Page 3 | How far can I push this viewing back before annoying potential viewer

startingoveragainagain · 2023-10-30T21:26:05+00:00

This person's house is on the market but not sold. They wanted to come on Wednesday but the house isn't clean and I don't have time to tidy it, my cleaner comes on Friday (every other friday). So I said to the agent one day next week, but thinking about it, next week is going to be tricky. I don't really want to pay the cleaner to come an extra day so, I'm thinking three weeks time - is that out of order?

FlatWhiteExtraHot · 31/10/2023 09:51

I don’t understand the “you can only look if you’ve sold yours” attitude. How is anyone ever going to sell their house if no one looks at it?

The market (in our area anyway) is dead at the moment. We’ve been up for sale for 3 weeks and had 2 viewings. I wasn’t going to turn either of them down; in fact I didn’t even ask if they were proceedable. We’ve viewed 3 houses because we need an idea of what our budget can buy. There’s no point even trying to sell if we can’t afford to buy what we want.

All 3 properties we looked at have been on the market for months. I’m fairly sure the one we want will still be there when we eventually sell ours, and if it is we will buy it. If we hadn’t even been allowed to look, we wouldn’t know it’s our perfect house.

ibelieveinmirrorballs · 31/10/2023 10:34

I agree with that @FlatWhiteExtraHot - I think the best way forward in this market is not to limit who can come through the door but limit the disruption to your life by being made to feel like you have to be available at the drop of a hat. Decide in advance what your property’s regular availability is and whoever wants to view in those slots can. As mentioned earlier, I viewed the house I’ve just offered on before even being on the market but it inspired me to act quickly and list my house at a reasonable price so I could be in a position to offer. You just don’t know how things are going to turn out with the people who come and view!

JustWimpy · 31/10/2023 10:48

If you are actually selling, then your house should be viewing ready with only a quick tidy and clean needed. Three weeks is ridiculous. I'd assume you were a timewaster just testing the market. Selling takes a lot of effort and you have to be prepared for that. You risk your house looking like a lemon that's hanging around if you only schedule viewings every two or three weeks when the cleaner has been.

cigarettesNalcohol · 31/10/2023 10:52

That sounds like a flimsy excuse and I would think you aren't serious about selling. It would put me off and I'd look elsewhere

SD1978 · 31/10/2023 11:49

I'd also be careful about putting off viewings since it's an asset that has to be sold due to divorce. If your ex could prove that you're delaying the house sale by making it difficult for people to view, I'm not sure if that will have an impact in your proceedings. Three weeks is utterly ridiculous, but I think you know that. A few days really, if you're actually trying to sell and not sabotage, should really be the maximum

almondseagull · 31/10/2023 11:53

startingoveragainagain · 30/10/2023 21:42

I just don't see the rush if they haven't sold anyway?

We've had 4 (one even came back for a second viewing - have made an offer but still haven't sold) people view, not one has sold - its driving me insane. We have to sell, so I'm totally motivated, I just find it hard to be motivated when people haven't sold.

I can afford a cleaner once every two weeks, not to suit people on a day out. I have to take the dogs to my parents (who live an hour away).

They don't want to view at the weekends - I'd be more than happy with Saturday or Sunday.

why do you have to take the dogs to your parents? why not just put them in the car, or a different room?

LovesFood1987 · 31/10/2023 13:10

Persipan · 31/10/2023 06:26

we are deciding our sales price based on how much we want the house we've seen

Eh? That... is not how any potential buyers of your house are going to judge its value.

No totally I appreciate that but if we really want a house we'll put ours on for a more competitive price compared to if there is nothing we want to move to. If there's nothing we want to move to then we're happy to sit and wait compared to if there's something we really want.

LovesFood1987 · 31/10/2023 13:15

ibelieveinmirrorballs · 31/10/2023 10:34

I agree with that @FlatWhiteExtraHot - I think the best way forward in this market is not to limit who can come through the door but limit the disruption to your life by being made to feel like you have to be available at the drop of a hat. Decide in advance what your property’s regular availability is and whoever wants to view in those slots can. As mentioned earlier, I viewed the house I’ve just offered on before even being on the market but it inspired me to act quickly and list my house at a reasonable price so I could be in a position to offer. You just don’t know how things are going to turn out with the people who come and view!

I agree with this. Not being sold doesn't mean you're not serious about buying a house.

We've done it before... we weren't on the market but saw a house we really liked. We immediately put our house on the market for £500k, reduced it not long after to £475k, accepted £460k shortly after. Within a few days we were ready to go and we still live in that new house now!

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 31/10/2023 13:57

I think there is a difference between viewing and making an offer. I would be willing to have people viewing even if they weren’t instantly proceedable (although I have always tried to get on well with the agent, so that they will assess people sensibly). I wouldn’t accept an offer which involved taking the house of the market unless it came from a good prospect.

With the market as it is, I would be inclined to show as many people as possible. One of my friends bought a flat which I had been to see which wasn’t for me, but I thought she would like it, and she did.