. . . to want to make an offer on a house?!

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Hi everyone - I've just had a really confusing conversation with an estate agent and could do with some advice.

Our house is going on the market - we've signed contracts with our estate agent, engaged a solicitor, the photographer is coming this week, so I reckon it will be live and viewable next week.

We've been to see a house that we love, and I just called the estate agent to find out how to make an offer. Coincidentally, it's the same agent we're selling with. They've told us that we can't make an offer on our new house until our own house is sold, we can only make an "expression of interest". This doesn't really make sense to me, as I'm not sure we would accept an offer on our house if we had nowhere to go.

From chatting to the vendor during the viewing, we know there is no onward chain as they are moving to their other property in the south of England (we're in the north). I thought it would be their decision as to whether to accept our offer in the knowledge that it may take a few weeks to sell our house. They might be happy to do that, or they might not. Up to them.

AIBU to be a bit annoyed with the estate agent or is this normal practice?

We're looking to buy at the moment- we sold last year and are renting. Agents have said to us that many sellers won't accept offers from 'non proceed-able' buyers- this includes if they haven't sold/had an offer accepted on theirs at the time of making the offer. We've heard it said a lot so seems fairly standard practise round our way. Frustrating for you though.

As pp said, completion date is much later.

An offer on yours could happen quickly but it might take a very, very long time where as if you are already in the process of selling or have accepted an offer it’s a better sign of it only taking a few months.

If your house is likely to sell quickly then you'll have a better chance of securing the new house before someone else gets in. The usual process is to sell your house then make an offer on the new one. Your buyers have to wait for you to find a new house before they can move in (or you have to move into rented if you're worried about losing your buyers).

A bit nose cut off face by EA. He wants (and has got) your business and will market your house and should at least put your offer to the vendor forward as your house will be on the market next week.

It is up to the vendor as to whether they will wait for you to sell, while still considering offers from other buyers. They'll probably say no to you but he should still tell them you aren't time wasters.

I’ve had offers accepted before I had an offer on the place I was selling. The agent should put your offer forward, but it’s completely normal for the vendor not to want to accept it if your place isn’t already under offer. It totally depends on the vendor’s circumstances.

You haven’t got the money so how can you make an offer? Your house could sell in a month or it could take 6 months.

When I’ve sold properties and I’ve sold a few I wouldn’t be interested in an offer form you until you actually had the money a but my house is on the market is of no interest to me.

It can take years to sell a house if it even sells so i see why, imagine getting offers from people still trying to sell, no point accepting if you don't know when they will be able to actually buy the house from you.

We bought while we were renting and that was a big factor in the vendors accepting our offer as we were reading to go with no chain.

We recently sold a house. We had offers from people who hadn't yet put their house on the market. We accepted but kept the house on the market and didn't instruct solicitors till they had an offer on their house. We then had an offer from a first time buyer so accepted that and pulled out from the first buyer as they hadn't yet found a buyer for their house.
In my experience of buying and selling, the agent has to put forward all offers to the vendor, but the vendor doesn't have to accept.

For gods sake just wait till you have a buyer! Why do people insist on making offers with no solid buyer, no idea how long their property will take to sell, no idea how long the chain will be below (if there is one) and no idea how much money they have to play with

Unutterably frustrating

For gods sake just wait till you have a buyer! Why do people insist on making offers with no solid buyer, no idea how long their property will take to sell, no idea how long the chain will be below (if there is one) and no idea how much money they have to play with

Because there are no hard and fast rules. We did exactly what annoys you and offered before we had a buyer, because we wouldn't have needed to sell if we had bought a cheaper house. But it was the people we were buying from who caused the delay, faffing around putting offers on houses, then changing their minds and withdrawing, wanting to delay us moving until they had done building work on the place they finally settled on. As a result we had to extend our tenancy, mess our landlord around, he couldn't get new tenants etc. It isn't as black and white as you seem to think.

When we were buying and selling last year, I understood that the agent was obliged to pass on any offers to the vendor but obviously had to make them clear about the potential buyer's situation - eg, cash buyer, house on the market, house sold STC etc.

Then it's up to the vendor to accept, decline or whatever. We had someone accept our offer when we hadn't yet sold, but subject to us selling our house within (I think) a week. If we hadn't sold in that week, their house would go back on the market or they'd accept any other offers that may have come in since.

Depends on the vendor's situation and - sometimes - the agent, in my experience.

You need a mortgage in principle to make an offer - your offer can be accepted on the basis of you selling your current house and using that as a deposit.

Timing is difficult. You can lodge a note of interest in a property but without similar or an offer on our own property you cannot make an offer. After all you can’t expect the seller to hang around indefinitely while your house is sold. They could be missing other opportunities.

We decided to keep and rent out our flat when we moved to a house. This caused a lot of confusion as the sellers got their wires crossed and initially refused to consider our offer as we hadn’t had an offer on our flat despite having to intention to sell. The sellers had had another offer fall through though and were understandably cautious. I know it’s hard but try to think of it from the POV of the seller and the situation they may be in if they accepted an offer from you when your house is so new on the market.

We had sold our house and cobtracts were going through with a 6 week timescale. We called up to view one house and the agent said no unless we have actually concluded missives we are in Scotland so it’s very unusual for a sale to be withdrawn once contracts are signed (people can pull out, charge of mind or not able to get a mortgage etc but it’s not usual). We really liked the look of it. So we went for another house, a few weeks later the estate agent called us and seemed to flapping a bit asking if we still wanted to view. No ta!

It would make no sense if the purchaser was in certain situations. The purchaser maybe going to rent their house to assist with mortgage. Or could be wary of not keeping up their own property while living with a partner. The buyer could have inherited, been given funds or even won a cash prize.

There has to be allowances for all sorts of scenarios. You could be losing a buyer with saying they need to have their own house sold.