The Rise of the Property Tourist

They say Easter Weekend is the ultimate weekend for viewing/selling property, I'm not sure what makes this weekend so magical, but the extra 2 days holiday do seem to encourage people to get out and see houses.  It does make me wonder though, are these serious buyers or is viewing property the new cheap day out?

I know people view new build show homes out of curiosity and perhaps boredom, but have we reached a time where they view 'used' homes too?  I fear this might be the case, having wasted a lot of time on "property tourists" over the years, I advise my clients to be cautious about who views their property.  

I once came across as estate agent who wouldn't allow anyone to view without seeing (and copying) documents of either available cash, proof of mortgage or sale in progress of their current home, this was a little much and ended up putting buyers off.

I personally go for the middle ground, asking sensible questions about their position, but wouldn't demand proof until they wanted to put an offer forward.  My experience is that if someone is serious about viewing a property, they will tell you how fantastic their position is, and silence tells a different story.  There are also a few checks that can be done, the internet is a fantastic tool for finding out all sorts of things, for example, take their current address and a quick check on rightmove will tell you if it is on the market, under offer or not on at all. You will also see the value of their home and although it isn't exact, this will give a good guide as to whether your property is the next logical step on the ladder for them.  This is really why I advise using an agent, its easier for them to ask these questions and do the checks without putting you in an awkward position.