Excessive proofs required to view house?

TripleH

Flugelhorn said:

problem is that most of these sellers are going to be buyers in a few days and run into the same problems, they aren't really in charge of the market - the only people who are, are those selling a chain free property eg probate or surplus to requirements 

This sums the market up perfectly in my opinion over the last 18 months or so.

The problem has been that some sellers forget the power they have as sellers is significantly weakened when they become buyers.

Hobby83

Not sure why everyone is getting up in arms with the OP. I view 40 properties before I found the perfect one. I was not trying to waste anyone time I was genuinely actively looking for a home. A couple of things...the estate agents were always adding viewing to properties they think I would like against my criteria. Secondly when spending way over half and million on an item I want to make sure it is the right one for me and not willing to settle. Please note that does not mean I was asking for the world on a stick but I had 3/4 non-negotiables. I would be very clear about those non-negotiables however if the estate agent did not listen that is down to them not me. I am not apologetic about it in the slightest. 

So back to the original poster question. I have been asked for a mortgage in principle and have been asked to show that my own flat is under offer but other than that, nothing. I do think what they are asking is excessive. I would also question on GDPR 

Thrugelmir

zzzt said:

caprikid1 said:

"because it's the sellers who LIE with their pictures"

Not sure how a picture can lie but I will bow to your greater wisdom.

I drove over an hour to view a property which looked lovely. I imagined it would be my dream home and was planning on making an offer immediately.

It turns out, it was extremely dated. It had the original oven from 30 years ago (never seen such a thing since the 80s). The dated wallpaper had stains all over it and was peeling off. The carpets were in a terrible state in the corners.

I was so disappointed. Afterwards I went back and looked at the pictures of it, and what they'd done is strategically take pictures at certain angles so that, for example, only the very edge of the oven was visible, and they had been retouched so that some of the damage couldn't be seen. And that's without mentioning the wide angle lens shots that make things look three times the size they actually are.

I honestly don't know what your problem is, you just seem like a !!!!!! to me for no reason.

Decor, carpets, fittings can be replaced. One needs to look past the cosmetic at first sight issues to what the property could be. 

As for the EA wanting XYZ. People do talk to each other. Even though they are in a competitive business. No one likes to waste their time. 

Flugelhorn

I have only ever been asked "what our position is" - we told them that we were cash buyers and they took our word for it, never had to prove it to anyone until offer accepted, other than a new estate when I was looking for a house for one of the kids and they still insisted that I would have to see their mortgage / financial person before I could view to discuss the mortgage I didn't need presumably?

youth_leader

As someone that sparkle cleaned my big old house for every viewing, I can understand this.  I also cancelled a few social invites to accommodate viewers.   I always felt very disappointed when I learnt viewers weren't procedable.

I eventually sold at auction as I thought that every viewer would be in position to bid. I had moved most of my possessions to a rental, but the house was still furnished.

One young woman in her twenties was doing all the viewings, and in my opinion they allowed too many viewers at once, there were six cars in my drive on one of the days.  I wasn't particularly happy about so many people wandering around unsupervised, especially when I found things had been broken - the handle on the Aga being one example.  But the worst day was when I asked the young woman how it was going - and she said 'oh great - one viewer liked it so much she said she was going straight home to put her house on the market'.