AIBU 2nd House Viewing Troubles

[kellyb220982]

AIBU to expect there wouldn't be a 1st viewing same time as our 2nd or that we should at least have been warned and do I complain?

We viewed a house 2 weeks ago for the first time and were lucky enough to be shown round by the vendor. He was really helpful, explained the history, how it had been a rental, suggested work he'd do if living there etc and at the end of the viewing said he'd happily let the EA pass his number on if we wanted to view again and have him there.

When we gave the EA feedback the next day (Tue) we explained we were interested but had an app at bank that Friday to discuss our mortgage options (the house needs quite a bit of work) so could we ring back re a second viewing after that. The EA didn't push to book a second viewing which I thought odd when vendor said been little interest. Ring back straight after bank and couldn't get an viewing until the following weekend which was disappointing, EA couldn't reach vendor and they assume people can view during day and don't have work?!?

Anyway we turned up to second viewing armed with questions, tape measure etc and 5 minutes in another couple turn up to have a first viewing at the same time!! AIBU to think this is out of order?? The EA at the viewing also offered no help what so ever, stood downstairs the whole time, couldn't answer any questions and made it very obvious he wanted to get the viewings over with asap. The only time he spoke was to tell us while we were in the garden that he'd locked the front door because he assumed we'd done inside.

We were thinking of putting an offer in but felt so rushed and put off by the other viewers we only checked half of the things they suggest for a second viewing. Now it's BH the EA isn't open until Tues and I'm worried we might not get a 3rd viewing for any time soon. I'm also left wondering whether I should complain to the EA or whether this would damage our chances of getting the house if other offers come in. Any advice????

You haven't even offered, never mind had it accepted

Yes, give your head a wobble

I take on board all the points other than being called a fuckwit and not being an adult. I'm not a first time buyer and this is the first time I've had this scenario. Obviously they are working for vendor but surely that means encouraging a buyer? Yes I could have offered straight after first viewing (was told by vendor not been any interest and up for sale 3 months) but I could have then pulled out further down line and wasted more of his time. I'd had a long chat with the EA after our first viewing, explained we really liked it etc, explained our position - no chain, wanting to move quickly (I'm 6 months pregnant). As for the measurements, we have quite a lot of big furniture so obviously wanted to check re things fitting or whether need to factor replacing things in the budget/offer. yes I know a survey will pick out some things but not all - it wasn't about how the boiler works it was if it works because it was switched off!. And yes if I'm faffing over spending such a large amount of money especially when my hormones are all over ha ha and I lose the house so be it. By some of the comments it sounds like I need to throw my Phil Spencer guide to buying houses outta the window and get all impulsive. Hey I'm a tight Yorkshire girl and we don't seem to have the aggressive market other places in the country have.

Did you think they'd take it off the market be because you'd asked for a second viewing?? I wouldn't allow a third viewing from someone wh hadn't made an offer, under any circumstances.
I'd think they were time wasting idiots.

Personally, I have always put offers on houses after one viewing - and often within the hour.

No house is 'perfect' - and I try not to be picky, as per Kirsty Alsop etc.

Certainly never thought about curtains until I have moved in.

Maybe that's just me.

If I was an EA, and someone wanted a third viewing, I would probably disregard them as flaky.

I have never heard of anyone going for a third viewing. Is that even a thing?

I don't know why everyone is being horrible to you OP.

It would have made much more sense for the (crap) estate agent to book your appointment 30 minutes before or after the other viewers. Sounds lazy and incompetent to me.

Good luck with the third viewing - jhopefully you can see the owner again.

My friend who is an EA says they try to avoid accepting offers from people who need multiple viewings because they are very difficult to manage to completion. People who offer based on a single view usually accept minor niggles in the survey without complaining.

Well.. to help you:

1. The EA will NEVER turn on boilers etc. It is WAY outside their scope. You only get to do that when you put in an offer an send a surveyor round. It simply IS NOT YOURS YET! Insurances and all sorts scream NO!!!

1. keys for windows!!! See above! EAs will not unlock and open them on a viwing - security hazrad. gain, that is for yor surveyor.

1. Measurements: usually after you put an offer in, part of a survey... though if you have a measure you are free to do it during a viewing - we carried folded cardboard the same shape as one chest... it fitted

Phil Spencer tell syou what is a good idea for you as a buyer.... but you need to appreciate that that isn't always what is good/sensible for the EA or vendor.

Good luck, I hope it all fits/works.

People can have as many viewing as they want. It's not a problem, it just means they might miss out if someone else bids. Although some people seem to go a tad OTT.

I can as why it may be off putting to have more people viewing at the same time, but I think I'd like it. You can go off and do your own thing, measure what you want. You should have been able to ask questions though.

Relax, book another viewing, tell the estate agent that you'd prefer a time on your own as you'd like to ask a few questions and get a few things straight before you make an offer.

Op write down a list of everything you want checking and then go through it and scrub off anything that will be covered in a survey. For the boiler, I would recommend a professional checking this once you have an offer accepted - we viewed a house once and the vendor turned the heating etc on as 'proof' that it worked. Naively we didn't do anything more, brought the house and then when we moved in found huge issues meaning we had to get the whole system replaced.

Look at your list after doing the above and if you really need keys to windows etc, arrange a third viewing and email the agents ahead of time with those sort of questions.

If the house has been on the market a while with little interest, the vendor isn't really in a position to get sniffy with you about a third viewing like some of the posters up thread. Yes the agents work for the vendor, but that work is to sell the house! They get a large amount of money to do so. The joint viewing thing is pretty standard though so don't be put off by that.

No, honey, people can have as many viewings as the vendor will tolerate. They haven't opened their house up for the general public to mosey round when they're bored of the garden centre, they're trying to sell it as painlessly as possible.
No way would I allow someone round a third time.

Hey I'm a tight Yorkshire girl and we don't seem to have the aggressive market other places in the country have.

I am from Yorkshire and yes we do have an aggressive market and I am not tight. Your expectations of viewing a house that you may not even put an offer on are ridiculous. Your expectations of EA are ridiculous.

I am from Yorkshire and yes we do have an aggressive market and I am not tight

Ditto. Op, you should have tried buying a house in 2003, at the height of the housing boom. I never got to view a house on my own, there were always about 20 other people looking around at the same time. And then there was the bidding war when you eventually found a house you liked...

My friend who is an EA says they try to avoid accepting offers from people who need multiple viewings because they are very difficult to manage to completion. People who offer based on a single view usually accept minor niggles in the survey without complaining.
Your EA friend has no authority to accept or decline ANY offers. That is entirely up to the home owner.
There is absolutely no way I would commit to spending several hundred thousand pounds and choose where I am going to live and raise my family based on a single view.
There are some good EAs out there but I haven't found many in my buying and selling experience. They should do what they can to help the potential buyers as that will increase their chances of selling the property, but there are limits to what they can and should do. There is nothing wrong with a buyer wanting to be assured that things work, but the EA may not be able to help with that.

I am a viewing rep for an estate agent. We NEVER touch boilers ever! That can be done further down the line when an offer is accepted. Double up viewings are not ideal but happen from time to time , can't be helped. It's not a big drama. If you keep booking repeated viewings you will be considered a time waster and the EA will probably stop arranging viewings for you. Get your questions together, email the EA and get them to forward to vendor is a quick way to get the answers you require

No way would I allow someone round a third time.
That is absolutely your choice, but I wouldn't put an offer in if I wanted a 3rd visit to check something and I was told no.
My current house I made an offer after the 3rd visit.
The first visit, I liked the house, my DH wasn't sure.
The second visit persuaded him.
The third visit was at a different time of day so we could see the garden properly and really be sure that we could live there then but also had the room to expand that we knew we would need in the future.

If you wanted to come back a third time; I wouldn't be expecting an offer, Logical. I've seen far too many dithery time wasters to indulge this ever again.

Assessing room to expand is a case in point . Did the dimensions change between the first and third visits, or something? What did you see that wasn't obvious the first time, if you'd bothered looking?

No way would I allow someone round a third time.

I would depending on the circumstances.

2nd viewings are completely normal and advised. I don't see why a third viewing is an issue, especially for example if you went after work and it was dark and wanted to see the garden in the day time.

Back to the original OP - I don't really like group viewings, all feels a bit uncomfortable but sometimes they are unavoidable.

What tondelaya said.

In my experience, as a buyer and as a seller, the people who walk in, look round silently and 20 minutes later ring up and make a good offer are the serious buyers.

The EAs job is to get the best possible price in the best possible time which means maximising viewings, not to accommodate repeat viewings from people who didn't like it enough to make an offer the first time they viewed and who, for all he knows, might be repeat visiting several properties that weekend.

Like others have said OP I would suggest emailing a list of questions. Then make an offer. Then ask for a third viewing after you have offered. An offer can be cancelled, after all, but it shows you are serious. Good luck.

I'm with you OP, really annoying. We bought a real fixer-upper very cheap. Went round once to see what we thought, then went round a second time with a builder to talk through if what we were thinking was possible. On the second viewing, unannounced they had a second set of people round and they followed us from room to room listening to the advice we were getting about putting another set of stairs in and so on.

You can't stop it, but it IS very annoying. We just went and sat in the garden talking about the outside and brightly saying we'd let them go round first as we didn't want to get in their way.

Seriously, estate agents in the UK have it far too easy. I'm of the firm opinion that the only hard work they put in us to get the vendor to sign up with them. Once that's achieved, they're onto a sure thing. The massive shortage of property means they don't need to follow up... the property will sell regardless and they'll walk away with an easy commission.