Floor Plan from vendor way out to EPC

HampshireH

leroyJ said:

Have to say I totally disagree with most of the comments here. 

The floorplan is part of the sales literature, any misrepresentation here (intentional or not) can have a crucial effect on the sales
process, i.e. the number of viewings and offers. 

Yes of course you see the property for yourself to get a feel for the size, but it’s disingenuous to ask someone to bring a tape measure and go through every room. That work has already been done, and you would assume by someone with good intentions.

When viewing properties, some may have lots of furniture in, some may be cluttered and messy. Seeing the full potential size is not easy, hence the floorplan and why it’s one of the first things people look at one rightmove/zoopla.

I would totally be asking for a reduction on the agreed price for this.

Why? Surely you wouldn't put an offer in before viewing and therefore any offer is based on the size of the property when viewing and if it means a person's criteria.

I think asking for a reduction in price would be laughable. You offer what you think it's worth.

The person who should have the biggest gripe with the EA should be the seller if they got no offers due to it AND with themselves for no checking the accuracy of their advert.

The prospective buyer isn't impacted at all but is just a little put out.

EAs will write anything to draw attention. We've all seen the most grotty, pokey properties described as spacious palaces. You have to do your own research

leroyJ

HampshireH said:

leroyJ said:

Have to say I totally disagree with most of the comments here. 

The floorplan is part of the sales literature, any misrepresentation here (intentional or not) can have a crucial effect on the sales
process, i.e. the number of viewings and offers. 

Yes of course you see the property for yourself to get a feel for the size, but it’s disingenuous to ask someone to bring a tape measure and go through every room. That work has already been done, and you would assume by someone with good intentions.

When viewing properties, some may have lots of furniture in, some may be cluttered and messy. Seeing the full potential size is not easy, hence the floorplan and why it’s one of the first things people look at one rightmove/zoopla.

I would totally be asking for a reduction on the agreed price for this.

Why? Surely you wouldn't put an offer in before viewing and therefore any offer is based on the size of the property when viewing and if it means a person's criteria.

I think asking for a reduction in price would be laughable. You offer what you think it's worth.

The person who should have the biggest gripe with the EA should be the seller if they got no offers due to it AND with themselves for no checking the accuracy of their advert.

The prospective buyer isn't impacted at all but is just a little put out.

EAs will write anything to draw attention. We've all seen the most grotty, pokey properties described as spacious palaces. You have to do your own research

I think I already answered this in my previous post.  You don't know the full exact size just from the viewings.  You have your own "look-and-feel" but you are somewhat reliant on the sales literature to be an accurate representation.  Yes obviously these can be incorrect, but if it's massively off, that hasn't just impacted the buyer, but also other potential buyers, which could have driven the price artificially higher.

For example, where I live, all the houses on our road and adjacent roads are the same layout, all must have been built at the same time.  However, for some reason the houses on our road the houses are slightly bigger. It's not really noticeable but when you add it all up it works out to about the size of a small room.

And your point about EA's will write anything to draw attention.  Yes they will, and they will keep doing it if you let them get away with it!  

user1977

leroyJ said:

HampshireH said:

leroyJ said:

Have to say I totally disagree with most of the comments here. 

The floorplan is part of the sales literature, any misrepresentation here (intentional or not) can have a crucial effect on the sales
process, i.e. the number of viewings and offers. 

Yes of course you see the property for yourself to get a feel for the size, but it’s disingenuous to ask someone to bring a tape measure and go through every room. That work has already been done, and you would assume by someone with good intentions.

When viewing properties, some may have lots of furniture in, some may be cluttered and messy. Seeing the full potential size is not easy, hence the floorplan and why it’s one of the first things people look at one rightmove/zoopla.

I would totally be asking for a reduction on the agreed price for this.

Why? Surely you wouldn't put an offer in before viewing and therefore any offer is based on the size of the property when viewing and if it means a person's criteria.

I think asking for a reduction in price would be laughable. You offer what you think it's worth.

The person who should have the biggest gripe with the EA should be the seller if they got no offers due to it AND with themselves for no checking the accuracy of their advert.

The prospective buyer isn't impacted at all but is just a little put out.

EAs will write anything to draw attention. We've all seen the most grotty, pokey properties described as spacious palaces. You have to do your own research

Yes obviously these can be incorrect, but if it's massively off, that hasn't just impacted the buyer, but also other potential buyers, which could have driven the price artificially higher.

But it doesn't seem to have, given the surveyors think the agreed price is actually fine.

AdrianC

leroyJ said:
I think I already answered this in my previous post.  You don't know the full exact size just from the viewings.  You have your own "look-and-feel" but you are somewhat reliant on the sales literature to be an accurate representation.

Why is a number on a piece of paper a more important factor than the impression you gain from viewing?

If you can't tell 45% difference between the number and reality, then the number is clearly functionally meaningless to you, let alone if you look at that floorplan and can't tell that the number itself is clearly inaccurate.

leroyJ

AdrianC said:
Why is a number on a piece of paper a more important factor than the impression you gain from viewing?

If you can't tell 45% difference between the number and reality, then the number is clearly functionally meaningless to you, let alone if you look at that floorplan and can't tell that the number itself is clearly inaccurate.

The number is important to me, because I'm using it to compare the property to others.  It's one of the first things I look at one RightMove/Zoopla.  I'll dismiss properties under a certain size automatically.  Maybe I'm doing it wrong?  I don't know. I've ended up with a nice large house so I think it worked out ok.  You can't view every property, so you look for ways to target certain properties.
Yes 45% increase in floor space is obviously very high, and you would expect the error to be obvious.  But it sounds like it wasn't in the case for the buyer here?  

AdrianC

leroyJ said:

AdrianC said:
Why is a number on a piece of paper a more important factor than the impression you gain from viewing?

If you can't tell 45% difference between the number and reality, then the number is clearly functionally meaningless to you, let alone if you look at that floorplan and can't tell that the number itself is clearly inaccurate.

The number is important to me, because I'm using it to compare the property to others.  It's one of the first things I look at one RightMove/Zoopla.  I'll dismiss properties under a certain size automatically.  Maybe I'm doing it wrong?  I don't know. I've ended up with a nice large house so I think it worked out ok.  You can't view every property, so you look for ways to target certain properties.
Yes 45% increase in floor space is obviously very high, and you would expect the error to be obvious.  But it sounds like it wasn't in the case for the buyer here?  

Did you see the floorplan in question?
Does the given figure look even remotely credible to you from a quick glance at that floorplan?


If the floor area on the floorplan is so essential to you, what do you do about the majority of floorplans, which aren't dimensioned? Or those listings without a floorplan at all?

leroyJ

Yes I did see this. Just because to you this seems obvious, why assume the same for others?  Especially as the person who posted has already said they didn't originally see the error.
The majority of floorplans are dimensioned.  When I was searching for my house it was very rare to find one that wasn't.  Maybe this is more of a case for London properties, where every sqm matters.

Robbo66

How does the price stack up with similar properties in the area, if they are similar then what does it matter what the floor plan says

saajan_12

leroyJ said:

Have to say I totally disagree with most of the comments here. 

The floorplan is part of the sales literature, any misrepresentation here (intentional or not) can have a crucial effect on the sales process, i.e. the number of viewings and offers. - offers, yes. Selling price, no - as  a viewing should expose a material change in size and allow repricing at that stage.  

Yes of course you see the property for yourself to get a feel for the size, but it’s disingenuous to ask someone to bring a tape measure and go through every room. - not on a first viewing, but once you decide you're serious, then checking the floor space is part of the due dilligence, via 2nd viewing / survey / valuation, just like all the legals are checked. 
That work has already been done, and you would assume by someone with good intentions. - then that's a poor assumption. The floorplan is done by an agent, employed to maximise the selling price for their client. They have to take reasonable steps to not intentionally mislead, but that's not the same as someone on your team making checks on your behalf. 

When viewing properties, some may have lots of furniture in, some may be cluttered and messy. Seeing the full potential size is not easy, hence the floorplan and why it’s one of the first things people look at one rightmove/zoopla.

I would totally be asking for a reduction on the agreed price for this.- The time to ask for a reduction is at the viewing / survey / valuation, ie immediately upon finding out the actual size. Beyond that, the buyer progressed knowing what they're buying and now would only be quibbling over a number on a paper. 

The point is more or aggressive advertising might get more interest / viewings, but the expectation is this is an informed purchase. A 2nd viewing / survey / vaulation would bring the actual size to light very early in the process, and the offer adjusted at that stage, meaning there's no real impact on the final selling price due to the advertising. 

A seller who under advertised and just didn't get the interest will always get fewer viewings, but that's their choice. 

At this stage, the buyer proceeding post viewing and the valuation coming back okay both indicate that the sale price is fine for te actual size, and no reduction would be forthcoming. 

leroyJ

saajan_12 said:

A seller who under advertised and just didn't get the interest will always get fewer viewings, but that's their choice. 

Sorry but disagree on the term "under advertised".  Sellers who are truthful with their marketing material are losing out to those that are aren't.
It's pointless to try and calibrate theoretical prices (i.e. similar properties sold in the area).  As we all know, pricing a house is highly subjective and down to many small factors, one important one being the competition of other buyers.