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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not allowed to view a property!

162 replies

MissMildred · 31/05/2018 18:32

Just wondering if this is a 'thing'.....
We're not officially 'on the market', but are tentatively looking for a sideways or upwards move in the same area to gain a larger garden, fewer neighbours and room to extend in the future. We are in the south east but outside of London. The idea would be that if we see something that fits the bill, we'll go on the market immediately and we do have a really saleable house (school catchments/ nice interior/ not much else in the price range).
Thing is, I don't want to waste the time of agents and buyers, because if we go on the market now, it could be some time before we find something that fits the bill.
So......there is a an old cottage on the market less than 10mins away, we drive past it regularly, have seen the interior pics. Looks chocolate box from the outside and ticks the garden/location box, but clearly needs a lot of updating, despite the blurb saying 'well presented'. I can tell from comparables that it is overvalued. It has been on sale for 3 months and I keep coming back to it as it might be suitable - from the photos I can't tell if the ceiling height is low and can't see a good view of the kitchen. Hard to judge the potential.
Just contacted the agent to arrange a viewing and just had a call back to say the vendors refuse to allow viewings from anyone not on the market. I asked if it was under offer and was told 'no offers' but had lots of viewings. I explained that we were serious for the right property, but was told that the vendors are firm that they will only have viewings from people on the market or under offer. It has been on since the end of Feb.
I used to work in the London market many moons ago and never really came across this. Thing is, we could actually view it and if suitable, go straight on - hard to know until we see it! Is this normal now - AIBU?

OP posts:
museumum · 31/05/2018 19:02

Up here smaller homes sell much faster than bigger so it’s totally normal if you’re buying bigger/more expensive to find a property first then sell yours to a ftb.

chocolateworshipper · 31/05/2018 19:04

Very common. Our EAs told us they wouldn't accept viewings from people who didn't have their house on the market, without us needing to tell that that's what we wanted.

but do estate agents actually know if you are really on the market or not
Maybe they look on Prime Location and Rightmove?

blackeyes72 · 31/05/2018 19:05

We totally ended up in this position.

Initially I was really accommodating, but for the first few weeks we had LOADS of timewasters. Having four children and a full time job, tidying the house and cleaning to a standard where you would want total strangers round the house, making sure kids are entertained for the duration was a huge faff. Only to have loads of people going "well just looking at the moment, not sure if we REALLY want to move" was really stressful.

Of course if I was single or in a couple with no kids and the estate agent was doing the viewings, I wouldn't care.

Really empathise on the situation though.

Silvercatowner · 31/05/2018 19:08

the rest is history

It might be history for you, but it clearly isn't for anyone else. Just put your house on the market.

LivingMyBestLife · 31/05/2018 19:09

Absolutely normal and I have done the same thing myself at one point - we were selling a house, our buyer backed out and as we had a property in mind that we'd spent a lot of money on a survey for already we only wanted proceedable buyers who weren't going to mess around.

Mosaic123 · 31/05/2018 19:10

I think the person that suggested you say to the agent that they can sell your property if you put an offer on this one made a good suggestion.

That way the agent gets two fees, yours and the seller of the cottage's.

A big incentive.

Original poster
MissMildred · 31/05/2018 19:10

blackeyes I know they are an older couple without children living there. Completely understand the faff involved - not looking forward to when we have to do it!

OP posts:
FrangipaniBlue · 31/05/2018 19:10

Yep. I was once refused a viewing even though we had accepted an offer on ours simply because we weren't "cash buyers" Confused

WhatWouldNPHDo · 31/05/2018 19:11

It could be a while before it sells. I have a 2 bed terrace in the SE, ideal FTB property, no onward chain, good schools, rail links blah blah on the the doorstep. I've put it on for 20-30k less because I want rid of it (moving country).

It's been on since the end of January. I've had no offers.

Original poster
MissMildred · 31/05/2018 19:12

Perhaps I am being a bit too considerate. I declined a val from them because all I want to do is see inside and see if it is suitable/ how much work would need to be done. Possibly didn't make my reason for declining clear on the phone.

OP posts:
WhatWouldNPHDo · 31/05/2018 19:12

^ by it, I mean your house.

Original poster
MissMildred · 31/05/2018 19:13

Frangipani Shock

OP posts:
beachcomber243 · 31/05/2018 19:14

I recently saw a place for sale which fitted the bill as I was trying to downsize, but there were very few suitable properties on the market. Saw it on the Tuesday, put mine on the market the same day. It went 'live' the next day and had a viewing booked for the Friday. I had an offer that evening.

I've moved this way before so I would not be put off by people who hadn't sold yet. I didn't move in the end as personal problems cropped up [for both parties] but still looking.

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 31/05/2018 19:16

I once went to look at a gorgeous house I could never afford, because I had passed it every day for years, and this was my chance to see inside. People like me are your problem!

But to be honest...you are only vaguely looking around, you think the ceilings might be low (they are. It is a cottage), you think it's overpriced... They may be right about you not being the buyer they are looking for.

penguinsnpandas · 31/05/2018 19:16

We went round a house once and the owner said as we walked in I told the EA I didn't want people round that need a mortgage. Explained we were cash buyers and he grumbled an apology but yes it does go on and can't say I blame people. A lot of timewasters out there.

You could probably ask ceiling height to EA.

Bluntness100 · 31/05/2018 19:17

I also think this is very common. And can also understand it. It prevents people viewing who are just toying with the idea of moving, tyre kickers as a previous poster said.

Annoying for you, but I see their point. Personally I haven't done it, but I can see why people would, especially if they have had a lot of viewings from folks who are just nosey and not really planning to sell.

Pandsbear · 31/05/2018 19:18

Hmm yes it is a thing. Where we live it is impossible to view a house unless you are already up for sale (pref with an offer). Problem is all the houses go at high speed still - especially in the move from small terrace to 3-4 bed so there is no choice if you actually put your house on the market! We are very reluctant to put our house on the market only for it to sell and we can’t find anywhere...

BlankTimes · 31/05/2018 19:19

A lot now outright refuses people who aren’t on the market, as apparently people will book a viewing just to be nosy Shock

Long time ago, it used to be a Sunday afternoon out for lots of people who had no intention of buying, they just wanted a pleasant afternoon looking around other peoples' houses, especially if the vendors were trying to sell it themselves.
No prior appointment, guaranteed 2 til 5pm on Sundays randoms knocking saying 'We were just passing and it looks so lovely, can we see it now?"
As a vendor it's such a hassle because you know they're not the slightest bit interested, they're just nosey.

I'm hoping it's different these days due to rightmove etc.

from the photos I can't tell if the ceiling height is low
Ask the estate agent.

KurriKurri · 31/05/2018 19:19

Frangipani - sometimes people will only accept cash buyers because the property needs too much doing for anyone to get a mortgage.

I only accepted viewing from people who had thier house on the market because I considered anyone else a timewaster and I didn't have time to waste. There's a lot of faff in tidying up the house etc to show people round, - I'm not doing that for people who just want to put in a Sunday afternoon nosying round other folks houses.

I also had someone ask if she could come round 'that evening' and with a bt of probing found out she lived at the other end of my village and was just putting her house on the market - she clearly wanted to compare my house to hers. Again wasting my time. (I offered her a viewing at the weekend when we already had other coming and she declined it)

Peanutbuttercups21 · 31/05/2018 19:22

Makes sense to me,

Does not sounds as if you a ready to buy

LivingMyBestLife · 31/05/2018 19:22

I also thought that the property Frangipani wanted to view was unmortgageable! I've seen 'cash buyers only' on property details years ago and it was because you couldn't get a mortgage on it.

Pengggwn · 31/05/2018 19:23

Their call, isn't it.

Original poster
MissMildred · 31/05/2018 19:26

Yes, I do understand the 'tyre kicker' point, but at the same time, this is a very old property (not listed though) at a reasonably high value. If I was in their position I'd understand that I'm not likely to get a lot of proceedable FTBs and people may want to check the condition/ heating/ roof etc. And they've been on 3 months. It's so annoying. I'm going to need that valuation, aren't I?!

OP posts:
NewYearNewMe18 · 31/05/2018 19:26

Too many tome wasters. EA now ensure that mortgage-in-principle is in place etc, so you cant casually wander along for a look on the off chance

AmazingGrace16 · 31/05/2018 19:26

We haven't been able to view properties until we had actually received offers on ours before.

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