We have been gazumped. Would offer more?

[LipstickLou]

Husband and I were interested in buying a town house locally. We were told it had parlkng, it didn't. We offered 5% below guide to reflect this. Nothing from the seller for 2 weeks then a 'offer x and it's yours,' we did.
We heard nothing for three weeks until yesterday. The requirement was to pay the asking price as the tenant had offered the same. We agreed x and we were to instruct solicitors this morning. Today she had pulled out sighting her tenant had offered over the price. We can pay more but feel shafted. The agent says she will not consider a further offer. It is off the market.
What would you do? We are flooded with London escapees with 72% of houses going to London families in the last 18 months (we are 56 minutes from London). I am heartbroken. My DH says they can feck off but i love the house and we are in a tiny flat plus storage.

Sorry to read about your experience. They may have the SNP mismanaging their country but I would take Scottish law for house purchase over the spivs charter that we have in England.

Tenant in situ, pain in the arse seller.... run OP there will be other houses.

I recently lost out on the "house of my dreams" and was gutted (still am really). However, it may sound trite but I do believe that everything is for a reason. I remember years ago missing out on the "dream" house and in hindsight when I look back it was not right - I got swept away with the romance of it and the gorgeous furnishings rather than the practicalities (there was no parking). I went on to buy a beautiful house which I furnished using the taste of the house I had seen with parking for about 4 cars. Even though I have recently lost out again I do believe there is another house out there and I will eventually look back and work out the reason for losing out even though that may not be obvious to me at the moment.

Sorry this happened to you, it sounds really shitty for you but I’ve read the OP twice now and still can’t work out why ‘London escapees’ was shoehorned in?

Firstly you have zero idea where recent buyers have come from as they probably haven’t moved in yet and I doubt they wear badges saying they were ‘born in That London’. Secondly not everyone who’s moving house in the U.K. is from London. Next, people from outside your area are allowed to buy in your area. Lastly , it was the current tenant, a local, who outbid you.

Just for the record I absolutely do know where the 72% of buyers hail from (my friend is the leading agent in the town) usally 54% are buyers from London. This statistic has shot up since covid. All good access towns have experienced this. It is not a keep outsiders from buying rant and I object to the insinuation I am a liar!
In addition the tenant was not a local and had only been in situ for three months. Where she moved from is irrelevant.