House sale viewing

[18Willow]

We are trying to sell our house and are using the estate agent to carry out the viewings. We rely on the agent's feedback for comments on the viewers reaction to the property. Do you think viewers would prefer to be shown around by owners or the agent or perhaps both

Agent always for us - I hate being shown round by owners! Most people I speak to agree with me. Perhaps owners for the second one, to have a chat in person? But definitely not the first one.

Agent.

Definitely the agent, we've had one viewing when we were shown round by the owners and it was so awkward, we did't feel like we could be honet on our feelings as we were walking round discussing the rooms sizes etc.. Also a good agent will follow up after a viewing and try and get answers to any questions they couldn't answer during the viewing.

Depends on the owner.

Some of them can be a bit needy. I had one whose nervous energy came off in waves. Makes you wonder if they’re trying to sell quickly before a planning application rejection rocks up or something. (Some of his DIY looked shady AF.)

The couple who showed us around our house were totally chill.

I actually hate being shown by an agent, they usually don't know stuff and end about houses they sell and end up with a bunch of questions for the owners anyway.

Agent. I hate viewings with owners, you can’t look at things properly.

Always the agent, at least for a first viewing.

Some agents are crap, and/or might know little about the property. As a worst case the agent might not have even been to the house before.

But, for a first viewing, is it absolutely critical to know whether the loft is boarded, or how old the boiler is?

Maybe for a second viewing, where there's an expectation the viewer is likely to want a bit more info, the seller being present has greater benefit.

Agent first - so you can ask the questions and say the honest things that the owners might not like to hear.

For a second viewing, it is nice if an owner is there who can answer questions. However, even if they are there it doesn’t always add anything - someone who is downsizing as the children have now moved out is unlikely to be able to answer questions about primary schools very effectively, and in that case the owner adds nothing.

Definitely prefer the agent for the first viewing. The owners can be hanging around for the second viewing if there is one but for first viewings, they should be absent imo along with their children and dogs. if they have any.

Yes prefer being shown around by the agent and being able to talk more freely and express our true feelings about the house, without offending anyone.

I always find feedback from viewings a bit pointless anyway. Basically It’s either ‘we want the house and offer you £X’ or ‘we don’t want the house for reasons you can’t change.’

Completely agree.

Feedback is a vastly overrated construct!

Agree and the vendor being there to answer questions isn't all that reliable either.

What are the neighbours like? Oh wonderful ... every time.

Any other answer would seriously hurt their chance of selling.

Agent every time. They know how to respond to tricky questions then usher them out after 15mins.

Agent always, providing they take the time to really get to know the house beforehand. Happy to show in more detail when a sale and purchase is underway.

Depends where you are, I think. In Scotland it is normal and expected for the vendors to do the viewings unless they're away (or dead). But since being on MN I've discovered that in England it's usually the estate agent and people really dislike being shown round by the people who're selling.

Personally, as a Scot who has bought and sold several times in Scotland, I much prefer being shown round by the vendors.

Agent every time. I've rarely viewed with the vendors but I do remember two occasions where they seemed to think viewing equals sale.

Thank you for that, we hadn't thought of regional differences. We are selling in Elgin in north east Scotland but our viewings have been by English people so we seem to fall between two stools

As a seller, our agent has explained why it’s better they show people round, less likely to say something negative by accident, people are generally less truthful with owners than the agent, only problem we’ve found, whoever shows them round, is the amount of people who give either no, literally no, feedback or if they do it’s nothing constructive to help understand why people don’t seem interested in the property