CF? Would you park on the driveway of a house you were viewing to buy?

[movingonupps]

This happened to us today and DH & I can't quite workout if we were the CF or not lol.

Went to viewing, no where to park, 1 car already on 3 car drive.

We parked on drive and got out of car

Vendor opens door, asks why we have parked on drive.

Explained we had a viewing

Again she said why have you parked on drive, her son will be home shortly

I said if it's a problem, we will just leave; so we did!

Her EA was gobsmacked when I explained why we didn't do the viewing.

Who is BU?

YANBU! I would have parked there and not thought twice about it. I would also be put out at so many vendors being in the house I was looking at. I hate it when the vendors are present although we once had a viewing where the vendors sat in their car on the drive for the whole viewing, didn’t drive anywhere just sat in the car which was equally weird and off putting as we had to walk past them then kept seeing them out of the windows of the house.

I usually move my car so tradesmen can park on our drive if they are doing work in our house. Wouldn't class them as guests either but gives them easier access. If one of our cars wasn't on the drive and we were selling our house I would assume the viewer would park on our drive. Parking in our road isn't easy unless on the drives, so might put people off if they have traipse around trying to find somewhere to park

Why nowhere to work

Busy or double yellow

If only 3 spaces that would put me off

Friend has 2 allocated spaces. For her and dp

When we visit we would have to park streets away

Annoying

But yes if no spaces I would park on the drive when viewing a house

Wow I’m blown away that so many people think it was wrong to park on the drive! We’ve just put our house on the market and I intend for the drive to be empty and us all out the house for viewings. I want people to pull on the driveway it’s people’s first impression of where you live. I want people to pull up and imagine they live here cause you know I want to sell the house!
We’re obviously viewing houses too and I will be using this as my guide now to filter out idiot vendors. Funny about me parking on the drive? Rather not buy a house from you!!

as a courtesy to my neighbours I would expect viewers to use my parking.

She was being an idiot. Her son could have parked on the road until you had left.

I probably wouldn't park on the drive as I generally don't at others' homes, but in this instance you did nothing wrong.

And even if it were a faux pas, someone trying to market a $$$ property is a fool to complain about anything prospective buyers do.

Bullet dodged, as others have pointed out.

When I was viewing houses I parked on the drive of the property I was viewing. For me it was part of the experience of seeing it was the right fit for me. If the seller didn't like it tough shit. How can they worry about a car on their drive when they literally have strangers walking through their whole house looking in all their rooms and cupboards etc?

@bluebaul

A reverse. Surely?

I never understand this comment, even if it's a reverse it still happened, just from the other point of view.

For those stating OP was unreasonable -there were no other parking spaces available. She had made an appointment. How on earth is it unreasonable to keep the appointment you've made (and which the owner obviously OK'd) and park in the free space at the house you are viewing? I genuinely can't see the logic behind saying it's unreasonable or cheeky. She's not just driven up on a whim for a look round. Wouldn't it be more unreasonable to just bin off an arrangement and drive home without parking on the drive (which in the end the OP had to do) wasting the time of the agent and seller?!

As long as you didn't park sideways in the 2 spaces so son could fit his car in, then what's the problem. Odd behaviour for someone who wants to sell - is the parking area quite delicate and might sink if you park on it.

She sounds mad as a box frogs, I reckon you've dodged a bullet there. I would always expect any house viewers to park on my driveway, especially if there were no spaces available on the street.

I don't think it's outrageous behaviour on your part - but I wouldn't have done it. It does feel a bit 'familiar' somehow. You're not paying a social call. You're at the first stage of a business transaction. I

Incredibly daft. Of COURSE it's OK to park on the driveway of the house you're viewing.

Ask first, I wouldnt have the nerve to do that without asking

I always assumed that drives were for the use of the occupiers and anyone visiting them. It baffles me when people don't use the drive. Someone picking up something from me today said she hoped I didn't mind her parking on the drive - well of course not, it meant the distance to carry the thing was less. Even if someone else arrives home while you're there, it's easy enough to shuffle the cars if needed.

How are people viewing the house you're trying to sell an inconvenience?

It's like Tesco putting no parking signs up. Actually it's worse as I wouldn't be spending a few 100k at Tesco.

It's a drive. Of the house I'm looking at. Damned right I'd be wanting to park on it. I can then work out if the cars will fit and so on.

If the vendor is that touchy at this stage, they'd be absolute nightmares throughout the process.

Is it a disputed/divorce sale? We looked at a few years ago where the vendors were idiots and they were divorce related where one party didn't want to move.

I would never park on someone’s drive unless invited to or if I asked first. If I got there and there was nowhere else to park, I’d knock on the door and ask. But there was nowhere else to park, I probably wouldn’t buy the house.

Yeah i'm guessing its a forced sale - no way would i buy her house now.

Interesting reading the posts & peoples thoughts.

I generally don't park on the drive of houses I'm looking at (currently looking) but that's because I prefer to park further away & walk to get a feel for the street/area. I think naturally I'd park on the street rather than the driveway though, if I did drive to the house. It just feels rude (to me) to park on the driveway. It's not mine yet.

However, I'm fine with viewers parking on mine 🤷🏻‍♀️

Either way, she was incredibly rude & very stupid IF she wants to sell the house. Good tactic if she doesn't!!

That kind of seller needs a hood swerve!! Well done!!

She was being very unreasonable.

I think you’ve dodged a bullet here.
Anyone who truly wants to sell would be a lot more welcoming (son could have easily parked on the road for a short while) and so I think they would have ended up letting you down somewhere along the line.

Did you tell them you weren’t going to bother or just drive off?

@CoastalWave

I would never ever park on someone's drive - unless they had specifically invited me to. That's unbelievably rude tbh.

No where to park - you park in front of the driveway if needs be.

how weird....where are vsitors supposed to park?

She was being a rude idiot. You were viewing the house. Perfectly reasonable to park on the drive, particularly as there was nowhere else. Surely you’d want a viewer to have convenience so they’d be encouraged to like the place and buy it? But yes, nightmare person to get into a chain with. Everything would be a pain. You did well to leave without viewing.

I have never parked on anyone else’s drive. It would never occur to me to do so. I would be extremely surprised if someone I hadn’t met before tried to park on mine. I don’t think I’d mind exactly but I’d be taken aback, as it’s not something I have ever done or had done.

She behaved as though you had taken a shit on the kitchen floor.