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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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!

(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:

Original poster

ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 19:24

fuckety fuckety bollocking fuck!

OP posts:

GibberTheMonkey · 31/08/2013 19:25

Zing could you rent some storage. We did this when trying to sell a tiny cottage. We got rid of anything non necessary for a few months living.

Mia4 · 31/08/2013 19:28

OP i don't think YABU to feel annoyed when people are early, it does put you on the spot. But 5 kids or not, YABU not to be at least be prepared 30 minutes in advance.

What would have happened, if you planned to be ready on time, if one of your DC's drops a glass, makes a massive mess, breaks something or has a hissy fit? Or anything happened to put out your tight timing.

You have to be ready half an hour early, not for them to arrive early but because leaving things to the last minute (or 10) runs the risk that you get side tracked or diverted by something just before-and then you get the same annoyed 'damn I'm not ready feeling when they're on time or you're hoping they are late.

Runningchick123 · 31/08/2013 19:28

Hire a storage unit and put anything you don't need in the near future in the storage unit.
If you can't keep it tidy then yo will struggle to find a buyer as a lot of people have little vision and can't see past other people's mess. Clutter makes spaces seem smaller than they actually are. And untidiness gives the impression of a lazy unbothered homeowner and if they can't be bothered to tidy up for a viewing then what else have they not bothered to maintain- the guttering, the roof, the boiler etc....
First impressions count when people are viewing houses.
I'm not trying to be harsh, just trying to be realistic based on my own experiences of buying and selling.

SarahPercyAndBill · 31/08/2013 19:29

We've viewed with sellers retreating to the garden, then shuffling back into house so we could look around the garden. Gives buyer breathing space to look around and also a chance to later ask seller questions the EAs wouldn't know.

Serialdrinker · 31/08/2013 19:30

Do you drive? Invest in some plastic storage boxes and keep toys and general stuff in them so when you have a viewing you can bung them in the car boot quickly and get them out straight after.

Jan49 · 31/08/2013 19:33

You could ask your EA to do an Open Day on a Sat or Sun. You'd need to be up and out at around 9am (or maybe ask them if they'll start at 10am?) but lots of people would view the same day instead of having people every evening.

Remember also, many people are capable of seeing past the mess. It doesn't make your house impossible to sell, just maybe a bit harder or it could affect the sale price.

Original poster

ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 19:33

I didn't expect to get an epiphany about just how ridiculous us "trying to move" is.
It's actually pathetic and I'm angry and really upset because I just don't see how I can ever get this house presentable.
I already have a daily struggle about that.

OP posts:

StrawberryMojito · 31/08/2013 19:36

YANBU, this would annoy me too. As it happens I have been a viewer with an EA where, we turned up early and vendor asked politely if we wouldn't mind waiting a few minutes. I didn't mind at all and certainly wasnt suspicious.

When I was selling my flat, the thing that pissed me off the most was when I came home after an EA accompanied viewing to find piss all over my toilet seat and floor. Nice.

Mia4 · 31/08/2013 19:37

ZingWantsCake, how old are your DCs? Give them tasks to do to be ready so you aren't doing it all yourself. Explain to them how great the new house will be but that if they don't help you make this one look great to someone else, you won't be able to have it.

Maile · 31/08/2013 19:45

We only have 2 dc but when we sold our last house they were still quite young and it was hard keeping the house perfect. I used to try and only get the viewings at the weekend and dh and I took it turns to take the kids out, so they were never at home when the viewings took place (also giving one of us time to fly round the house and shove stuff in cupboards!) We also did an open day. Tbh I never expect to see a perfect house, if you have kids it's always lived in, just needs to be clean.

ElleBelly · 31/08/2013 19:46

I don't think YABU, it's a very stressful situation, more so with sprogs about to in no way help with the tidying.Remember vividly trying to tidy/declutter our teeny cottage for a viewing that had been arranged at the last possible minute, and the feckers turning up early while I was trying to hide tidy some stuff in cupboards. Even resorted to putting stuff in car!
Had people make really rude comments too when I was showing them round, remember showing one guy round upstairs and said "There's the loft access" and he sneered "what, for a hobbit?" And then making a phone call to his partner while stood next to me, "no absolutely not, we'll NEVER fit the three piece in HERE"!
Took all of my restraint not to tell him to just get the fuck out of my house.

Original poster

ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 19:47

jan

we had an open day 2 weeks ago - we went on holiday - literally leaving the house as the EA turned up with first buyer. (and they were early. I wanted to be gone)
it took me and 4 older kids a good part of Thursday and most of Friday (with DH and a friend who came over for a couple of hours to help) to get everything to look acceptable - as well as getting ready for our time away.
it was a nightmare.

next time I'll be out or will say no.
if they expect a show home that's just tough. I can not afford to be a nervous wreck about this.

again, thanks for all respones. I can't read them properly right now as I'm feeling negative about this, but I'll get a notepad tomorrow and jot down all the good advice I was given.

OP posts:

ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee · 31/08/2013 19:48

Keep Calm & Drink Water :)

With 6 kids, if you were ready half an hour earlier, you wouldn't be ready when they arrived in half an hour!!

It will be a bit harder to sell it if you can't show it 'in it's best light', but if buyers are aware you have six children, some of them will be able to imagine how it would be with only, say, 2 children. Some people can't see beyond a bit of clutter/total state of chaos, but lots can - don't lose hope.

What did you think about the storage idea?

AnnaRack · 31/08/2013 19:49

I'd be more annoyed if they turned up 10 mins late.

Original poster

ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 19:55

Chipping
you got that in one - exactly right. some of it has to be last minute or it will be useless.

and thanks for cheering me up.

Anna - 10 mins later would have been perfect!

OP posts:

Bowlersarm · 31/08/2013 20:00

OP you need to relax. Really.

No one will buy your house because the kitchen is pristine. Someone may buy it even though there are dirty coffee cups everywhere.

It may be a long process. Don't run yourself into the ground getting it immaculate. It may help a bit, but it won't sell the house.

ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee · 31/08/2013 20:10

:) My pleasure - glug glug glug.

Original poster

ZingWantsCake · 31/08/2013 20:14

thanks Bowlers

OP posts:

Bowlersarm · 31/08/2013 20:31

I have more to say....sorry.....I'll go soon!

Try and look at it as a business proposition. You need to have 30 odd people looking at your product before anyone wants to buy it. Almost disregard the first 29 and don't take it personally when they say 'it's not for them'!

That may take the sting out of it when each viewer doesn't offer on it. The buggers.

You may be lucky and sell quickly, but that is't necessarily the norm at the moment.

growingbytheday · 31/08/2013 20:45

When we went to view the house we now live in (prompt 5.00pm) the seller had 'forgotten' we were coming and we had obviously just woken her up from a mainly liquid lunch! The house had been on the market 18 months and was a last ditch attempt for us to get the area we really wanted (gazumped week before)
It was dark, dismal and a mess! We looked around almost in silence and as we got in the car my dh looked at me and said please tell me you don't want to live here! But-it had a huge (8ft) bay window in the sitting room and the dining room and kitchen led straight from it to french doors on to the garden-I knew that we could make it clean and light and comfortable.
Dear Reader, we did

member · 31/08/2013 20:55

I'd have hated that too - when I was selling, I recall literally dripping in sweat & shoving stuff into the boot of the car at the last minute to leave the house empty for a viewing. I know I passed the car with the potential buyers sitting parked down the street but at least I didn't have to see them face to face.

searching4serenity · 31/08/2013 20:55

YANBU - I would never be early in this instance.

The storage is a great idea though... I did this, sold my place v quickly.

Good luck!

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