House Viewing -AWKWARD!!

amieloustew · 21 October 2019 at 11:30AM

Myself and my partner are first time buyers and have been looking for properties for the past couple of months. Budget £100K and hoping to put down between a 8-10% deposit.

We had a viewing at a property last week and we really like it - great area, property needs next to no work (just personal decor changes), sellers move into new build property fairly soon.

However, the viewing was really awkward. I was expecting to meet with an estate agent or a representative of the estate agent however it was the property owners showing us around and it felt really awkward. It felt like they were trying too hard and I felt I couldn't have a proper nosey around as they were in the house.

My question is, can I arrange a second viewing and request that they aren't present? I assume they have chosen to deal with viewing themselves and oped not to involve a representative. Is this rude?

Any advise is much appreciated.

Amie

Niv · 21 October 2019 at 11:35AM

You could ask but I think that may become even more awkward. When i sold my house I generally made myself scares however there were occasions when I was home. I just stayed in the living room.

You could try to arrange a viewing during work hours (I know not everyone works 9-5 Mon-Fri- but tis a thought!) so that there is less chance of them being home?

[Deleted User] · 21 October 2019 at 11:39AM

As awkward as it was, you shouldn't really have held back on the first viewing regardless of who was doing it. If you wanted to have a closer look at something or somewhere, you should have just said. After all, they are trying to sell you their house and sure they would have obliged.

Its not uncommon to have a second viewing so i'd arrange another one but approach it with a bit more confidence this time. Have a written list of questions you'd like to ask. If theres something you'd like to see more of then tell them.

bopsybunny · 21 October 2019 at 11:42AM

It's their home so it's their choice as to whether to allow it, but I'd be surprised if they didn't accommodate your request, as they are trying to sell. I don't think you're being rude in asking for that. If you're going to buy a house, you want to feel that you've had the opportunity to have a proper good look around, in your own time and in enough detail. If the owners made you feel like you couldn't look properly, I'd worry they were hiding something. They could have just felt nervous and slightly awkward themselves.

If they haven't paid for the estate agent to hold viewings, they might just let you have a look around while they stay in another room or in the garden or something. We usually got showed round by the owner, and then (at the same appointment) looked around every room again on our own.

Personally I preferred being shown around homes by the owners, as they actually know things about the property and it was good to get their perspective on why they bought the house to start with, and why they were selling. Also good to get a decent rapport with them if it becomes a bidding war with other potential buyers! We had several bad experiences with estate agents not showing up at all and nobody being home, leaving us stranded knocking on the door of an empty house!

Crumble2018 · 21 October 2019 at 11:42AM

I have never NOT been shown around by the vendor! Surely it's standard unless the property is already empty??

Niv · 21 October 2019 at 11:47AM

Crumble2018 wrote: »

I have never NOT been shown around by the vendor! Surely it's standard unless the property is already empty??

No its not 'standard'. I have only ever shown around a perspective buyer if the EA was not available. It was just part of their service.

davidmcn · 21 October 2019 at 11:48AM

Crumble2018 wrote: »

I have never NOT been shown around by the vendor! Surely it's standard unless the property is already empty??

From previous discussions here it seems to a large extent to be a regional thing - it's certainly the norm in Scotland for owner-occupiers to do viewings (unless it's a time they can't manage), and would be downright weird for a buyer to ask for anything else. Think the OP just needs to be brave enough to nose around as they wish. If of course the sellers are actually preventing them from doing so, beware!

borkid · 21 October 2019 at 11:49AM

We've always shown people around when selling. First we take them around pointing out things and answering questions then we let them walk around by themselves ( I make sure valubles are out of the way). I've only had one incident when a child, about 10, picked up my guitar and tried to play it. It was only when I told him to put it down that the parents stepped in and told him not to touch anything. Luckily it was only my cheap guiatr if it had been my good one I would have flipped.

From my experience people usually ask for a second viewing and often bring another family member often mum. You could always ask to be left to look around by yourselves so you can 'discuss things in private'. When viewing I've even taken photos, asked first, we did have a 2 hour journey to view though so couldn't pop back easily to check.

stripeyfox · 21 October 2019 at 11:50AM

I've always showed people round my house when I'm selling it. To be honest, I think I do a better job than any estate agent could. But I agree it can be an awkward ordeal for both parties. I normally give them the quick tour and then ask them if they want to look around some more then field any questions they may have.

Thing I've found is it is all very polite and you don't get much real feedback. I suppose no one is going to say to your face "I hate your house, I wouldn't live here in a million years".

RelievedSheff · 21 October 2019 at 11:51AM

We showed all of the potential buyers around our old house. It is the norm where we are based.

We did try and show them each room first and then let them have a look around again themselves while we made ourselves scarce.

We must have done an OK job as the first people of the five to to view it on the Saturday ended up offering and securing it on the Monday!

amieloustew · 21 October 2019 at 11:55AM

Deleted_User wrote: »

As awkward as it was, you shouldn't really have held back on the first viewing regardless of who was doing it. If you wanted to have a closer look at something or somewhere, you should have just said. After all, they are trying to sell you their house and sure they would have obliged.

It's hard to explain but I get your point completely. We did get an opportunity to look around by ourselves and they did leave us alone but I just think they felt as or even more uncomfortable than we were.

I may try to go back with my mum or my partners mum and from the outset say we would like to have a nosey alone.

Thanks again for your response, so new to this and getting paranoid over tiny things!

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House Viewing -AWKWARD!!

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