I’m every home seller’s nightmare: I’ve looked at a lot of houses that I will NEVER buy

Amahle Jacobs browses the latest local property listings online and makes a dizzying shortlist of her next viewings.

She has found a historic gem and immediately calls the real estate agent to tell her that she is a first-time buyer.

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But she has no plans to buy this property – or anything else for that matter.

For Amahle, house viewing is just a hobby, and she’s sticking with it.

According to research from Onepoll, just over half of us (52 percent) engage in ‘property porn’, where we scroll through ads for pleasure.

Amahle says: “I’ve always been obsessed with property shows and spend a lot of time on Zoopla, but that wasn’t enough.

“I wanted to see the houses with my own eyes.

“So I started booking viewings because I thought I would be asked a lot of questions and have to tell a few lies about my situation.

“But it was very easy.”

There’s something deeply satisfying about poking around a stranger’s house from the safety of a smartphone or laptop.

Whether it’s on websites like Rightmove or Zoopla, it’s easy to lose track of time as you crave listings.

But 29-year-old Amahle takes her house swoon one step further.

While her hobby may seem innocent enough, “real estate tourists” like Amahle are a real estate agent’s worst nightmare.

According to industry expert Moverly, ‘timewasters’ were viewed 718,127 times in Britain last year.

Amahle follows her potential property victims on Zoopla, before collecting her favorite listings on a private Pinterest board.

The health worker from Bedfordshire said: “I’ve lost count of the number of viewings I’ve done but it’s probably dozens in the last two years.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever been asked if I’ve taken out a mortgage or anything else.

If the agent calls me after a viewing for the follow-up meeting, I simply ignore their calls.

Amahle Jacobs

“I usually say I’m a starter and that seems to work for me.

“If the real estate agent calls me after a viewing for the follow-up conversation, I simply ignore their calls.”

Fortunately for Amahle, she doesn’t encounter the same real estate agent twice.

Or if she did, they didn’t recognize each other.

Research shows that an average viewing lasts 28 minutes, which means that sellers and agents would waste 335,126 hours on it in 2023.

That’s the equivalent of 1,995 weeks spent on pointless house tours.

But Amahle doesn’t feel guilty about her time-wasting ways.

“No way,” she says, shrugging.

“This is life. And after all, it is the officer’s job.

“At least I’m giving them something to do.”

Considering that sellers go to great lengths to ensure their homes look immaculate for showings, you’d think Amahle would feel a pang of regret when she thinks about all the housework that goes into getting a home ready. to make.

Not the case.

‘Strengthen a building’

“The sellers will always eventually find someone to buy their house,” she says.

“I never have a bad feeling about them cleaning up or anything.

‘They should anyway.

“We all have to do it.

“Sometimes the viewings are in a block anyway, so that doesn’t matter.

“And maybe I’ll be the one to generate interest if it’s been for sale for a while.

‘I could even stimulate a property if the market for it is outdated.’

The folks at Moverly disagree, with a spokesperson saying: “When selling a home, there are few things more frustrating than time wasters – people with no intention of buying, no ability to buy or not being able to commit to something and see it through.”

Amahle is clear about its position on the housing market.

She says: “Maybe one day I’ll own a house, but I’m not in a situation where I can buy right now.

“I will definitely be renting for the next few years.

“But that doesn’t mean I can’t look around the properties and see what people have done to them.

“It’s all good fun, a bit like window shopping.

“It’s the same as people looking around expensive shopping streets, knowing they can’t afford the clothes.”

There’s something that gives me a bit of a rush when I’m in a house that I know I’ll never be able to afford.

Amahle Jacobs

Originally from South Africa, Amahle became intrigued by the price of property in Britain when she moved to Britain ten years ago.

She says: “It always fascinates me.

“It’s crazy, honestly.

“I think that’s part of the appeal for me.

“My small two-bedroom house in Bedfordshire is probably worth the same as a six-bedroom house in Johannesburg, with huge gardens and maids’ quarters.”

When it comes to the types of properties that end up on her viewing hit list, Amahle has her favorites.

“The older the better,” she says.

“I love hearing the history of old homes and seeing the updates and improvements people have made over the years.

“My favorite so far was a ten-bedroom house not far from where I live.

“I keep my viewings quite local where possible and this one had the largest garden and felt like a castle.

“It was so beautiful.

“There’s something that excites me a little about being in a house that I know I’ll never be able to afford.

“I once viewed a property when I was in London.

“I couldn’t believe how little you get for your money there.”

‘Feels like therapy’

However, one of Amahle’s viewings did not go entirely to plan.

“My worst was when I realized the photos on the ad were created using artificial intelligence,” she says.

“I was so annoyed because the house didn’t look like the pictures at all.

“Everything was tatty and falling to pieces.

“I just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

“But that was rare.

“I usually enjoy the viewings and they give me an escape.”

Like shoppers who enjoy browsing stores for retail therapy, Amahle says visiting other people’s homes gives her a sense of relief.

“I’m busy working full-time and also starting my own business, so looking at strangers’ homes gives me the relaxation I need,” she says.

“It feels like therapy, when you step into someone else’s world for a moment.

“And I get a lot of inspiration for when I finally buy my own house.

“I then know exactly what I should get for my money.”