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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To contact our house viewer?!?

91 replies

TomHardysLittleWeener · 04/04/2018 15:56

We are selling our house. We have had a few viewings, one of which was a couple who are FTB's, it was a positive viewing they were impressed with the room sizes and storage space, we were chatty, they asked lots of questions about local area. All was good, wished them goodbye, thought we would at least get a 2nd viewing and maybe an offer in the next few days to follow. Especially as they stated they had driven past our home a few times to check it out first... and said they were really interested in living in the area and our development.

But the agents have had no call back for feedback - no calls returned.

AIBU to be slightly pissed off as it takes a lot of time and organising on our part as we like to get our young children out of the house.

I feel like messaging the couple on Facebook to ask lol - I wont obviously as it looks unhinged but I just would like to know what their thoughts were!

As you were.

OP posts:
LokiBear · 04/04/2018 16:46

I'd you stalked me on Facebook I'd think you were crazy and be massively put off.

LokiBear · 04/04/2018 16:47

If not id!

Trinity66 · 04/04/2018 16:49

Oh don't contact them that's putting them in a terrible position, they're not obliged to buy your house and were probably being polite. i'd hate if the owner was there while i viewed a house tbh

MoveOnTheCards · 04/04/2018 16:52

An agent once took us on a house viewing on the day of the owner’s funeral. Her (grown-up) daughter was sitting in the kitchen, sobbing with well-wishers while the agent was bleating on about the improvements we could easily make. Sad

We were mortified and had no idea about the circumstances until we went through the front door. Talk about squirming (while the agent was oblivious to the atmosphere and awkwardness on both sides, ignoring our suggestion of rescheduling). At first we thought a couple leaving as we arrived were other viewers, turns out they were mourners. Blush

Needless to say we gave that agent a really wide berth for any future viewings. What a twat.

NKFell · 04/04/2018 16:53

I wont obviously as it looks unhinged but I just would like to know what their thoughts were!

You really would look unhinged Grin I say this as someone who would definitely have Facebook stalked too!

Unfortunately there's nothing you can do other than contact EA to try and get more viewings. Don't contact the people directly!

PlausibleSuit · 04/04/2018 16:54

Realising that rooms only looked so large because they were cleverly laid out with small sofas and 3/4 beds...sneaky and misleading!

I hate this. I remember looking around a show flat for a new development. I couldn't work out why I felt so huge. And then I realised it was because all the furniture, and even things like the built-in oven, were slightly smaller than normal to make the flat look more spacious.

Yogagirl123 · 04/04/2018 16:55

I can’t understand why you would contact them, what would be the point, if they were interested in your property they would be in touch with the EA for another viewing etc.

We have moved a few times over the years, and I can remember once viewing a property that DH seemed very keen on (mainly due to price!) I was being polite and he was genuinely interested, I didn’t want to appear rude in front of the owners, but I was cringing inside as I knew I didn’t want the house, and they seemed very keen to sell. And I didn’t want to mislead them into thinking we would be making an offer etc. When we got outside, DH said what do you think, and seemed amazed when I said no thanks, not interested.

So what I am saying is take what viewers say with a pinch of salt, until they request a second viewing or make an offer etc. Often on paper a property is perfect, but when you get inside you just can’t see yourself living there.

I think it would have been really weird to be contacted directly by the vendor, and the feedback provided may not be truthful.

I hope you have some more positive news soon.

pimlicolife · 04/04/2018 16:55

That's what the estate agent is getting paid for. If they haven't yet asked the viewers for feedback then ask them to.

pigsDOfly · 04/04/2018 16:57

Unfortunately this is all part and parcel of selling a house. I was let down buy two different people who had actually started the process of buying the last house I sold.

You have to accept these things, you can't start stalking people on FB because you feel they've inconvenienced you or they've looked at your house and have decided it's not for them.

KurriKurri · 04/04/2018 17:00

As everyone has said - don;t contatc them. It would put me right off,as I would think that even if I made you an offer, you would then be constantly badgering me .

I was badgered to death by someone who wanted to buy my house, they wanted me to take it off the market etc etc - they hadn;t even sold their house FFS! Some how they stalked me got hold of my phone numner and constantly rang me - they were deranged.

This is why you have an agent - s/he is there to be a middle erpson between buyers/sellers and crazy sellers/buyers.
And bear in mind that very few people go round someone's house saying 'everything is shit' - we all make polite noises and when we get out of earshot we say what we really think. Even if they liked your house, they may have been looking at loads over the bank holiday and seen something they liked better.

As for all the bother of tidying etc - well yes, that's what you have to do to sell a house - you are asking someone to spend a six figure sum of money - so you do have to make a bit of effort, you aren't doing them a favour letting them look round, you want to sell them something very expensive.

PasDeDeux · 04/04/2018 17:00

Wow, I advise you leave them alone!!

user1486915549 · 04/04/2018 17:03

I hate being shown round by the owners , I become ridiculously polite.
Sadly it is very common for viewers not to respond to estate agents asking for feedback. Very rude but it’s how it is.
If you contacted me personally after a viewing You would frighten me off !

iTonya · 04/04/2018 17:07

this is exactly why I ended up telling the estate agents I wouldn't do first viewings with potential buyers. Second viewings, fine, but not first.

My DH and I were looking at houses at the same time as selling our own, and even when it was obvious a property wasn't for us, I found it impossible to extricate myself quickly, knowing the owner had taken time out to show us round, tidy up, etc. You can't do an honest appraisal if the owner is standing there proudly pointing out their Artexed hot tub and double glazed sauna that cost them upwards of £20k, whereas you can ask the agent more brutal questions as a matter of course. I always found something positive to say, even when we were going round as fast as we politely could, which was stupid of me, because it's a business transaction, not a visit to a stately home. But I am unshakeably British and middle class.

If I had to conduct a viewing, I showed the couple round quickly, pointing out key features, and then retired to the kitchen to let them consider it properly.

hertsandessex · 04/04/2018 17:07

Par for the course. You just have to accept that things don't always go to plan and viewings are a pain in the arse. I've had many people just not turn up after spending hours getting ready and family going out and somebody turn up and get straight back in the car after seeing surroundings. Annoying but can't be helped.

Tinkobell · 04/04/2018 17:10

No! Get over it! It's a business deal, they're not your mates and in honesty they owe you nothing. If you're going to start putting emotional pressure or store on the people who come and view, you need to just go out and leave the agent to it.

DeliberatelyAwkward · 04/04/2018 17:12

I dread to think of how many peeved property sellers we left in our wake Blush we did try to give feedback, but the house we purchased was our 14th viewing. Yes. Fourteenth.

FrancisCrawford · 04/04/2018 17:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MiddleClassProblem · 04/04/2018 17:15

Poor people. They’re making the biggest purchase of their lives! They want to get it right. They may brave loved your house but it wasn’t for them. They may not have hit made polite noises. They may just have others to see. They may have fallen for somewhere else.

How creepy to think about contacting them on fb.

BobbinThreadbare123 · 04/04/2018 17:17

Do not contact them! It is weird.

You get all sorts; lots of people make up any old shite because they weren't feeling it but think they ought to have an excuse as to why they don't want to come back and view/make an offer. People are also spectacularly rude and the estate agent has to give up trying to phone after a week or so. I've had people make an offer which I accepted, and then randomly give up the purchase without a reason. That was annoying but house buying seems to bring out the irrational and the unrealistic in a lot of people.

KurriKurri · 04/04/2018 17:20

As a general rule, having sold several houses, - I find the people who seem uninterested are the ones that end up making an offer. They curb their enthusiasm because they don't want you to think they are too keen - so you will accept a lower offer.
Our last house sold to a really snobby unpleasant couple who turned up their noses at every single thing, they still bought the house though (at full asking price), so who cares ?

incorrigiblyplural · 04/04/2018 17:28

You seem to think you are doing potential buyers a favour by letting them view your house.

The reality is that you're trying to convince a stranger to part with probably several hundred thousand pounds for the most expensive purchase they'll ever make.

They're doing you are favour. There are countless other houses out there. If you won't let potential buyers view it, they won't buy.

So make an effort and don't assume the first person in the door shares your taste in room décor.

Lulusmother · 04/04/2018 17:32

Don't start house hunting until you've had an offer on yours....you'll only get your heart broken when the dream one has been snapped up... from a voice of experience!

TammyWhyNot · 04/04/2018 17:32

"AIBU to be slightly pissed off as it takes a lot of time and organising on our part as we like to get our young children out of the house"

YABVU. They owe you nothing. You are not doing them a favour, they are your customers / potential customers. And the only way an EA should be seen to ask for feedback is so that they can better steer buyers to properties they might like to save everyone's time. The inconvenience of viewings is part and parcel of selling.

It is frustrating, but many people do need to spend time mulling, and can't really articulate why it isn't for them, it just isn't. And in the end their reasons for not feeling it is 'their' house are not important. The next viewers feeling that it is exactly what they want is what counts. And our EAs (I have sold 4 v different properties so far) scoff at all this house doctoring and basically say no amount of colour co-ordinated cushions make much difference. The size, layout, aspect, price, do-er-upper or ready to move in etc are are what buyers look for.

TammyWhyNot · 04/04/2018 17:34

I would totally avoid an EA who grilled me for feedback in order to pass back to the vendors, beyond 'thanks but no thanks'.

listsandbudgets · 04/04/2018 17:36

Dont contact them just put it down to experience. Its annouing though

People dont buy for all sorts of reasons. We had a couple who behaved much as you described amd when the estate agemt contacted them said that it was very nice but they wanted a modern house amd ours was too old. When she pointed out it was listed as Victorian they told her they assumed it was just a style of architecture not amy indication of age of house!!