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Original poster

Buyers want to meet us?

75 replies

MarieLondon123 · 28/02/2019 15:23

We sold our home just after Christmas, is had only been on the market for a short period so we where lucky. Our buyers came and saw the property twice over a week period, 2nd time my partner done the viewing after the EA's done the 1st! We are a few weeks from exchanging now, they have just been to us a 3rd time to do some measuring up etc, the Estate agents let them in as our lives are a bit hectic at the moment and we where never keen on doing any viewings in the 1st place.
But they have said they would like to come back a 4th time to meet myself ( cause we haven't met ) and also my partner again?? I find this slightly strange. It's annoying that need to come back a 4th when we are so close to exchanging but also I find it uncomfortable they want to meet us? We used a good EA and paid a good rate as we didn't want to get involved in the sale our property too much.
Am I allowed to refuse this as I am worried it will open a can of worms??? We would just like to get on with the Exchange now!

OP posts:

Ragwort · 28/02/2019 18:19

I know the Op isn’t complaining about making friends or stating a ‘horror’ of meeting new people but I do think a lot of people actively shy away from what I see as normal social situations (a PP actually states she doesn’t like ‘meeting new people’). I just find it rather sad, in general terms, that talking to people, meeting people, etc etc seems to be so difficult for so many people - you only have to read some of the threads on Mumsnet to see this.

WindsfromtheNE · 28/02/2019 19:05

I'm still mystified why anyone would ask about neighbours. What response would people give that could be useful. Basically we would all like to know if one of the neighbours is awful, but no-one is ever going to tell you that are they? The forms you complete in advance of the sale would be where any major issues with neighbours would have to be documented. We had a neighbour who was a complete pain, but we always maintained polite relations with her. If a potential buyer asked about neighbours when looking round, I would just keep it factual ie she was a retired person who lived alone.

I've got no horror of meeting new people - I did every viewing of our house when we last sold, it's just been my experience that house purchases/sales are best kept as professional as possible.

nettie1xoxo · 28/02/2019 19:47

We made this request, last weekend in fact. A few bits from the F&F list we weren't sure about, where the areal points are, a couple of questions about the house we wanted to ask, plus a bit of measuring up. On top of that they freely offered us lots of positive information about the neighbours.It was a really useful hour.

Windingstreams · 28/02/2019 20:03

I'm still mystified why anyone would ask about neighbours. What response would people give that could be useful

You’ll be surprised what people tell you - when we were house hunting people doing their own viewings (via purple bricks usually) told us all sorts of stupid things that stopped us buying their houses from complaining about traffic noise to pointing out issues with the house.

WeCouldBeHerons · 28/02/2019 20:05

We me our vendors when we bought our house and it was really useful. When we sell I'd like to meet our buyers and vendors again. I think it helped make the deal go through faster and smoother.

WeCouldBeHerons · 28/02/2019 20:05

*met

Decormad38 · 01/03/2019 01:16

We met our vendors. It was a mistake. They turned out to be a nightmare and when they first came round we ( dh and I) ended up with being interrogated separately with the same set of questions but dh was in garden I was in house. It was obviously some sort of test but we didn’t see it at the time only later when they started threatening to pull out and money for furniture. A crazy situation. Don’t meet them!

HeddaGarbled · 01/03/2019 01:52

They are your customers. They could pull out before exchange if you upset them. Once you’ve exchanged you’re home and dry, but right now you are teetering on a knife edge. Don’t fuck up your sale out of stubbornness and not wanting to be slightly inconvenienced. Be nice, make them a cup of tea, answer their questions. Go on, put yourself out a little. They’re spending a lot of money on your house.

Vitalogy · 01/03/2019 06:27

being interrogated separately with the same set of questions were they the same set of answers.

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 01/03/2019 06:38

I wouldn’t meet them, I think it’s an odd request.

Bluntness100 · 01/03/2019 06:54

It's more like not wanting to meet up with your ex's new girlfriend socially

How is it possibly my any stretch of the imagination like meeting your ex's new girlfriend. These are people who you are doing one of the biggest financial transactions of your life with, you both have the same end goal. It's very sad to think it can only be negative so best not to meet them. Meeting new people is good, these are ones you have a vested interest in, and if you can meet them withoutbw massive inconvenience, then do so, spend half an hour, have a coffee, thr world won't end.

M0reGinPlease · 01/03/2019 07:01

Could you offer to meet them after exchange perhaps? We did this and our buyer barged round saying mightily rude things about our fixtures and fittings, but as we'd already exchanged I couldn't have cared less. The highlight was her asking if we'd be taking our 'ugly satellite dish' with us. My husband replied 'no love, but I'll leave you a screwdriver and you can pop up there and take it down as soon as we're gone'.

MeYouWye · 01/03/2019 07:03

I asked to meet our buyers. Our neighbour was a lovely woman but vulnerable and I wanted to do my best to not leave her with an arsehole next door. I probably would have stopped the sale if I didn't like them. It also helped my possibly asd child to adjust to the move. Thankfully for everyone they were lovely!
Also met our sellers, though they later turned out to be awful. Less said about that, the better.

Troels · 01/03/2019 08:33

I'd probably say no I was too busy. Dh would be horrified, he is not in the least bit social, quiet anxious around strangers and would not come across well. We are not young so age is not a factor.
I'd probably reply that if they do have more questions to send them to me I'll answer as soon as I can.

wowfudge · 01/03/2019 10:04

If as a potential, serious buyer a seller refused to meet me in person at the property to answer queries the EA couldn't without a lot of going back and forth, I would probably think they were weird, possibly not serious about selling and that they may be hiding something. Obviously if the sellers don't live there, are abroad or ill, etc then that's different.

PrincessScarlett · 01/03/2019 10:30

Maybe they just want information such as how the heating works etc. I appreciate they have already met your husband but maybe they have questions that are more specific to you and ones which the estate agent can't answer.

When we sold, the buyers wanted to come round with a notebook and jot down how everything in the house works. It literally took 20 minutes and they fitted in with when was convenient for us.

Are your neighbours OK? Maybe they have been sussing out the area and from what they have seen have some questions about the neighbours or parking that they just want clarified.

BlueSkiesLies · 01/03/2019 12:30

I would meet them.

Putting a face to the name andninjecting a bit of familiarity helps speed up transactions in my experience.

Buying a house is a massive deal!

Most people aren’t crazy.

WarpedGalaxy · 01/03/2019 12:49

Our buyer came by with a fencing contractor to check out the yard and what work needed doing on the fences to make sure her massive dog would be secure. She also wanted a quick tutorial re the kitchen appliances, heating and air con, yard sprinkler system etc. She was there less than 30 mins, it was fine.

domesticslattern · 01/03/2019 13:00

I would be much happier to talk with them after exchange. That is the time to discuss how the heating works, who the neighbours are, bin days etc.
I would want to keep pre-exchange queries formal and through the EA or solicitors.

RedBerryTea · 01/03/2019 13:15

As they have met your husband I don't really see why they need to return a fourth time and meet you. Having said that, we've moved a few times and I've always preferred to have face to face contact with our sellers/buyers, it's just makes for a more pleasant transaction, and yes you can discuss the heating, how the loft hatch works etc, and walk them around the garden explaining what's what. It's just a bit of reassurance I think.

youmeandconchitawurst · 01/03/2019 13:25

I'd put it off until after exchange and say yes, sure, before we complete. It is handy to know where the stopcock is, the bin days, if you've ever agreed a cutting schedule with the neighbor about that hedge etc etc.

However, my DH has verbal diahorrea (sp?) And is really like to say stuff like "we'd have taken an offer £20k lower", so he's banned from talking to buyers. Ever.

Original poster

MarieLondon123 · 01/03/2019 14:03

Thanks for the advice,
As I have explained to the EA I'll happy answer any queries they have through them or the solicitors. I just find it awkward they want to meet both of us. I may arrange it but after exchange so their can be no more negotiating! The fact they have met my other half already (Ok maybe it was only for 15mins )but it makes it even odder! Our lives are just a bit manic at the moment.
We never met the previous owners and just done out own investigating when we moved in......

OP posts:

Troels · 01/03/2019 14:41

I saved and left out for the new owners of our last house, all the intruction books for all appliances, the blue prints of the whole Septic system and instructions for using the control panel in the garage, a hand drawn map of the house showing where the main shut off for water and gas were. A list of phone numbers for the local county offices, the number for the bin men, showing what day pick was, the local chinese restaurant and pizza place too. Much easier.

Windingstreams · 01/03/2019 17:09

Personally I might pull out if the vendors wouldn’t meet me. I’d worry they had something to hide and wouldn’t risk spending half a million odd pounds if there was any concern in my head. People just want to be reassured you’re normal

BasiliskStare · 01/03/2019 17:59

I have to say - ( & I am old) the first time DH and I bought a house it was a massive deal to us. I do think even before exchange - being nice and letting the buyers look round again and letting them feel comfortable they are doing the right thing is the right thing to do. The better they feel now , I suspect the better the sale will go through. Would you really ask someone to spend ££££ s and only let them see the thing 3 times. If they are time wasters - then yes - say no. If they just want to reassure themselves they are doing the right thing - another matter. But then if they are going to be flakey - until exchange - they will still think of a reason to pull out. I am with @Wowfudge ( I think ) let them come and see so they are happy with what they have done. Also @windingsreams - a house is a lot of money to people . Both to the buyer and the vendor. Another visit I do not think is inappropriate. I think I would be a bit concerned ( as a buyer) if another visit was refused - the whole process has to be to be gone through before completion - do you want to go through that with people you don't think are reasonable to deal with ?

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