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Original poster

Is there any hope of buying this house?

72 replies

NorthernMarmiteLover · 19/06/2022 17:58

Hi guys,

I viewed a house yesterday along with 27 or so other people.

It’s absolutely our dream home. We actually called the day it went online and offered asking price, which the vendor appreciated but of course wanted to go ahead with the open day.

I’ve submitted my offer - I know it won’t be the highest. I think the higher offers will be between £5k-£8k above what we’ve offered.

I wrote a letter and posted it through the door last night. Nothing too gross, just saying how much we loved the house, would really appreciate them considering our offer etc.

Do vendors EVER accept a lower offer?! We’re first time buyers but I think most of the people who viewed are I.e. mostly chain free. We’re also super flexible on time scales. We don’t care when we move. Tomorrow. Next year. We’re very fortunate and have family we can stay with quite comfortable.

I’m breaking my heart over this house and trying everything in my power not to get my hopes up, but I can’t help imagining us there :(

Is there any hope?

OP posts:
Sprig1 · 19/06/2022 18:02

Honestly? First time buyers have a habit of being difficult purchasers. I probably would accept your offer even if we're highest. I hope it works out for you though.

broccolicheese · 19/06/2022 18:02

There’s definitely hope! Can you increase your offer anymore or are you right at the top?

DH and I had problems buying our house (estate agents took a dislike to us because we weren’t going to use their FA) I was heartbroken as it was my dream house and so I put a note with my number through the door, the sellers rang me and we chatted and they agreed to sell to us as they wanted it to be a family house. They wouldn’t have known us or our offer or anything but the lies from EA if I hadn’t.

All that to say, house buying miracles do sometimes happen! 😄

Finfintytint · 19/06/2022 18:04

We had vendors accept our lower offer once because we were in a good position to move quickly. They were moving abroad and we had a company relocation organising and financing the move.

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Original poster
NorthernMarmiteLover · 19/06/2022 18:04

@Sprig1 Thank you - I appreciate your honesty. Did not know that FTB were thought to be difficult purchasers!
Thanks again x

OP posts:
Original poster
NorthernMarmiteLover · 19/06/2022 18:05

@broccolicheese thank you!! It’s good to know there is still hope. I’m keeping everything crossed! X

OP posts:
Original poster
NorthernMarmiteLover · 19/06/2022 18:06

@Finfintytint I’m hoping our flexibility when it comes to timescale helps as I know they haven’t found somewhere else yet x

OP posts:
User280905 · 19/06/2022 18:07

We had a lower offer accepted once because we were mega flexible on timescales. So yes there's hope. Fingers crossed for you op

Original poster
NorthernMarmiteLover · 19/06/2022 18:08

@User280905 thank you so much. I’m really hoping it could swing it for us. It’s everything we’ve been looking for x

OP posts:
Theoldwrinkley · 19/06/2022 18:10

I think if the sellers have a feeling for their house they want it to go to a family/owner who 'shares' their values. My son purchased his first house about 3 years ago as previous owners (who had let the property) wanted it not to be a rental property. He was not the highest offer. Another person I know (in Scotland) has not offered the highest amount but they got on v well with the sellers so a deal has been agreed.

JuneJubilee · 19/06/2022 18:11

@NorthernMarmiteLover

Best of Luck!

FTB can be problematic for a number of reasons.

I hope they want nice people to buy their home & choose you 😊

Id choose people I liked, even at a lower price, than a developer or someone intending to rent it out, so 🤞🏼

let us know!!

but keep in mind, if you don't get ut, there WILK be another house out there and you may, in time, appreciate not getting this one.

Seeleyboo · 19/06/2022 18:16

We viewed a house with back to back viewings. We loved it and said there and then. All we could offer though was the asking price.

We have been here 5 years now and are friends with the old owners.

user1471538283 · 19/06/2022 18:24

There is always hope! If you are in a good position the seller may take you up on it.

Unfortunately even though I was in the best position the place I wanted went to the highest bidder who then reduced it to less than my offer.

Clymene · 19/06/2022 18:28

user1471538283 · 19/06/2022 18:24

There is always hope! If you are in a good position the seller may take you up on it.

Unfortunately even though I was in the best position the place I wanted went to the highest bidder who then reduced it to less than my offer.

How do you know?

BarbaraofSeville · 19/06/2022 18:45

FTBs often expect everything to be perfect and panic over all the vagueries in the survey report whereas second plus time buyers have seen all the fence sitting and catastrophising before.

They also often have a smaller deposit so the lender is more likely to be more cautious with the valuation, which may mean they don't make the deposit or income multiple they need.

Having said that, someone has to win this particular race so it could well be you OP, so good luck and fingers crossed Smile

SweetPetrichor · 19/06/2022 18:57

Yep, we bought our house last August. We were not the highest offer, but we were cash buyers who had nothing to sell so ready to move whenever suited the owners.
We didn’t think we’d get the property but we really wanted it so we were over the moon to be successful. So it does happen. Good luck!

jd88123 · 19/06/2022 18:59

First time buyers are attractive to sellers as there's no chain so they might go with yours on that basis. Fingers crossed.

Original poster
NorthernMarmiteLover · 19/06/2022 19:14

Thanks so much for everyone's insight so far. It's nice to know there is hope, but I'll try and keep my heart guarded.
It sounds silly I know but I've never felt like this about a house before! Blush

OP posts:
CharSiu · 19/06/2022 20:05

Why is it so perfect out if interest? We only ever found one perfect house but it wasn’t perfect because it was on a main road.

Original poster
NorthernMarmiteLover · 19/06/2022 20:19

@CharSiu it's exactly where we want to be. It's a quiet road, it's a terrace house with a driveway which is quite unusual for our area and ticks a big box for us.
It's within our budget, the right size.
I also walked in and had allllll the feels for this house. It was like I walked in and it had been waiting for me. Insane I know.
I actually teared up when it was time to leave because I thought "I'll never be back in this house". I got it bad.

OP posts:
Dorsetdelight211 · 19/06/2022 20:46

My parents looked around their dream house when my mum was heavily pregnant with me. They could only afford £24k, someone offered higher but the owners took pity on my mum and dad. 41 years later and they're still there. Good luck OP.

dontgobaconmyheart · 19/06/2022 20:54

You must keep us posted OP, I hope you get it.

There is always hope. In real terms the flexibility will help but if there are that many people interested I do think it often does come down to money. A letter (if it hits home) might swing it if the difference is a thousand pounds or two if the owners are sentimental, you hit it off and they and have no financial concerns but I do think most people lean towards the highest of the offers, because why wouldn't you really.

I'm never sure what to think of the letter in the door situation. We had one once and I found it a bit invasive and manipulative as though If i wanted to be a good person and give the house to someone who really loved it then I'd consider their offer even if they couldn't afford the highest price. Who's to say the people bidding the most didn't feel the same.

Our neighbours recently sold and they sold to buyers who put a letter through the door about how it was the perfect long term family home for them to buy for their daughter who had had a difficult time etc and wanted to be near family with a litany of sentimental comments about the perfect house she felt safe in. After contracts were exchanged it transpired it was a complete lie, they were experienced buy to let landlords and it was a good investment in a road that is always popular. They had the 'to let' listing up the day after completion using the photos from the sale listing and the tenants (our new neighbours) moved in not long after - not before they ripped anything old out and lobbed it in a skip out the front.

Kezzie200 · 19/06/2022 21:02

I hope you get it.

I'd not want a FTB at moment for a house going over valuation unless they had a huge deposit as a higher chance of failing a current mortgage valuation. The markets so tricky

I still hope you do.

Headabovetheparakeet · 19/06/2022 21:07

User280905 · 19/06/2022 18:07

We had a lower offer accepted once because we were mega flexible on timescales. So yes there's hope. Fingers crossed for you op

Same. We offered below asking but said we would move at their pace and they accepted.

Original poster
NorthernMarmiteLover · 20/06/2022 07:11

I'm hoping it will go to best and final today.

@dontgobaconmyheart that's so awful - it's not surprising that people are so wary when things like this happen!

@Kezzie200 totally u derstabd that and it makes perfect sense. I don't know if I'd say our deposit is huge - probably not. Our offer is £215k and our deposit is £30,000.

@Headabovetheparakeet lovely stories here, they are giving me hope but even if we don't get it, I'm very thankful to this thread for giving me comfort while we wait to hear 🙂

OP posts:
Whinge · 20/06/2022 07:15

Good luck OP, have you submitted your best and final offer, or are you able to add a little more?