Is a viewing no-show a timewaster or should I rearrange?

hazyjo

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Update on my earlier post re unreliable type people being less likely to let down an estate agent than a vendor....got that one wrong then didn't I?

Three viewing appointments booked today and two of them turned out to be no-shows (even though it was EA viewings as usual) - so these unreliable people are obviously equally prepared to let anyone done and not just vendors themselves.

I'm not unduly hassled about these two "unreliables" - as I had decided neither of them were likely buyers anyway. The first one is probably a 2nd-time buyer and I don't think 2nd time buyers will go for my house (with it being an FTB one and needing some work). The other "unreliable" is an investor and they had already postponed their viewing by several days - and I had accordingly decided they might make an offer but it would probably be too low for me to accept.

Anyways - I've had a report-back from another house up for sale locally that has now sold (after quite a long time for us - ie 6 months). That house had had two stupid offers and one asking price offer (but subject to skedaddling out of the house unreasonably quickly - one of those "How dare a vendor still actually be living in their own home - rather than having cleared off into rented to suit me" types). Those offers had all been turned down and this vendor has just accepted an asking price offer with no strings....yay:T

Blimey, lots of presumptions there!

Things happen, or crop up. People have to cancel and/or rearrange. That's life. I wouldn't be making judgements about them, and would hate them to be judging me.

Lots of people live in flats/studios before buying a house. Yours might well appeal to FTBs, but I certainly wouldn't be making presumptions about 2nd-time buyers - or you might find it goes to someone older, or on their own and downsizing.

Just because they've cancelled once or twice does not make them "unreliable".

I am probably a tad touchy about it as had to cancel a number of viewings for the day after my dad died last year and to think someone may have referred to me as "an unreliable" does wind me up! Also had to cancel other viewings over the course of around a year as my dad and my then husband's dad were in and out of hospital frequently. Can't say I would have told the EA the reason on some occasions, but would have had the decency to still ring up to cancel (as your potential viewers appear to have done).

Jx

moneyistooshorttomention

The two no-shows today didn't ring and cancel at all - hence my EA was obviously feeling a bit "hot under the collar" about them.

I can quite understand that sometimes a no-show might have a good reason for it - as in a genuine medical emergency has cropped up out of the blue (as happened in your case). Most of us will get a few medical emergency type situations in our lives at some point (be it our own - or that of other people close to us) and that can be sympathised and a rearrangement done.

In this case though - from a few comments by them prior to viewings that my EA had relayed back to me - it did make them look like unreliable types and in fact I had come to the conclusion that the investor was probably a games-player (but I would let them view anyway - just in case I was wrong and they made me a decent offer).

I would say that my EA and I are doing a pretty good job at keeping each other informed of all relevant facts and comments by viewers. So much so - that my EA is full of pride about being complimented on how informed he is about my place:rotfl:

I don't tend to regard 2nd time buyers as that likely for my house personally - as (if I myself am anything to go by) we have a lot higher standards as to what we expect 2nd time around. I'm certainly expecting a LOT more from my 2nd house than I ever even thought of from this starter house of mine:rotfl:. For a variety of reasons - this house isn't really that suitable for an older person anyway (in fact that's one of the reasons I myself am moving from it).

phoebe1989seb

Money, I'm afraid I totally agree with HazyJo about making assumptions......

In our village - we've lived here for two years - there are a couple of very small (and I mean *teensy* - you could fit the whole house into our kitchen :eek:) one-bed houses that would, I guess, be considered as *starter homes* by some.

In one lives a divorced single guy of about 45. He's been here about three years, having sold the marital home and split the proceeds with his ex. His DD is grown up and lives with her BF elsewhere. I guess on his limited budget, it was preferable to buy a small house with an ok sized garden instead of a flat.

In the other 'Hobbit House' as we call them, is a retired couple who had downsized from a much larger house, but before they bought in 2011 the house was apparently owned by a family with three small kids - admittedly they sold after a year, but this was a one bedroom house with five residents

IMHO smaller *starter homes* are bought by a wide range of buyers, not just FTBs or investors

moneyistooshorttomention

Could be - with some houses. I just know my own particular house and I honestly cant see an older person looking to house themselves for the rest of their lives being happy to take on the stairs or storage arrangements in this particular house.

I've often thought that if anyone ever needed one of those stairlifts in this house it simply wouldn't even be physically possible. It doesn't bother me personally - as I wouldn't ever get one of them anyway personally. But it would bother anyone who might wonder about getting one at some point years into the future - or had similar age group friends visiting and needing the loo when required. I do wonder just how more "infirm" older people are supposed to physically live in these particular houses
(mind you I have seen even "harder" ones - I've not forgotten one where the only way to access the upstairs floor of the house was to climb a steep fixed in place wooden ladder arrangement rather than proper stairs:eek:). All very charming - but yikes...

lessonlearned

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

The two no-shows today didn't ring and cancel at all - hence my EA was obviously feeling a bit "hot under the collar" about them.

An EA should ring up potential viewers on the day to ascertain whether or not they still intend to view. This is something I always did. The EA we were meeting on Saturday did just this. However, I have noticed that a lot don't bother.

It would save me having to contend with a no show. It also meant I could let the Vendor know in advance so they weren't left rushing around to get their property viewer ready and they could make alternative arrangements.

Is it really too much to expect from an EA. I don't think so. As far as I was concerned it was just part of the service I offered. It only takes a few minutes and yet can save hours of time.

As you can imagine I wouldn't dream of not turning up, unless of course there had been some last minute emergency and I simply couldn't let anyone know. But then again I always diary all my appointments and include a contact number next to the diary entry. Yes I'm a bit OCD that way. :rotfl:

Money - I would agree with the advice about not trying to second guess who your proposed purchaser might be. Whilst your property may in the past have been considered a FTB house, these old demarcations no longer exist. Tbh I don't think they ever did, I think it was just dreamed up by the marketing departments.

People upsize and downsize at will, for all sorts of reasons. Trying to get a handle on the whys and wherefores may be an interesting little academic exercise but it stands for nought in the end.

A buyer is a buyer, whether they are a young singleton FTB, a young couple, second steppers, retirees, downsizers, or victims of a relationship break up. You just never know, therefore it pays to treat all comers the same.

I agree it is extremely frustrating when you have a viewing booked that ends up as a no show. Unfortunately it goes with the territory that is house selling. Not much you can do but grin and bear it.

They might be genuine, they might have a perfectly reasonable excuse. On the other hand they might just be rude and inconsiderate. Then again they might be just vague or absent minded, or plain dis-organised. Then again they might be ditherers who keep chopping and changing their minds.

If you want to sell then you often have to put up with all sorts of things you perhaps would not countenance in any other situation, no shows is just one of those little niggles.

moneyistooshorttomention

Whew - vague, absent-minded, disorganised, etc - hmmm....well it may be just as well that they didn't show if they are like that. Imagine trying to conduct an efficient house-selling process with a buyer of that disposition and my last few hairs to turn white would do so overnight and I'd have a complete head of white hair:eek::rotfl:

Cant imagine an investor would be so disorganised - they certainly wouldn't be likely to make much money overall if that's how they normally operate...

Anyways....I'm pretty optimistic about the viewer that did show up and thoroughly amused about some comments they apparently made whilst going round - but they were all positive ones. After this one - and a previous one who would have bought my house if they hadn't seen one they preferred - I'm coming to the conclusion that the person most likely to buy a house (well my house at any rate.....) is someone who is pretty like-minded to the vendor (similar tastes/similar opinions/etc) - hence part of why I am quite optimistic about this one, as they do sound like they are pretty similar to myself. I do have a theory that, at some level, a lot of people walk round a house thinking "Oh this is someone very much like myself OR this is someone very different to myself" or the like and getting influenced accordingly for or against. It makes sense to me - as I've often noticed the "birds of a feather will flock together" thing when it comes to which strangers will resonate with someone and which wont and its usually the ones who look "similar type/tastes people".

lessonlearned

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Whew - vague, absent-minded, disorganised, etc - hmmm....well it may be just as well that they didn't show if they are like that. Imagine trying to conduct an efficient house-selling process with a buyer of that disposition and my last few hairs to turn white would do so overnight and I'd have a complete head of white hair:eek::rotfl:

Nowt wrong with white hair. I've been a Silver Fox for some years now.;)

My hairdresser tells me white or silver hair is very fashionable right now. Apparently young girls are paying to have it dyed my colour.:rotfl:

Does this make me a fashionista.......

moneyistooshorttomention

lessonlearned wrote: »

Nowt wrong with white hair. I've been a Silver Fox for some years now.;)

My hairdresser tells me white or silver hair is very fashionable right now. Apparently young girls are paying to have it dyed my colour.:rotfl:

Does this make me a fashionista.......

My hairdresser said the same to me:D and actively doesn't want to dye my hair for me anyway (at least I don't have to even think about the highlights I used to have at one point:D).

phoebe1989seb

lessonlearned wrote: »

Nowt wrong with white hair. I've been a Silver Fox for some years now.;)

My hairdresser tells me white or silver hair is very fashionable right now. Apparently young girls are paying to have it dyed my colour.:rotfl:

Does this make me a fashionista.......

Could be..........DH's older sister (48) recently announced she was going to have silver (grey?) highlights put in

phoebe1989seb

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Whew - vague, absent-minded, disorganised, etc - hmmm....well it may be just as well that they didn't show if they are like that. Imagine trying to conduct an efficient house-selling process with a buyer of that disposition and my last few hairs to turn white would do so overnight and I'd have a complete head of white hair:eek::rotfl:

Cant imagine an investor would be so disorganised - they certainly wouldn't be likely to make much money overall if that's how they normally operate...

Anyways....I'm pretty optimistic about the viewer that did show up and thoroughly amused about some comments they apparently made whilst going round - but they were all positive ones. After this one - and a previous one who would have bought my house if they hadn't seen one they preferred - I'm coming to the conclusion that the person most likely to buy a house (well my house at any rate.....) is someone who is pretty like-minded to the vendor (similar tastes/similar opinions/etc) - hence part of why I am quite optimistic about this one, as they do sound like they are pretty similar to myself. I do have a theory that, at some level, a lot of people walk round a house thinking "Oh this is someone very much like myself OR this is someone very different to myself" or the like and getting influenced accordingly for or against. It makes sense to me - as I've often noticed the "birds of a feather will flock together" thing when it comes to which strangers will resonate with someone and which wont and its usually the ones who look "similar type/tastes people".

There's definitely a buyer out there with your name on - hopefully you won't have to wait too much longer .......I guess it still must be only a couple of months since you put it on the market, so in the current climate relatively early days......fingers crossed for you!