Estate Agent Wont Let Me View Properties Until My Existing Home is Under Offer

blueskies1985

It’s usually down to the vendor. If they’ve already had a hundred unproceedable viewings, perhaps a fall through etc they won’t want someone who can’t realistically buy it yet, to come and have a gander round their house. 

Similarly the estate agent doesn’t want to waste precious time during the day showing you round when you might be months off from selling your own.

Sarahspangles

I knew an older couple who viewed houses as a hobby, to the point they were black listed by some estate agents!

mlz1413

I came across this but it was only certain houses, not the EA policy. 

I accept that you need to have your house on the market and/or have a mortgage in principle, but I find the 'only view when proceedable' rule a bit strange.

This assumes all chains have to start with a 1st time buyer and slowly add each house to the chain, in sequence. 

I'd assume a lot start with 2 properties and then the seller/s commit to properties and so complete a chain.

Elliott.T123

Personally I would probably be happy to allow viewings to unproceedable buyers, however any offers would be on the basis that the property remains on the market until they are proceedable.

RHemmings

mlz1413 said:

This assumes all chains have to start with a 1st time buyer and slowly add each house to the chain, in sequence. 

Some chains may start with someone who isn't a FTB. People may sell and go into rented. People may return from overseas. People might be able to afford to buy without selling their own house first. People may be buying a second property to rent out, use as a holiday home, or gift to family. 

kingstreet

PotatoFactory said:

I tried to arrange a viewing and they basically fobbed me off saying they wouldn't work with me on any viewings until my own home was under offer. 

How is that reasonable? Surely the properties they are selling are in chains too?

Are you on the market? With this agent, or a different one?

lemonie2000

We viewed our current house before ours was even on the market. We then put our house on the market with intention of buying this house. It all worked out but if we hadn't been allowed to view it initially then we'd never have bought it as so few properties in our area come up that meet our needs going on the market first would have been a waste of everyone's time.

TripleH

This is where open house days are useful.

We went to one when we were buying.

We did put in an offer but the seller wasn't eager to sell as it turns out. They only filled in half the form, refused to answer queries and then kicked up a fuss because their onward purchase (despite being a chain free sale) fell through.

We also came across 3 other sellers in that time who seemed to be 'speculative sellers' so it can work both ways as well.

Murphybear

Sarahspangles said:

I knew an older couple who viewed houses as a hobby, to the point they were black listed by some estate agents!

When we lived in Devon we had a friend who had a chocolate box thatched cottage.  When she decided to sell it she was swamped with people wanting to look.  This was pre Covid so the EA back then wasn’t worried about only sending people who were proceedable.

in the end she had a good offer from a property developer so she took it.  

I must admit I have viewed a few properties in the past that were just for fun.  

dander

I'd have to ask, why do you want to view when you are not under offer?  You're not in a position to offer on it, no matter how much you like it - or at least you can offer but no-one is going to accept the offer.
If  there's something special about the house which might be so great that you are prepared to do something dramatic to get a quick sale on yours, take a bridging loan etc, then tell the estate agent all about what might make you a more useful prospect than you appear. Or if you've literally just put yours on the market and you have some solid reason to believe that you've got a popular property in an area where things are flying, again, tell the agent why you think you'll be proceedable very soon.