a common gazumping trick? or genuine

[showmethemummy]

had an offer accepted by vendor last week - he pressed for survey to be booked within 7 days. have just got going on mortgage application, solicitors blarh blarh, when today we receive an email from agent ( who must not be named). 'the other buyer' who apparently had also offered same as us before (coincidently) have now put in a 'higher offer'. Agent is legally obliged to put all offers to the vendor.

this house was on the market for a good 18months-2years, and somewhat coincidentally in the last ten days or so, there has been this 'other interested party'. they made offers around the same as ours all the way along, but obviously we were accepted.

I am really really PO . I think this agent has done this many times before.

Or am I being a cynic?

[fourstickymitts]

Same thing happened to us. House on the market more than 15 monthes. Then straight after our offer, heypresto, another offer. Higher, of course. I feel you pain. In our case, I think they may have used our offer to get another one, IMO.

[Blackduck]

Could be true, could be a crock of crap. Trouble is how will you know? Have to decide how much you want house and whether you wnat to raise your offer, or call their bluff (assuming it is a bluff). Also should say offer has been accepted and you wnat the house taken off the market.

[bibbitybobbityhat]

Gosh, yes, I would be suspicious of that. Not sure what you can do about it, though.

[showmethemummy]

house was taken 'off the market' - was only on agent's website as 'under offer' but nowhere else on web.

personally i think it's a load of ^%$*. i think we will be trying to call their bluff - perhaps by bluffing a bit ourselves... I hate these stupid games people play. who has the money and time and energy for such crap?

[ChippyMinton]

We had this - agent called to say that someone had walked into their office and made an offer . Because we'd just got the survey back, rather than negotiate, we called their bluff and pulled out. DH's view was that if that's the way they were going to do business, we didn't want the hassle of more trickery further down the line.

How much do you want the house?

[bibbitybobbityhat]

Are you in a good position to buy? ie. not in a chain? - that should make your offer more attractive than getting a few thousand more from buyers in a long and complicated chain, tbh.

The house may well have been taken off the market, but unfortunately, Agents cannot make sellers do the honourable thing. The agent is acting on the sellers instructions and sellers are GREEDY, remember that.

However, if the agent is telling YOU about the increased offer from this other party before he has even told the seller, then that is deeply suspect, as it suggests he is trying to pressure you into increasing your own offer.

Perhaps email the agent back and say "What has the vendor's response been to this increased offer?" without making any mention of what you intend to do.

[nocake]

Estate agents are obliged to pass every offer to the vendor in writing so definitely press them on the vendor's reponse.

And don't be afraid to walk away.

[lalalonglegs]

You are not being a cynic.

[showmethemummy]

bibbity - we are chain-free so you would think it would've made a difference.

We do like the house, but as you say ChippyM we're not sure we want to deal with people who operate like this.

anyway. c'est la vie, i think is where i'm at for this hour. in an hour's time might be angry again...

thanks everyone.

[narmada]

I would also smell a rat like you, and would be tempted to walk away if they are going to start playing silly buggers at this stage. Def don't be pressured into increasing your offer if you think you've already bid what it's worth.

[bibbitybobbityhat]

Please come back and update if you can. I love threads like this [saddo smiley].

[showmethemummy]

well.

it looks like the vendor has taken the house off the market.

i'm saying 'looks like' because we've STILL NOT heard anything concrete back from the !"££$$% agent. of course not.

DH thinks they're still playing games. I think the greedy vendor wanted more, and had only gone for our offer in hopes of pushing us for more (as per strategy below). then when looked like we wouldn't go higher he's decided to take it off the market altogether. we've found out that he's been trying to sell it( we think on and off) for about 3 yrs now.

I think - even though i really really don't like how they're operating - I really like the house and would rather put in another offer than loose it altogether.
Maybe that's falling for their tactics; maybe not. I 'm not sure I care - I'd really rather end up with the house, than without.


however - ultimately DH in charge of strategy. perhaps just as well.

[oldenoughtowearpurple]

If vendor has been 'trying to sell it on and off for three years now' and accepted an offer from you then immediately started p&*%& around it seems likely vendor is not actually that serious about selling and is more interested in a bit of silly power play. Pull out now before you pay for a survey.

[bibbitybobbityhat]

Have you had a look at PropertySnake? I believe it tells you the whole history of a house for sale - how long it has been on for, what price changes it has had.

[showmethemummy]

i don't know which site DH was looking at last night but it showed full history of the house since owner bought it.

Sigh. SIGH. oldenough i think you might be right, and i don't have the whatever-it-takes to just walk away from this, so am (trying hard to ) leave DH to take next step.

i just want the house! [throws self on floor, thrashing]

[narmada]

really, honestly, if he's being trying to sell for 3 years, it's not good news. He's either deeply greedy or unrealistic or has some other compelling reason for not selling (e.g., chronic procrastination, inability to make decisions, could be anything really!). Honestly, honestly, a better house will come along and you'll thank your lucky stars you didn't buy that one.