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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think this is weird when viewing a house?

192 replies

lemoncurd20 · 27/05/2015 17:36

We are potential FTBs and viewed our first house today.

The owner was there... aibu to think this is weird?

It was really awkward... or is it normal?

OP posts:
ghostyslovesheep · 27/05/2015 17:50

I am selling - I am always the one who does the viewings - I do a quick tour then retire to the garden with a tea and let them wonder round alone bitching about my decor Grin

GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 27/05/2015 17:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
lemoncurd20 · 27/05/2015 17:51

Mermaid - I can't believe that, what did you do, just walk around in a towel?!

Ghosty - that's fair, we didn't get to have a look around ourself which would have been good.

OP posts:
GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 27/05/2015 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HoggleHoggle · 27/05/2015 17:53

I've bought 3 houses and have never had the owner there on any viewings. Have sold 2 houses and only been there once because the agent couldn't. Much prefer being out when it's happening.

Original poster
lemoncurd20 · 27/05/2015 17:53

Sorry, not Wips, Viva!

It was right after work at 5 to answer Wips qu, can't keep up!

OP posts:
JustAPawn · 27/05/2015 17:54

Perfectly normal and, in my opinion, desirable. Estate Agents don't know half as much about the house or the area as the people living there. I am the one who sold my last house even though the Estate Agent was there, because I was able to give a truthful and useful account of local schools, catchment areas, facilities, etc.

MerdeAlor · 27/05/2015 17:55

I think it's odd to have the owners in the house, but it happens.

Our estate agent told us it is far easier to do a viewing without the owners there as viewers feel uncomfortable. They generally ask homeowners to step out for half an hour.

Having owners there when I'm looking around a house would put me off.

vvviola · 27/05/2015 17:55

We viewed a house once where the owners kindly went out... and sat on a bench across the road glaring at us. That was fun.

it was even more fun when we ended up buying the house next door

limitedperiodonly · 27/05/2015 17:55

Sometimes they are and sometimes they're not.

The vendor shouldn't have followed you round though. That's really off-putting. An estate agent will ensure that potential buyers don't pinch stuff and I guess they might be annoyed by it too.

I want to open cupboards - not because I want to look at their things but because I want to look at the storage space.

In that case I'd wait for an estate agent to do it for me.

GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 27/05/2015 17:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IggyStrop · 27/05/2015 17:57

We've just bought a house and we encountered one owner. It was awkward. She was looking at us expectantly the whole time. We also knew as soon as we got there that it wasn't the house for us, but felt compelled to listen to her commentary and take the tour of the house knowing that we were wasting her time. Maybe we were just far too polite and should've said, but houses are so personal, I didn't want to hurt any feelings!

Mitzimaybe · 27/05/2015 17:57

I'm in the process of buying and have done quite a lot of viewings of properties which are with several different estate agents. Every single viewing has been conducted by the current owner. One even made a 200 mile round trip to do it - and we didn't like the house.

It does make it harder to be honest - we tend to make appreciative noises to the owner and then leave and say to each other "couldn't live there". Then phone the estate agent the following day to give honest feedback and let them break it to the owner if we hated the place.

So yes, it's normal, and can sometimes feel a bit awkward.

balletnotlacrosse · 27/05/2015 17:58

I agree, you need to feel free to open cupboards to check storage, comment on the size of bedrooms, and so on. You just can't do that if the owner is standing behind you.

var123 · 27/05/2015 17:59

Sometimes sellers trail round with the agent and the potential buyer. Sometimes they even stand in the doorway to view the room, with the buyer and agent standing outside trying to peer over their shoulder.

There is no way for the agent to politely suggest that they give everyone a little space, and that even if they aren't blocking the view, they are making the rooms feel that bit more cramped. They always get angry and upset. They seem to feel that its their property and they will damn well go on the viewing of it, if they want to!

Mehitabel6 · 27/05/2015 18:00

I have always found it far more useful to have the owners- they can actually answer the questions.
I have sold my houses fairly easily and so I can't have been too off putting! There is no way I would go out and leave it to an agent.

Fugghetaboutit · 27/05/2015 18:00

For us, it sold the house having just the owners showing us around.

They told us who are neighbours are, what parks nearby, shops etc. exactly what they had done to the house. Agents are usually useless.

We obviously made notes and spoke openly once we left.

But yes, v normal.

ElsieMc · 27/05/2015 18:00

We were shift workers and our estate agent had a family in the office who wanted to view our home. He actually took them in his company car and started showing them round the house. In the bedroom, the lady commented "Oh no, there's someone in that bed"!. That was my DH who sat up in bed suddenly to see an indian family all staring at him.

The agent apologised but I suppose it was just initiative on his part and we could see the funny side.

I hated showing people round our home when the agent was unavailable. One couple looked through my cupboards right in front of me and commented that the amount of toys my child had was "ridiculous".

MyNameIsPinkiePie · 27/05/2015 18:01

I hate it when the owners are there, it's really inhibiting and I just want to get out ASAP rather than taking time to get a good feel. It's particularly overbearing if they follow the agent/you around or don't let you have a bit of time alone. You can't be honest about what you like/don't like, what you'd change and discuss how you'd make it work for you - this could be very insulting to the taste of the current owners. I also hated being around for our own viewings, we would go out or at least keep well out of the way.

I suspect people would stay longer if the owner did the viewings as it was polite to chat and for them to act like they were interested when they weren't. It wastes less time doing it via an agent as you can be honest straight away.

Mitzimaybe · 27/05/2015 18:02

I think it also affects how you feel about the house - if you like the owner, you're more inclined to like the house, and vice versa. It shouldn't be a consideration, therefore better if they're not there.

I think they have all allowed us some "wandering about on our own" time after the "tour", though.

Mehitabel6 · 27/05/2015 18:03

The answer to OP is that it is normal either way and you just have to turn up and see and 'go with the flow'.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 27/05/2015 18:03

Quite normal. But I hate it. What are we paying the agents for if as they don't do some showing round.

steppemum · 27/05/2015 18:04

when we were viewing most of the houses were vendors showing.

The best ones were where vendor took us round, told us all the things an agent doesn't and then went downstairs/into the other room and said feel free to have a wander.

Even better when they had said things like - you could knock these 2 rooms into one/extend over the garage as it made us feel that they weren't precious about the house.

problem is that viewers have been known to pinch things, so vendors may not want to leave you alone in a room.

Worst one was a vendor with a massive pond and stream system that took the whole garden, he spent ages explaining how it worked and showed us the control shed for the waterfall and lights etc, when all we wanted to know was how much it would cost to rip it all out and get a bit of lawn for ds to play football on!

Mehitabel6 · 27/05/2015 18:05

I have always let them have a wander after the tour so if they want to be rude I expect they can then! I wouldn't know.

balletnotlacrosse · 27/05/2015 18:05

I think it makes the house feel a bit more anonymous and somewhere you can picture moving in your family and your stuff when the owner isn't hovering around making you feel like a visitor in someone else's home (which I know you technically are, but it doesn't always make you feel like a prospective buyer).

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