Time waster viewers

Carrot007

DD265 wrote: »

We did view one house which we knew probably wouldn't work for us, but we were hopeful that we might see a solution in person. I guess that would class us as time wasters.

No just optomists. However one person that came to see me last time was pretty much just rubber necking. Wanted to see the hous. Was a dump when I bought it with no updates since the 50s. Yes that meant only 3 plug sockets in the house! Etc Etc! Mentioned something about a swap. Again still call that time wasting. Inform before about odd things! Probably did not want to though. And no since I had not looked at their house anyway I did not want to! Odd people.

martin1959

Ohtsuki wrote: »

The wife and I are currently looking for a bungalow and parking for 2 cars is important so we always take a look outside at night when most people are home from work before making an appointment to view.

Fancy living in Essex ?

xzibit

Bossypants wrote: »

Respectfully, I think you are going to wear yourselves out like this, selling a house can take months before getting a bite, especially at this time of year and in this political climate. Can't you simplify? Give the kitchen and bathroom surfaces a quick wipe, run the vacuum round, one of you takes the dog for a drive for 15-20 minutes? I genuinely don't think viewers notice that much detail, as long as the place isn't grimy (which I'm sure it isn't even when you don't have viewers!), it almost certainly won't factor in whether people decide to offer or not. No reason to tire yourselves out before you even get into the stress of conveyancing!

When you're trying to sell a house you have to do these things. When we sold our last house we would spend 1-2 hours cleaning up, tidying, cleaning windows, cutting the lawn etc. We have a child so things were a bit messier.

We are currently looking for a house and some houses we've viewed are just disgusting, you wonder how some people live like that, let alone are happy for people to come in and look around in that state.

mrgaz

Ohtsuki wrote: »

The wife and I are currently looking for a bungalow and parking for 2 cars is important so we always take a look outside at night when most people are home from work before making an appointment to view.

fancy quarrington ng34

phoebe1989seb

It's a pain, but it is what it is unfortunately

I think out of seven house sales, there's only been a couple of times when we've had no 'no shows'. We also had our fair share of tyre kickers/nosey parkers - either neighbours or people just wanting to see inside an *interesting* house, lol, as we've had some quirky, characterful properties. On one occasion the couple admitted to always having wanted to see inside, then went on to say from outside it looked like a haunted house on a film set - it was a Tudor house that coincidentally was in Essex!

Last house we sold, DH was showing a couple round while I took the dogs out for viewings. They were at the house for over two hours, enthusing over all the period features, the huge garden etc. Cash buyers too. Poor DH was convinced they were the ones who'd buy it - never heard from them again.

We also specified proceedable viewers only on that occasion. It made no difference, we still got the 'something to sell' and 'not yet on the market' brigade. Complete waste of time.

Regarding prepping for viewings, I think the minimum time it took us for our last four houses was a couple of hours, more for the first of those which was quite big/lots of rooms/floors/mezzanines etc. OTOH, we did perfect a quick whizz round routine which - when the viewings are coming thick and fast - is necessary. Also if you have one of those 'viewer wants to come right now' moments!

I'm sure you'll find a buyer really quickly and who knows, the couple today might have a genuine excuse! I know when we were selling one house we had two cancellations from the same person who eventually went on to be our buyer

Murphybear

phoebe1989seb wrote: »

It's a pain, but it is what it is unfortunately

I think out of seven house sales, there's only been a couple of times when we've had no 'no shows'. We also had our fair share of tyre kickers/nosey parkers - either neighbours or people just wanting to see inside an *interesting* house, lol, as we've had some quirky, characterful properties. On one occasion the couple admitted to always having wanted to see inside, then went on to say from outside it looked like a haunted house on a film set - it was a Tudor house that coincidentally was in Essex!

Last house we sold, DH was showing a couple round while I took the dogs out for viewings. They were at the house for over two hours, enthusing over all the period features, the huge garden etc. Cash buyers too. Poor DH was convinced they were the ones who'd buy it - never heard from them again.

We also specified proceedable viewers only on that occasion. It made no difference, we still got the 'something to sell' and 'not yet on the market' brigade. Complete waste of time.

Regarding prepping for viewings, I think the minimum time it took us for our last four houses was a couple of hours, more for the first of those which was quite big/lots of rooms/floors/mezzanines etc. OTOH, we did perfect a quick whizz round routine which - when the viewings are coming thick and fast - is necessary. Also if you have one of those 'viewer wants to come right now' moments!

I'm sure you'll find a buyer really quickly and who knows, the couple today might have a genuine excuse! I know when we were selling one house we had two cancellations from the same person who eventually went on to be our buyer

Down here in the West Country, especially Devon, viewing pretty thatched chocolate box cottages for fun is a popular pastime. We have a friend who had one, she was apparently swamped with people viewing, according to the EA most of them weren't looking to buy a house at all

trailingspouse

When I'm in 'house selling mode' I treat it as a job (and usually a pretty well-paid one!!). Hoover every day, even if no viewings booked. Keep the place tidy all the time. Yes, all the time. Then when there's a viewing booked it's just a case of checking that the bathroom is presentable and straightening the cushions.


If you have a lot of knick-knacks and personal items around the place, can I suggest you just box them up and put them under the bed - they're going to be boxed up when you move anyway, so make a start, and save yourself the trouble of moving them every time you have a viewing. I agree you need to keep the dog out of the way, but I don't think anyone would object to seeing things like its bed or feeding bowl.



We used to have a cat, and she was sat on the back of the sofa during one viewing - the lady went to stroke her, and the cat swiped at her and drew blood. She was normally a placid, friendly cat, no idea why she did it. They didn't buy the house...

Bossypants

xzibit wrote: »

When you're trying to sell a house you have to do these things. When we sold our last house we would spend 1-2 hours cleaning up, tidying, cleaning windows, cutting the lawn etc.

Having just accepted an offer on mine, I did not find it necessary to spend more than 20 mins preparing before viewings.

Mr.Generous

Sometimes its down to the EA making mistakes too, we had no show viewings on a renovation 30 mins drive away, one of the no shows called round a few days later to explain, they had arranged a viewing on a different property and turned up to the shock of the house seller while we waited in an empty house a few miles away.

The EA had messed up and notified wrong vendor but just blamed the buyer. We had enough no shows to say no viewings booked without a mobile number left for us to contact then we confirmed viewings before setting off.


It's the same with lettings to some extent, had 3 appointments to view Sat and 2 turned up. Nothing from 3rd guy. I had his number but as he didn't bother to contact neither did I. Both other viewers want the property luckily so its landlords choice of tenant.

[Deleted User]

Bossypants wrote: »

Respectfully, I think you are going to wear yourselves out like this, selling a house can take months before getting a bite, especially at this time of year and in this political climate. Can't you simplify? Give the kitchen and bathroom surfaces a quick wipe, run the vacuum round, one of you takes the dog for a drive for 15-20 minutes? I genuinely don't think viewers notice that much detail, as long as the place isn't grimy (which I'm sure it isn't even when you don't have viewers!), it almost certainly won't factor in whether people decide to offer or not. No reason to tire yourselves out before you even get into the stress of conveyancing!

I agree. People shouldn't care if you have a dog bowl or bed in the corner of the room, or photographs on the shelves. Most people with common sense would appreciate that its your home and you live there.

Plus, if it were me viewing it'd be a bonus to be able to meet and pet your dog