Mickthepropertyguru, I have no objections to the idea of a client looking for the best property by its own means, and I, as a company, will never refuse a client coming by appointment, and do all my best to show all my properties (or lets say, those I think are suited to this very specific client).

However, what is the meaning of a viewing trip? Talking personally, although I strongly believe that this trip is more about business than holiday, I also do think that its also about getting the client to know more about the location. To purchase a property is not only about getting 4 walls and a roof, but also a "lifestyle". The house can be absolutely perfect, but it has no value at all if the location is way behind what was expected.

Do you think, a "client" who has 10 appointments, with 10 different agency,and this in 3 days will ever have time to truly discover the place? By night, he will be so tired that even dinner will be most probably forgotten...

I think that your main point is at the "hassle from the eager-to-sell agent", and I agree with you that this can be very very annoying. Aegean has a point when he says that there is no difference between big-small companies for the client. I am not very sure of that, since the client can very easily have an idea about each companies with just a simple click into each respective web sites. One will show 10 countries where they operate, while the other is most probably only operating in just one. Even this may be enough to give an idea about the company.