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Original poster

Buyer wants a final viewing before exchange. I am beyond stressed!

42 replies

checkedcloth · 03/02/2021 20:11

We are due to exchange next week on our sale and purchase which has been underway since September. Our buyers have viewed the house twice prior to making an offer.

Today we have heard that they would like to view the house once more, on advice from their solicitor. We will honour this, but it goes without saying that it’s a less than ideal with home schooling two 2 DC’s.

I am beyond stressed that they will pull out at this late stage.

Can anyone give any insight or reassurance?

OP posts:
MeMeMeYou · 03/02/2021 20:12

I think the official advice is to view just before exchange ti ensure nothings changed and all is ok. Ppl often measure up too. It’s prob ok

BloodyCreateUsername · 03/02/2021 20:14

I did this when I was a FTB because I was told it was a good idea and so we could establish the house was still in the same condition as when we offered.

I wouldn’t worry if someone wanted to do this, wouldn’t make me think they were changing their minds. More like being cautious before being legally bound to proceed.

burritofan · 03/02/2021 20:14

Are they first-time buyers? They’re probably not considering pulling out, just being annoying and following every bit of advice to the letter and worrywarting that you’ve trashed the place since they viewed. Though how anyone finds the time in a pandemic to trash their house, who knows! And nothing to stop you trashing it between exchange and completion.

You don’t have to agree; could you offer a video tour or ask what it is they want to see – point out that you’re homeschooling and not being difficult or obstructive, just up to your eyeballs.

MaggieFS · 03/02/2021 20:16

Don't worry! It's a PITA because at this stage you no longer have the house 'viewing ready' but it is good practice which most buyers don't follow. At the point of exchange, they are legally and financially obligated to go through with the purchase or face penalties. The point of such a viewing is to make sure you haven't fundamentally altered anything or damaged the property since they viewed it and that what they are about to commit to is indeed what they viewed.

I would try and have it clean and presentable - a lived in look is ok but make sure there isn't anything on show which would give them alarm bells. Ask the EA to explain that you are home schooling and would hope they understand the house will be chaotic and would be grateful if they can make the visit brief.

SeaToSki · 03/02/2021 20:20

I know its normal to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on something you have only looked at for, at most, a couple of hours whereas most of us will spend much, much longer agonising over which car/pram/shampoo to buy... but if you step back and think about it sensibly - it is quite crazy to buy a house having spent so little time inside it.

If you can, let them look, they probably want to remind themselves about how much bigger the rooms are than their current house, how they cant wait to choose new curtains and paint the walls etc etc. It must be a pain for you, but I'm sure they want to see it again because they are excited, not because they want to pull out.

Original poster
checkedcloth · 03/02/2021 20:21

Thank you so much, your thoughts have been so reassuring and of course I can see why they would want to make sure the place is still the same.

They are FTB’s and I can understand they may be anxious.

I’ve not had any time to wreck the place - hardly at home as I’m a nurse in the midst of Covid!

Thanks again all

OP posts:
Beebumble2 · 03/02/2021 21:31

FTBs seem to do this, in the past we’ve had multiple viewings from buyers, always FTBs. Never had them pullout.
I think it’s because they’re so excited by their first home and want to visit to imagine themselves there.

mumsy27 · 04/02/2021 01:22

I'm not ftb, however I went for second viewing just before exchange.
you would be very surprised what happens between offering and exchange, especially when it drags for a while.
little story on mumsnet I've read, FIL spotted the borders of the garden moved somehow, guess what !!?neighbours from the other side took a big chunck :)

kittenpeak · 04/02/2021 01:30

@checkedcloth I think the buyers are getting a hard deal here. Why wouldn’t you want to view again before exchange? It’s the most expensive thing you’ll ever buy and buyers are only ever allowed a few minutes to view the property in the first place. We probably spend more time looking at a pair of shoes before buying them.

Theyll’ll want to measure up, visualise what furniture they need, check out doors/locks for insurance purposes, loads of reasons. If they’re going to pull out, they’ll pull out anyway.

Did you make the property out to be something it wasn’t when they viewed? Were you masking a bad smell / damp / broken floorboards when they viewed, or have your kids trashed it since they viewed? I can’t think why else you’d be nervous, if they were going to pull out, they will.

Applesandpears23 · 04/02/2021 01:31

We did this as FTB to measure up so we could order furniture as soon as we exchanged. We didn’t have any already and wanted to get going so to minimise the time sitting, sleeping and eating on the floor!

Original poster
checkedcloth · 04/02/2021 06:16

@kittenpeak I’m nervous because if they pull out then our purchase falls through. That’s our dream home as a family and we will all be utterly heartbroken. I’m exhausted having nursed through a pandemic for almost a year and if our chain collapsed when we are so close would be devastating.

We are not covering anything up at all, and I can assure you my kids haven’t trashed anything, they are respectful children. The house looks and is exactly the same as when they came last, albeit the garden isn’t blooming now.

OP posts:
Original poster
checkedcloth · 04/02/2021 06:17

@Applesandpears23 I hope this is the case and yes that’s understandable Smile

OP posts:
chorusline79 · 04/02/2021 06:24

@checkedcloth try not to worry, it's definitely standard. My parents are due to exchange later this week and were advised by solicitor to go and see the house again beforehand - it's a formality. They have no intention of pulling out. By this stage your buyers have invested time, money and also they would miss out on stamp duty relief if they changed their mind now? It's so stressful but try not to worry as you're almost there. Good luck with the move!

insancerre · 04/02/2021 06:39

I’ve done this every time I’ve bought a house
For me it’s to measure up for curtains and furniture so I know it all fits in. No use taking a tumble drier if there’s no space for it
It’s for all the practical stuff

Original poster
checkedcloth · 04/02/2021 06:58

Thank you both, that’s very reassuring to read.

OP posts:
chickychicchic · 04/02/2021 07:03

Try not to panic as FTB they have probably been advised to are just excited to see and measure up.

Bless you for all your hard work during Covid I cannot begin to imagine how hard/ stressful/ tiring it must be x

BendingSpoons · 04/02/2021 07:09

They are probably thinking: we have saved for years for this. I hope they haven't damaged anything. Also I don't remember the house well, it will be nice to look at X and have a think about furniture.

They are probably as invested as you and all should be fine!

LadyWhistledownthe1st · 04/02/2021 07:18

We did this it was to measure for blinds, furniture etc

Dollywilde · 04/02/2021 07:24

And nothing to stop you trashing it between exchange and completion.

@burritofan my understanding is that if they trash it between exchange and completion the buyers would have legal recourse to sue the sellers for damages, you’re agreeing to buy the house in its condition at exchange. Although obviously they could trash it between the visit and exchange Grin

Don’t worry OP, our sale dragged on for ages and we came to see the house we were buying at that stage too, just because it had been nearly 6 months - 4 since our survey - and we wanted to check it was still standing Grin I think it’d be really rare to pull out at this point.

WoodSageandSeasalt · 04/02/2021 07:27

I agree with others, it’s crazy when you think about it that we commit to such an expensive and important purchase on the basis of one or two brief viewings. I’m currently buying and am planning to ask if we can go in again at some point just to do some measuring up and remind ourselves what the place is like, not with any intention of pulling out. I’m sure it’s the same with your buyers.

Somuddled · 04/02/2021 07:42

It's normal if the sale has taken a while. Lots can change to a house in 6 months. We don't particularly want to have a final viewing but our solicitor has advised it as it has been 7 months since we last saw it. Just let them look around, you don't need to tidy or even talk to them

mamalovebird · 04/02/2021 07:42

I'm not a FTB but am about to have my 3rd viewing of the house we're buying. No intention of pulling out but need to measure up for a new fridge, dishwasher and various furniture to be ordered to arrive on the day we move in. I work FT and am homeschooling too so don't have a lot of free time to get the new house organised with only a few days off.

Agree with PP that it is the biggest purchase of your life (this one is for me... dream house etc etc) and I've only seen it a few times.
Don't worry, I bet they're just excited and want to get organised!

LashesZ · 04/02/2021 07:48

We completed last week. Our buyer (FTB) also wanted to view before exchange. I said no due to COVID. She wanted to bring her partner who she didn't live with so we were mixing too many households. In reality I just didn't have the time amongst all the half packed boxes. You aren't legally obliged to accept the viewing, my EA suggested sending pictures with date stamps.

ramblingsonthego · 04/02/2021 07:58

It is very standard conveyancing advice and has been for years. It seems to have fallen out of favour in recent years, but we did it on our recent purchase. When spending a quarter of a million pounds I am going to check that what I am buying is in the same condition before I am legally required to purchase it. We had viewed the property for less than 30 minutes before we exchanged, I spent longer looking for a new coat last winter!

Let them in, check everything and it will all be OK.

wowfudge · 04/02/2021 08:05

I agree, it's standard advice that you check it is as you expect before exchange. One of you can take the kids out for a walk and the other be there to answer any questions they have.