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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to view a house I've no intention of buying?

106 replies

MRex · 30/01/2019 13:47

It's a similar style to our house, but they've extended it to the back and above the garage as well as set up a utility room in the garage. We want to do some of those extensions (above the garage I'm just curious how it looks as I'm not sure we could do it, the rest we plan to do one day). But it's someone's home so that's rude, plus wasting the estate agent's time. I've thought about how I'd feel if it were my house and don't think I'd care, I assumed some viewings at my old house were non-serious buyers anyway.

I will abide by the majority decision. What do you think, is it being too much of a CF to go and view?

OP posts:
RCohle · 30/01/2019 22:02

That's fair enough. I've never had an EA seem perturbed that my house wasn't on the market though, so it hadn't occurred to me. I'm not in England which might make a difference I suppose.

CallMeVito · 30/01/2019 22:05

The property market seems to be slowing down around here, so that might change, but until recently, the buyers were fighting to get one property, so sellers really didn't have to waste time for non serious buyers.

And still we all ended up in long and painful chains.... the English system is abysmal!

MagicalTwinky · 30/01/2019 22:08

We had the neighbour's parents knocking on the door when he moved in as they wanted to have a nose at our extension. We were more than happy to welcome them in and talk through it all, although I did feel a bit awkward that the house was a tip (we'd taken time off to decorate). I'd just knock and ask Smile

Evidencebased · 30/01/2019 22:13

I haven't read whole thread.

My house is on the market. I spend stupid amounts of energy scurrying round cleaning, plumping, dog-banishing, putting the stunt stuff out, when a viewing is booked.

I'd resent, quite a lot, having done this for a viewer who wants to look at how and what I've done to the house. They shouldn't pretend, they should be upfront. Then I'd gladly show them the slightly scruffy house we live in.

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 30/01/2019 22:24

I think it’s really shortsighted to refuse a viewing if their house is not on the market or even worse, only allowing viewings if their house is under offer! I had no intention of moving house but saw my perfect property advertised, went to view it immediately, loved it, put mine on the market the next day and had a cash offer by the end of that week, my offer was accepted on the house I wanted and I am still here 15 years later.

Loyaultemelie · 30/01/2019 22:31

Jebus this is so true! Rural NI here and it's definitely a national pastime, online viewing is ok but just not the same

SparkofJoy · 30/01/2019 22:39

Yabu , it's an awful thing to do.

If the EAs don't tell the homeowners, they are twats.

HowardSpring · 30/01/2019 22:50

Don't - it is awful for the vendors - so stressful

pepperjack · 31/01/2019 10:32

It's really shortsighted to refuse viewings from people with their house not yet on the market. I was refused a viewing because of this. You don't know how long it's going to take to get a buyer and if the viewer loves your house it will motivate them to get theirs sold.
I put my house on the market and it sold first viewing.
Also if you phone up to view a house and it's sold, the estate agent should take your details just in case it falls through.
There were 2/3 that fell through, now back on the market, I would have made serious offers.

Schmoobarb · 31/01/2019 10:35

Knowing what a complete pain in the tits it is to get a house ready for viewing, let alone to people who turn out to be time wasters, I wouldn’t

Bluntness100 · 31/01/2019 10:39

It's a rare agent and a rather shit one who accepts viewings when someone's house isn't on the market and they are not in a position to buy. Most check first off.

So you did righ being honest, as most would do the same, and say they would ask. It's when you try to pretend you're going to buy it, that problems occur.

cowfacemonkey · 31/01/2019 10:43

We had this when we sold our last house, a neighbour who booked a viewing when really he just wanted to look at the alterations we'd made to the layout (he took lots of photos!). I'd never spoken with him as he lived at the end of a long road but I would have preferred he'd just knocked on the door and been honest. I would have happily let him look around.

Notasunnybunny · 31/01/2019 21:58

I’d be fuming if I knew someone had done this to me BUT I’d happily invite someone who just wanted to view building work in if they were honest. If you put it in a note which gushes about how nice you think what they have done is it gives them the chance to ignore or to invite you at a time they have already prepped for a viewing.

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 31/01/2019 22:17

You might regret it. The agent won’t just send you along without asking you questions about your own property. They’ll want feedback on the viewing. If you’re in their area they will hound you for the instruction. They might try and get you to see their mortgage adviser too.

Honestly, it’d be much easier to drop a note through the vendor’s door with your contact details and asking if they would mind showing you round.

EvaHarknessRose · 31/01/2019 22:21

If they say yes you better take them a gift. Various neighbours let us view lofts, but we did know them.

Gilead · 31/01/2019 22:51

House opposite mine went up for sale when I moved in. Could see online what had been done so knocked and asked. They were fine and let me spend ages looking.

NobodyKnowsTiddlyPom · 31/01/2019 22:58

I'd drop them a note and ask, but explain why.

We have the opposite problem at the moment. We are looking to buy a much more expensive property than our current home (we've been looking at properties that have the potential to generate an income in some way). The bank is happy for us to do this but we only want to move if it's absolutely the right house for us as this will likely be our last ever house move. As a result, we will only put our house on the market if we find our 'dream' house. In the price bracket we're looking at, there are very few estate agents that will allow us to look at houses without ours being on the market. I understand why but it's immensely frustrating!

Japanesejazz · 31/01/2019 23:05

My estate agent had strict instructions that I would not accept any viewers unless they were sold STC and had a mortgage in principal. There was no way I was going to pay my cleaner for extra hours for people who had no real intention of buying

Beeziekn33ze · 31/01/2019 23:08

Jebus. DM wasn't Irish but houseviewing was almost a hobby. This was in the days when a For Sale sign could be seen as an invitation to knock on the door and have a look round. She'd say to my aunt 'I've always wanted to see inside one of the houses in that road' and off they'd trot!

IncrediblySadToo · 31/01/2019 23:31

If they say yes you better take them a gift

Yes Grandmother.

🙄. Are you always so bossy and rude?

Worriedju · 31/01/2019 23:37

Cheeky as fuck.
We had people like this waste our time and effort.
Just knock and ask. Save them wasting time cleaning up and getting organised for a viewing that won't benefit them one iota.

Original poster
MRex · 01/02/2019 09:30

No replies yet from the estate agent...

OP posts:
waitingforthenextbus · 01/02/2019 09:30

I wouldn't feel back about wasting an estate agents time!

waitingforthenextbus · 01/02/2019 09:37

As for having a mortgage in principle etc. before you'reallowed to look at a property. We're vaguely thinking of moving, so our hse isn't on the market BUT in our area houses sell within a week/couple of weeks max still and if we saw a house that ticked all the boxes we deffo would put in an offer. We're only looking at houses that might meet our very particular criteria though.
Personally I would welcome anyone wanting to view because you just never know what will come out of it - I have friends actively house hunting and would mention a really nice house that I've viewed to them if it wasn't an option for us. open house solves the problem of 'time-wasters'... And as for estate agents - well what else are they for?? At least they're earning their commission.

Happilyacceptingcookies · 01/02/2019 09:41

I wouldn't do it as a viewing. Recently had the same thought is a house came on the market that looked the same style as how we want to remodel. But EA told me it had a significant flooding history so I cancelled the viewing, it wasnt fair on the vendors to raise their hopes and there were enough photos on rightmove.