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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be a bit hesitant about someone whose house isn't on the market viewing my property

57 replies

boozysuzy16 · 16/08/2016 22:16

I have agreed to it anyway so its a bit of a non issue but having not sold a house before I wondered if this was normal or perhaps they just wanted to snoop. Its only been on the market for 24 hours and I've got 3 viewings booked in.

They are apparently in the same village and haven't got theirs on the market as they couldn't find anything they liked until now but their house is ready 'at the click of a button' according to the agent. I have until now, refrained from viewing other properties as I didnt want people to make a special effort to tidy etc (being pregnant and having a toddler i know how hard this can be!) if I'm not in a position to make an offer. Perhaps I should revise that and go and view some.

OP posts:
PikachuSayBoo · 16/08/2016 22:19

When I bought my current home I was in a similar position to this.

My house not on the market and saw this house in the paper and loved it. Saw it the next day, had our house on the market 4 days later and as priced to sell we sold it that day.

Moved in 8 weeks later.

So it's not always snooping.

HarlettOScara · 16/08/2016 22:21

I viewed houses before mine was on the market. We knew our house was likely to sell quickly (popular area) and we were very particular about what we wanted to buy so wanted to have found it before we put ours on the market.

PJBanana · 16/08/2016 22:23

Depends on a few things.

The agent could be spinning you a tale, but you're their customer so hopefully they won't mess you around although I wouldn't put it past them!

If you live in an area where houses sell fast, the viewers may be able to put theirs up for sale and get an offer quickly. They could also have the cash to buy, although I doubt it.

As a general rule though, most agents want to check whether potential buyers are 'proceedable' before they view.

I don't think YABU at all, I don't think any sellers would want a viewing where the viewers weren't in any position to buy. When my mum sold, she lived on a very sought after road and was so annoyed at the amount of viewers who were obviously just there to snoop!

Original poster
boozysuzy16 · 16/08/2016 22:23

Thats reassuring. I've got to make myself scarce so I feel more comfortable looking at others now.

OP posts:
Redglitter · 16/08/2016 22:24

I don't think it's uncommon. A friend of mine moved recently she knew her house would sell no.problem but she's so fussy she knew finding what she wanted would be harder. She viewed about 20 properties finally found one and then put hers on the market. Like your viewers hers was ready to list as soon as she found something. And as expected her house sold within days

EndodSummerLooming · 16/08/2016 22:24

Depends on the market. Some yrs ago now we kept getting buyers and couldn't find anything. House priced to sell and presentation perfect. Offered on house on Thursday. Ours marketed Friday, pending details, sold 2pm Saturday. Haven't done back to back exchanges since then but if a house is sensibly priced, well located and presented ime they fly - even in a flat market.

acasualobserver · 16/08/2016 22:25

Let them snoop if that's what it is. Lots of people may end up viewing your property - you'll never know exactly how serious they are as possible buyers.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 16/08/2016 22:25

I think you just have to accept it tbh.

Your house is on the market. People will want to look at it. It's the nature of the beast.

Original poster
boozysuzy16 · 16/08/2016 22:26

PJBanana- I am 35 weeks pregnant (I know bad time to sell but when is there a good time) so I'd be really annoyed if they were checking out competition after I've chased my toddler around trying to tidy and make it presentable. Theres nothing like it on the market in the village at the moment with the exception of some brand new properties on an estate which are priced at £20k more.

OP posts:
TrollTheRespawnJeremy · 16/08/2016 22:26

We have always been cash buyers so haven't ever put our property on the market first.

If it's not inconveniencing you too much then go for it.

monkeywithacowface · 16/08/2016 22:26

Was going to type a response but my situation was pretty much exactly the same as Pikachu's.

Original poster
boozysuzy16 · 16/08/2016 22:27

Thats the thing isn't it, the seller who is subject to contract could have been fibbing- id never know.

OP posts:
Original poster
boozysuzy16 · 16/08/2016 22:28

buyer* the buyer who is STC could be lying! I am hoping they make an offer so I don't have to show the other one around.

OP posts:
clary · 16/08/2016 22:30

I've just sold a house STC and the buyer viewed it three times before putting their house on the market and making an offer to us.

We viewed the house we are in now before putting ours up - we weren't looking to move in general, just loved this particular house (location, size) and once we viewed it we knew it was for us - at which point we marketed ours.

If the second property going on sale is priced to sell it should all move quickly. I would go and view some OP.

GiddyOnZackHunt · 16/08/2016 22:44

We viewed and offered on a house without being on the market. We bought it too. We got ours on the market sharpish at a sensible price and were good, solid buyers.

Failingfasttonight · 16/08/2016 22:44

A lot of people start looking at houses in a certain area before they are ready to buy (or is that just me..?) I won't put mine on the market till I'm sure where I want to move to. Where I live we often just have open viewings at set times so I'm sure a lot of people aren't serious contenders, but there is no way to know.

grumpysquash3 · 16/08/2016 22:47

Everyone views multiple properties - it's hard to predict which house will become your lovely home.
If they make an offer without their home being on the market, you can either decline (if there are other offers) or put in a clause, e.g. you will not accept any offers within a 28 day period, within which you expect them to have instructed a solicitor and carried out a survey (and, obviously, have their house on the market). If they seriously want to buy, they will do it. If they won't commit, then you know sooner rather than later....

Original poster
boozysuzy16 · 16/08/2016 22:49

I wish I could have got them to view at the same time but apparently the EA couldn't co-ordinate it. Perhaps I will do an open afternoon but i am not desperate to move at the moment.

I havent yet found anything I am that keen on in the area I have chosen yet which does worry me slightly!

OP posts:
Bishybishybarnabee · 16/08/2016 22:56

We've recently viewed a few properties, but our house isn't on the market yet. We should be able to get it on the market in the next few weeks and it is a very popular area and expected to sell quickly so I don't feel that we are being unreasonable to start looking now.

TheBouquets · 16/08/2016 23:04

Perhaps the buyer whose house is not up for sale yet is a cash buyer but does not want to make that information available to the estate agent or maybe their house is extremely desirable and they have had tentative enquiries already. You just don't know and probably the least likely looking buyer could just be the one.

jbee664 · 16/08/2016 23:07

You never know people's circumstances as to why they dont have their house on the market. We're luckily (but not in another sense as its due to inheritance) in a position where we can still buy next property without selling current one....so I was a bit narked when an arsy EA told me I wasn't allowed to view a house without mine being sold! That was a potential sale they lost!

Original poster
boozysuzy16 · 16/08/2016 23:13

He told me it's because there was nothing on the market he liked. There was no mention of cash or anything though I can understand why you wouldn't want to broadcast that to an EA.

OP posts:
TheBouquets · 16/08/2016 23:17

jbee664 - I recognise that situation only too well. I spoke to a stroppy estate agent and drooped that house of my list. Currently negotiating on another a few streets away.

bibbitybobbityyhat · 16/08/2016 23:22

Yanbu at all to turn down a viewing from anyone. Your house is on the market but you don't have to allow people to view if you don't feel like it.

We viewed our current house after it had been on the market a long while and had had several price reductions. It was FUGLY inside and no one could bring themselves to buy it. However, it was just about within reach price-wise for us and in a road we particularly wanted to move to. But we didn't have our house on the market at that point I had just had a baby so I'm not really sure what we were thinking But anyway we asked the EA if we could view and they checked with the vendors and vendors said yes, presumably because they were getting a bit desperate by then. I viewed on the Monday, viewed again with DH on the Wednesday, put our house on the market on the Saturday, accepted an offer an ours on the Monday, deal was done by the Tuesday. Took 8 days start to finish, so it can happen.

YouCanButImNot · 16/08/2016 23:23

We viewed before ours was on the market, we weren't actually looking to move but spotted this house and fell in love. Made an offer which they accepted but they wouldn't actually mark it as SSTC until ours was SSTC. Had it on the market within a few days and sold quickly. Currently sat in the house we fell in love with. Don't be put off by it.

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