Open viewings

campingcarist

What do people think of "open viewings"?

Myself, if they have them then I just don't show any interest in the property. If I have a property as one of my "favourites" and an open viewing comes up on the advert, I just delete my interest in that property.

How do others like viewings with other potential purchasers?

farrerg

campingcarist wrote: »

What do people think of "open viewings"?

Myself, if they have them then I just don't show any interest in the property. If I have a property as one of my "favourites" and an open viewing comes up on the advert, I just delete my interest in that property.

How do others like viewings with other potential purchasers?

I am not a great fan of the 15 minute type open viewing either, but I can see why the estate agents want to accommodate as many people as they can in an hr slot, rather than trying to organise multiple viewings, with people who may not show, and tie up their whole evening / weekend.

Does this not restrict your search drastically? And ultimately just hurt your search? You could ask for an individual appointment

wyndham

campingcarist wrote: »

I just delete my interest in that property.

Why?

ted1

Why would you delete your interest? Kind of limiting yourself. You go and if you like it you can then arrange a private viewing to look in more details

Crumbs868

Creates a sense of urgency for the renters. They turn up at a packed / busy viewing and assuming they like the place will bend over backwards for the EA in the hope of securing the place in the fear of losing out / having to repeat process

campingcarist

wyndham wrote: »

Why?

Because I'm not going to get into a bidding war with anyone. One of my first statements to any EA is that if some one else is interested in the property, they can have it.

I have never "fallen in love" with any property: a purchasers worst enemy, especially if an EA gets any notion of it.

ted1

campingcarist wrote: »

Because I'm not going to get into a bidding war with anyone. One of my first statements to any EA is that if some one else is interested in the property, they can have it.

I have never "fallen in love" with any property: a purchasers worst enemy, especially if an EA gets any notion of it.

You don't need to enter a bidding war, simply decide what you would pay for the property, if some one bids higher then don't bid again.

Your doing yourself no favour

gaius c

Crumbs868 wrote: »

Creates a sense of urgency for the renters. They turn up at a packed / busy viewing and assuming they like the place will bend over backwards for the EA in the hope of securing the place in the fear of losing out / having to repeat process

I think the OP is referring to buying a property, not renting.

gogreen81

That's part of the EA strategy to show the number if ppl interested and get max value. And I have seen ppl desperate to get into bidding even when they wouldn't have otherwise

ted1

gogreen81 wrote: »

That's part of the EA strategy to show the number if ppl interested and get max value. And I have seen ppl desperate to get into bidding even when they wouldn't have otherwise

It's also saves alot if time, imagine 40 seperate viewings. Open house allows all everybody to view so that only the serious ones need private viewings

Jovetic

I always found open viewing slightly awkward, in that I'm walking into a house that someone is living in, and I'm opening drawers and looking at their family photos on the wall.

My favourite part is when you open the hot press and it's stuffed completely

campingcarist

gaius c wrote: »

I think the OP is referring to buying a property, not renting.

Yes, buying. Sorry for not making that clearer.

gogreen81

ted1 wrote: »

It's also saves alot if time, imagine 40 seperate viewings. Open house allows all everybody to view so that only the serious ones need private viewings

hmm agree with that. as long as the EA doesnt show his attitude for the next viewing. I have had such experience unfortunately.

gogreen81

Jovetic wrote: »

I always found open viewing slightly awkward, in that I'm walking into a house that someone is living in, and I'm opening drawers and looking at their family photos on the wall.

My favourite part is when you open the hot press and it's stuffed completely

Ditto!! y is the hot press always and always full for the house that is still occupied. 9/10 houses I would say.

LongJac15

I've been to a few and I actually quite enjoy them...(Sorry!) I just find them to be
useful for 1st impressions ( The Property ) and I've been able to scribble down notes of interest and concern, that can be taken up at a later date with EA or vendors...Also, it has allowed me to have a look at specific areas, without the EA or Vendor looking over my shoulder...or talking at me, when I don't need that chatter...I have only returned, individually, to one, that I then couldn't offer more for. However, I do think they are a good idea for that initial view...overall.

Theboinkmaster

campingcarist wrote: »

Because I'm not going to get into a bidding war with anyone. One of my first statements to any EA is that if some one else is interested in the property, they can have it.

I have never "fallen in love" with any property: a purchasers worst enemy, especially if an EA gets any notion of it.

Well then you most likely will be looking a very long time. If a house is good then most likely will attract interest and bids.

So basically you only want to buy a house nobody else wants to buy :cool:

campingcarist

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Well then you most likely will be looking a very long time. If a house is good then most likely will attract interest and bids.

So basically you only want to buy a house nobody else wants to buy :cool:

Probably, yes. I tend to look for properties that have been on the market for some time so don't have any other bidders; thus, also don't get into a bidding war. Plenty of properties around to choose from at the moment.

ted1

campingcarist wrote: »

Probably, yes. I tend to look for properties that have been on the market for some time so don't have any other bidders; thus, also don't get into a bidding war. Plenty of properties around to choose from at the moment.

But you don't need to get into a bidding war. Set your price , make an offer if it's not accepted then simply walk away ,

You say you tend to view properties that no one else wants, well as you havn't bought one then you obviously don't want them either so it's not working for you

gaius c

campingcarist wrote: »

Probably, yes. I tend to look for properties that have been on the market for some time so don't have any other bidders; thus, also don't get into a bidding war. Plenty of properties around to choose from at the moment.

If there's no other interest in it, it's either muck or priced too high, possibly both.

And if it's priced too high, you're probably dealing with a vendor disconnected from reality.

There is plenty of stock but very little quality.

contrary_mary

gogreen81 wrote: »

Ditto!! y is the hot press always and always full for the house that is still occupied. 9/10 houses I would say.

My hot press is always stuffed during a viewing because I shove all the bits and pieces in there that I don't want on display - e.g. clothes waiting to be ironed, bed throws that give an "untidy" look to the room etc. We're still living in the house and the viewings tend to be early in the day so it's a rush to get everything tidied and ourselves out the door.

I've been to a few open viewings and found them quite rushed but I can definitely see the point in them when there's a lot of interest in the house. Anyone who's actually interested can just ask for another viewing.

P. Breathnach

contrary_mary wrote: »

... Anyone who's actually interested can just ask for another viewing.

To my mind, that's the whole point. I have ruled several properties out after attending an open viewing. That saves me and the EA the bother of arranging a private viewing.

Where I have been quite interested, I have considered a private viewing as an essential part of moving the process forward.

Balmed Out

If your in a city or an area with a lot of demand its unavoidable and a great way of viewing a property without any pressure. In a rural area getting all 5 potentially interested parties to come at the same time stinks of trying to panic people and its annoying.
Of the dozen urban properties ive viewed most were open of the many many rural ones the majority have not, in fact all that have been have been the same agent.

Mrs OBumble

Open viewings are a great way to have a look at the neighbours house!

AidanMike

gaius c wrote: »

And if it's priced too high, you're probably dealing with a vendor disconnected from reality.

There is plenty of stock but very little quality.

I can only agree to this.

I had a look at many places like this (old ads), even one where you could see a "for sale" sign in google street who had pictures from 2009. the guy was asking for 2+ time what it was worth at best, all my offers were denied and he never moved down on his side. The house is still for sale and falling apart!

And the stock is indeed of very poor quality. BER rating aren't bright, many need important repair to be lived in confortably, etc.

seamus

As others have mentioned, I like open viewings myself because it means you can have a good poke around without the estate agent trying to engage you in bull conversation or distract you.

On the competition/bidding war aspect it also means that you tend to overhear what other people think of the property and you get a feel for what others think of it.

So when you hear everyone else wandering around oohing and aahing you can be pretty sure this is going to go over asking. If everyone else is making a quick scoot around and saying nothing, it usually means they're not very interested and in a week's time there'll be one or no offers on it.

It is the done thing now anyway, certainly for the first 2/3 weeks that a property is on the market. I've never had an estate agent offer a viewing on a new property (to market) that wasn't an open viewing. You'll always get tyre kickers, so it just plain makes sense to get all the tyre kickers in together. Anyone who's interested then can make second viewings.
Though some EAs can get downright pissy about it. My wife tends to work at exactly all the times that EAs traditionally schedule viewings. So for her trying to organise a first viewing on a house has been met with rude responses on occasion. Typically now she'll put her name down for the first open viewing, to which I go, and then she'll do the second viewing if I think it's a goer.

gogreen81

We are in the same boat @seamus.
just to add, i have seen some rude( exaggerating a bit) replies from EA's saying.. ''this is the time xx and hope to see you then''

that certainly when its an open viewing. but this is the 2nd or 3rd open viewing I would say.
When do we ask for our special viewing?

seamus

gogreen81 wrote: »

that certainly when its an open viewing. but this is the 2nd or 3rd open viewing I would say.
When do we ask for our special viewing?

So, if a property is new to market, neither the agent or the vendor wants to be in and out of the property all the time.
You can usually expect open viewings for the first two or 3 weekends. If there's still interest after that, they may do one or two more. But usually by that stage there are a couple of bidders fighting over the property, there's a single lowball offer in that the vendor hasn't accepted, or there are no bids at all.

It's in the latter two scenarios that if the property is about a month on the market you're more likely to get accommodated for individual viewings.
If the property is vacant it can be pretty easy to get viewings too. However, they're still wary of tyre kickers. This is why we've always found it easier that I go to the first viewing and my wife is very specific about saying that we're coming back to view the property a second time.

Tyre kickers don't come back the second time

gogreen81

[QUOTE
If the property is vacant it can be pretty easy to get viewings too. However, they're still wary of tyre kickers. This is why we've always found it easier that I go to the first viewing and my wife is very specific about saying that we're coming back to view the property a second time.

Tyre kickers don't come back the second time [/QUOTE]

Well, am hope am not becoming a tyre kickers after viewing atleast 15-20 properties and buying none but I wanted to get the feel of whats offered in each property and why someone is asking more. I am more wise now I think . Was about to post my recent experience with an EA in a different thread about more than one viewing of the same property. Will post link here.

Hate when EA's act pricey and 2nd viewing or 3rd viewing looks like desperation to him.

witchgirl26

I think open viewings are great if you want to get an idea. We did about 5 in 1 day a while ago & from that I think we ruled out 2 areas & only requested a private viewing of 1 of the houses. Took maybe 3 hours of our day whereas trying to get private viewings of all of them would have been difficult.

Also you have to take into account that people are still trying to live in that house so maybe having 7 or 8 private viewings a week for people who are having a first look, does not suit them at all.

gogreen81

Hope OP has found something by now.. or its too early.

For me, I am just tired of viewings now, and starting to get frustrated..
Want to sit back and enjoy my saturday in new home, rather than thinking about the viewing etc.

all the best to other and hope our viewing ends soon