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

[Cassandra96]

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.

Note first would be better

@Dazedandconfused10

You cant put someone on the spot and a free a price when they have no idea or proof of if you are proceed able or can even afford the property. I could rock up and agree an offer on a multi million pound property, doesn't mean I can afford it.

Agents have no idea if people can afford a house either. Loads of people go and view houses as something to do, agents don’t stop that. Op yeah you would be unreasonable at this point. You have no idea why they can’t do a viewing at this point.

You have no idea why they can’t do a viewing at this point.

Op has said the owners ARE doing viewings. It’s the estate agent that can’t show them round.

@Leflic

You have no idea why they can’t do a viewing at this point.

Op has said the owners ARE doing viewings. It’s the estate agent that can’t show them round.

So the owners aren't doing viewings, the agents are. There is a difference. The owners might not be there, they may be vulnerable" they may be a single elderly person who doesn't want to be alone with strangers in the house, they may be disabled... there are many reasons. When we sold my parents house there is no way my mother could have done the viewings.

That said, a note is the way to go.

[quote Cassandra96]@Dazedandconfused10 there are viewings, the agent just isn't free to show us until next week. [/quote]
Do you mean tomorrow?

Ask the agent to contact the vendors and explain your situation now today and have your details passed on.

Did you ask the agent to find someone who is free?

If the agent wont do any of these things then I think he has a buyer lined up.

Then a note through the door would be the only option.

Definitely do notknock on the door at themoment. I would be really cross if anyone other than the post(wo)man/courier knocked on my door at the moment.

But a note through your door with your telephone number might work. Let them know the estate agent is "too busy" to show you round. They may phone them and give them a kick up the proverbial.

When I bought my current house I ended up dealing directly with the seller because their solicitor was slow and obstructive, so I can definitely see the merits of taking matters into your own hands. But the estate agents act for them, not you, so it's the seller who needs to tell them to do their job and show you round.

You are taking the risk of pissing off the home owner and if its a competitive situation they make take a dislike to you for refusing to acknowledge boundaries. You could potentially lose even an opportunity to make an offer.

What you could do is drop a letter in the post before you arrive, let them know you will be in the area and are extremely interested. Say “if there is any possibility we could have a showing we would be extremely flexible regarding time of day etc.” and then give them multiple ways of contacting you. ALWAYS be very considerate of the sellers, a bad impression is very hard to shake and could kill any deal. So therefore do not harass them. Leave them alone.

I would knock and ask if poss to view that day as they need to clean lol

NRTFT because I'm being a lazy mare.

We had someone knock on the door one evening when our house wad up for sale. They were very polite, etc. They viewed and we ended up selling to them. Everything after that first viewing was through the agents.

Yes do it. My Dsis sold her house to a neighbour's DD the agent kept putting her off and she knocked into Dsis.

Contact the agent and ask them to explain your situation to the seller, and ask if you can view with the seller on that day.

Don't just turn up on their doorstep.

A letter through the door with your number is much more appropriate.

Yes, totally. The For Sale board is there to give anyone interested in viewing the Agents contact number. The Agent when called will ask the appropriate questions and arrange the viewing at a mutually convenient time. The Agent is being paid by the vendor and for safety reasons need to take the contact details of the viewer. This is the case even when there is no pandemic.

@Dazedandconfused10 there are viewings, the agent just isn't free to show us until next week.

Yes, there are viewings. Planned viewings, arranged with the vendors at times that suit them to have people looking round their house. Not random people showing up unannounced at all times of day when it may not suit them.

I think it's fine. You're asking if it would be ok, not turning up and jamming your foot in the door demanding entry. Lots of people on MN find a knock on the door ridiculously intrusive and find a polite request to be an insufferable rude demand.

When we were selling I'd have been delighted with any leads on a buyer.

When we were selling I'd have been delighted with any leads on a buyer.

Were you selling during a global pandemic when letting strangers inside your house might not be a good idea?

Yes, there are viewings. Planned viewings, arranged with the vendors at times that suit them to have people looking round their house. Not random people showing up unannounced at all times of day when it may not suit them.

The owners can say no if they don’t want to let them look around. We knocked on the door to our house first thing and arranged a time to come back later that day.

I don’t understand how this is the height of rudeness. People can say no.

Make contact with a letter first considering the times we're in.

Put a note through the door and ring the bell as soon as you get to the area. That way they get the note right away and you'll have a few hours while in the area for them to either reply or ignore.

Were you selling during a global pandemic when letting strangers inside your house might not be a good idea?

No. But I also would be happy not shaking hands with them, directing them to wash their hands on entry and staying at a distance as I showed them round. Wouldn't bother me.

And doesn't change that just because someone knocks and asks doesn't mean they are in any way obliged to let them in if they don't want to. But it does give them the option to have ahead that might not otherwise have.

I'd presume you were a thief if you knocked rather than going through the agent. Put more pressure on the agent that you really want to see it. Let them know you want an opportunity to bid for the house, then they're unlikely to recommend the owners take up an offer without giving you a chance. Other than that you'll have to wait. That's without even mentioning the pandemic meaning people don't want randoms going in and out of the house each day, I can quite understand why they'd want to have a bunch of viewings in one day while out, then do a big clean.

My parents did this and ended up living in the house for 40 years! Go for it, if I were trying to sell in the current climate I would have no problem with redirecting them to the estate agent to make an appointment, I don't think I'd let them in there and then at any time though.

Have to checked online to see if it's on with any other estate agents?

It’s only on mumsnet that you’re not allowed to knock on doors without an appointment and full vetting, so if I were you I’d maybe knock on the door, explain your position and that you’re not looking to view right this minute, but would hope to later today, and here’s a note of my phone number.

Completely unreasonable. People did this to us once after the (unusual) house we were selling featured in an article in a weekend broadsheet.
They turned up unannounced on a Sunday morning, having driven over 60 miles on spec!
We politely suggested they make an appointment with our agent, as directed in the article. (They did and bought the house).