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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:
Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 06/02/2025 19:43

sinon · 06/02/2025 18:13

Very bad form for the sellers to dick you over for the sake of £5k, especially as you have had a survey done already so showing that you are invested in progressing the sale, but some people are dicks.

The being cash buyers is a bit of a red herring, ask any EA, cash buyers are even more likely to be flaky, have issues liquidating their 'cash', swinging their dicks because they think being a cash buyer means the sun shines out of their arse.

Can I ask 1 question (wanted read the nine thread so apologies if this has been answered)
So if you have £350k & the stamp duty/moving costs in cash - plus you have a property you are now selling. How come you can't afford to offer an extra £10k say?
I can understand why you would choose not to, but you seem to have said you can't afford it?

Because we simply just didn’t have enough cash to offer the full asking price at the time if we were considering fees, moving costs etc if we wanted to keep it a cash sale.

our house now has a buyer but obviously if we were to wait for that money, we wouldn’t be a cash sale, however my parents were generous and offered to lend us extra to up our offer till our sale went through, then they turned out not to be interested anyway

im wondering if the vendors were suspicious of us being a cash buyer as I’ve read on her cash buyers usually use it to their advantage to get an offer agreed then lower the offer later on

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Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 07/02/2025 19:19

Just picked my phone up after doing tea, bath and bed with the kids and I have a missed call of the EA 😐 itching to know what they want gutted I have to wait till tomorrow now

OP posts:
setmestraightplease · 07/02/2025 19:38

I am also gutted to have to wait until tomorrow! #alittlebitinvestedinthisnow!

Please can you ring the EA early and update !! 😂

rainingsnoring · 07/02/2025 19:43

Pippinsdiary · 07/02/2025 19:19

Just picked my phone up after doing tea, bath and bed with the kids and I have a missed call of the EA 😐 itching to know what they want gutted I have to wait till tomorrow now

@Pippinsdiary you need to do your very best to play this cool and think this over carefully. Don't call them back; if they have something important to say to you, they will call or email you again. It may be a simple query or that they want your survey. Even if the sellers have changed their minds again, don't agree to anything immediately, especially not over the phone. Tell them you want to think about whether to proceed or not given their behaviour. Don't let yourself be pressured. If you really do, despite them having been totally untrustworthy, I would lower your offer to your original one, which was very fair for a house that had been languishing on the market for a year. Seriously, don't rush into anything with these people who have messed you around. You may well be better not engaging with them further, although you will still want the agent on your side if you need to move to the area.

rainingsnoring · 07/02/2025 19:45

setmestraightplease · 07/02/2025 19:38

I am also gutted to have to wait until tomorrow! #alittlebitinvestedinthisnow!

Please can you ring the EA early and update !! 😂

I really think it's much better that she doesn't come across as desperate. These people have totally messed her around. She needs to regain the upper hand and not allow herself to be messed around again.

Itsalwaysfools · 07/02/2025 19:50

If it's become re-available, tell them you'll proceed but your offer is now £335k.

Onlinetherapist · 07/02/2025 19:57

@Pippinsdiary I wonder if the other buyer has pulled out? 🤞🏻

gatheryerosebuds · 07/02/2025 20:41

Also if they just want your survey, I wouldn’t be too eager. Why should you help them speed up their sale? If you want your money back, I’d add a hundred on.

Strictlymad · 08/02/2025 09:17

Are the open yet? I’m itching to know lol

Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 08/02/2025 09:50

I haven’t phoned yet, I’m laid in bed with a cup of tea playing hard to get Grin if they haven’t phoned by this afternoon I’ll send them a quick ‘did you need something?’ email Grin

Another properly has came on the market yesterday pretty close to the previous house. It’s a 2012 new build, no where near our ‘dream home’ but we are tempted to go for it as an in between house if nothing else comes up

OP posts:
L0bstersLass · 08/02/2025 15:05

Keeping fingers crossed that the original house has magically become available!

Original poster
Pippinsdiary · 08/02/2025 19:35

Hilarious! So, the EA phoned me back and the couple who gazumpted us are no longer proceedable as their buyer has pulled out, but as it stands still interested. So the vendors are now enquiring if we would be interested again and how quickly could we push the sale through, and if so, what would our highest offer be. The vendors are worried they will lose their new house if things delay as they also want a quick sale. Should have thought about that before they chose to screw us over Grin I can’t get over the CF!

I’m genuinely gob smacked and laughed when the EA phoned me. They seemed embarrassed to be phoning. They’re shut now till Monday so I’ll leave the vendors sweating while we debate what we do

OP posts:
redbusbeepbeep · 08/02/2025 19:38

Wow!! The fact you have been gazumpted and they’ve come crawling back in less than a week is hilarious

I want you to tell them to f* off but also I can see how much you want the house

Drfosters · 08/02/2025 19:45

Honestly I would totally have predicted that. The sellers are idiots.

no point in cutting your nose off to spite your face but now you are in the stronger position.

you stick to your first offer and not a penny more and you insist on a contract that means they cannot dump you again without liability. Possibly something like £5k that the sellers have to set aside for breach. That money can be held by a solicitor.

L0bstersLass · 08/02/2025 21:42

Ok, so this is not a time for pissing about.
If you truly want it, and can afford to do so, offer them the full asking price.
From what you've said before it sounds like it's worth that to you.
Insist that they take it off the market.

AlertBrickBear · 08/02/2025 21:46

I would be extremely tempted to tell them where to stick it, seeing as there’s nothing to stop them doing this to you again. But I absolutely wouldn’t be giving them any more than the original offer. Honestly, that sounds like madness.

chargeitup · 08/02/2025 21:52

I'd tell them your offer stands as was but with the requirement that they take it off the market.

Remind them how quickly you can continue but that you won't be mucked about again

Weddingbells6 · 08/02/2025 21:59

So rude when they know you’ve paid for a survey. I hope their sale falls through! I’m really sad for you but am a great believer in one door closing for another to open.

ScruffGin · 08/02/2025 22:19

I'd be tempted to drop my offer by 5k! 😂

bluegreygreen · 08/02/2025 22:56

I would be so tempted to stick to my original offer - or even drop it.

However, you do really want the house, the other buyers are still interested and the unknown is what the market for their house is like.

I would probably go with full asking price but clear agreement on exchange and completion dates, with penalties for any date slippage or further episode of cancelling said agreement.

rainingsnoring · 08/02/2025 23:53

L0bstersLass · 08/02/2025 21:42

Ok, so this is not a time for pissing about.
If you truly want it, and can afford to do so, offer them the full asking price.
From what you've said before it sounds like it's worth that to you.
Insist that they take it off the market.

Er, it's the sellers who have been 'pissing about' and may well do more pissing about because they are those sort of people. What good is insisting they take it off the market with these sort of people, particularly as the other party (if there even is another party) is apparently still interested?

@Pippinsdiary it's good that you haven't given them an answer. Take tomorrow to decide what you want to do, bearing in mind how untrustworthy these people are. If you really do want to try again, I would reduce your initial offer by 5k and also insist on some kind of bond, arranged by your solicitor (10k or something) to be forfeit if they pull out again. If they are actually serious and have good intentions, they will seriously consider agreeing tooth's.

rainingsnoring · 08/02/2025 23:54

'Honestly I would totally have predicted that. The sellers are idiots.'

Exactly this.