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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Is it wrong to view a house for ideas about your own?

30 replies

samosamo · 19/04/2021 09:45

My house is about to exchange. House on same road has made ALL the renovations I plan to. Its up for sale. Is it wrong to view?!

There isn't a video tour. If there were i wouldn't even consider. I promise. I'm not someone who just loves poking around other peoples homes for no reason.

Its only 5 doors down though, so they might recognise me in future???!

OP posts:

NewbiePlanter · 19/04/2021 09:50

Well if they sell quickly and move they won't around to recognise you but that being said could you contact estate and ask for more pictures and work off them? I'm sure loads view houses with this in mind.

emmathedilemma · 19/04/2021 09:50

I'd be more inclined to wait until you've moved in and then ask as a neighbourly favour rather than go round pretending to be a buyer.

seven201 · 19/04/2021 09:50

No! Think of all the cleaning and hope that goes into a viewing for the owners. Just look at the photos.

tentative3 · 19/04/2021 09:50

Yeah, it's a shitty thing to do. I'd be more ambivalent if you turned up to an open day, but at the moment where most agents are only allowing proceedable viewers you'd be being economical with the truth, wasting the vendors time and potentially getting their hopes up unnecessarily. If they are concerned about covid, even if you aren't, that also wouldn't really be fair.

Can't you use the floorplans and planning permission to get an idea? If not, be honest and ask if you can have a nosy just after another viewing or something - if you would feel embarrassed at doing that then clearly you know something is off about what you want to do.

HeddaGarbled · 19/04/2021 09:53

Yes, sorry, you’d be putting them to inconvenience and raising their hopes dishonestly. Wait until you’ve moved in and then ask.

SausageDogSandwich · 19/04/2021 09:54

Why don't you just explain and ask if you could look? They might be able to give you a heads up on the pros and cons of that layout.

I'd let you look under those circumstances I think (if I liked the look of you!).

nancywhitehead · 19/04/2021 09:54

No you shouldn't. It causes inconvenience for the people having to show you round when you have no intention to buy it.

treeeeemendous · 19/04/2021 09:56

I'd pop a note through the door and explain. If it were me I'd let you look round. But then I feel I am quite relaxed about many things compared to the rest of MN!

Erkrie · 19/04/2021 09:56

One of my neighbours did this. I didn't recognise them and obviously spent ages cleaning the house to get it ready. Obviously they didn't put in an offer. Imagine my surprise a few days later when I noticed them mowing their front lawn 5 doors down. I was very pissed off and rang the estate agent to complain.

CeibaTree · 19/04/2021 09:56

That would be a really out of order and selfish thing to do - surely if you have sold your own place you know how much effort goes into tidying for a viewing. Just be honest with them and they might well let you in to look knowing that they didn't have to make an effort to make the place look really presentable.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 19/04/2021 09:58

No! Think of all the cleaning and hope that goes into a viewing for the owners. Just look at the photos.

This. Sorry. Our EA is a stickler for the rules so we have to go out when there’s viewings, leaving 15 minutes before the viewing, and we can’t come back until 15 mins after. We have to tidy all our work stuff away, and miss chunks of work, and you have to have through air so there’s ventilation...

It’s worth doing for people who might buy, and here they have to be qualified - confirm that their house has sold and that they’ve visited the street the house is in - but not for people to nosey around.

Also, you’d be hounded to fill in the feedback form online or talk to the EA.

It’s just mean right now, I think. I’d happily let someone in to look around at the place if they knocked, but I’d be annoyed if they went through the EA.

NoSquirrels · 19/04/2021 09:58

When you’ve exchanged, just go round and knock and ask nicely.

KatherineJaneway · 19/04/2021 09:59

Yes it is wrong. You are not interested in buying so are wasting everyone's time if you go ahead.

DenisetheMenace · 19/04/2021 10:00

No, very unfair to seller who will believe you’re a genuine prospect. Don’t waste their time and effort.

HareIsland · 19/04/2021 10:01

@emmathedilemma

I'd be more inclined to wait until you've moved in and then ask as a neighbourly favour rather than go round pretending to be a buyer.

Exactly this.

Bobbots · 19/04/2021 10:08

Yeah just ask to have a look. We have always done this when moving (we tend to buy places with “potential” 😆) and everyone has always said yes and been really nice about it.

Bobbots · 19/04/2021 10:09

You don’t have to have exchanged though, just go and knock or write a note and say you are buying number 29 and would like to make some improvements and you have seen their place for sale online and love what they’ve done (helps if you butter them up a bit and flatter their choices of interiors!) and would they mind if you pop round some time to look at their kitchen/bathroom/extension whatever.

Skinnytailedsquirrel · 19/04/2021 10:09

No. We are in the midst of a pandemic! You need to use common sense.

MaryIsA · 19/04/2021 10:18

Our neighbour popped round yesterday and asked if he could look at the building work we are getting done. His house is identical to ours. We had no issue with this at all.

We've talked with him before about plans and stuff so I know he's not taking the piss.

I'd be so annoyed at someone 'pretending to buy'.

chipsndippy · 19/04/2021 10:23

Vendors aren't doing surveys at the moment, agents do them so you won't have to worry about them recognising you. Have you checked if the agent is doing open days?

CovidCorvid · 19/04/2021 10:26

Their estate agent may well tell the estate agent of the people you’re buying from. And they may tell your vendors who may freak out.

When I bought my current house we had an offer accepted and waiting for survey when a previous sold house came back on the market. I went to see it and the estate agent told my vendor agent and my vendor went up the wall. Accused me of not being serious, nearly lost the house.

itwa · 19/04/2021 10:37

Just look on the planning website to see their original plans?

PicsInRed · 19/04/2021 10:43

Don't con someone into wasting their time and effort in facilitating a home viewing so you can get free reno ideas. That would be terrible behaviour.

Original poster

samosamo · 19/04/2021 11:45

Yes, I'll just ask! Thanks all!

OP posts:

minipie · 19/04/2021 14:45

I’d just ask. People generally love talking about building work they’ve done!

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