated.