Third Viewing?!

[TiffanyAtBreakfast]

We're five months along in the process of selling our flat. Just waiting for the buyer to sign her contract and return it to her solicitor, and will then (hopefully!) be given a completion date!

For clarity - The buyer made her offer after her first viewing and we accepted. She also had a long second viewing very soon afterwards, just to get a feel for it and measure up which was fine.

However, she has just asked if she can see the flat a third time, and wants to bring a builder friend along to assess things like plumbing / heating . The block of flats is only 4 years old, and I thought those kind of checks were what you purchased a homebuyers survey for, at the beginning of the process, if you are concerned? She chose to have the basic valuation done so obviously wasn't worried at the time.

I wouldn't necessarily mind, and am aware that three viewings isn't excessive, but:

A) We found her second visit very intrusive - She said she would be popping in to measure up but spent 50 minutes (!) in our tiny 2 bed flat. We didn't feel we could just stand in each room with them, so I have no idea how they managed to take that long or what they were doing, it was all a bit awkward. She then started questioning us about potentially going into rented so that she can move in sooner (there is no way we can afford to)

B) She got very shirty when we passed her 'personal deadline' for completion, despite all of us doing our best to return things quickly and being on the solicitors backs constantly.

C) As we have so much crap stuff, we thought we'd get a head start, and have packed the majority of our things up. The flat is a bit chaotic - Boxes everywhere and furniture broken down. I really don't want another long visit, where we'll have to move heavy boxes for her builder to get to things just to tell us what we already know, that everything is fine! Plus we are going away in the next few weeks and it's just inconvenient.

Sorry for the length of this post. The summary of it is - Do we have to agree to this viewing now that we are almost at completion stage? I'm a bit worried they will pull out if we say no, but surely they have paid fees etc already as we have, and won't want to do that?

Any advice would be much appreciated

[longtallsally2]

They probably won't pull out, but on the other hand, you don't have to move heavy boxes for her builder. He can do that if she needs access to anything.

As someone who was wondering if we could have a third viewing prior to signing, and is hesitating to ask for fear of being a nuisance, I would say that buying a flat or house is a huge undertaking and that I you can manage it, it would be really kind of you to let her in once more, before she parts with her money. (I have been to see an expensive outfit up to three times before reaching a final decision sometimes!!) Each time I visit the house I have seen something new, and she may be like me and just want one more look. However, you are entitled to say no if you want to, or to make it very clear that you will be in and watching TV, or doing whatever you intended to do.

[wowfudge]

If it's only 4 years old, a lot of things which might be of interest/concern will be covered by the NHBC guarantee surely? Some FTB can be over cautious and read things into surveys and build up unwarranted worries about items that are of no great concern.

Can you ask what specifically she wants to know and see if you can deal with it without a third visit - you can always say, 'we're in the throes of packing and the place is a bit of a mess, is it something we can provide the answers on for you instead of you having to come round?' and see what she comes back with.

I would be concerned that she might be looking for something to use as an excuse to drop her offer at this stage, but then again she could just be overly cautious. You could also offer her a 15 minute slot on a day to suit you and say you need to go out somewhere by a certain time so she has to leave when you want.

[Fairywhitebear]

Personally, I'd say no.

But then, I've just had a buyer pull out at this stage. In fact, 2 days before exchange. When he'd paid out £1300 + vat. Buyers do pull out sadly.

I don't think any thing is done and dusted until the money is in your bank!

As you say, the flat is 4 yrs old. Incidentally, do you have storage heaters? Buyers do seem to get cold feet about this.

[TiffanyAtBreakfast]

Thanks for the speedy responses! longtallsally2, I do appreciate the desire to have a really good look, it's a lot of money to part with and it's a huge commitment for a FTB. That was me this time four years ago so I feel their pain! But I'm still inclined to think that the huge long visit last time was adequate viewing time. They took photos, measured up and asked lots of questions after silently looking around in our bedroom for 40 minutes

Yes Fairywhite I am hyper-aware that she could pull out and it's just so close to exchange that it's making me nervous :/ surely she must realise that it would make us feel anxious.

I think that's actually a really good solution wowfudge. It feels a lot more helpful and friendly than just saying, 'no, it's not convenient for us'.

Funnily enough when we bought the flat (part buy part rent) the sellers wouldn't give us a third viewing when we wanted to take my DH's mum along. We respected that and didn't pull out, but that was a few years back when the market was a lot less volatile and there were no other options for us really. I can only hope our buyer will do the same!

[TiffanyAtBreakfast]

Also, Fairywhite I'm really sorry to hear about your buyer pulling out, hope you find another one ASAP.

[noddyholder]

Have you exchanged?

[antimatter]

IMHO builder wants to price job and decide when he cen come in to do the work

nothing out of ordinary in this

[TiffanyAtBreakfast]

But there's no work to be done, it's a brand new (almost) flat, we've never needed anything done to the plumbing, heating etc. I would understand if it were a little run down or outdated.

No we haven't exchanged yet - Waiting on the buyer to send back her paperwork at the moment, everything else is in place.

[TiffanyAtBreakfast]

Oh forgot to say - we have radiators, not storage heaters :)

[noddyholder]

I would say once you have exchanged they can come round whenever they like.

[antimatter]

but she wants to change layout or add something
who knows!
I've seen people rip out brand new kitchen and put in one of their choice and taste.

[TiffanyAtBreakfast]

That's true, I'm not sure you're allowed to do building works like that in a shared ownership / part buy situation but it's possible. Either way I think it should have been thought about sooner rather than when all our packing had begun.

Still not 100% sure what would be the best course of action!

[cardamomginger]

Contrary to noddy I'd say once you have exchanged, you can tell them to sod off, or at least be much more assertive regarding times that are or are not suitable for coming round and the duration of the visits. With the buyers of my flat I had 2 viewings from the purchaser prior to the offer being made and accepted, one visit from the guy doing the survey (prior to exchange), then after the exchange I had 1 long visit when they wanted to bring round their parents (2 sets). I was happy with all of these until the week we were moving, they wanted to send round builders and carpenters to start measuring up. I then said no.

Until you have exchanged, you are in a precarious position, and to a certain extent you may have to just suck it up. Have you discussed it with your Estate Agent? She/he should be working with both of you to secure a good outcome. What do they say? Can they mediate?

[Polonium]

You are in a no-win situation, you have to say yes. If you say no, they will think the there's something to hide.

I would be straight up and say you have started packing and the place is a mess but they'll have to take you as they find you. Though if I were you I would unpack everything and make the flat look lovely just as it did when you first showed it to them.

Five months is a very long time to have not exchanged contracts. It's very reasonable for you to ask for a firm date and to state that lapse of the date will mean you'll put the flat back on the market, at a higher price.

Estate agents often say third viewing = no sale.

[cardamomginger]

I'm not sure I'd be packing until I had her autograph on the documents TBH. Maybe time for a good clearout so you chuck all the stuff you don't want to take with you. How soon is the proposed completion date? If it is very soon, I think you are perfectly entitled to ask the EA to lean on her and get her to sign (or to pull out so you know where you stand).

[noddyholder]

But if you let them round now they may be planning to pull out! Once exchanged you have the deposit regardless

[Spickle]

Just a thought - your purchaser signing their contract doesn't give you a completion date. It also doesn't mean you are nearly ready, it just means that the solicitor holds a signed contract in readiness for exchange, often there are still outstanding enquiries. You agree a completion date on exchange only.

When I sold my house, my buyers came round for a 4th viewing when there were boxes everywhere plus all my DP's furniture from the sale of his house. We had exchanged by then though and my buyers would have lost a fair chunk of money if they'd pulled out at this time. However, if you explain that you have dismantled furniture and have boxes everywhere and would appreciate the buyer's not taking too long, why not let them come round once more - they are probably just excited about their new home and anxious to see it again.

[ogredownstairs]

Very annoying. I think Polonium and Cardamom are right, although my instinct would be to say bugger off, you can have your third viewing once we've actually exchanged! Signing the contracts is pretty meaningless by the way - every time I've bought we've signed them early on to facilitate exchange once everything else in place. Five months seems an extraordinarily long time not to have exchanged.

I'd be talking to my agent about re-marketing just in case.

[caramellokoalalover]

Our solicitor advised us to arrange a viewing for just before we exchanged to make sure it was all in order and the same as when we had offered, especially important if it had been some months between offering and exchanging. Maybe she has been given the same advice?

[onedev]

I insisted on 3 viewings on our house - it's such a lot of money to spend & I wanted to be sure. I think our sellers were peed off & told the EA as much, but I wasn't bothered by that. Personally until you've exchanged, I think you do need to let the viewing happen (within reason - tell EA she only has 15 mins as you're busy & remind her of that & then after 15 minutes show her the door).

I didn't view it the 3rd time with thoughts of pulling out - the viewing was more to satisfy myself I was doing the right thing (& also to show my mum ). Mine was in good faith & I was surprised when the EA told me it was unusual for 3 viewings & the sellers were concerned - what else would you spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on, having only looked once or twice?? Seems barmy to me that people are satisfied with anything less than 3 viewings!

Good luck - hope the sale happens smoothly!

[TiffanyAtBreakfast]

Thanks for all of the suggestions :)

We actually are close to completion; I spoke to the solicitors today and they are literally just waiting on that signature and associated paperwork from the buyers in order for us to discuss dates. Everything else is ready to rumble. I know the contract isn't binding - we just need it to tick the final box.

I think I'll suggest sending safety / NHBC certs first, if that doesn't satisfy them then I will suggest a 15 minute pop in, as I don't want a repeat of last time! As mentioned previously I wasn't trying to say that three viewings was excessive, just very inconvenient.

Will see what happens, hopefully a smooth sale will go through regardless. Thanks again all.

[ohbladee]

It's bonkers isn't it... People will spend hours finding and buying the perfect handbag, or buying a new telly for £300, but an hour viewing a house worth tens - or hundreds! - of thousands is just too much!

[RCheshire]

Quite. I know it's normal to view one or twice but I've never understood it. I think the sums of money are so vast/abstract/borrowed that people can spend less time looking than they would for something worth hundreds.

[Spickle]

Wouldn't you have supplied safety/NHBC certificates to your solicitor at the enquiries stage anyway?

[TiffanyAtBreakfast]

If you read my posts, I did say about three times that I wasn't implying the viewings were excessive, just inconvenient.