"Nosy Neighbors" using Realtors to see houses

[Katy Belle]

My SIL has posted photos on Facebook recently, of two houses that she and my brother viewed with Realtors. One was in the town my parents live in, and one in the town that they reside in. Both are old, historic homes that are for sale. She posted about 20 photos of each...interior, exterior, furnishings, even a cat, etc. She states that she loves old homes and is only being "nosy" and how much she loves my brother for going with her. She states several times that they cannot afford them and are just going through them because they want to see the interior. They are not shopping for any house.

I have no idea if they tell the Realtor that they are not really intending to buy any house or not.

Is this something people do? It seems super rude to me. That Realtor has to take time out of their weekend, the family has to leave for the showing, etc. I can see if it's an "Open House" , just walking through, but, to me, you aren't wasting anyone's time.

I know, in the whole grand scheme of things, this is a little thing....but it bugs me. We've sold 5 houses. At times I had tiny babies and it was a PAIN to keep the house clean and leave so the house could be shown. I'd be irritated if all those times it was because of nosy neighbors.

Is this common? Enlighten me!

 

[Miskey]

My SIL has posted photos on Facebook recently, of two houses that she and my brother viewed with Realtors. One was in the town my parents live in, and one in the town that they reside in. Both are old, historic homes that are for sale. She posted about 20 photos of each...interior, exterior, furnishings, even a cat, etc. She states that she loves old homes and is only being "nosy" and how much she loves my brother for going with her. She states several times that they cannot afford them and are just going through them because they want to see the interior. They are not shopping for any house.

I have no idea if they tell the Realtor that they are not really intending to buy any house or not.

Is this something people do? It seems super rude to me. That Realtor has to take time out of their weekend, the family has to leave for the showing, etc. I can see if it's an "Open House" , just walking through, but, to me, you aren't wasting anyone's time.

I know, in the whole grand scheme of things, this is a little thing....but it bugs me. We've sold 5 houses. At times I had tiny babies and it was a PAIN to keep the house clean and leave so the house could be shown. I'd be irritated if all those times it was because of nosy neighbors.

Is this common? Enlighten me!

Pretty tacky, if you ask me

 

[mamacatnv]

I'm more surprised she is posting photos of someone elses home on her FB - that IMO is tacky
Agents in my area won't show you a home until you have been prequalified and have chosen them as your buyers agent.
open houses are that, open but I cannot imagine making an appt. with an agent just to lookie loo

 

[Mr. Ironly]

Aren't there usually pictures online of most homes that are on the market nowadays? Why not just look at the pictures?

 

[LuvGoofy6]

100% agree with you Katy Belle! We have sold 4 houses and same thing...had to pack up little kids or dogs while trying to work around baseball practice, etc. Now my kids are older but it would still be a pain in the behind! An open house is one thing but to put the homeowner out with no intentions to buy is selfish.

 

[NJlauren]

I would go to open house of a house I can't afford if its a home I have been admiring and all of a sudden its for sale. I wouldn't even take pictures let alone post pictures. I do think going with a realtor is inappropriate as it sends a poor message and is rude, to the realtor and home owner. Going to an open house however i think is fine.

 

[POOHsie]

Years after our family moved, our old house was for sale again and there was an open house. This wasn't a fancy home, pretty average. So mom and a few of us kids (adults now) stopped by. We told the Realtor we were just curious to see what changed, and she said it was OK. OMG, it had gone downhill since we left. Same old decrepit boiler, signs of roof leaks, doors painted black, same '60s orange formica counters. Just awful. We were sorry we went.

 

[Mizzoufan]

Aren't there usually pictures online of most homes that are on the market nowadays? Why not just look at the pictures?

That what I was thinking.

 

[Katy Belle]

Aren't there usually pictures online of most homes that are on the market nowadays? Why not just look at the pictures?

Yes, usually. instead of posting a photo of the dining room, she posted a photo of the dining table and chandelier , and another of the buffet! I went back and counted....35 photos of the one house. Weird.

 

[sookie]

So, here is my thought. Yeah, sometimes neighbors do this, but usually they come through during open houses. People did it when our house was on the market.

However, maybe your neighbors are coming through on an innocent basis. My mom was looking for a new home. The home behind us opened up and was for sale. My kids could have walked from my back fence to her back door in less than 2 minutes, and that was on baby legs.

Yes, we went and looked. Then took her back after we went and did a walk through. Unfortunately, the owner was a major jerk when my mom came through, was a jerk to our realtor, hovered, and just irritated the crap out of us. She did make an offer, a good solid offer - but he was like "asking price only!"

It was a FSBO.

She got new construction instead, and the house sold for 30k+ less than what my mom offered. And it sold a year after she made her offer, which I'm sure wasn't good for him - the owner told us he had a new home to move into elsewhere. That neighborhood is a pit now too.

 

[ronandannette]

Sounds like this is becoming a hobby for your SIL...I'm having visions of Skylar's sister Marie (in Breaking Bad) who began visiting open houses to combat boredom and neglect within her marriage. She gave elaborately made up stories of who she was and why she was there to the realtors and stole a little "trophy" from each one.

Seriously though - there's no harm, no foul if she limits herself to visiting Open Houses only. But booking actual showings impacts other people in a way that is completely out of line. I'm with a PP though who commented that your SIL's realtor must not be all that sharp if (s)he does not qualify potential buyers any better than this...

 

[ForeverAlice]

Yeah it happens all the time! I don't know why more selling agents don't require prospective buyers to show pre-qualification in order to see a house. We did that and it cuts out that nonsense.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Open houses? Sure, I'd have a look.

But I woulsrnever schedule a viewing. What a waste of the seller's and the realtor's time.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

We bought a house three years ago and didn't have to prequalify to see any of them.

 

[usd2bmd]

I agree with many others, Open house sure I might walk through. But I would never make an apt to look at a house I didn't intend to buy. I scroll though the photos online to se what people have (or haven't )done to update a house.

 

[MickeySP]

I would go to open house of a house I can't afford if its a home I have been admiring and all of a sudden its for sale. I wouldn't even take pictures let alone post pictures. I do think going with a realtor is inappropriate as it sends a poor message and is rude, to the realtor and home owner. Going to an open house however i think is fine.

I have done this before. Even when approached by Realtor acknowledged I was a looky-loo. I didn't want her wasting her time on me when a potential buyer may have been there.

Yeah it happens all the time! I don't know why more selling agents don't require prospective buyers to show pre-qualification in order to see a house. We did that and it cuts out that nonsense.

I know that in my are the higher end houses are doing just that now. I guess they caught on to the people like your SIL.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

It's similar to a couple of friends I have that use to like going to test drive cars as something to do. And they never seem to want to test drive the minivan.

 

[Dawnlight]

Open house=fair game

Appointment with no intent to buy + photos= tacky and rude to seller and realtor

 

[Gigi22]

Interesting, I guess the rules are quite different in Canada. My realtor told me that I was not allowed to take pictures of homes I was viewing. I was mainly going to private viewings with him, but I also went to some Open Houses with my bff. Agent told me it was because of privacy laws, and security concerns.

 

[cabanafrau]

Open house=fair game

Appointment with no intent to buy + photos= tacky and rude to seller and realtor

Absolutely agree. Completely inconsiderate to realtor and seller.