Time-wasters and idiots.

vet8

I posted on another thread about what a pain this house selling was and commented that the EA had spent over 3 hours taking the house details, photos etc. I now realise that I am not moaning about him, I am actually very impressed with him. He seems to work hard and was very thorough, but I suppose I hoped all these details would stop the time-wasters and idiots you always get around to view.

My house has 11 photos on Rightmove, 7 on the EA's site, 5 in the brochure, it has a floor plan, maps, directions and a very detailed and accurate desciption of each room, yet still viewers say, "Oh it's not what I expected."

We have had 15 viewings and 1 offer. We have had some daft comments:
"I did not realise it was so remote." Look at the map.
"It needs more work doing to it than I realised." Read the house spec, it does explain clearly what work needs doing.
"I want a 100 foot garden, this is too small. " The garden size is detailed exactly in the spec.

Why don't people read?:mad:

dsuk

I think most people do read. When ever I look at house details, there might be 1 or 2 things about it that I don't like or not quite to my requirements, but I will still view just in case it ticks all other boxes and feels 'right'. You will find that if it doesn't get the thumbs up, the viewer will revert back to the thing that was not right that perhaps they would have otherwise 'put up with'. But agree it must be frustrating for you!

poppysarah

Street view now makes things really real. With rightmove linking to it where possible then it really shows you what the place looks like.

Scary sometimes how people walk round with their brains switched off sometimes though.

skintchick

I ditto what dsuk said.

We have had the same thing - people saying our second bedroom is not a double, but that is obvious from the plan! I think people just view everything and see if it pushes thier buttons.

pimento

We viewed abut 30 houses before we found the one we finally bought.

The house we bought we had initially discarded because on paper, it didn't meet our requirements and had three things that specifically put us off (a north facing garden, next door to a fire station and on a busy road). We only actually viewed it when the vendor of the house we were initially buying pulled out after we had paid for a survey. We found ourselves in a position of having to find a house in a weekend (school place and all that).

Anyway, I only got as far as the lobby of this house and I knew it was the house I wanted to live in. It was strange as usually I am quite an unemotional person, but this house just grabbed me.

My point (if you're still with me) is that until you actually stand inside a house/flat you don't know if it's for you and English reserve will normally stop people saying something like 'it just didn't have the right feel' in case you think them rude, so they will make up a 'rational' excuse.

That's not to say that some viewers aren't time wasters and idiots though...

CloudCuckooLand

pimento wrote: »

That's not to say that some viewers aren't time wasters and idiots though...

As are some sellers...

(not directed at the OP !)

surreybased

Hi,

Also wonder if th EA's encourage people to view, even if they know it doesn't meet requirements - we've certainly had that some from EAs.

I do think you need to view a place, not always clear from photos. I think houses have to feel right to a buyer, if pushed to make a comment they then say something obvious..like garden too small.

PasturesNew

vet8 wrote: »

Why don't people read?:mad:

They do, but they give it a go anyway. It doesn't hurt to look, just in case it grabs you when you walk in.

maya+2

You have to view a house to know wether you like it, you can't get everything across through pictures and descriptions.
The feedback they've left may sound stupid to you, but likely hood is they are just trying to think of something to say that doesn't sound too rude or as wishy washy as "it just didn't feel right".
I agree with what dsuk said, as most people buying a house have to make some compromises, so they will turn up already not liking things about your property hoping its plus points will impress them enough to change their minds.

mandrose

Last September my Mum and I put our houses on the market as decided to buy a new one together. We wanted a house that had a garage on the side to convert into an annex, so our choices were limited. In the first week of going onto the market we chose 3 properties to go and view, 2 houses having the double garage we wanted and the look we had decided upon. The 3rd was a bungalow, which hadn't been a consideration but it had a double length garage so was intriguing. Although the houses had everything we wanted they didn't feel right, then we went to the bungalow and instantly fell in love! It felt like home straight away.

We were heartbroken when it was sold before we were in a position to put in an offer but the sale fell through and just over a month ago our offer was accepted!

The property didn't stand out to us from the description or photos, although the floor plan showed some possibility!

I think its always worth viewing a property as the layout, description and photos might be perfect but you can't get a "feel" for the house from that!

Running_Horse

The real timewasters are those who don't even bother turning up for viewings. Up to 50% of them when we went with a small independent EA who didn't seem to vet anyone. It improved at a national chain who set up several viewing on our first day on the market, and they all turned up.