AIBU to think they need to be more available (house buying)

[CowgirlBride]

So DH and I have just this week put an offer in on a house. We saw it Monday and put an offer in on Tuesday as we knew that it would get snapped up. Offer has been accepted, so we now want to go back and have a second viewing. House is on the market as the grandad of the family passed away and the granddaughter is living in the property to help to sell it and once it’s sold she’ll go back to her mum’s.

Tried to book viewing after work on Thursday, got told the granddaughter was not around. Spoke to DH and then rang on Friday asking for a booking on Saturday afternoon (that being today) - we gave a time that was convenient but tbh if they’d said they couldn’t do this time but could do another time we’d have worked around it. Estate rang back around midday today to say sorry they haven’t got back sooner - granddaughter had only just rung them back and she couldn’t do any time today. I asked if the estate agent could do it and apparently they don’t have a key and are reliant on granddaughter being around to let them in. We’ve now scheduled for after work Monday.

AIBU to think that this is a bit ridiculous? We’re first time buyers and first time that we’ve made an offer on something, so don’t know what is normal. The sellers wanted us because we have no chain but I feel like the granddaughter is making things tricky due to her limited availability. I know this won’t hold up the actually selling as the solicitors are all on it, but I’m just imagining every subsequent viewing being pushed back and back cos she’s not around (we’d quite like to go with our builder friend at some point to look at some of the work that needs doing) I know people have other things going on but surely Saturday is a normal day to expect people to want to view? Surely if you’re not going to provide the estate agent with a key you need to make yourself more available if you want the property to sell?? (Note: the original viewing we had on Monday, we’d actually asked for Saturday and had the whole afternoon free but couldn’t go cos again the granddaughter wasn’t around. So it’s two Saturdays on the trot!)

Okay fair enough. The first thing my mum (who has been through this process more than once!) said to me was you need to book a second viewing. So I just assumed this was normal as like I said I’ve never been in this position before! It seems a bit daft to me to be spending our hundreds of thousands of pounds on something we’ve viewed for 30 mins tops. I spend more time deliberating over buying a handbag! But I just need to accept that that’s the way it is.

The reason we didn’t wait for second viewing before offering as it was likely to be snapped up.
The reason for the builder friend is cos the the house is quite old and will need some work done pretty soon after we move in so we want him to come with us to get his opinion so we can start getting quotes so we can get the work done ASAP after completion.
Please don’t flame me, I’m totally new to this and don’t wish to be a pain in anyone’s arse!

It's been said over and over above but yes yabu. When you come to sell I guarantee you will find a buyer like you pretty annoying! To be honest I would be dreading the ongoing sale with you as it's going to be hard work. It's not your right to demand someone make themselves available to you for whimsical visits. Sorry but you did ask..

This happens the issue of a viewing after offer is raised on Mumsnet. We've always been actively encourage by our solicitor to view again close to exchange in case the vendors have done something drastic to the house. It is perfectly normal to allow a viewing after an offer is accepted and we've always allowed it when selling too.

So I think YANBU to want a second viewing but YABU to expect the vendor to allow it very quickly.

Yabu. Maybe she works on a Saturday. I do, therefore I wouldn’t be able to do viewings on a Saturday.

It’s not her fault you put an offer in after 30 mins! 🤣

I laugh, as I bought my own house on a complete whim (wasn’t even house hunting, went from ‘oh that lovely house is up for sale’ to offer within three days!)

You just have to be realistic. Put it this way, if it is desirable, they won’t have trouble selling it if they decide you’re too irritating

It seems a bit daft to me to be spending our hundreds of thousands of pounds on something we’ve viewed for 30 mins tops

But in making an offer you’ve declared your intention to buy the house, so what is the proposed purpose of the multiple subsequent viewings? To check that you actually do want to buy it?

I viewed my current house twice before buying it (initial viewing with DH, second viewing with a builder as it needs work & I wanted to check whether our changes were feasible), but these were both before putting our offer in. Vendor offered us the opportunity to have another viewing closer to completion, but with two viewings already, plus the survey and responding to subsequent queries/negotiations via the EA, I felt that they’d more than fulfilled their end of the deal.

I appreciate you want to get work started as soon as possible but you need to wait until the house is yours before you start arranging quotes. Usually you view the house and then have a second viewing to make sure you actually want to buy it, then put an offer in. You can request a viewing closer to the time of exchange to measure up for curtains etc.

I wouldn't expect to have another viewing after placing an offer but if you manage to get one, make sure you get measurements for furniture etc.
Once I placed a bid on my house I wasn't allowed to even measure the front door to allow me to order a sofa. They were vile once they accepted the offer and left us with numerous unpaid bills.

A second viewing is a good idea.

Usually before you out the offer in or close to completion. That's a good way to check nothing has changed in the house. In my experience it also makes sure they vendor gives the house a good clean.

You also need to give more notice. She has a life too.

2nd viewings are totally normal before you put your offer in OP. You chose to jump straight to offer after first viewing.
After the offer you can still ask to view to do measuring up etc but there is often a delay before that happens.

YABU. The seller doesn't have to allow any more viewings and to be honest, why on earth would they? It's loads of hassle getting it showhome ready and saying you want to bring a builder around will immediately get their backs up. Time and time again people have realised that their buyer bringing around a builder means that problems (real or not) will be found, buyer gets cold feet or thinks they can save some money, so then the whole rigmarole of lower offers starts, which they aren't interested in! Far easier to not allow you access! In my experience, the days of generous, lovely sellers who let you in multiple times to measure up for blinds, furniture etc are long gone. People are too worried about sales not going through, and question why they should allow access when whoever they are buying from isn't allowing them!

Our vendor never let us back after the one and only time we saw the property (for about 10 mins!)...was not ideal but they were in a very strong selling position and we needed to move so we did it. Needless to say there are a lot of things we wished we could have checked out before moving in (and not all survey stuff) but it was what it was and we had to go with it in the end. As a seller I have personally always allowed buyers to come back a couple of times but beyond that it does feel like an intrusion and always worries me that they're having second thoughts. I mean this in a nice way but try to be guided by your solicitor rather than family as they sometimes have slightly outdated ideas about the process now.

I don’t know what these other posters are thinking! I buy and sell as my profession and though I always view a property two or three times before offering, I certainly do expect the sellers to accommodate further viewings! You are making the most expensive decision of your life. The only time I refused a viewing was when the buyer requested to see my property for the fifth time (still before exchange) on the day I was packing up!
I don’t think the granddaughter is being unreasonable though. She may have a busy job and kids - you don’t know. While it is inconvenient it is not unusual. Be sure you go to this next viewing with your builder, camera, tape measure etc, but be mindful if the owner is there during your viewing - respect that this may be a difficult time for him.
Next time don’t be so quick off the mark - much better to ensure you are definite about the property before putting an offer in.

In Scotland the rule is, once something or other is done (can’t remember what exactly), you’ll not be able to set a foot in the house again until after the sale completes. I’d be right pissed off if any buyer of my house would want to come round again after they put in an offer. Measuring up, maybe. Inconveniencing me greatly, but I’d suck it up. Then coming AGAIN with a builder? Hell no! As for quotes, you’ll not get them until the people quoting will have actually come round and seen the place for themselves. Hold your horses. There is still soooo much that can go wrong. Be patient, considerate and respect the people’s right to their own house and privacy. You don’t own it yet, far from it, so stop feeling entitled.

Christ if this is what gets your knickers in a bunch OP waiting for mortgage approvals, mortgage company surveys, exchange and completion is going to be a big shock for you.

‘Every subsequent viewing’?

How many times do you expect to see the place? I’ve bought two places - first I saw twice and the second once.

2nd viewings are before you put an offer in OP. You were very silly to put and offer in without one.

When you do have you second viewing, take lots of pictures and videos. It can really help when you can't remember parts of the house. We had a second viewing after making an offer but that was only because the vendors offered it. I wouldn't expect any more as they will also have the accommodate surveys etc.

They are probably wondering why a second viewing, especially so soon after you made an offer. You view before offering, then maybe after exchange close to completion to check that things are as the survey states.

The next viewings should be by your surveyors. Your mum is wrong, it is not the norm to view multiple times after offering but before. They could completely refuse.

I’m in Scotland too but any solicitor or estate agent I’ve ever used has always said no more viewings after offer is accepted.

The one I bought this year was a sake from an estate and they very kindly let us get a carpet fitter in to measure up after the missives were concluded but there was no need for them to do so.

You’re being extremely unreasonable and if my house was likely to sell fast and you were being this demanding now, I’d genuinely put it back on the market. Your seller has no need to accommodate you and no benefit to herself from doing it 🤷🏻‍♀️

A second viewing so quickly post offer seems odd OP. As a seller it would indicate to me that you’re unsure about the offer you’ve made. And your mention of multiple viewings sounds strange. I’d say one viewing post offer, for those who want to measure up, is the norm.

We had an offer accepted on a house about 12 weeks ago and are going back for a second viewing to measure up soon, now we’re close to settling on a moving date. Our buyers viewed twice before offering but haven’t asked to view again as yet.

When we sold our house, our solicitors specifically advised us to discourage further viewings by the buyer, in case they change their mind.
I think you'll be very lucky if you get to go back in.

Hey everyone - get a grip. This is the biggest purchase of one's life (usually). There's nothing wrong with having a second viewing post offer. Don't too much read into it, don't say it's rude (why on earth?!), don't moan that OP is unreasonable. It's not like going back to the supermarket to look closely at a pack of chewing gum, it's a house.

Nobody said there was anything ‘wrong’ with it, and it’s pretty much unanimous that a second viewing later in the process is fairly common, but to view a house on Monday, make an offer on Tuesday, then expect the seller to be available for a second viewing on Thursday, with the promise of ‘subsequent viewings’ (plural) - nope.

Fair enough, but even daring to ask for a second viewing seems to be considered truly appalling for some reason. I concede that OP should be a bit more flexible around timing.