Staying in the house when potential buyers visit

[M-Squared]

OK weird question coming up...

I was on Skype with my parents tonight and they asked how we handle the house when we have open homes / private viewings.

Bear in mind they bought their current house, in which I grew up, in 1970... things might well have changed since then

They said that vendors stay in their house when it's being viewed... worse than that, the vendors are the ones who show the house to potential buyers! Are they right? We make out agent work for her money, and we all make ourselves very scarce, even the cats (they'll hide under the bed when they hear strange voices if I don't chuck them outside ) and their food + water bowl and litter boxes are covered up and in cupboards (bowls) and the garage (litter boxes). There's nothing personal left out, ie. no photos or anything like that.

They seem to see it in the opposite way.

What happens in the UK these days? I never owned property in the UK, though I did almost buy a houseboat many many moons ago.

[Duncan74]

Much to our snake lying scums annoyance then we made (are making?) them do the viewings. When we looked round, normally the vendors were there, and we hated it, much prefered when it was the agent. Second viewings then perhaps it's different. But the norm is that the theiving get shark swindlers charge you £4k for sticking the house on rightmove and letting you do all the work.

[M-Squared]

Much to our snake lying scums annoyance then we made (are making?) them do the viewings. When we looked round, normally the vendors were there, and we hated it, much prefered when it was the agent. Second viewings then perhaps it's different. But the norm is that the theiving get shark swindlers charge you £4k for sticking the house on rightmove and letting you do all the work.

Completely agree! If they're not even going to show the house, what the hell are they getting paid for?! What else do they do, apart from put adverts up, if they don't show the house? The vendor could always advertise the house themselves, get great photos and get the house on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). Also, the internet is a great thing for marketing nowadays

[Sam B]

It's the norm in the UK to show potential buyers round yourself. It is a bit weird on reflection.

[Manks]

We've always shown potential buyers around ourselves, sometimes with the estate agent, but more often than not it was on our own. I think it does add value because you can answer the practical questions that the EA can't.

Having said that, when we viewed houses (we viewed a LOT when we moved to one place) we had a mixture of vendors and EAs showing us around. I guess it's down to personal preference.

I get the feeling that in the US it is mostly realtors doing the showing, hence the "lock boxes" positioned on the doors of homes for sale.

[SueDonim]

In the US, the owner (vendor) is never there. The idea is that the buyer cannot look at the house as objectively for fear of offending the vendor. Also, the vendor might make some comments which could impact the sale, like taking offense at a buyer comment and getting into an argument

[JandM]

For a lot of UK vendors, it's normal to show people round. It's true you have to have self-control when faced with Joe Public, as people can be very offensive, and you also sometimes spot from the moment they arrive that they're timewasters. (One agent confirmed to us that she's convinced some people have 'visiting houses for sale' as a hobby, without any intention of moving at all.) I agree with Manks that you can tell buyers things that the agent won't know.

I also have a feeling that I'd be more watchful over my property than some agents would - it's been known for someone from the buyers' party, who after all are total strangers, to wander off from the tour, and once out of sight they can be snooping or stealing.

[Duncan74]

Because of course it would be totally unreasonable to have expected the toadfaced scum to have vetted the viewers for timewasters......

[Trendynana]

I am on the verge of trying a mailshot myself regarding the sale of my house. I am going to pop For Sale info A4 paper into the local houses/roads around where I now live. Saying something like - "House shortly to go on the open market, no chain, will knock off Estate Agent fees - if anyone has a friend or a family member that is looking for property in my road/area please give them our phone number if they are interested in viewing".

I will be very interested to see if anyone rings me. I thought it was worth a shot - you never know. If no joy, then will have to crawl to an Estate Agent who puts it on Right Move and in the local papers - I could do that myself!!
Why do we pay them so much for that,

[JandM]

I know what you mean, but imagine for one split second that you're a toad-faced scum (of the benevolent and well-meaning sort, as of course you would be ) - how exactly could you prove what somebody's intentions are, even if you suspect? Although you might have arranged viewings for them of 10 or 20 houses, none of which they've bought, it could still be true that there was something they weren't prepared to accept about every one of them. If they're still there, saying, 'Show me houses,' you're not going to say, 'No, cos I think you don't mean it,' when it's your whole living to sell houses.