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Property/DIY

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Original poster

When you sold your house, did you do the viewings or did the estate agent?

20 replies

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 19:30

We are selling our house and I am doing the viewings. When we last sold 5 years ago this was what happened as well.

After starting another thread about how to do successful viewings I am starting to wonder whether I am being taken for a ride by the estate agents - should they be doing the viewings? I did say I was fine with doing them (which I am) but was wondering what is usual.

OP posts:

101damnations · 09/04/2010 19:33

I did all of ours 5 years ago.Had 2 offers out of 3 viewings,so must have done something right.

If we sell again I won't bother with Estate Agents-all that comission for an advert and a few photos.

treacletart · 09/04/2010 19:34

My agent has done all our viewings (and very succesfully too as we're now on our 3rd buyer!) to be frank I much prefer viewings conducted by an agent - I've always felt very awkward with owners. You have to ask yourself what your agents are getting their percentage for - just for sticking it on rightmove and answering the phone?

annh · 09/04/2010 19:35

They should do them if you ask, but if you offered, why would they make work for themselves? I have always done viewings myself as then I can be sure that everything gets covered and can answer any questions the viewers have. I think if you only explain your house in detail to one estate agent and they then send any of their colleagues to do a viewing, all the information may not get passed on.

Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/04/2010 19:43

Good variety of answers so far thank you .

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darcymum · 09/04/2010 19:59

I did every one of our viewings even though the estate agent had originally said they would do them. They all booked for about 5 or 6 o'clock as well, tea time or bath time. I asked the agent if they could do them but they just said they had nobody available. When we couldn't sell they just told us to keep dropping the price until we did.

Our neighbour (whose house was smaller) put their house on the market after ours and sold for 25k more. they did not do any of their viewings, not one, the agent did them all. I asked their agent to have a look at our house and he said we were mad to sell it so cheap and that it was worth at least as much of next door if not more. And I think our agent charger more.

They were crap, name and shame Stags in Taunton, never use them.

thighsmadeofcheddar · 09/04/2010 20:02

We've just sold and our agents did them all. I have a large dog so I wanted him out of the house for the viewings anyway.

rebl · 09/04/2010 20:08

I did the majority of our viewings but occasionally I asked the EA to do them if it was going to make timings tight for me or we wanted to go out for the day. Seemed to work for us. The ones we sold to I did 1st viewing with, 2nd viewing was with EA and 3rd was with us again.

vanitypear · 09/04/2010 20:42

I always made sure I got right out of the way. I know what I preferred when I was buying!

merrymonsters · 10/04/2010 17:48

As a former buyer, I think it's better if the EA does it. You can talk more freely and make negative comments with an EA when you can't with an owner.

We once went for a viewing with an agent. The husband started showing me around the house, the wife started showing DH around and the agent got sidelined. DH and I would have preferred looking at rooms together so we could discuss things.

As a former seller, we used to go out if possible or just stay in one room (or the garden) while the agent did the viewing.

said · 10/04/2010 17:53

I did them. Was going to say I was quite good at doing it but then realised we sold it to the one who viewed it when I was out . I knew (good) stuff about teh house that teh agent wouldn't have remembered, I think.

CirrhosisByTheSea · 10/04/2010 18:16

I think it's outrageous that agents wouldn't do them. It's so lazy and unprofessional! It's their job to sell your house not charge you 2% so YOU can do the donkey work.

Get them to do the viewings, and earn the huge amount of money you are going to give them!

bibbitybobbityhat · 10/04/2010 18:23

If you want your EA to accompany the viewings and they refuse to, then change agents.

Some sellers prefer to do the viewings themselves (I would put myself in this category) so the agents tend not to assume that all sellers actually want them to do the viewings. You have to make your wishes very clear about viewings when you engage them.

What questions did you have about doing the viewings? Perhaps I can help? (have worked as an EA in the past, just casually-like, don't shoot me).

hophophippidtyhop · 10/04/2010 18:50

Just had my house on with estate agents(accepted offer today!) and they did all viewings. After the valuation, the estate agent sent the other agents round to make sure they were up on the details, never had that happen before. Actually feel like they have earned the commission this time, did viewings myself on other house a few years ago.

Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 10/04/2010 21:19

Had a couple of viewings today - one was fairly last minute again and the agent did apologise for bot being able to do it. There is also one tomorrow which they are going to do. Shall see if it makes all the difference (will be (un)lucky number 13).

BibbityBobbityhat I may well ask you some questions if you don't mind.

OP posts:

bibbitybobbityhat · 10/04/2010 22:13

Of course.

strawberrycornetto · 11/04/2010 18:42

We have just sold and some of our viewings were by us and some by the agent. The couple buying viewed twice, first time with the agent and second time with DH. They said to DH that they had preferred seeing it with him because he was much more knowledgeable about the house etc. That said, DH is very sociable and chatty. The agents had promised all viewindgs would be accompanied and I would say that about 80% were, but the other 20% they called last minute and said they had a potential viewer but no one available to show. We didn't feel we could say no.

Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 12/04/2010 17:42

We have a second viewing later on today (which is at 7:30 and DH is doing). He did the first viewing for those people while the children and I were out - I am wondering if he is better than me . Am hoping that anyway

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frostyfingers · 13/04/2010 09:11

We did ours, the EA asked which we would prefer and since we were both at home felt it would be better rather than having to be out, and dodge the viewers. The EA took us around the house and explained the best way to do it - where to linger (in the nice big bedrooms) and where to move along (small bathroom!). He also told us the best route around the house.

The agent then rang us back after contacting every viewer, with feedback.

We had over 50 viewings, the house had never been so clean, and it was utterly exhausting but it worked. Viewers seemed to appreciate being shown round by people who knew the house (twas old).

If you want to do it then that's fine, but the agent shouldn't expect you to....

Original poster

NoahAndTheWhale · 14/04/2010 22:04

Well, DH did the second viewing on Monday evening, estate agent said the viewers were considering yesterday and today they made an offer. Followed by another one when the first one was rejected.

Really can't believe we appear to have sold our house . Am waiting for it to go wrong

OP posts:

moomaa · 14/04/2010 22:17

OMG frostyfingers, 50 viewings, the thought makes me shudder. We have just done our own viewings, only had to do one busy Saturday where DH and I both had to do as the viewers started to overlap! I wanted to do them as I know the local area really well, and I do love this house and I think it shows when I talk about it. Having said that, I asked that if I was alone with the kids at home that the agent do them in case the kids kicked off and I needed to deal with them.

With the agents we asked most didn't mind if you did it or they did it, one said that they only wanted to do them but to make sure they were available they would only book viewings for one weekday and one weekend day a week

I'm now like Noah and waiting for everything to go wrong!

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