We’ve come across a blog entry from Mark Colhoun, director of Belfast-based Key One Property, describing how he’s seen a dramatic, and unwelcome, change in the way a growing number of people approach the house-hunting process.
He writes:
“We have seen a big upsurge in house-hunters treating the property buying process like a dating service recently. Significant numbers of buyers are only looking at the address, price and pictures before ‘swiping right’ and requesting a viewing. Many buyers are not reading some of the basic, but important details, before asking to view.
“In many cases, had we proceeded with the viewings they would have been a complete waste of time for both the viewers and us as agents, as the properties were unsuitable. This has included buyers demanding to view properties that were sale agreed but they were unaware as they hadn’t taken the time to read that. Another example is numerous buyers searching for a home to occupy wanted to view a property which stated it came with a sitting tenant and was a buy-to-let only.
“The trend is mostly among first-time buyers and millennials. It is staggering that these buyers won’t take just a few minutes to read the vital information published by agents particularly as buying a home will be the biggest purchase most people make. It also makes a mockery of trading standards rules which requires agents to provide much of this detail – what’s the point if it’s not being read? In addition, it is highly discourteous to agents; conducting viewings is often the most expensive part of marketing a property, and for buyers to waste agents’ time like this is, well… just arrogant!
“To combat this trend, we have now had to resort to treating buyers like children and in many cases, we ask them to go back and read the information in full before we will grant a viewing.”
Are you experiencing the same thing? Do let us know in the comments whether you are having your time wasted this way and what you and your peers can do to stop it.
