Page 10 | Can I accept an offer on my house but still allow this weekends viewings

mum61 · 2022-03-26T05:55:18+00:00

My house has been on the market for a couple of weeks and I have had an offer from a guy who made a low offer then a second offer just below the guide price.. I said I would accept his offer but wanted to honour 2 viewings for tomorrow after which, if no other offers are forthcoming I would formally accept and take the house of the market. My agent is pressuring me not to allow the 2 viewings to go ahead and take the house off the market.( I think because of pressure from the guy who made the offer, saying he's very assertive) Am I being unreasonable?

NannyKrampus · 26/03/2022 16:11

I would very firmly remind the EA that he works for you and should be doing everything that you get the best deal. The guy who made the offer sounds like a massive PITA and I would be wary of selling to him. He is already being totally unreasonable at this stage, can you imagine how much worse he might get when he thinks that he has got you over a barrel! If you got an offer in such a short time, then you are bound to get more offers. I would hold out a little longer but at least do those viewings.

Original poster

mum61 · 26/03/2022 17:04

@Whinge
I kept him waiting 48 hours to honour 2 pre arranged viewings Also iI wanted to do due diligence on his finances as id been let down before .
He kept me waiting 10 days to increase his offer after I rejected the first ridiculously low offer.
No one is committed until after exchange .

OP posts:

Original poster

mum61 · 26/03/2022 17:06

@TheKeatingFive
Its a sellers market .

OP posts:

TheKeatingFive · 26/03/2022 17:37

Its a sellers market

I'm never sure of the point of comments like that. It's entirely about individual's circumstance.

IVFConfusion · 26/03/2022 17:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

girlmom21 · 26/03/2022 17:50

@TheKeatingFive

Its a sellers market

I'm never sure of the point of comments like that. It's entirely about individual's circumstance.

Whilst I think you were right to hold out, OP, it's also clearly not a sellers market where your property is concerned. Don't get too cocky just because the market is decent right now.

Raindancer411 · 26/03/2022 17:50

Don't listen to the estate agents, they just want to get their money. If I had of listened to the EA, we would have lost out on 15k extra we got for the house. The prices had gone up since we put it on but they didn't want to change the price. Even when they did, there was a bidding war and we got the extra 15k on top of what the house prices had gone up and I asked then to put it up for...

gingerhills · 26/03/2022 18:12

@Raindancer411

Don't listen to the estate agents, they just want to get their money. If I had of listened to the EA, we would have lost out on 15k extra we got for the house. The prices had gone up since we put it on but they didn't want to change the price. Even when they did, there was a bidding war and we got the extra 15k on top of what the house prices had gone up and I asked then to put it up for...

I agree. On three occasions I've sold a house for asking or above asking price when the most aggressive agents were driving the price down I suppose just so they could guarantee a quick sale.

Whinge · 26/03/2022 18:26

He kept me waiting 10 days to increase his offer after I rejected the first ridiculously low offer.

How did he keep you waiting?

He may have taken 10 days to counter offer, but you weren't kept waiting. If there had been other offers you could have accepted one of them, or given him a deadline by which all offers had to have been submitted

SpringsSprung · 26/03/2022 19:43

[quote mum61]@viviennemary.
I can ,nothing says you have to cease viewings after excepting an offer.
I told the offerer the truth.
I was inclined to accept their offer, meaning the price was acceptable to me but had pre arranged 2 viewings(1 person flying in from another country) and felt I should honour those viewings .
I did this because a previous offer fell through and I lost my dream house because it.So didn't want to piss off any potential buyers incase the same thing happens again.
The guy who made the offer could be out viewing other properties and making offers on them today. Its a harsh reality that either party is under no obligation until exchange of contracts[/quote]
I'm unsure why you've posted this thread OP if you're so certain you're not being unreasonable? I'm not saying you are necessarily, although it would annoy me a bit (justifiably or not). However surely the point of AIBU is to ask if you're being unreasonable or not!?

Original poster

mum61 · 26/03/2022 20:38

@SpringsSprung
Because I wanted the opinions of others and I got that.
Most seems to agree under the circumstances it's not unreasonable , some think it is unreasonable.

OP posts:

FortniteBoysMum · 26/03/2022 21:20

I would have told them if he offered the asking price or above you would take it off the market. However because his offer is below market value you would like to honour the viewing as one of them may be happy to pay the asking price. If he truly did not want to miss out he would offer the full amount. When we went to view our house it had only gone on the market on the Friday afternoon. We saw it that evening and Monday morning at 9 am we went in offering the full asking price. Offer accepted by lunch. His trying to save himself a few quid. If you hold out he may increase the offer to the full figure.

Eddielizzard · 26/03/2022 23:57

mum61 even if he makes an offer 4 x the GP, you don't have to accept. Even though you said you would accept his offer, you haven't officially, and you can change your mind. Don't let him bully you. Good luck,

Zonder · 27/03/2022 04:55

So how did the two new viewings go? Any more offers? FWIW I think you did exactly the right thing in giving the first offerer a holding response.

Ginandvomits · 27/03/2022 05:34

Probably too late but I hope you did the viewings. I think UK agents forgot who their client is sometimes and just want the house off the market as soon as possible rather than doing what is right for their client and getting the best price.

KELLOGSspeck · 27/03/2022 06:35

It doesn't make sense to accept the offer in the first place. You might as well tell the viewers you will consider along with others not accept the first offer that comes along

ukborn · 27/03/2022 07:25

I think what you have done is fine. You've told him you have two viewings booked. Not so sure about your back up strategy - if you ultimately reject his offer he's unlikely to hang around and wait in case your sale falls through.
And @DancingBarefootOnIce I had three offers accepted about nine months ago, when the market was arguably hotter, all below asking price, so it's not unusual (two of the purchases fell through as seller did not find an onward purchase, another pulling out due to illness).

C8H10N4O2 · 27/03/2022 10:00

I'm surprised at how many people think it "isn't nice" for the OP to aim for the best price for her property. This is a business transaction, not a social event.

If the buyer wants the property off the market he has the option to make a good offer conditional on the house being taken off the market. The OP is entitled to continue to show the house and tell him he has competition and has the option to continue looking himself.

She is under no obligation to "be nice" to this potential buyer, just to be honest with him.

TheKeatingFive · 27/03/2022 10:41

I'm surprised at how many people think it "isn't nice" for the OP to aim for the best price for her property.

I don't think that at all. It's just that if you accept an offer, you accept an offer.

This 'accepting, but not really' or 'accepting versus formally accepting' isn't playing straight.

I don't know why the op didn't just hold off responding to him until Monday.

C8H10N4O2 · 27/03/2022 11:01

This 'accepting, but not really' or 'accepting versus formally accepting' isn't playing straight

Its a business transaction not a cricket match.

The OP is entitled to keep showing, she just needs to be clear with the potential buyer. He could just as easily pull out or reduce the offer or simply change his mind.

What matters is the the OP is clear that his offer is not enough to take it off the market so both are free to continue looking.

Mellowyellow222 · 27/03/2022 11:08

It isn’t about being nice. OP asked a question about whether she could accept an offer but continue to show the property. She and others then got angry when people answered this question.

Either you accept an offer or not. If she wants to accept the offer and still show the property then she technically can - I would never view a house under these circumstances. I have heat of people who allow the house to be viewed on and bid until exchange - and people just take a risk that they will lose their solicitors conveyancing costs of the vendor gets a better offer.

I would not entertain becoming involved in a business transaction with this type of vendor.

All she need to do is say she will decide after the two booked viewings. I have down this countless times. The the person offering gets a strip and walks away then he wasn’t in it for the long haul anyway.

She can of course do as she pleases - but why ask for advice if you don’t want to hear it?

C8H10N4O2 · 27/03/2022 11:18

I would not entertain becoming involved in a business transaction with this type of vendor

Are you house hunting at the moment?

One of my DC is and every place they look at already has offers on it. Its pretty standard with most places setting a date for best and finals. The OP is entirely within her rights not to take the place off the market and to wait and decide on a date which offer to accept. Its entirely possibly that the buyer has other offers on properties in the current market and is planning to go for the best deal of the acceptances.

There is nothing unfair about it so long as both sides know where they stand. Obviously no buyer will proceed with surveys etc until there is a confirmed acceptance with the property off the market.

Mellowyellow222 · 27/03/2022 11:38

Not at the moment - I bought and sold on a very competitive market six months ago.

It was an incredibly stressful situation(as I am sure you know from talking to your children).

I was in a bidding war for the house I have bought. If a lower bid had been accepted I would have walked away. I checked the status of bids on each house before I viewed. I have moved house four times and my parents have a property developing business. I am
Not no age but I know how much can go wrong and it seems murky at true start with offers accepted in principle or viewings after offers accepted I could really do without the hassle.

Although your children may have a different viewpoint. We all just try and navigate a broken system as best we can. Early signals are important. I can spit a flighty first time buyer - I have turned down higher offers because I just knew they would be hassle and fall through.

Each to their own. Looking. At houses with offers on isn’t standard in my market.

I hope your child finds a home.

Original poster

mum61 · 27/03/2022 11:47

@Mellowyellow222
Why do you think I "didn't want to hear it"?
I did ,some replied saying its fine others disagreed.
As I explained I have told everyone involved the truth .
I have previously had a offer fall through when the offerer changed there mind week down the line so felt it wasn't unreasonable to honour the 2 pre arranged viewings .The time frame from offer to these viewings was 48 hours ....
What I have decided from hearing peoples responses is I probably should have said is thank you for your offer I will decide over the weekend rather than im inclined to accept as your offer although below GP is acceptable to me but want to honour 2 booked viewings.

OP posts:

Ginandvomits · 27/03/2022 11:55

The fact is until contracts are exchanged you can do and say anything. The system is floored and relies too much on verbal agreements. You really don't owe this person anything in theses circumstances. He mucked you around and you've been completely up front. It would be another story if you were four weeks down the track and accepted another offer but you're not. Having been gazumped after paying for surveys and solicitors (worked out in the end but heavily pregnant I was very upset at the time. I would never condone that but he's clearly not in a hurry. Best of luck OP I hope you get a couple of good offers.