So what is your opinion of what an estate agent said to me

[spokette]

DH and I have started to look at houses to buy and our own house will be valued towards the end of the week and put on the market asap.

I called an agent yesterday to arrange a booking to view a house and he asked about our position in terms of selling. I explained that we would shortly have our own house on the market. He then said that we should not even be looking at houses until ours was under offer. I explained that the house we wanted to view was typical of what we would like to buy and in the right area. He begrudingly agreed to contact the vendor and we will be viewing the property at the weekend.

Clearly the vendor had no problems with us looking at the property so why the attitude from the estate agent?

This is the first time we have become involved in selling and buying a property at the same time.

Do people wait until their own property is under offer?

What happens if your original buyer pulls out? Do you stop looking until you find another buyer?

Advice will be most welcome! We have only started this process and our stress levels are rising already!

I think the estate agent was harsh in refusing to let you look without having an offer - but justified in not wanting you to come round if you haven't even put your house on the market yet.

For all he knows, you might be a total timewaster who just likes wandering around other people's houses and has no intention of either buying or selling.

You might be totally deluded about what your property is worth and looking at houses that are far too pricey.

You might be a terminal ditherer who can't make up their mind what to do but just fancies a look.

You are looking at this from the point of view of a buyer at present - you may find your opinions change sharply when you are a seller. Wait until you've had half a dozen short notice viewings with people who wander around and then say things like "well it's lovely but I'm not sure abotu moving in this climate" or "Ideally I'd have liked a house in the next road along".

And you, having worked your fingers to the bone tidying furiously the night before, will think "STOP WASTING MY EFFING TIME". I woudl have been grateful for an estate agent like yours tbh!

or even worse - spending the whole day cleaning and tidying for viewers not to turn up becasue "they've decided they're not in a position to buy" - argghhhhh