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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

House Buying Help - Knocking on a Vendor's Door!

56 replies

WyldChyld · 01/02/2015 09:34

Hi all,

I am fully prepared to be told I am unreasonable having never bought a home before!

I've seen a property last night which I very, very much like the look of. DH likes the look of it too, good area, good price. I suspect it will go quite quickly and wanted desperately to try and see if we could avoid a viewing today. However, the estate agency is not open weekends and for a variety of reasons, this week is a nightmare for us! There is a slim possibility that we could be free for an evening viewing on Thursday if the agent will agree to it, but it's likely to be next Saturday and I'm concerned someone else will get there...

We're going to be in the area and I wondered AIBU to consider knocking on the vendor's door and asking if it would be possible to arrange a viewing and explain the above? Obviously if they say no, I won't be arsey and will just go through the estate agent! I'm 50/50 either way - it would just be myself and DH and we'd go at a normal time (so no 9pm at night etc!)

If you were selling your house (board up etc) but still living in it and someone did that, would you be hacked off?

OP posts:
Original poster
WyldChyld · 01/02/2015 10:12

Thanks for this! The board says nothing about appointments only. I think we're going to knock and ask - all they can say is no! We're in rented at present so no chain etc

OP posts:
PtolemysNeedle · 01/02/2015 10:15

I wouldn't do it. Post a note at the very most.

Unless the property market is extremely buoyant where you live, it's unlikely that you will lose out on a house for the sake of four days, but if the vendors are going to be in the unlikely position of having more than one offer they like, you won't do yourself any favours by annoying them.

People use estate agents for a reason, because they don't want to deal with that stuff themselves. You are basically disrespecting their choice by not going through the agent, and as it's only for the sake of a few days there will probably still be time for you to view and put an offer in before anything else happens.

Bowlersarm · 01/02/2015 10:19

Make sure you don't piss them off-that woukd be awkward if they had to go through the agent.

clam · 01/02/2015 10:20

"Yes you'll piss the agents off because they wouldn't get a fee!"

I don't think that's the case. If you only know that the house is for sale because of the agent's sign outside, or through having seen the house details on their website, then I think that they would claim the fees anyway.

Aeroflotgirl · 01/02/2015 10:21

You have nothing to loose at all. Nothing wrong with popping a note through the door with your phone numbers.

Bowlersarm · 01/02/2015 10:24

The estate agent is 100% entitled to their fee if a buyer door knocks because of an agents board or seen any other advertising. They would win any fee dispute.

MooMaid · 01/02/2015 10:52

I too would prefer a note that way it's my choice to make and I can tidy the house up a bit whereas if you knock it might be an inconvenient time and feel all round awkward.

Let us know either way what you do, will be interested to hear how it goes

PtolemysNeedle · 01/02/2015 11:05

What's the actual point in knocking if you're only asking to arrange an appointment anyway?

You can't ask to be shown round there and then, that's just not on, so what is there to be achieved by arranging an appointment with the vendors rather than through the estate agent?

Aebj · 01/02/2015 11:11

When my parents sold there house the estate agent they got ended up buying it. She was sitting in the lounge chatting to my parents and she just feel in love with the place!!!!
I now live in Australia where it is very common for houses to have open homes over the weekend. The vendors go out for 45-60 mind and the estate agent shows anyone who turns up around. It's great
I would knock on the door

FamiliesShareGerms · 01/02/2015 11:14

The agent will still get their money - most agreements have a clause that means any sale agreed during the marketing will result in an agency fee

PtolemysNeedle · 01/02/2015 12:32

Yes the agents will still get their money, which is all the more reason why the vendors will probably prefer prospective buyers to go through them.

Why would they want to have to pay, and still do the job themselves?

paxtecum · 01/02/2015 12:49

I wouldn't let you in.
You could be anyone, checking what nickable and checking security.

Original poster
WyldChyld · 01/02/2015 20:33

So, we went and knocked and the couple were lovely and more than happy showing us around! We loved the house and are putting in an offer tomorrow morning =D

OP posts:
Boysclothes · 01/02/2015 20:37

My DH is terrible for this. When we were house hunting he would knock willy nilly. He also knocks on doors of houses that are like ours that have had extensions to ask to look at the extension. And knocked one he doors of neighbours of the houses we wee hoping to buy.

I found it terribly embarrassing but he never got knocked back. It always worked. So on that basis, I say go for it.

seaoflove · 01/02/2015 20:39

Fantastic - glad it went well.

Original poster
WyldChyld · 01/02/2015 20:49

Thank you! They said that they'd had past issues with a buyer being really slow and dragging their heels. They said they wanted a buyer with some initiative - and that they liked that we chanced it! They said that the other couple had put in an offer over the asking price but that they would happily consider all offers, particularly if we could complete quickly - which we can!

OP posts:
wheresthelight · 01/02/2015 21:20

That's brilliant hun!!! We would have done the same if the house we bought had been occupied but it was vacant possession so we had to wait for the ea to be free Sad

Aeroflotgirl · 01/02/2015 21:24

Fantastic, my mum used to say if you don't ask, you don't get Smile

VeryVeryDarkGrey · 01/02/2015 21:35

Nothing ventured nothing gained! Glad it worked out for ya

Haggisfish · 01/02/2015 21:57

Fab!

LimeFizz · 01/02/2015 22:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lottie5 · 02/02/2015 00:10

Just for the record - estate agents tend to have clauses in their contracts to say that they get at least half the fee for a private sale where they didn't introduce the buyer.

I'm really glad it worked out for you but I would strongly advise against this sort of thing generally. There may be a delicate situation which the agent is aware of that you won't be. Or the vendor may not be comfortable with showing people round themselves. There is lots of potential to cause upset here.

The agent acts for the vendor and vets potential buyers to see who is in a position to proceed etc and they are given priority with viewings etc. They also know to be discreet with offers. Sometimes vendors can give too much info away when left to their own devices and do themselves out of a higher offer. People do use agents for a reason.

Aeroflotgirl · 02/02/2015 07:21

I still stand by the good on op camp, sometimes you just have to go for it. I am sure op will put an offer to the estate agent.

Aeroflotgirl · 02/02/2015 07:21

Or rather proceedings will go through the estate agent.

Original poster
WyldChyld · 02/02/2015 09:05

Proceedings will definitely go through the agent! The other houses we viewed all went through the agent - this was an act of desperation if you will as I looked at the house and thought it would go very quickly due to size/price/location, couldn't get hold of the agent as they had shut and would be unable to view it for a full week. When we knocked on the door, I knocked and DH hung back so less intimidating and was very polite - and stressed that I knew how cheeky I was being!

OP posts:
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