gixer6

Has anyone had any experience of selling via this method??

We managed to get my daughter into a junior school out of our catchment area (cos I wouldn't send my worst enemy's kids to the local schools) but it had become apparent that we don't stand a chance of getting her into the secondary school unless we live in the area. So we've taken the plunge and signed up with an agent and opted to sell via an "open house" method rather than having folk trapsing thru as and when.

We've gone for 15th July which is the week after the World cup final as we figured most of the nation will not be house hunting over the next few weeks

Anyone sold this way and have any tips / thoughts etc??

paulr

You mean you have a week when anyone can turn up at any time?

gixer6

No it's advertised etc by the agent that any interested parties can come and view for an hour on the specified date. Saves those "we've got someone interested can they come round in half an hour" calls.

The Snug Rhino

lol....well it better be bloody good!

if i'm looking for a house i want to view it when its convinent for me.....and i wouldnt even consider having to wait a month to see somewhere.

i think you are narrowing your chances of a sale MASSIVELY...unless its stunning/unsual and you think people will wait/fit in with you.

The Snug Rhino

...

GaryK

I would agree with Rhino, if your selling your house then you need to accept you are going to have to put yourself out and be amenable to potential purchasers, not expect them to fit in to suit your convenience, all IMHO of course!

paulr

Totally agree with TSR.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

I agree with TSR too. Put yourself in the position of a potential buyer:

- you've taken the day off work to go and look round properties in a particular area. Maybe you need to move by a particular date because of a new job or whatever.

- you've called up and made a few appointments in advance, but while you're going round agencies you see details of some other properties and want to see them too - hence the 'can I come round in 1/2 an hour' calls.

- by the end of the day, you've made a shortlist of places to go back and have a second look at, but there's this one place that you've not been able to look round because it's being sold by this 'open house' method, and the house isn't 'open' today.

- if you wait until the open day, you might lose out on some other place you've looked at already. You also know that, after the open day, there might be other people putting in a bid too - so if you do want the 'open' house, you're likely to be in competition.

- so, sod it. You'll buy somewhere you've actually seen when you wanted to.

Your agent, meanwhile, is sitting on his ar*e handing out leaflets, rather than having to actually turn up for viewings except on this one day. Work out what their fees are if you sell, and how many hours' work you'd normally expect someone to do for that amount of money.

When you're trying to sell a house is NOT the time to be lazy and awkward, IMHO.

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

We recently moved and one piece of advice I was given which i whole heartedly agree with is:

"Once you decide to sell, the house is no longer yours. Treat it as such"

by this it was meant that you HAVE to keep the place spotless, be available at the whim of the buyers (as much as possible), present the house in its best light (the old de-clutter and de-personalise thing) and so on

I agree with the above - you're going to be inconvenienced, live with it.

boxst

Hello

This isn't instead of the normal method though? The American Estate Agent ReMax are trying to have the approach of normal sales plus an 'open day' where any interested parties can come for wine and be treated to a false learnt American smile and shown round the house.

Steve

Spoon

It's quite expensive for tea and buns too.

hades

I'd suggest there is no problem with open house - so long as the house is available for viewings in other ways too. If someone is in the area and wants a look at the house, you need to be prepared to either show them round, or leave the keys with the agent and let them do so. I know when I sold mine recently, I just had keys lodged with an agent, and the arrangement that if someone wanted a look, the agent could show them round at any time as long as they phoned / left a message so I knew about it; wasn't really that much of a hassle, to be honest.

Nothing wrong with an open house as a supplement to normal viewings - you might draw a few people in to have a look during open house who had your house on their "reserve list" or who don't like pushy agents.

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

I cant understand why some people dont realise selling your house is no different from selling anything else - if you were selling your car in Auto Trader, and someone phoned up interested, would you tell them they can only come and see it in two weeks time along with loads of other people ?

If you want to find a buyer for anything, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to buy from you, not put unecessary obstacles in the way.

The Snug Rhino

lol...this is called "viewing" the thing they may buy!

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

If your house is extremely saleable and you don't wan't the hastle of being available for multiple viewings then open house works. If your house is for sale in the market alongside dozens of similar, competative properties then I wouldn't pin all my hopes on an open day.

My thoughts are that you shouldn't judge the state of the property market by sporting events, and if you want a quick sale you're wasting a months worth of traditional marketing by going open house on the 15th July.

The Snug Rhino

lol...rather ammusing idea that no one goes looking for a house when there might be a football game on that week!

NotoriousREV

It may be amusing, but the house we viewed the other night was owned by an estate agent and he reckons it's been the quietest week he can remember for quite some time.

gixer6

Thanks for your views all.

As per your comments N/Rev we asked three separate estate agents and they all said exactly the same "waste of time doing anything until after the world cup". hence the decision to hold off

JPL

Alright Craig, how's it going?

Take a fair few of the comments on here with a pinch of salt as with any BBS, I'm sure you can separate the chaff from the wheat, good luck with the sale!

406dude

Please bear a thought for the people on the other side of the coin.....my daughter is now having to go to our second choice school (our first was in our catchment, and is bloody good) because of people doing exactly that. In popular schools someone always loses out.

The Rig

iTrader: (13)

hmm, a bit off topic, but our daughter is starting infant school next year, we enquired, and a catchment area is no longer used, even if i lived next door to the school, it doesnt mean she will go, i can have her put into any school within about a 10 mile radius.......

good luck tho......