How would you approach this delicate issue?

[CheltenhamLady]

The elderly owner (97) of a house we have always wanted has just died. We want to buy this house before it goes onto the open market, as it is in a really desirable location and we don't want it to go to a bidding war. We can pay cash for it without selling our current property.

Friends know the son and probably have contact details for him. We don't know him. The funeral has not happened yet.

We have no idea if he will even sell, he may decide to move in himself, it may be left to grandchildren etc, we have no idea of the circumstances.

We are prepared to pay market price or slightly over, we are not looking to haggle on price (unless it is a ridiculous figure!) and selling privately would save them the hassle of estate agents and their fees. Also, we can move at their pace as we won't be selling ours.

We live quite close to the property.

When and how would be the best way to approach him?

How/when would you like to be approached in the same scenario?

Obviously, this is a sensitive situation but we don't want to miss the boat.

I recently lost my DF and would not have been offended if I was approached by someone wanting to pay full market value and wasn’t in a chain who wanted to buy his property. I would have felt relief. I would have preferred if they waited until after the funeral.

I wasn't even considering making any kind of approach before the funeral. I think that would be very insensitive.

It does seem opinion is split though regarding making any approach at all.

I'd pop a note through the door and also mention to the people who know the son, in passing, to pass message along that if they were thinking of selling, you'd be interested in talking to them. No pressure etc.

@Bluntness100

This happened to me, at my grandmothers funeral someone local approached me and said they wished to buy her home. I was quite stunned, but not remotely offended as they had no way to contact me otherwise.

I told the solicitor and he simply said let me handle it, it needs to go on the market, it’s going to be desirable for where it is, even though I was ok with selling it to the person who asked. So I let the solicitor handle it.

Sadly for the potential buyer there was a bidding war, so we eventually went to sealed bids and it went for much more than market value and what the woman had offered and they lost out.

So I’d say approach at any time if you know them, but if it’s desirable they would be stupid not to go to market.

Update,

Sadly for the potential buyer there was a bidding war, so we eventually went to sealed bids and it went for much more than market value and what the woman had offered and they lost out.

This is exactly what happened in my case.

However, a friend of mine is selling a house locally and the buyers who bid 100k over asking (it needs approx 120k spending on it) viewed her house yesterday and so we suspect they are now having second thoughts!!