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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To knock on the door of a house up for sale?

150 replies

Cassandra96 · 05/06/2020 00:36

Context: we live in the south and planning on relocating to the midlands. On Saturday we have a lot of viewings lined up, one being on the same road (literally opposite) another house we have fallen in love with. We rang the estate agents and they said they can't show us the property for another week which a) it's such a beautiful house, it will likely go quick and b) it is very hard and expensive to travel up again.

AIBU to knock on the door of the house and ask the seller if they'd show us around? I understand they might not even be there, but I thought it might be worth it a knock. And if I explained the situation I presumed they may show us around. What harm could it do? We could even agree a price there and then and get the ball moving with a sale.

OP posts:
Sharkyfan · 05/06/2020 07:16

Yes to a note or even better, work out for address and write them a letter in advance

Herbie0987 · 05/06/2020 07:22

Years ago we were selling our house and the agents board had just gone up when someone knocked on the door wanting to look around, I told them to contact the agent who arranged a viewing 2 days later. They out in an offer and bought the house. I know times are different but go for it.

Roselilly36 · 05/06/2020 07:24

I wouldn’t knock and put them on the spot, but I would put a note through explaining your circumstances, then the vendors can either contact their agent to say can you show these v interested people round please or they can do it themselves if they want to sell you need to have viewers even in these times.

Teacher12345 · 05/06/2020 07:29

I came on to9 suggest a note through the door too. If you do that first you should have a reply before you leave.

HelpMeh · 05/06/2020 07:32

I wouldn't be as put out as some people on here seem to be! If you knocked and it wasn't convenient or I felt vulnerable then I'd say no. I might agree to do a video call if that worked. People keep talking about estate agents "vetting" potential buyers. I viewed houses with 4 or 5 agencies and none of them asked for anything other than verbal confirmation of my financial circs. I could've said anything and I could've been anyone.

I agree you should put a note through the door.

KC8LL · 05/06/2020 07:33

This is exactly what we done. I saw the house posted on rightmove and I know homes in this particular area sell fast. I knocked the door and asked a few details, I didn't ask for a viewing but the lady did offer us to have a look around so we didn't feel as cheeky as she was happy to invite us in.

We got to know the seller a little bit, put in an offer & when someone else offered her higher she stuck with us and accepted ours. Been moved in 18 months now

lboogy · 05/06/2020 07:35

Someone did that to me shortly after I'd moved in having bought the house. I think they thought the house was still for sale. I found it very rude

Equimum · 05/06/2020 07:36

Have you been very clear with the estate agent that it will be your only opportunity to view and that you are very keen? We had people in a similar position wanting to view our house when we sold, and our Ea contacted us to say that they couldn’t fit the viewing in. But we’re we happy to host. We did (well, we let them in and hid in the garden). They contacted the EA and put an offer in that afternoon. Might be worth asking if something similar might be possible?

BananaChocolateLump · 05/06/2020 07:38

If you can afford to relocate you can afford another trip there. Yabu

tara66 · 05/06/2020 07:39

Are there no on line details? In some countries people buy properties before they are even built. Chinese buy in London without visiting etc. Even if you put in an offer for it - that's not binding in UK but you would be in the group being kept informed about the sale.You would need to go to see it all some point though - if you really want it.You could just annoy seller by knocking on door - you would me.

PurBal · 05/06/2020 07:40

It's common in our area for people to put letters / notes through the door. Property here has historically gone so quickly that putting up a For Sale board doesn't always happen. I wouldn't be annoyed at all. They are paying the agent to show their home and the agent, for whatever reason, the agent can't. Maybe you'd present a better offer? I find agents take the "easy route", if they can show and sell a house in a handful of viewings they won't bother to continue to show it to other interested parties. For every home I have viewed I've also been turned away from at least one because an offer has been accepted (including when I'm on second viewings), as a vendor I'd be fuming. Once I had four properties lined up on Thursday for Saturday viewings, all but one had offers accepted by the time I got there, one calling me whilst I was on the way to the appointment so I wasn't allowed to look at them.

KatherineJaneway · 05/06/2020 07:40

I sold my house to people who knocked on my door on a Sunday. I showed them round, Monday they put in an offer.

Sushiroller · 05/06/2020 07:45

Yanbu. It is worth a try.

I used an agent to sell, if I could have done a private sale I'd have been delighted.

BestOption · 05/06/2020 07:46

If you knocked I'd normally let you view it - I don't generally suspect everyone's a murderer!

However, personally I wouldn't put my house on the market at the moment, I'm vulnerable & don't want anyone in the house.

But I suppose if I had, because I had to, I'd rather talk to you first at the moment, so I'd prefer you to put a note through the door with your phone number, so that I could explain my conditions of your visit.

  • you need to wash your hands
-try not to touch anything -Social distance as much as possible -be as quick as possible, whilst still having a good look

Good luck finding a house!!

user1519475227 · 05/06/2020 07:47

Cant you send them a letter now, since you know the address with your number on it explaining

FatalSecrets · 05/06/2020 07:48

I used an agent to sell, if I could have done a private sale I'd have been delighted

It won’t class as a private sale though. The homeowners will do the work and still have to pay the agents commission.

OP work out the address and send a letter/bob a note through the door but don’t knock and put them on the spot, it’s intrusive.

oohnicevase · 05/06/2020 07:49

It will no doubt give them the arse and they won't sell it to you ..
I very much chose who I sold my parents house to so yes that is a thing .

CrotchetyQuaver · 05/06/2020 07:50

I wouldn't like it, thought it very cheeky when someone knocked on my door and asked to look round the last time I was selling. I said no. But everyone is different. I'd stick a note through the door and you may get lucky.

LesleysChestnutBob · 05/06/2020 07:51

Nothing ventured nothing gained. And them having to answer the door and saying no sorry is really not that much of an imposition

ElizabethinherGermanGarden · 05/06/2020 07:52

Surely the estate agent could contact them for you and ask whether they would be prepared to do the viewing on Saturday. I thought that was normal - if the EA can't do it, they ask the vendor to do it; if the vendor doesn't want to, they say no. Ask the EA to find out today and let you know.

Allgirlskidsanddogs · 05/06/2020 07:56

Write them a letter and drop it through their letterbox at the beginning of your time their, include your contact details and hope they ring before you leave the area.

OhTheRoses · 05/06/2020 07:56

IME the first people agents show houses to are those with seamless chains or arrangements behind them.

If you are that desperate offer unseen.

Truthpact · 05/06/2020 07:57

I have to wonder why they have bothered putting their house up for sale and yet won't allow viewings. It could be that the people in it are renting, won't be gone for another week and don't want people intruding. It could be that the owners are in lockdown for another week as they were exposed to the virus. Or they could be difficult people in general. It's a bit odd that they've done that really. If it's up for sale, it's available to view surely.

PurpleDaisies · 05/06/2020 07:58

We did this and bought the house.

FatalSecrets · 05/06/2020 07:58

I have to wonder why they have bothered putting their house up for sale and yet won't allow viewings

If they are working on an “agent only” viewing contract it may well be when the agents are available, especially if working with a lower number of staff.

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