Without getting into too much detail we’re selling our house.

Client 1 put in an offer below asking on Monday after their viewing on Sat. We’ve declined their offer for now, but we’re not that far away that we’re insulted..

So they want to come back at the weekend and have a 2nd viewing… So I was wondering whether we should write them a note of “welcome, sit down, have a coffee and a muffin/cookie etc” and lay on a plate of the above with coffee on the go on the coffee maker etc.

Or is that just too corny and put you off ?

I’d eat the cookies but you wouldn’t get a higher offer…

good man, I like your way of thinking.

I am always mega suspicious of strong smells, people use it to cover damp issues. So be careful you don’t raise their bullshit detectors. I once viewed a flat where the owners mother just happened to be their cooking a curry. I called her straight out on it, was bloody obvious, anyway we could still smell and see the damp…

toys19 – Member

I am always mega suspicious of strong smells, people use it to cover damp issues. So be careful you don’t raise their bullshit detectors. I once viewed a flat where the owners mother just happened to be their cooking a curry. I called her straight out on it, was bloody obvious, anyway we could still smell and see the damp…

Good point, but don’t forget, they viewed on Sat and there were no smells/damp etc.

Very transparent. Phil and Kirsty have made sure that these techniques no longer work. Viewed a house for the MIL the other day, it was scorchio……coffee, open fire, baking bread, local cafe recommendations; smelt a rat……. None of the aforementioned solved the damp! I pay attention when people tell you they’ve been happy there, what the neighbours are like, running costs etc. Sell the home, not the house. You can brew up in a tent!

Note: other opinions and emotional triggers may vary!

Good luck!

Beat to it……….highlights a little theme though eh?!

Breadmaker for smells. Hide your farts anyway 😉

We’ve generally not been here for the viewings, we’ve left them all to the estate agents. I was also wondering if we should speak to the agent and offer to be there this weekend for it.

Just make sure it’s clean, tidy and neat. Sold my house a year ago and was told by the estate agent, who I know, that you need to make them feel like they’re looking round their new house, not viewing yours. For this reason he insisted we were not in when any veiwings took place. It worked as the house sold in no time, when the market was flat.

why would you leave a note if your going to be there?

Agents are, for the most part, shit. Be there. They like the house, real life experience has more chance of selling it than another cheap suit with a copy of the same details in their hand!

be there

If they’re serious, give them a phone number to contact you and cut out the gobshite in the middle

I’d assume by the fact they’ve already made an odder that they’re serious.

Not sure about being there, whilst I’m a nice guy and reasonably articulate, however I am a Scouser 😉

be there

If they’re serious, give them a phone number to contact you and cut out the gobshite in the middle

+1 unless you have an extra head or uncontrollable flatulence that is

however I am a Scouser

Nervously now ponders on where Weeksy is moving too………… 😯

I’d assume by the fact they’ve already made an odder that they’re serious.

you’re probably one of several though. I mean that either you’re about to accept their original or think they’ll increase to something you will take

No, be there to offer them a coffee yourselves.

I wouldn’t put an offer in on a house without meeting the vendors (let alone negotiate through an agent) or trust an agent to sell the house for me. If they’re actually interested they’ll be able to ask all the questions that the agent wouldn’t know the answers to and you could hash out a deal over the kitchen table.

😯 That would be ringing pretty big alarm bells…

Nervously now ponders on where Weeksy is moving too…………

100m from this house, this one in simple terms is a little too small for us now with our boy growing up, so we’re moving just a small distance, we love the village… just need a bit more space.

Second viewing is a polite hello and let them get on with it. They will offer you higher or wouldn’t bother coming back a second time.

Being at the property this weekend wouldn’t be easy as we’re at the school fete that the wife is running, however I could probably manage it yes.

As someone in the process of buying a house, I really appreciated looking round when the vendors were in and having the chance for a chat with them. They can answer questions the estate agent just doesn’t know, and you get a better feel for the place etc.

So i’d say be in for them coming round, and if you really want to get on their good side, just hang around for a chat then make an excuse to leave/go in the garden so they can have a wander/chat on their own too.

Gad.. a second viewing.. i’m still on first base trying to shift an inhereted house in wales (please sell soon.. pay of the mortgage her and I can have a premature mid life crisis and expensive multiple bike habit again!)

No, be there to offer them a coffee yourselves.

I wouldn’t put an offer in on a house without meeting the vendors (let alone negotiate through an agent) or trust an agent to sell the house for me. If they’re actually interested they’ll be able to ask all the questions that the agent wouldn’t know the answers to and you could hash out a deal over the kitchen table.

chestrockwell » For this reason he insisted we were not in when any veiwings took place.

That would be ringing pretty big alarm bells…

As mentioned, I know the estate agent personally so trust him and his advice. Why would any alarm bells ring? Makes perfect sense to me. I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating and he sold my house in no time for a better price then I expected.

As mentioned, I know the estate agent personally so trust him and his advice. Why would any alarm bells ring? Makes perfect sense to me. I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating and he sold my house in no time for a better price then I expected.

We trust ours too. They’ve been exceptionally understanding over the time period we’ve had them working for us, excellent communication etc.

If you’re going to be there, which personally I wouldn’t be, then be well out of the way, like standing at the end of the garden ot something.

There’s nothing worse than looking at a house with the owners peering over your shoulder.

LOL@end of the garden…

If I wasn’t so security conscious I’d put up pics of the 10′ x 10′ garden for you to see how funny that is 🙂

Just sold mine. Make sure it’s clean, as uncluttered as possible, everything in its’ place (or in a place, or hidden away altogether).

If it’s untidy or clutttered, it’s harder for people to visualise themselves living in the house, to think about where they’ll put their stuff, how their firniture will look, etc. Coffee and cookies ust a gimmick.

I got an offer of more than 10% below asking, refused it, and they came back with asking price. Hopefully you get the same.

In other good news, new place has MASSIVE shed with power, lighting, and room for two cars and any number of bikes.

If you trust them I’d probably ask them instead of us idiots on here. 😉

As mentioned above, them feeling like they’re looking at their new house instead of looking at your house seems good advise to me.

honourablegeorge – Member

Just sold mine. Make sure it’s clean, as uncluttered as possible, everything in its’ place (or in a place, or hidden away altogether).

Goes without saying, the house is always presented in full on ‘show house’ quality and even the people who’ve not offered/wanted it have always being glowing with praise for the place and how it is etc.

It has been a bloody frustrating time though, the amount of people who have viewed the house and then come back to tell us it’s completely not what they wanted…

“we loved the house but we really need a garage for the vintage sports car” There’s not a sodding garage !!!!

” we loved it but really want to do more gardening in the new place”
Yes we know it doesn’t have a bloody garden, the pictures all show that

“We’re not sure there’s enough space for us, the kids and the pets”
No , really ? Why the hell are you looking at 2 bedroom cottages then !!!

Don’t do the whole bread/coffee ballcocks, disingenuous at best and insulting at worst.

If you’re moving just 100 yards up the road and your wife organises the school fete it sounds like you’re happy with the area and have a nice community. In that case I’d be doing the second viewing so you can a) accurately answer any questions they may have, b) sell the house/area/community part to them, and c) see if you like them – if you’re going to be 100 yards up the road why wouldn’t you want to sell to someone you think you’ll get along with?

a and b combined might persuade them to up their offer, c might make you consider dropping a little.

I disagree with IHN in that if you’re going to be there get involved, no skulking down the bottom of the garden as that would make me uncomfortable too. If you don’t want to meet and greet then go out.

Good luck!

People look at LOADS of places when buying, to get a feel for price, to see areas, to just generally browse. Which inconveniences you, obviously, but that’s the game.

a and b combined might persuade them to up their offer, c might make you consider dropping a little.

For various reasons, I’d have accepted this offer myself… However the wife decided we’d refuse it…. I can completely see her point… but.. TBH I’d have still taken the initial offer myself.

honourablegeorge – Member

People look at LOADS of places when buying, to get a feel for price, to see areas, to just generally browse. Which inconveniences you, obviously, but that’s the game.

It’s a ridiculously big inconvenience at times for us, we have to have the house spotless (which I approve of, Mrs Weeksy… not so much lol)

It’s the garden that’s the killer. That’s where the pushbikes and ‘stuff’ lives, in a large ‘bike cave’ type tent. So every visit I have to remove the 3 bikes, the large tool box and the ‘spares’ box. Put them all on or in the car and then do whatever I need to do… which means lugging them all about to various places.. it’s a 20 mins job to do each end…

it’s a 20 mins job to do each end…

You’re trying to sell your most valuable asset, get some perspective man! 🙂

tonyd – Member

it’s a 20 mins job to do each end…
You’re trying to sell your most valuable asset, get some perspective man!

Agree mate, which is why we’ve done it every time. But it’s at times inconvenient for example if I’m supposed to be at work. So I either have to get up at 6am, load everything to the car, take to work with me, work out what to do with them… .then repeat…

Or Supermarket trips with my mum and her wheelchair become a proper pain every Sat, as I have to unload the bikes and rack at her place, sdo the shopping, then reload them all up, then take home, unload, put back in garden LOL.

If they are serious, and they have made an offer, it’s time to talk properly about what you will accept. When we made a second viewing and bought one of our houses, I told the seller privately that we really liked the house, but the most we can afford is £XXX and we would completely understand if you declined, but that was all we had. We were about 8% below asking price and they accepted. Open communication is he way.

Coffee won’t help but is a nice touch for opening communication.

as tonyd, but I would still give them ‘private time to have a nose around with you out of the way so they can talk’ instead of being over their shoulder and then hook up at the end to deal with any questions etc etc, get their phone no/offer yours and do your positive marketing speech (as it’s so nice here we’re only moving 100 yards, and the local fete is on – would you like to pop down for a look .. ) – I’d also go through your/their position re the sale
and obviously do a full tidy/clean/accerkirstyphilise lap as well before

Nice touch inviting them to the fete.

They have seen the house and like it enough to offer on it, I would just let them walk around on their own.

It is up to the agent to field questions and they can call you if needed.

I don’t see the value of the seller being there, they obviously have reasons for wanting to leave the place and they are not going to tell you anything you don’t want to hear or you wont buy the place. How are the neighbours…oh, he’s an axe murderer who hangs dead animals from our fence most weekends while listening to heavy metal. Do you still want to buy my house 😀