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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be hacked off when potential buyers spend less than five minutes viewing my house after I've spent hours cleaning and tidying?

62 replies

LyraSilvertongue · 11/04/2008 12:33

Yes, I know IAprobablyBU as they're under no obligation to stay any longer than they want to but I spent hours cleaning and tidying for a viewing this morning and they came in, glanced around for a couple of minutes and left. They didn't even go out to the garden, which I'd also wasted time tidying.
I'd intended being out for the viewing but they turned up early so the boys and I went out to the garden to give them some space.
The upside is we now have a clean house I suppose.

OP posts:
ClairePO · 11/04/2008 13:37

Sometimes it can be the estate agents fault - when I was buying I specified not near a main road or near the railway line and a couple of times when I turned up at a house I went to view they were very close to either the main road or the railway line.

Perhaps your estate agent may not be giving the buyer enough information to tell in advance if they would immediately rule it out?

Annoying I know though.

MrsMills · 11/04/2008 13:42

Sorry Lyra, I'm starting to lose touch with my home country.

I'll use the 'at least you have a clean house' line....

RedFraggle · 11/04/2008 15:40

Better that than they stay for ages oohing and aaahing, telling you how much they like it and will need to come back for another viewing ....... and then give feedback to the agent that they didn't like it because of "X" This has happened to us a number of times and is very annoying (especially as "X" is something we can't control ie location) At least if they leave fast you know where you stand!

scottishmummy · 11/04/2008 15:43

sorry but for me a house has immediate this is the one or it doesnt. if it doesnt i dont hang about, no point wasting time

Rubyrubyruby · 11/04/2008 15:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sorkycake · 11/04/2008 15:49

Are the estate agents giving you any feedback from these viewings?

5 mins does seem like a rather short time to view a house doesn't it?

LazyLinePainterJane · 11/04/2008 15:52

Thing is....I wouldn't want a downstairs bathroom but I might still look to see if it would be possible to put one in, IYSWIM.

LazyLinePainterJane · 11/04/2008 15:52

put one in upstairs, I mean.....

cmotdibbler · 11/04/2008 16:35

But if what you are looking at is a teeny cottage, the floor plan is immediatly obvious that its 2 bed and an upstairs bath, or 3 beds.

It also really irked me that one lot came round who knew the houses well (had grown up in that street), and then said it was too small. All houses in the terrace were exactly the same. Think they just came for a nose.

wb · 11/04/2008 18:08

Well I have done the same recently

Mind you, had they mentioned 'right next door to a big pub' in the brochure' I would never have made the appointment to view.

House was nice tho.

Original poster
LyraSilvertongue · 11/04/2008 18:19

I'm just surprised people don't do their research first. We never even view a house without looking at all the pictures and the floorplan online and checking on the map where it is.

OP posts:
PixelHerder · 11/04/2008 18:40

Sympathies from me too - our house was on the market recently and it really did take around 2 hours to prepare for each viewing. Our house isn't usually all that messy, but just to make sure that all clutter/shite is hidden, floors vacuumed/mopped, bathroom and toilets cleaned, (smelly) dog put in car, scented candles lit and house aired etc etc does take longer than you think.

Kitti · 11/04/2008 19:06

I've had 2 people cancel at the last minute recently too and it's so annoying because having 3 kids and 2 dogs really makes it hard to keep the place clean - it is lovely to enjoy the clean house but not to spend half of the weekend screaming at the kids to keep it clean and tidy for the viewers who then cancel - I've also had people turn up and spend half an hour looking around and I've tried to keep the kids and dogs out of the house that long only to find out later that they felt the garden too small or not for them - how come they couldn't tell that from the pictures?? I know most estate agents have crap pictures but we use House Network and there are 3 or 4 photos of every room/garden from different angles, 4 virtual tours and a floorplan so the only thing people can't see is the location of the house on the road. Yesterday we "celebrated" (ha) our one year anniversary of being on the market and now it looks totally hopeless doesn't it?! (and don't get me started on the woman who turned up out of the blue and then brought her daughter around - out of the blue - and the daughter turned up with her partner - out of the blue and then she decides it's too big!!!!!)

chopchopbusybusy · 11/04/2008 19:20

When we were selling our mid terrace house we got feedback from several potential purchasers saying they didn't want a mid terrace house. There they were clutching the details, complete with photograph.

Original poster
LyraSilvertongue · 11/04/2008 19:26

It's crazy isn't it. Why go and see a house that clearly doesn't meet your needs?

OP posts:
IndigoBlue · 11/04/2008 19:38

I remember one time we got it all nice and tidy for a viewing and this couple came round with two youngish sons who rampaged all over the house, even jumping on our bed with their shoes on. I wasn't impressed & of course they didn't make an offer!

scottishmummy · 11/04/2008 21:06

went to viewing,owner opened bedroom door enthusing and this is...Eugh her teenage son having a ham shank in bed

expatinscotland · 11/04/2008 21:08

because the estate agent lied to us, Lyra, and we took time off work and wasted time going to look at a house that the estate new was wrong for our needs.

petetong · 11/04/2008 21:20

Haven't read all of thread. Fact of matter is that the estate agents will have lied to the viewers. This happened to us and we were polite enough to look at all of the house and make nice noises. It was the same size as the house we were moving from. Bottom line is that Estate Agents are lieing (sp) scum.

expatinscotland · 11/04/2008 21:22

Also we went to some, and there was just too much clutter in them.

Now this was in the US, but the concern we had is that the owners would leave all that crap in there and we'd have to pay to have it removed.

We went into some, then went into the garage and found inoperative vehicles, junk, etc.

Also were lied to about specs by estate agents - we were FIRM that we wanted 2 bathrooms, we were not willing to compromise on that, yet we shown houses with one full bath and one WC, or a roughed in WC in the basement, etc.

wolveschick · 11/04/2008 21:33

Stop showing off . You should count yourself luck to have a viewer. 9 weeks on the market now and not a single viewer.

pucca · 11/04/2008 21:40

Oh this thread has brought back some memories for me

We had the EA phoning up saying can we book a viewing for 20 mins time? said yes, spent 20 mins hiding all the crap, having a tidy...and the feckers didn't show anyway! ARGH.

Although some of it was pretty funny, we had a older couple turn up and i swear to god the guy was Frank Gallaghers twin (from shameless!) we and dh couldn't keep a straight face, he even walked and talked like him. I have the girl from EA giggling, as i phoned up and said "frank Gallagher has just viewed our house!".

It is so not good, having viewings though, so frustrating!

I am never selling again, it did my head in, and ours was pretty simple, no chain no one pulling out last min.

pinkyp · 11/04/2008 22:04

it must be annoying for you, but its better than spending hours there getting ur hopes up not to hear anything....

Elasticwoman · 12/04/2008 18:54

I'd be pleased to get rid so soon, and enjoy the cleanliness of my house without them.

When we were viewing the house we now live in, the owner very kindly set up a toy railway in one of the bedrooms for ds who was then 3. When we came back to find him, we found he had gone in the built-in cupboard and pooed his pants .

So embarrassed, had to buy house.

chonky · 12/04/2008 18:58

Lyra I can sympathise. I spent ages poop scooping the lawn in torrential rain last week, only to be cancelled at the last minute as they wanted to offer on the house they'd seen before ours . OK, my lawn was clean, but I'd rather not have had to do it in the pissing rain.