Cannot view any property until I get the offer on mine

raygcon

I guess the question is if this is normal practice now?

Long story short, been shopping around for the agent, end up with one that I think they are the best around this area. Now have my property put on the market.
I thought maybe this is a good time to check around properties that I'm interested so when I got my offer then I can start proceeding quickly

First viewing request got rejected, the agent remember me and my property and asked me why didn't I choose her. I didn't reply, then after a while she came back to me saying the owner won't let me view until I got the offer on my flat.

Second viewing got rejected, the agent call me and ask about my property as he supposed to evaluate mine but I cancel as I already got the agent ( I'm surprised they even remember me at all! ). He said until I got the offer, he won't let me view the property and also mention that flat in my development doesn't sell so it will takes too long he cannot wait for that.

I wonder if I am a totally new buyer, with AIP ( I already got one BTW ) and never have my detail in their system , will they allow me to view those properties still? It sounds as if they already have the access to my information + being a bit salty about not choosing them is a big factor here.

[Deleted User]

Some buyers may have instructed their agents to refuse viewings to people who are a long way from being proceedable, which is perhaps understandable in this climate.  But it won't apply to all.

eidand

It seems to be the norm these days, you're not the only one to have this issue.
Salty has nothing to do with it if you buy through them, they get their fee so it's in their interest to be nice to you ..

AdrianC

Nothing whatsoever to do with being miffed you didn't use them. They're used to that.

Simply... Put the boot on the other foot. Your flat is going on the market. You spend time getting it all prepped, for covid precautions you make yourself scarce...
Then the viewing turns out to be somebody who isn't proceedable because they're only just marketing their own place...
How would you view that viewing and any subsequent offer? A waste of everybody's time? Precisely.

getmore4less

Deleted_User said:

Some buyers may have instructed their agents to refuse viewings to people who are a long way from being proceedable, which is perhaps understandable in this climate.  But it won't apply to all.

They are the next link up no offer now viewings for them 

then you will get those that have an offer that will only view places that have offers.

catch 22

Market grinds to a halt as chain links get formed one at a time from the bottom or maybe from the top if they are not so daft.

you bery quickly  where the only people that can view are the FTB and cash buyers.

moneysavinghero

You are trying to sell a flat.
EA knows that no one wants to buy flats currently.
Therefore EA knows its a waste of time.

cattie

moneysavinghero said:

You are trying to sell a flat.
EA knows that no one wants to buy flats currently.
Therefore EA knows its a waste of time.

Strange how 2 flats have sold on the development I live on recently. I guess the buyers never realised that flats just weren't selling when they decided to offer. )  Also, most cities in the uk consist mainly of flats, so that must mean nobody whatsoever is wanting to buy in a city. Guess the ea's situated in cities may as well shut up shop!

Op, whenever I've put a property up for sale I always tell ea not to allow viewers who still have a property to sell to come to have a look around. It saves wasting everybody's time. Pointless getting offers from anyone who isn't proceedable

Hannimal

All of this is entirely normal during COVID times.

HummingBird76

moneysavinghero said:

You are trying to sell a flat.
EA knows that no one wants to buy flats currently.
Therefore EA knows its a waste of time.

Incorrect.  My flat sold within 2 days of going onto the market and by quite some bit over what I'd hoped for.

NortheastEA

This is taken from the gov website regards viewings:

• We encourage buyers and renters to do their initial property searches online wherever possible. Initial viewings should also be done virtually, and in-person viewings should only take place when buyers are seriously considering a property.

• To support this, agents may ask home occupiers to conduct virtual viewings. This will help reduce the number of properties people need to visit before finding their future home.

Most agents and sellers in my area are only taking viewings from "serious" buyers and this has been interpreted as only those that can buy now so those with nothing to sell or under offer/sold subject to contract - as you have a house to sell albeit on the market but without an offer then if you rang my agency or any in my area you would be politely declined a physical viewing - an alternative in the way of a video tour (available online) or a facetime call between you and seller would be suggested - you would then be put on a standby list if interested and once under offer if the house is still available.
If the market changes and homes stop selling as quickly this interpretation may be relaxed but that depends on the agent, seller and the local conditions - my area is on the watch list so we are very cautious around viewings fro buyers that cant actually buy ..... yet!