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Original poster

I've been gazumped!!!!

49 replies

Cinders29 · 25/09/2019 19:55

Been looking for ages for a house and finally found one that fits the bill. Put an offer in 20K under the asking price as sooo much to do and will need the extra for that. Some of the things that need doing are all new windows, boiler , fuse board as well as cosmetic things. So will need as much as possible to do that.

That offer was declined, so I went in at our top offer which was 10k more and said final offer. Was told vendors were delighted and happy to accept. Instructed solicitors etc and today I've had a phone call to say that another offer has been put forward closer to the asking price and it's a cash buyer and would we like to offer more. They would not tell us what this new offer was.

Part of me thinks that it's the estate agents trying it on, but would that even be worth their while? I'm tempted to to just say crack on in hope that they are trying it on and come back and just carry on with our sale. Would that BU?

We could possibly go another 5K but would mean we'd have a fair bit less to do work which isn't ideal at all!!

Helllppp ! Thank you !!

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 26/09/2019 09:39

I'd be surprised if the agent was lying, but it's a risk you need to decide to take. If they are not lying you stand to lose the house or five k. If they are, you stand to lose five k. Your call.

WiddlinDiddlin · 26/09/2019 09:40

My answer is,

"I don't deal with agents that allow gazumping, don't call me again unless this property becomes available goodbye'.

But I would rather rent for a few months than play someones games!

Original poster
Cinders29 · 26/09/2019 10:23

Thanks everyone.

I've called in and said we will go 2 grand higher. I've said I'm not interested in getting into a bidding war and that's our final. I have also said there's another house we're interested in so if they could let me know ASAP because I need to make tracks on the other should it be a no.

There is actually another house we like but not as nice area so not a total lie it was a toss up between the two. X

OP posts:
BookwormMe2 · 26/09/2019 10:39

Did you tell the EA you need to earmark money for new windows etc and that's why you wanted 20k off originally? If so, I suspect he's trying to wangle more money out of you because he knows you've set aside funds and there is no cash buyer.

Applepieco · 26/09/2019 10:44

Hope they come back to you today with a positive answer! Good luck.

colourlessgreenidea · 26/09/2019 10:44

Part of me thinks that it's the estate agents trying it on, but would that even be worth their while?

Not really worth it for them - for argument’s sake if they’re on 1.5%, an extra £5k is only worth £75 extra commission. They’re not going to make up an offer and risk losing the sale for such small amounts.

Mildura · 26/09/2019 10:54

My answer is

"I don't deal with agents that allow gazumping, don't call me again unless this property becomes available goodbye'.

You don't understand the rules I'm afraid.

It's not up to the agent to allow gazumping, if another buyer chooses to put forward an offer, the agent is legally obliged to put it to the vendor, even if another offer has already been accepted.

Save your anger for the vendor in these situations, not the agent.

chuckeee · 26/09/2019 10:59

Well it's a lot of trouble to go to for about £30 on the estate agents part but you've offered an extra 2k so there you go. Either the estate agent is bonkers and would actually risk putting you off for a couple of quid or there is another offer.

As for "I don't deal with agents who allow gazumping" Confused ok then

SayOohLaLa · 26/09/2019 10:59

Reading this, I'd suggest that they priced the house presuming people will need to do the windows etc. because anyone buying the house is going to have to do the same "loads of work" to get it habitable. If that's the case, they see you as having got a bargain, rather than you at the top end of your budget.

I'm a believer that if it's meant to be it will happen. Go and see your other house and proceed with that if the EAs come back asking for more.

ExcusezMonFrancais · 26/09/2019 11:52

This happened to me. I found a house I loved, made an offer which was refused, made a higher offer which was accepted. The process was started but I realised the agents still had the house listed as 'for sale'. After about 2 weeks the agents phoned to say someone had viewed the house that day and made a higher offer and did I want to now raise my offer. This is probably normal practice in the house buying world but I was fuming. I decided to let the house go and found another house (where I live now) a couple weeks later with another agent (I also sold my house at that time with another agent). I'm not sure if it was the agent's fault or not, but it felt very dodgy that they would even still be showing a house that had accepted an offer and the buying process started.

I'm not sure if there really was another offer or not as that first house stayed on the market another few months.

OP, if your current house has sold, then can you rent for 6-12 months whilst looking for your next home to buy?

Witchinaditch · 26/09/2019 12:31

Look at it this way If it was you selling the house would you take the higher offer? Everyone is out for themselves, it’s annoying but you’ll find a house soon I’m sure! Prices are dropping so who knows what will happen soon...good luck!

MzHz · 26/09/2019 12:50

Have you already exchanged on the sale of your house? If so, you’re a shorter bet than a supposed cash buyer

I sincerely doubt that the “new buyer” is buying it cash. Everyone says they’re cash, but rarely are

You can move into rented - Airbnb would be most flexible method, stick your stuff into storage or into your parents garage or something.

Keep looking for other homes, you’ll end up in a home that you love that does tick your boxes, whether it’s this one or another one

Don’t lose faith

GabsAlot · 26/09/2019 13:12

Widdlin it doesnt work like that-its shit but the rules are you can gazump its nothing to do with the agents

walkinwar · 26/09/2019 13:35

It's such a crappy thing to do, putting an offer on a house already sold. We were gazumped years ago while I was pregnant. My hormones must have been raging as the stupid agent let slip what street the buyers lived on as he was also selling their house. So I marched around with my toddler and pregnant bump, knocked on the door and told the gobsmacked women how despicable they were! I then walked off in tears. Thinking about it I reckon the agent had a lot to do with it as it was within his best interest to sell both houses. Could it be the same situation with you? Good luck!

Original poster
Cinders29 · 26/09/2019 13:35

Unfortunately cannot rent as my son has special needs and needs to be settled. So not an option unfortunately 😩

OP posts:
MzHz · 26/09/2019 17:48

But your son would be moving anyway, so if it’s for a few months etc it could be that he settles for a while? Otherwise would him staying with your family help?

Original poster
Cinders29 · 26/09/2019 21:34

Yes but I wouldn't want to move him twice. One of his conditions is autism and he needs routine and stability and this will be a huge challenge for him anyway, I wouldn't like to do it twice to him essentially if I can help it.

OP posts:
Userzzzzz · 26/09/2019 22:40

Problem is once you give an inch to some people they take a mile. We pulled out of a sale because our buyer tried to knock £10k off the day after an offer had been accepted (for a stupid reason- they didn’t like the neutrally painted walls) and we’d taken the house off rightmove. They just seemed like they would be hard to deal with so we said we were pulling out because they were playing games. They sent a begging message via the estate agent to reinstate the original offer but they marked their cards as being untrustworthy.

It depends how desperate you are for the house really. You can call their bluff but only if you’re prepared to walk away.

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 26/09/2019 22:49

Fingers crossed then Flowers

Original poster
Cinders29 · 27/09/2019 07:27

So we lost the house. They decided to go with the cash buyer. Oh well something else will come up

OP posts:
LaurieMarlow · 27/09/2019 07:44

Fuck em. Onwards and upwards.

SayOohLaLa · 27/09/2019 10:15

OP, keep an eye out in case the sale falls through - the surveyor report may give a nasty suprise and they walk away. If it goes back on the market and you do want it, feel free to put in an offer lower than your originally accepted bid.

Otherwise, your house is out there, you just haven't met it yet.

Kolo · 27/09/2019 10:29

We had the same thing happen after we’d had an offer accepted. Weeks down the line the agent called us to let us know there’d been a higher offer and did we want to increase ours. I don’t know if there was an actual higher offer or not, but the house was supposed to be off the market while we progressed with solicitors. Despite being gutted, we decided that it would be a nightmare dealing with this vendor, so we told them we’d lost all interest, withdrew our original offer and ended up buying another house. In fact, the house we bought was much better and wasn’t on the market when we’d originally made our offer. I like to think it was meant to be.

The house we were gazumped on spent another year or so on the market and then eventually sold. I hope for less than we offered Grin

MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours · 27/09/2019 10:42

keep your ears to the ground, tbh most cash buyers are not, and if the house needs lots doing to it then it still needs that. cash buyer or no

Plus if it is a real actual cash buyer then they like to get a bargain, so their higher offer, plus all the renovations is their piggy bank getting emptier and emptier which they do not like!

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