How long would you expect a viewing to last?

natasha22

Hello, just wondering how long people spent at viewings? We are increasingly finding that estate agents are rushing us through viewings and wondered if we are just taking too long? 
We viewed 2 properties yesterday (arrived on time etc) and within less than 15 min the estate agent's were ushering us out. We've previously been asked what we thought of the house etc before even getting up stairs? Equally weve had viewings where we've been back at home, with the estate agent asking us if we will offer within 35 min of the start time of the viewing! 

We are viewing three bed properties with external spaces like gardens, garages etc. We have viewed multiple properties over the last few months and wondered if the estate agents no longer see us as serious.

We wondered if we were looking too much at things, that people book a second viewing for (eg one of the ones yesterday we were looking at the damp in one corner, and we looked at a window that was obviously stuffed with news paper to see if we could see if it was broken). Would people normally ask to see brick built garages, and go to the garden boundary  for example or do people normally just stand at the door way in first viewings? One property we attempted to book a second viewing for was sold before we could do so (was a 1700 property with some obvious things like cracks, that we wanted to look at in a bit more detail) .

davidmcn

15 mins sounds fair enough for a viewing. You'll already (presumably) have seen photos, floor plans and done a bit of research about the area, so you're really just looking for disrepair or any other surprises, and there are limits to how long you can spend standing in a room looking for non-existent defects. Demanding immediate feedback (or offers!) is a bit excessive though.

mr_stripey

I've decided to buy a house in less time than I've taken to choose what main course I want in a restaurant before.
15 mins should be plenty unless the house in enormous! 

AdrianC

For a first viewing, you can be out relatively quickly if you twig it really isn't for you.
If you do like it, then ask for a second, longer viewing. Nobody is realistically expecting an offer after 15min.

Have you considered that perhaps the EAs themselves aren't particularly comfortable in other people's homes in the current situation? And even that they're getting busier...?

RelievedSheff

When we have viewed properties first viewings have always been around about 15 minutes unless it was really obvious that we didn't like the house in which case 5-10 minutes has been plenty. Second viewings have usually been a little bit longer.

natasha22

We've  definitely seen some where 15 min was plenty. Normally where it was empty.
We are looking at older properties and due to our budget normally in a state of disrepair (eg both houses yesterday had noticeable defects with windows) 

Annoyingly the most popular estate agent in this area doesnt tend to upload floor plans (we've askes before and they said they sell so quick it isnt worth it!) Although annoyingly give you a copy once you are already at the house! The other house we viewed yesterday also isnt on rightmove yet so no photos yet.

Its seems common practice here for example to not show you things like garages.

MovingForwards

I spent about an hour viewing the flat I purchased as I wanted to listen to what noise is heard from inside (trainline at the back), then about 20 minutes about the back looking at the building / roof, garden, boundary, how the garden walls were looking, how much noise (Trainline and a few other things) was outside, about 10 minutes looking at the front / roof of the property and about 5 minutes looking at the side.

As I'm partly responsible for repairs / maintenance to the communal areas / exterior, I wanted to know if everything was fine. Due to being responsible for the inside I had to give it a good look, test things open / close, switch on etc.

I knew from the photos / floor plan, Google searches etc I would be buying it, but wanted to see what would need doing straight away and what would wait.

Of course you can poke your head in and say, yes, I will take it. But this isn't a rental and will cost you money to buy and for its upkeep. 

Jeepers_Creepers

Blimey! Viewings we have made - either for ourselves or for helping family members with their choices - have tended to approach 30 minutes duration, but all the time we communicate with the EA (if present) asking Qs, but also checking that 'time is ok?'.

And, always, we have looked around the whole property including the land or garden, a quick glance in the garage, and sometimes we will individually just stop for 20-odd seconds in a room to get a sense of whether it's a place that we'll feel content in. 

I'd be highly p'-off if an estate agent tried to hurry us out the door after 15 minutes.

I fear - as you suspect - it's because you have 'viewed multiple properties over the last few months'. Good chance they have you tagged as either undecisive or just too fussy. You only have to look at Kirstie and Phil's barely concealed frustration when a series of perfectly acceptable homes are poo-pooed by a fussy client :-)

caprikid1

"I fear - as you suspect - it's because you have 'viewed multiple properties over the last few months'. Good chance they have you tagged as either undecisive or just too fussy."
In my area property is selling fast at the moment, whether that is short lived or not but estate agents value their time and they are viewing you as a time waster. I have bought several properties over the years and only ever view about 4 or 5. I have narrowed down my requirements, used google street view , studied the online photos extensively before visiting. When I actually get to view it just re-affirms what I know. I guess I might be different in that I don't worry about the small niggles but pay for a good survey. 

Hannimal

I was looking for 2-3 bed houses and I also found 15 minutes for some properties was just not enough, especially if there was a bigger garden or it needed some work. Some estate agents booked viewing back-to-back with 15 min slots so I did feel very rushed and with at least one property that put me off putting an offer. It sold quickly so it could've been my loss, but I wasn't willing to offer on a property I didn't have time to inspect. The one I am now buying I spent about 15-20 minutes at. I viewed quite a few and put in 3 offers before getting this one (although one of them I pulled after I viewed this)

Edit: almost all EAs in Bristol are doing 15 min back-to-back viewings since lockdown was lifted, especially on newly listed and inhabited properties. I wouldn't take it personally!

Hannimal

caprikid1 said:

"I fear - as you suspect - it's because you have 'viewed multiple properties over the last few months'. Good chance they have you tagged as either undecisive or just too fussy."
In my area property is selling fast at the moment, whether that is short lived or not but estate agents value their time and they are viewing you as a time waster. I have bought several properties over the years and only ever view about 4 or 5. I have narrowed down my requirements, used google street view , studied the online photos extensively before visiting. When I actually get to view it just re-affirms what I know. I guess I might be different in that I don't worry about the small niggles but pay for a good survey. 

This has got to be so specific to your area. I was looking for about 3 weeks before I found the place and I viewed 12 properties. I put offers in on 4 with two rejected (both offers above asking), one accepted and another one I pulled (they wanted to wait over the weekend to see if they'd get asking which I wasn't willing to pay for that property and in meanwhile I found the one I'm buying). Three estate agents I had two viewings with so they knew I saw a few places and didn't offer on everything. I don't think I was faffing about at all of being "fussy", and would be surprised if someone thought I was, I just wanted the right place and when the property market moves fast sometimes you end up not getting your offer accepted and sometimes you decide upon seeing a place that for some reason it is not for you. 

Granted, this will depend on the property market and some of my friends were much quicker - my best friend bought the second place she saw at asking price (viewed & had offer accepted first day after lockdown that viewings were allowed). That property would now sell for much more.