Why are there so many time wasters.

[LooseBoots]

Trying to sell our house and so far had 2 time wasters. If people say they are coming to view your property and you spend time, in this heat , getting everything tidy then they either don`t bother to turn up and don`t answer their phone or you get them or an agent saying oh yes sorry they / we changed our minds.

Is it too much to ask for common courtesy and good manners just to let you know that , for whatever reason, they have changed their mind so you are not sitting there like a mindless moron. Might be selling a house but still like to have a life too.............

[rosiesmidge]

I couldn't agree more with you, we are also trying to sell our property, the don't bother to turn up or arrive sometimes up to an hour after agreed time with no word of apology and your left sitting there twiddling you thumbs wondering whether to wait or get on with you life, we had one group of people who keep changing the day and time for a repeat viewing that in the end the estate agent lost all patience and had a go at them about mucking us about.

[kaiserphil]

Malcolm, I could write a book about the sale of my house there. It seems so many viewers are just very unintelligent. Also, they think you are a complete fool and will fall for their nonsense.

One time made me chuckle though, and I thought portrayed very well the Cypriot mentality. Some viewers were due at 5:00 but didnt turn up. After 15 minutes we called them, to be told "But we are in Lapta, how can we be there as well?" No doubt they then discussed how stupid the British can be!

But I have had similar problems in the UK.

[Marions]

You sound as if you are on a harsh learning curve, Looseboots. Happens all over the world, But I must say the one place where everything always went well was in Australia. Maybe because the Agent ALWAYS comes with you and you, the Vendor, have to disappear. So the viewers can be as honest as they like with the Agent, and you are not left with egg on your face or red with embarrassment, (or rage at their not coming at all)

I want to move but when people ask me why I am not sellin g up, my answer is because I DON'T HAVE THE ENERGY AND TIME TO DO IT. I CANOT HANG abnut and waste precious time.

But of course, if it was VITAL< I would have to cope.

Don't envy you, but I am afraid you are learning fast.

(oh and in Australia when I was there, the agents fees were good, they were good and selling and buying was a joy! - but this is Cyprus and all that goes with it!)

[journey1]

As Marions mentioned have you tried only having accompanied visits with the estate agent by appointment and you not being there?

[sophie]

Its not so much the time wasters who drove me nuts(took our property off the market eventually) but things like the following i.e. people just don't read the blurb.

a) a woman (a Brit) from about 5 miles away wouldn't go more than 3ft on to the terrace because she was afraid of heights. (Blurb clearly said, close to edge of ravine), but insisted on seeing rest of house, Why!! Was she going to stay in doors all the time?

b) a woman (a TC) said "I don't want a swimming pool" Blurb clearly said there was one, with a picture

c)man and woman came (the woman was clearly deranged)... not interested in the wonderful uninterrupted views of the sea and the mountains or the ravine or the house, but had to have space for her "chuckies and piggies". We have less than a donum of gravelled garden and the pictures show just that.

d) we have outside stairs to top floor and terraces as well as inside stairs. "What is the point of that" I couldn't be bothered to answer.

e) "why did you choose this colour for a bedroom" "Because I like it and a coat of emulsion would change it if you don't like it" "Oh"

I lost the will to live and told Agent not to bring holiday makers round, as they were just wasting his and my time and were just bored with sitting around hotel pool

The list goes on and on. I wish you luck.

[ttoli]

I endured 6 Months of broken promises , hand shakes on the price then coming back to re negotiate , we have our own a/c units etc etc etc .
Then one magical day a local Hotelier knocked on the door, cash deposit within the hour and balance a week later.

[LooseBoots]

O.K.. Thanks guys for your stories............maybe ours wasn`t so bad after all.

Just that neither of us was impressed with my partner sweltering cleaning inside and me cleaning roof terrace/stairs . Too hot to be messed about. But hey ho.

[journey1]

I fully understand you concerns and frustration but, really just run with it and try - which is so hard - to live your life in between it all. Eventually someone does come along and 'Faith' is renewed.
I am not speaking without any experience as I have sold a number of houses before - its the same all over believe me.
Just hang in there - reduce the stress by appointments firmed up, no nonsense approach and an estate agent that appreciates the rules you wish to run with - afterall they are getting a huge % in North Cyprus so let ''them' work for it on your terms.
Never forget you are in the driving seat and can adjust the controls at anytime to suit all for comfort. LOL
best wishes

[LooseBoots]

I fully understand you concerns and frustration but, really just run with it and try - which is so hard - to live your life in between it all. Eventually someone does come along and 'Faith' is renewed.
I am not speaking without any experience as I have sold a number of houses before - its the same all over believe me.
Just hang in there - reduce the stress by appointments firmed up, no nonsense approach and an estate agent that appreciates the rules you wish to run with - afterall they are getting a huge % in North Cyprus so let ''them' work for it on your terms.
Never forget you are in the driving seat and can adjust the controls at anytime to suit all for comfort. LOL
best wishes

[squashmad]

I think many of us that have sold have endured this mindless frustration but unfortunately it comes with the job of selling.

Just be aware that if a local comes to buy you may have to go through quite a few visits by them and by them and their entire family before you know whether they are going to buy or not.

We were selling one house and by the time we thought we were getting close to a sale the couple buying turned up with 14 members of their family to see it before they finally said yes, I know it's 'nice' for everyone to see the house but to have 14 strangers tramping around your house in one go is not comfortable at all so we threw them all out into the garden and let them in 3 or 4 at a time - nightmare but the result was they bought!!!!

[sophie]

If and when we get round to putting this property on the market again it will be my 14th property, the difference being is the general attitude. UK agents do at least try and persuade people to be reasonably punctual and by and large I found people did read the "blurb" more or less clearly. The one good thing whilst it was For Sale, was the fact that the house was spotless from sun up to sun down, even the dogs were lectured about wiping their feet!! They knew when someone was coming because they got shut up in the car.