Are you a property voyeur?
Research by viewings platform, U-See Homes, has indicated half of UK homebuyers admit to being virtual property voyeurs, viewing a property online without the intention of buying, with 16% going as far as viewing in person.
However, more than half of homebuyers (51%) have taken this virtual viewing voyeurism one step further, opting to view a property virtually with no intention of viewing it in person or potentially buying it.
Curiosity was the driving factor for half of those choosing to do so (49%), while checking out a neighbour, friend or colleague’s house was also the driving factor for 16%. 14% did so because it was a luxurious or expensive home.
But it doesn’t stop there. As many as 16% of homebuyers stated they have actually viewed a property in person despite having absolutely no intention of submitting an offer.
Again curiosity was the main reason (65%), although 23% did so to get inside a luxurious or expensive home or one with unusual features.
Simon Dempsey heads up marketing for U-See Homes and says: “Advancements in technology have allowed us to take our property perversions to a whole new level, with virtual tour technology allowing us to effectively walk around someone else’s home without any intention of buying it.
“While this is a pretty harmless practice, the 16% of us that take this virtual tyre kicking as far as a physical viewing are perhaps taking things a bit too far.
“Not only is it a little bit strange, but it wastes the time of both the homeowner and estate agent who conduct the viewing. Guided virtual tours can be a great tool when initially qualifying a buyer as they allow an agent to conduct them in real-time.
“Not only does this reduce the number of time wasters, but it also allows the agent to whittle down a list of potential homes to just a few strong contenders, removing the need for multiple physical viewings and speeding up the process for all involved.”
Survey of 985 UK homebuyers carried out by U-See Homes via consumer research platform Find Out Now (1st July 2021).
| Have you ever looked at an online property listing with no intention of viewing the property? | |
| Answer | Respondents |
| Yes | 81% |
| No | 19% |
| Have you ever viewed a property virtually with no intention of viewing or buying it? | |
| Answer | Respondents |
| Yes | 51% |
| No | 49% |
| Have you ever viewed a property in person with no intention of buying it? | |
| Answer | Respondents |
| No | 84% |
| Yes | 16% |
| Why did you view a property virtually with no intention of buying it? (Tick all that apply) | |
| Answer | Respondents |
| Curiosity | 49% |
| It belongs to a neighbour/friend/colleague | 16% |
| It was luxurious/expensive | 14% |
| It had unusual features | 8% |
| It was rundown/inexpensive | 7% |
| It featured in the media | 6% |
| Why did you view a property in person with no intention of buying it? (Tick all that apply) | |
| Answer | Respondents |
| Curiosity | 65% |
| It was luxurious/expensive | 12% |
| It had unusual features | 11% |
| It was rundown/inexpensive | 7% |
| It belongs to a neighbour/friend/colleague | 3% |
| It featured in the media | 3% |
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Member Since February 2020 - Comments: 194
12:44 PM, 8th July 2021, About 5 years ago
“property voyeur”?
It’s called window shopping by any other name. Nothing unusual about that.
People do it with cars, shoes, tech… you name it. So why not houses.
The job of the vendor and their sales-agents is to convert that window shopper to an actual sale.