Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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:

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 31/05/2018 19:27

The vendors want people who are committed to selling their own property and in a position to proceed with buying theirs. I don’t think that’s unreasonable. You’ve made it very apparent that you aren’t committed to selling at the moment.

It’s really not unusual these days, to refuse viewings from anyone who hasn’t demonstrated that they’re a serious purchaser. Certainly, developers won’t accept a reservation from anyone until their own property is under offer.

Pengggwn · 31/05/2018 19:30

Don't forget, OP, it is their house. They don't have to sell it. They don't have to let anyone view it. It is totally at their discretion.

eggcellent · 31/05/2018 19:30

Can't you just lie?

chocolateworshipper · 31/05/2018 19:33

Can't you just lie?

Ummmm, shall I mention Rightmove and Prime Location again?

Stillme1 · 31/05/2018 19:33

I tried to view a property through an estate agent but was refused.
I was asked if my property was on the market - NO. Was my property on the market for rental - No. Did I have a mortgage agreed - No.
Apparently that did not make me a good viewer and potential buyer.
From my side I am an adult. I know my exact financial position. I have even got financial services related qualifications. According to the Estate Agent I was not even worth being allowed to view.

I was a cash buyer so they lost their client a possible quick sale (if the house fitted my needs) and they lost all chance of me selling any property through their Agency.
There is a delicate balance needed here. I don't think it is wise to chose what kind of viewer is allowed to view a property

DisturblinglyOrangeScrambleEgg · 31/05/2018 19:41

I would just lie. It's not like this is a legal requirement...

Perhaps I lack moral fibre, but I own a couple of properties, and I've never sold one to move, so technically I wouldn't qualify either.

cookiesaurus · 31/05/2018 19:42

I live in SW London and this is fairly standard tbh. There are lots of people looking but many of these people aren't committed to actually buying.

Another aspect of the process
which we didn't realise was the fact the EA will not accept an offer on a house unless you have a proceedable offer on yours. We found that some agents here would only show the houses once we were under offer!

I hate the process for buying/selling - the sooner we move to the Scottish system (or similar), the better IMO!!

If I were you, I'd put my house on the market - summer months are usually quite quiet for various reasons.

Good luck!

Pengggwn · 31/05/2018 19:43

I don't think it is wise to chose what kind of viewer is allowed to view a property

Maybe not, but they are entitled to do so.

Hellooojackie · 31/05/2018 19:45

Stillme1 - and you didn't tell them you were a cash buyer?

Weird.

doradoo · 31/05/2018 19:48

I’ve been refused a viewing because DH wasn’t accompanying me — when we were looking to buy, I’d do first viewings and then if it passed my test, we‘d view as a family. DH doesn’t have much time and it was easiest that way. One EA refused to show me anything without DH being present.....

Got the rage over that..... in the end we found something as a private sale with no EA input at all — which is good as here as the buyer there’s a 3.5% EA fee!

snettles · 31/05/2018 19:48

We ended up doing this with our last house move and requested viewings only by people who had sold their own property or, at the very least, were on the market with serious interest in their property. The reason being we wanted a quick move, so wanted people who were us a position to make a serious offer. Plus, as mentioned above, spending time tidying your house for a viewing only to be told 'we're just thinking of going on the market' is very irritating.

I can see how annoying it must be from the other end though. But around our way chains very much work from the bottom up and EAs often advise their clients against accepting an offer from someone who hasn't yet sold, let alone be on the market. Also, from your point of view, you're in a stronger position to negotiate on price if you've already sold your property.

QuickWash · 31/05/2018 19:48

When selling our first house we got burned with a buyer who got a way done the line before realising he couldn't actually got the mortgage he thought he could and we lost valuable time and other potential buyers. We've since been quite clear with EA that we want viewers to be in a 'proceedable position', If we are to to dy, clean and vacate for viewings then I want there to be a prospect of a sale (in our latest live we did open mornings instead and would recommend this to anyone!)

OTOH, I was in a similar position to you last year when we saw a property in our dream location go on the market and wanted to view it but were told they would not be accepting offers from anyone who hadn't got an offer on theirs. I didn't want to put ours in the market if there was birnekaistic chance of getting this particular house as we weren't really considering moving but the EA just suggested we were honest with any buyers and to see how it panned out. As it was, we sold ours the day after it went on the market (sealed bids no less), didn't get to buy the one we liked anyway but decided to go into rented if we couldn't find anything in the timescale. Our current home popped onto the market at the last gasp and we completed super quick and it all worked out OK in the end.

Get yours on the market I say. You can always pull out, and the photos will be useful when you do decide to sell.

bilbodog · 31/05/2018 19:50

The market is not as buoyant as it was, even in the south east and there is no guarantee your house would sell quickly. You need to get your house on the market now. You can always take it off again.

WindyWednesday · 31/05/2018 19:50

My friend had this recently. She wants to move, but is looking first, as she isn’t in a hurry and wants to move to a bigger place.

EA took her details and booked a viewing and then rang back to cancel as she didn’t have her house on the market. She’d asked various questions instead to get an idea of it was a dream house and the EA refused to answer her questions as she wasn’t allowed to view it. It was very strange.

Bunnyfuller · 31/05/2018 19:51

We thought our house would sell quickly. We were expecting a quick sale - certainly where we are he markets are hideously slow (unless you’re in something v small) and it took us a year and several drops before we finally sold. I nose at where we moved from and they still have the same 35 houses for sale from January (this is an attractive village with good links to capital).

We also got to the point where we refused viewings unless they could proceed after waiting for 3 buyers whose houses ‘will sell really quickly’.

Brexit has made for a very cautious market and other than FTB things are not brilliant. Good luck!

FrancisCrawford · 31/05/2018 19:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DuchyDuke · 31/05/2018 19:55

This is typical of my SE buying experience. You need to make an offer to view. I was told recently that it is so the Estate Agent can verify you, as viewings in the SE have resulted in violent muggings / burgleries.

Original poster

MissMildred · 31/05/2018 20:08

doradoo that is appalling! Reminds me of when I had a (chain) kitchen designer come around and declare that he wouldn't do an appointment without 'the man of the house' there as he needed to speak with the person 'in charge of the purse strings'. He almost left with his sample book inserted in a very uncomfortable place.

DuchyDuke that is a point I suppose. And I would be asking if they had a burglar alarm (DH away a lot)

OP posts:

Original poster

MissMildred · 31/05/2018 20:10

Just realised that they use one of the rooms as a B&B - perhaps I should book in for the evening

OP posts:

o0o0 · 31/05/2018 20:24

We were once refused a viewing as they wanted to see proof of acceptance for mortgage and bank statement showing deposit!???

Certainly not showing any Tom dick or harry our bank statements thank you very much

nursy1 · 31/05/2018 20:25

I sort of get it if they have had a lot of time wasters but I think they are a bit daft if it’s been on the market that long. Can you write a note to EA explaining that you are serious giving all the reasons you set out in post. Might change their minds

notangelinajolie · 31/05/2018 20:26

I would not want anyone viewing my house if they were not serious buyers. At the very least I would expect them to have received an offer on their property. I'd be furious if the estate agent didn't vet them first.

Stillme1 · 31/05/2018 20:36

HelloooJackie - I am not going to discuss my financial situation with anyone on here. I do not tell my closest friends the exact details of my finances. My own family are not given that information so why on earth am I expected to say to an Estate Agent who is a total stranger to me that I have e.g £500k hanging about in a Bank.
I am a responsible adult in a professional position with qualifications which far out weigh Estate Agent qualifications.
I did not like the hard questioning nor would I want any prospective purchaser of any property I might sell to be put through an inquisition. The person had no manners in the way they went about asking the questions. There are ways of doing things.

Original poster

MissMildred · 31/05/2018 20:36

I understand we might not be seen as 'serious buyers at the moment', but we'll be extremely serious if we see it and it's right for us. I just can't feel comfortable about getting a chain of buyers in place for our house and then frustrating and losing them all by not finding anything for months. Maybe more of this goes on than I realised and I need to toughen up.

OP posts:

Original poster

MissMildred · 31/05/2018 20:41

oOoO that is shocking just for a viewing!

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7