Viewings repeatedly cancelled

Querym

We have just put our property on the market with an Assisted move scheme, part of which entails selling below market value in the hope of beating the competition and securing a quick sale. We are keen to move quick so we can reserve the new build we want and ensure it is ours. However within three days of being on the market, we have had 4 viewings booked, and they have all cancelled last minute or simply not bothered turning up. Having entered the process full of optimism, this is a huge disappointment to say the least.
I just can't understand why people do this, do potential buyers feel they have no need for common courtesy in this process?
We have spent hours rearranging plans and getting everything looking its best, including having to leg it from my young child's hospital bedside, so I could get things ready and let them in...and they didn't even bother to call to let anyone know. 'They thought they'd emailed' was the trite response. Has anyone else have this issue? I really hope it does get better. Having marketed our property at a lower value than we could have, we can't even get a viable cash offer from an investment company now, and I'm already thinking this would have been much easier. Would be interested to hear if anyone else has had this experience..thank you!

lookstraightahead

I think it's a buyers market. It's rude but that's what folk are like. Also they're browsing. It's like walking into a shop and not buying anything.

Crashy_Time

lookstraightahead wrote: »

I think it's a buyers market. It's rude but that's what folk are like. Also they're browsing. It's like walking into a shop and not buying anything.

Nowhere near a true buyers market yet IMO, people are just scared by the political incompetence they see on the news every day, and the legal default of "No Deal" looking more likely unless there are some serious concessions from the EU.

hazyjo

Is there something that's putting them off which you've switched off to?


Car park? Busy road? Parking issues? Pub? Scruffy houses next door? Industrial estate round the corner? So many things, I'll leave it there.


I had one viewer say my street was too 'higgledy-piggledy' for them. It had many different styles of houses in, but was one straight bloody line like any other street! Some people are just plain weird and things you wouldn't even think would be a problem can put them off.

Querym

Although we live in a pretty, home counties village, the road that we are on can be quite busy at times, so I did wonder whether that might be a problem. Some of the viewings have been booked around school pick up times, so we do get all the school traffic trailing past, albeit not for very long. The house itself has a lovely aspect, the road itself is nice, and the neighboring houses are nice, so I can't imagine it could be anything else.

Cakeguts

Who decided on the asking price? Does it reflect that you are on a busy road?

G_M

It's par for the course.


Same thing happens when you ask a contractor round to quote for work.



Or try to let a property and set upappointments for prospective tenants.


People are people.

SmashedAvacado

if you are doing the viewings which is implied from your post - i would ask for the buyer's number in advance of the viewing (just in case there are issues). Ring them a couple of hours before to check they are still coming (you can dress this up as confirmation that you have parking available if they're not sure or something similar).

Finchy2018

When I used to do viewings I would phone the morning of to confirm. I would leave a voicemail saying if I don't hear back from you I will assume you won't be attending. If they were still a no show they got one more opportunity any more than that an I'm not wasting my time especially on a Saturday when you have back to back viewings for 6 hours.

PrettyKittyKat

How frustrating for you! We had a couple of people not show up over the several months our house has been up for sale, but we've had many many people turn up as agreed! I also think it is super rude. Part of the difficulty has been that one of the viewings was the evening so I did think how if someone had meant they couldn't make it they would have no way of letting the agent know as the office was closed. Sadly I think people don't care that the seller has to get the house ready, ensure they are home, maybe even put off eating their dinner until it's finished etc.

Crashy_Time

SmashedAvacado wrote: »

if you are doing the viewings which is implied from your post - i would ask for the buyer's number in advance of the viewing (just in case there are issues). Ring them a couple of hours before to check they are still coming (you can dress this up as confirmation that you have parking available if they're not sure or something similar).

That has a desperate feel to it and won`t make any difference if the house is over-priced IMO, and it will probably encourage prospective buyers to lower their offer price.