To think being 'offended' by an offer to buy your house..

[slingingtothemusicinmyhead]

Is a bit over dramatic?

Currently put in an offer on a house. 15% below asking price.

It's over priced. It's priced similar to other houses on the street that have recently sold but it needs a bit of work (new kitchen, ancient electrics etc) and those houses had been thoroughly modernised.

They're offended and do not want to hear from us again.

Is this sort of hysterical behaviour now normal when buying and selling houses?

It’s hardly hysterical.

I think it's v odd to be personally offended by something like that, to be honest. Also think that kind of behaviour is just biting off your nose to spite your face - you could have come back with a revised offer that was more amenable, but instead they've lost you altogether. When buying houses, I've always gone in a decent amount below (and I'm selling a house now and assume people will do the same) as it's just common sense!

Ok, over dramatic then? Touchy? Overly emotional?

Although I think you've probably dodged a bullet as they probably would have been a nightmare to deal with if they got so offended at someone making an offer on their house.

They probably think that your not a serious buyer and don't want to waste their time.

You offered what it was worth to you, they feel it's worth more.

Was thinking that- can imagine they wouldn't have liked the full survey I was going to subject it too...

Shame, that was just my opening offer! Silly sofa.

This is in some ways about as personal as you can get as it's someone's home, they're emotionally invested in it and have a personal attachment to it and the decor choices etc. So it'll be hard for them not to take it as a bit of 'fuck you' with such a low offer

BUT

I agree, they should take emotion out of it and look at it as a business transaction

Silly sods, rather.

I Would say that refusing is fine but the not wanting to hear from you again is hysterical nonsense. It is an asking price, expect offers below. People are very attached to their homes and so what should be a straightforward business transaction can become a ridiculous sideshow.

They may also think that if that's how you value the house in its current condition that you may try and knock more money off after a survey.

Sometimes it's hard to remain completely objective when it's your home you are selling.

I think when you make an offer below the asking price you should say why, eg to account for the fact I'd need to renew the electrics, install a new boiler, refit the kitchen and bathroom, etc. If you don't, they just think you're being cheeky. If you say why you want the money off, they perhaps realise they're asking too much.

They thought you were taking the piss as it the offer was so low. Give it 6 months and if it’s still on the market they may realise you weren’t!

They're completely daft.

Three offers before one gets accepted is completely normal in my experience, the first one will always be cheeky!

Odd people, very entitled! Houses are only worth what someone is willing to pay - as the seller you just say yes or no, offence doesn't come into it.

There's quite a few threads on here by vendors being over dramatic because a FTB in rented accommodation/cash buyer who can complete in 8 weeks have the audacity to offer £10k less than the asking price etc. They take it so personally instead of realising it's just a business transaction and someone with a card to play would be stupid not to play it.

I definitely liked the house, I thought the opening offer was the start of negotiations. People are strange! Oh well, off to view another tonight

House buying is horrendous, we offered the asking price even though it was probably worth £10k less- and a few days after it was accepted the hounding began as to why our solicitors etc haven’t been in touch. They kept threatening to put it back on the market, so I said okay. Some people just like to make things harder than they are.

Do people really just offer the asking price straight off?

They consider you a time-waster and don't want any further dealings with you. "Offended" is a bit strong, but I think it's a way of getting the message across to you (and the estate agent, to discourage future low offers).

If someone offered me 15% less than the asking price I would tell them to shove it too, regardless of whether I thought their offer was reasonable given the condition of the house. Basically you are telling them their judgment is wrong - people rarely like being told that!

You offered what you thought it was worth - or to be exact, made your initial offer

They are silly to claim they were "offended"
That sounds like inexperienced and / or unrealistic vendors

Quite reasonable to say they are not considering low offers
That's being business-like; flouncing isn't

If it's genuinely over-priced, they'll either get real soon, or get stuck with their house.

I was pretty annoyed when a purchaser offered £40,000 under the asking price for our house. I wouldnt say offended, necessarily, but I thought it was cheeky. Didn’t need any work doing, ,itchen was a year old, bathrooms about 4 years old. I think they’d been watching too much Phil and Kirsty.

They upped their offer by 10K and then twice more and we finally agreed at 5K below asking price.

YANBU that's silly behaviour. I could understand not bothering with you if you'd made a ridiculous offer (e.g. 40% of asking price) but even if the house wasn't over priced 15% under asking price is worth a shot.

No, but there’s a fine balance involved in getting the first offer right. If you go too low then you can come across as a chancer who isn’t serious about the property. If you go too high and they accept straight away you’re left wondering if they’d have taken lower.

Re asking price offers

I think it depends on the market where you are. I wouldn’t, as a rule, but there are certain ‘hotspots’ where I am where houses for sale are very rare and very desirable and they go within hours of hitting the market for above the asking price, even if there is work to do.

We had similar. I can't remember how much less we offered, it was years ago now, but the vendors were similarly offended. Fine, we walked away and bought another (much better) house, for a lot less money. Result.

3 months or so later, the original vendors got back in touch and said they'd like to accept our offer. Er...no.