Would you buy a house without meeting the seller?

TrixA

We are approaching exchange and as everything has been handled by the agent it's looking like we might complete without ever meeting our seller. I feel a bit uncomfortable about this as there are some general questions I'd like to ask - for example, what are the neighbours like, has she ever looked in to extending the house, that sort of thing.

Would it be a normal thing to ask to meet the seller? She has already moved out of the house, so we couldn't do it on the pretext of wanting to take measurements etc.

Flashmanchop

Personally wouldn't bother me, but I am sure you can ask the questions via agent/solicitor.

the neighbours details will be part of the property questionnaire.

Paully232000

Not sure if it is normal but the house we bought last year, the seller had moved away from the area so we never met him. We did however meet the neighbours and were able to ask them some questions about the local area.
Go and see the neighbours and ask them questions, and have a look around to see if anyone else has extended, and what they have done.

I wasnt that fussed about meeting, or not, the vendor, and to be honest, after some of the vendors I have met maybe was a positive.

sinizterguy

2 flats and 2 houses bought. I have not met 3 sellers.
1 had the wife saying hello and letting us and the estate agents wander round.

What difference would it make whether you met them or not ?

TrixA

I'm not talking about the sort of formal questions one could ask through a solicitor or agent, more the sort of 'gossipy' questions that you'd only tend to ask in conversation. We've had the property questionnaire and it indicates that there are no disputes with the neighbours, but I'm more interested to know what sort of people they are.

TrixA

Paully232000 wrote: »

Not sure if it is normal but the house we bought last year, the seller had moved away from the area so we never met him. We did however meet the neighbours and were able to ask them some questions about the local area.
Go and see the neighbours and ask them questions, and have a look around to see if anyone else has extended, and what they have done.

I wasnt that fussed about meeting, or not, the vendor, and to be honest, after some of the vendors I have met maybe was a positive.

How would you meet the neighbours? Would you go and knock on their door? We're in London and people tend to keep to themselves.

Paully232000

Yes go and knock on their door, the worst they can tell you is to go away, and maybe that will tell you more than any conversation you can have.

benjus

Over 2 purchases and 1 sale I've never met the other party in the transaction or been in direct contact with them.

eddddy

I suspect that many vendors would just tell you whatever they thought you wanted hear - "lovely friendly neighbours, they have such polite children, I never hear their dog barking..."

moneyistooshorttomention

On the other hand, you could find out that the vendor is apparently on cordial terms with the neighbours and you find out later that they were taken for a mug by a neighbour making like "snake in the grass" to them and they just rolled-over and accepted it.

Some people are wimp enough/or aware of "neighbourhood disputes" affecting their sale that they will appear to be friendly with someone who really doesn't deserve it and then the buyer walks into the mess the vendor left behind them and has to clear it up for them.

silvercar

If it is a repossession or the seller is the estate of a deceased, you are unlikely to meet the seller.