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Original poster

Being gazumpted on dream property

496 replies

Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 17:57

I know it’s legal to do it but I’m so sad Sad

we offered just under asking price on our dream property that has been on the market over a year, the estate agent phoned yesterday to say another offer slightly higher has been accepted and it’s their final decision. I asked if we could offer higher and they said the vendors aren’t interested and just want to proceed and not waste any more time

am I wrong to think as our offer has been accepted we should have been given the chance to offer more before another has been accepted?!

I know this happens and I’m glad it’s happened now and not further down the line but I feel so angry

OP posts:
HÆLTHEPAIN · 04/02/2025 21:14

Tryingtokeepgoing · 04/02/2025 21:13

No need to swear surely? I was offering some constructive advice on how she could move forward…

30 odd years of buying and selling houses has left me with less faith in estate agents than you seem to have. If the OPs intention is to tie the two together, the vendors agents will know that. It would be hard to find a more conniving, duplicitous and morally corrupt bunch of people than estate agents (bar, obviously, politicians). They will have spoken to the agent selling to her house multiple times, probably posing as potential buyer as well. They’ll have spoken to the solicitors. They’ll have spoken to the surveyor, if access was organised through them. They’ll have gleaned bits and pieces from the various conversations they have with her and others. They are motivated to understand exactly what the position is - they also want a sale to exchange quickly. It’s when they are due their fees…

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That was not swearing. But I agree with the second part of your post.

Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 21:15

Likewhatever · 04/02/2025 21:13

Gazumping is when you have an offer accepted and then subsequently rejected in favour of a higher offer.

Unless I’m missing something you made a lower than asking price offer which was rejected, then someone else entered the bidding and went above what you offered and that was accepted

It’s disappointing for you but that’s how these things work.

By all means contact the seller with your better offer but then you’d be the ones doing the gazumping.

They accepted our offer and we had a survey done, then 3 weeks later they accepted a higher offer. Isn’t that gazumping?

OP posts:
Tryingtokeepgoing · 04/02/2025 21:19

Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 21:04

Can I ask what’s slow? We had the survey done 12 days after we put our offer in which was the nearest time they could do due to work commitments.

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I can only speak from my experience, but in the last 5 houses I’ve bought, for 2 I didn’t even bother with a survey. I was happy to take a punt, based on previous experience and what I could see. For the other 3, the survey was always instructed within 24 hours, and carried out within the week. They are all, loosely, south east if that makes a difference. If my preferred surveyor wasn’t available I’d use another if I needed to keep things moving

Justleaveitblankthen · 04/02/2025 21:21

So it was on the market for roughly 52 weeks and within 3 weeks of accepting your offer, they have now declined and accepted a higher bidder?
What are the chances? 🤔

I think there is more to this somehow.

surreygirl1987 · 04/02/2025 21:22

rainingsnoring · 04/02/2025 21:14

It's an issue both with the system and with some individuals within the system. If you feel more comfortable making up comforting tales to yourself to justify your actions, I can't stop you. It's still a horrible thing to do.

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Okay 😅

Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 21:22

Yep 😩 the EA said they couldn’t believe it either

OP posts:
Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 21:25

If they are happy to have more offers tomorrow, they have accepted an offer at £350k which was asking price, what would people suggest we offer?

OP posts:
gatheryerosebuds · 04/02/2025 21:27

Likewhatever · 04/02/2025 21:13

Gazumping is when you have an offer accepted and then subsequently rejected in favour of a higher offer.

Unless I’m missing something you made a lower than asking price offer which was rejected, then someone else entered the bidding and went above what you offered and that was accepted

It’s disappointing for you but that’s how these things work.

By all means contact the seller with your better offer but then you’d be the ones doing the gazumping.

OP's offer was accepted.
She organised a survey (so presumably vendors had to let him in).
Surveys are not cheap.
Only then did the vendors accept an offer from someone else.

gatheryerosebuds · 04/02/2025 21:28

Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 21:25

If they are happy to have more offers tomorrow, they have accepted an offer at £350k which was asking price, what would people suggest we offer?

If it's really the only house in the area and you love it then probably £360

gatheryerosebuds · 04/02/2025 21:29

If there are other houses in the area which you like but are not yet for sale, then I'd probably rent and keep my eyes open

gotmyknickersinatwist · 04/02/2025 21:32

Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 21:09

In the area we want there’s only 2 other properties on the market, a farm and a run down bungalow unfortunately

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Is the run down bungalow affordable?
I know it's unlikely you want the stress of a project with elderly parents to consider but could you do anything with it?

Spooky2000 · 04/02/2025 21:33

Doggymummar · 04/02/2025 18:02

Your agent is contracted to pass on all offers in England

Yeah, but whether they do is another matter. I've been fed packs of lies before by EA's.

If it's your dream house, put a bleeding card through the door saying how sad and disappointed you are, and that you contacted the EA to offer more but were told it was their final offer and if this isn't the case please call you on xxx

I've had EXACTLY the same thing happen to me on 2 occasions and went directly to the vendor to learn on both occasions it was a heap of crap that the vendor spouted - even told one we weren't interested any more. F8ckers. 😡

anythingbutlillies · 04/02/2025 21:35

Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 21:25

If they are happy to have more offers tomorrow, they have accepted an offer at £350k which was asking price, what would people suggest we offer?

😱
Whatever the house is worth TO YOU.

Spooky2000 · 04/02/2025 21:36

Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 18:04

It’s not the estate agent it’s the vendor who apparently isn’t interested in any more offers as they are so desperate to sell

Eh? but it was a cash offer?

Something more is going on here.

Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 21:41

anythingbutlillies · 04/02/2025 21:35

😱
Whatever the house is worth TO YOU.

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I wish I could offer what it’s worth to us. We are a small amount of wiggle room and that’s it but I don’t want to offend them again (if that’s the case!)

OP posts:
Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 21:41

Spooky2000 · 04/02/2025 21:36

Eh? but it was a cash offer?

Something more is going on here.

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Apparently cos they don’t want to waste anymore time but we haven’t wasted time. It makes no sense but im just going round and round with it in my head

OP posts:
Usernamexyz1 · 04/02/2025 21:43

bedtime here

I have bought many houses in my time....

in your situation, I would go with the one who offered asking price from the start. have we not read countless threads of people doing like you, only for them to demand the offer is reduced to their original offer with weeks to go before exchange!?

@Pippinsdiary

Guineapiggywiggy · 04/02/2025 21:57

Honestly OP I’d not bargain with them. You made a reasonable offer on a house that was languishing. It’s unfortunate, but if offended them, they are too easily offended!
you’ll find something else

Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 22:02

Guineapiggywiggy · 04/02/2025 21:57

Honestly OP I’d not bargain with them. You made a reasonable offer on a house that was languishing. It’s unfortunate, but if offended them, they are too easily offended!
you’ll find something else

Edited

I’m 50/50 because while I want to feel that way, there’s so many reasons pulling me to this property. My parents are the main reason and my dad is terminally ill. We will move regardless by either living with them or going into rented but I want to be near to them now and ideally cut out the fuss as we have 2 young children. I will sleep on it and hopefully feel more positive tomorrow

OP posts:
Twaddlepip · 04/02/2025 22:03

Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 18:36

We want them to line up so we don’t have to move in with my parents until our sale is complete but we would if we had to… it doesn’t make a difference on the sale, they don’t know any of this

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I think that poster is just trying to stick the boot in for some reason. Or they don’t understand much about house selling.

Likewhatever · 04/02/2025 22:04

Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 21:15

They accepted our offer and we had a survey done, then 3 weeks later they accepted a higher offer. Isn’t that gazumping?

Show quote history

Yes, sorry, it is. My mistake.

Likewhatever · 04/02/2025 22:07

gatheryerosebuds · 04/02/2025 21:27

OP's offer was accepted.
She organised a survey (so presumably vendors had to let him in).
Surveys are not cheap.
Only then did the vendors accept an offer from someone else.

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Thank you, the OP corrected me, I got it wrong, ancient ipad not refreshing so I’m very much behind!

JudgeBread · 04/02/2025 22:12

This might be the most annoying thread I've ever read on this website.

Why are so many people so lacking in basic reading comprehension and so eager to play fucking Poirot and catch the OP out in what would be quite possibly the most boring lie in history?

Sorry it happened to you OP, it's utter bollocks when it does even if it is legal.

Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 04/02/2025 22:14

JudgeBread · 04/02/2025 22:12

This might be the most annoying thread I've ever read on this website.

Why are so many people so lacking in basic reading comprehension and so eager to play fucking Poirot and catch the OP out in what would be quite possibly the most boring lie in history?

Sorry it happened to you OP, it's utter bollocks when it does even if it is legal.

😂😂😂

OP posts:
SquishyGloopyBum · 04/02/2025 22:25

If you have got solicitors engaged I'd ask your solicitor to contact theirs to find out what's going on. You might get more headway.