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Original poster

Am I right to be annoyed by these viewers?!

31 replies

YOLO2018 · 13/02/2018 09:54

So fucked off! EA called 6pm last night to say someone wanted to view my house but could only come 9.30 this morning. I do my own viewings and the kids are on half term so the short notice is a bit of a pita but I set my alarm for 6.30am to clean and dragged the kids out of bed at 8.30am to take them to their grandparents. 9.40am I see the buyers drive by slowly, turn the car around and pull up a little further down the road. Next thing I know the EA is on the phone telling me that they want to cancel the appointment!

Surely the first thing you do is check out a house from the outside before booking in a viewing!!

OP posts:
Original poster
YOLO2018 · 13/02/2018 10:36

Or even Google maps!!

OP posts:
Crumbelina · 13/02/2018 10:42

People are ridiculous! We had a few people take the time to come and view our house and say that they didn't want a bathroom on the ground floor. The floorplan was very clear on Rightmove! Hmm. Why waste your time??

Gizlotsmum · 13/02/2018 10:44

Tricky. Does google maps truely represent the front of yours/ neighbpurs properties? Is the street busy? Yes it’s frustrating but ogle maps can be misleading too

Lilmisskittykat · 13/02/2018 10:53

That's rotten I think I'd have still come in and looked. You've come that way might as well. Seems really awful to just turn around and leave.

Just as suggested do your photos look right from the outside? I'm done drive bys and been pretty sure there was parking for two cars then got there and a stupid wide angle lens has made a tiny drive look like it would fit three cars.

JellyMouldJnr · 13/02/2018 11:02

how do you know it was the buyers driving past?

fuzzywuzzy · 13/02/2018 11:06

You poor thing, I really hate viewings, which is why I only make appointments to view houses that look like a good fit for us.

Thankfully we’ve only had one no show but we had other viewings that day anyway so the mad tidying and getting up early was not wasted.

Coco30 · 13/02/2018 11:06

Absolutely, what idiots.

AlbertaSimmons · 13/02/2018 11:09

Their loss. I was less than impressed with the exterior of our building, to the point where I just didn't want to look around the property inside. DH made persuaded me and we bought it.

Original poster
YOLO2018 · 13/02/2018 11:14

@JellyMouldJr our road isn't the type of place you drive by slowly so that alerted me to their presence. They then turned around, pulled up and the women in the passenger seat made a call, then they drove back past looking at the house. If it wasn't them then it was one hell of a coincidence!

Yes I have checked out google maps and the house actually looks better in real life - there was building works next door with skip and rubbish when Gmaps was done and our front has been tidied up since.

Thing is I get that the house isn't right for a lot of people as it doesn't have a drive or scope to do one so it is probably that. But I wish they had done their homework first and not wasted my time. This process is stressful enough!

OP posts:
Original poster
YOLO2018 · 13/02/2018 11:21

Thank you for your positive comments.

@Albertasimmons you are right it is their loss. The house is stunning inside, we have totally refurbished it over the 10 years we have been here but it still has scope to add value - extention, loft conversion etc. We have lovely neighbours and the parking is never a problem - as it's only for residents and plenty of room. It just feels like a slap in the face to our hard work.

Btw we are moving 200 miles away - otherwise we would be staying here quite happily.

OP posts:
Gizlotsmum · 13/02/2018 11:28

Can you see the lack of scope for a drive on google maps? We considered one property but you couldn’t see clearly on google maps if you could put a drive in or not, luckily we lived close enough to do a drive past before booking a viewing but if they are not local they might not have that option, no less frustrating for you obviously

yrhengi · 13/02/2018 11:59

We've viewed a couple of houses which were nothing like the photos on Rightmove when we pulled up outside, but I'd never cancel, knowing the vendors were waiting behind the door, having spent the morning tidying up. It's just rude. At least have the bollocks courtesy to knock and explain to the vendors why you're not going to waste their time, instead of getting the agents to do it!

SplishSplashSplat · 13/02/2018 12:03

It's annoying and to avoid it is update the listing with "no off-street parking" and "no scope to add off-street parking". You really can't take it personally. It's a business transaction.

Kismett · 13/02/2018 12:06

Agreed with Crumbelina that people are ridiculous. We sold a maisonette and had someone turn it down because they wanted a detached house. We were very obvious on what type of place it was, with many pictures and descriptions. I don't know if they thought it would magically change upon viewing it in person!

FinallyHere · 13/02/2018 13:19

You can't rule out the possibility that they received some upsetting news by phone, just as they were due to visit you and had to drop everything. As PP said, don't take it personally...

MikeUniformMike · 13/02/2018 13:23

It's the EA who are CFs. I clearly said before I viewed that I would not consider a house that only had a downstairs bathroom. This was in the days when the internet was a new-fangled thing. Yet they would drag me out to view houses that only had a downstairs bathroom that you had to go through the kitchen to get to.

Crumbelina · 13/02/2018 13:27

Oh Kismett! I'm Hmm and Angry on your behalf.

specialsubject · 13/02/2018 14:14

how annoying. Anyone within reasonable distance should do a drive by before booking a viewing.

Original poster
YOLO2018 · 13/02/2018 14:41

Agreed... I am over it now though. At least I will have less cleaning ahead of tomorrow's viewings- one being a second viewing so fingers crossed!

That's if I can get them through the door 😂

OP posts:
Easilyflattered · 13/02/2018 14:41

I might have to admit my DH is right, he refuses to view a house without doing a drive by on it first.

But I do think some agents send viewers to inappropriate houses, they sent me a couple with an adult son in a wheelchair. I live in a 3 storey townhouse with narrow steep stairs, how exactly was my house going to be a good fit for them?!! So I wasn't annoyed with them so much as the agent.

OP I feel your pain, I found viewings in the October half term really hard work with the kids.

FluffyWuffy100 · 13/02/2018 14:42

We sold a maisonette and had someone turn it down because they wanted a detached house.

Yeah but sometimes you think you might be prepared to compromise on something if everything else is perfect. Guess in this case wanting detached was more important than whatever they thought they would like about your place.

PancakeInMaBelly · 13/02/2018 14:44

YABU to think people have time to view everywhere twice (one drive by and one real viewing)

specialsubject · 13/02/2018 16:54

Such as people with far more money than time and inability to use google earth . presumably such people would send the staff anyway.

OutyMcOutface · 13/02/2018 16:58

We have booked a viewing for several houses half an hour away (as we a moving to the area)-do you expect us to make a separate trip that we don't have time for to scope them out from the outside?

Baxdream · 13/02/2018 17:07

If a driveway is a must have then the agent shouldn't be booking a viewing!

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