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Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Property/DIY

Did you miss out on many properties before you found 'the one'?

16 replies

TinyGoldfish · 12/06/2016 13:43

We went to view a flat yesterday: viewed at 1pm then went for lunch to talk it though (to make sure we weren't letting our hearts rule our head). Drove home and called to make an offer but found out it had already sold!

This isn't the first time this has happened - have had a few calls on the way to a viewing to say don't bother coming as an offer's just been accepted - But I thought we had good odds this time: there were only three viewings and we were all on the same day.

I feel like the only way to avoid missing out again is to make an offer while actually in the viewing!

...If we ever find anything. It took 4 months to find this one and I was so excited about it.

OP posts:

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lalalonglegs · 12/06/2016 14:37

Did you say anything to the estate agent before you left such as: "We really like the house and would like a couple of hours to discuss what level our offer should be at?" If you did, I would be surprised that an agent advised the owner to accept another one without coming back to you first.

Yes, I've missed out on loads of properties but something else comes along so don't worry about it. Let the agent know that you were disappointed not to be able to put in an offer on this one (in case the buyers pull out) and keep looking. You will find something that you like just as much or more.

TinyGoldfish · 12/06/2016 14:53

The EA said something like 'you sound really positive, is this a contender?' and I agreed that it was definitely one to seriously consider. But should I be more explicit next time?

I've asked them to contact me if the buyer pulls out. They vendor's chain has already collapsed once before also the property was back in the market - we're chain free (renting) so I thought that would help us too.

OP posts:

concertplayer · 12/06/2016 15:30

Sorry for you but at least you were not let down later say when you had
shelled out for a survey. Something will turn up

TinyGoldfish · 12/06/2016 15:41

Thats true, concert. Although the EA had told us that the last sale fell through as damp had been identified on the survey and showed up where it was. So really we were prepared for that anyway!

OP posts:

RebelandaStunner · 12/06/2016 15:43

You can still put an offer in, you may be in a better position. Nothing's sealed until exchange. Lots of sales fall through as you already know so keep an eye on it and make sure you do ring back and check. We thought we had lost our dream house but it came back on the market less than a week after it was 'sold'. Just make sure your finance is in place.

TinyGoldfish · 12/06/2016 16:36

Ooo thanks Stunner! That's really positive.

I have a mortgage agreed in principle so I think I'm good to go?

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ChablisTyrant · 12/06/2016 16:39

We lost out on 2 houses this way. But in both cases the sales fell through and we got a call from the estate agent. If you like it then just say to EA that you do plan to put in an offer but need a few hours to think about price. And if you miss out it is definitely worth leaving contact details because chains frequently collapse.

whois · 12/06/2016 16:57

You can still put an offer in and the EA has to give it to the vendor.

By yeah be explicit - say you want to put an offer in but need a few hours to reflect.

Chloe1984 · 12/06/2016 18:39

We had an offer accepted on a house, and we were told the next day that the owner had then accepted another offer after ours was accepted. Not sure if this is a common thing? In the end we found a much nicer house anyway but were gutted st the time!

FinallyGotAnIPhone · 12/06/2016 19:43

Hi - yes I put offers in on 4 properties before I got this one. Got into bidding wars on a couple. Offer accepted on one but I later pulled out because I learned that the house had been underpinned.

I looked for about a year before I found this one. I was the first to see it (I used to monitor right move many times a day!) then as soon as I saw it I called the EA and put asking price offer in. Eventually I ended up at sealed bids and paid over the asking price. Good luck OP.

fiorentina · 12/06/2016 20:58

We put in 3 offers before we got this house. Around here though properties often went to 'best offer' where we lost out. Finally we offered asking price the same day and were successful!

BeYourselfUnlessUCanBeAUnicorn · 13/06/2016 10:50

We missed out on one before we found this one. Ours hadn't quite sold (complicated shared ownership sale and HA were being slow and awkward about paperwork) but we put in an offer. Owner said she wanted to negotiate with us but wouldn't until ours was definitely sold. After a couple of weeks it sold and I was gutted, as it's in the area I already live I had to drive past it all the time and just couldn't forget about it.

Meanwhile we did sell and one I had often looked at from the outside was reduced to within our budget, offered, rejected, offered best and final and she took well over a day then said no. EAs were surprised as they said it was a good offer. 2 hours later got a call back, her daughter had convinced her to accept it and here we are! Far better than the first house, much bigger, less busy road, closer to school, parking not great but better than first house which had double yellow lines right outside. And this one was cheaper. No regrets at all.

It never seems like it at the time but something better always come up. I still nose on RM and whilst there isn't much I'd be interested in, now and again one will come up where I do think I would have gone for it.

TooMuchCoffeeMakesMeZoom · 13/06/2016 11:03

We bought our first flat and, much later, our long term house by making an offer on the spot.
Both times we'd seen several and missed out on some.

Bitofeverything · 14/06/2016 23:25

I think it takes a bit of time to get into it - you almost have to lose a couple before you get brave enough to jump? (Although some people do seem able to buy first house they see - how?!) I would just look at the lost ones as practice (still miss one or two but v v happy now.)

heron98 · 15/06/2016 10:09

Happened to us a few times - we didn't even get to see some houses as they had sold before our viewing.

However, I just decided that it wasn't meant to be and that something else would come up. and it did.

TollgateDebs · 15/06/2016 16:19

We missed out, found out that a house had hidden horrors, were not even sent details of houses that would have been ideal, but, in the end went to see a house we didn't think would be right, but, as we were in the area, just viewed to kill time and it was the right one! We have learnt to be open minded and view more that just the ones that look good on paper and, twice, it paid off! A home out there will have your name on, good luck.

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