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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

302 replies

mum61 · 26/03/2022 05:55

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?

OP posts:
Herani · 26/03/2022 09:46

If it’s an ‘asking price’ offer, I’d take it and have the EA explain booked viewings are going ahead in case there is a back-up buyer.
If it’s an ‘offer’ below the asking price, then viewings would be going ahead regardless.
Paying asking price secures the property as far as I’m concerned. I don’t like people being made to outbid each other.

Philandbill · 26/03/2022 09:48

If WiFi man is this difficult already I dread to think what he will be like going forwards. You are under no obligation to sell to him. Good luck with the viewings.

Maggiethecat · 26/03/2022 09:49

Haven't read other posts so it's probably been said - you are not obliged to proceed with him until you enter contracts.

It is a matter of good faith (think of all the gazumping stories) but I would show the other 2 people since you have them lined up and you have mentioned that to the buyer.

The intention must be that if they offer you more you will take the higher offer?

But similarly, if today he found something he liked better/was cheaper he could walk away.

HollowTalk · 26/03/2022 09:49

I think this guy will really mess you about in the future. He sounds like a bully and even if he thinks he's got it at a reasonable price I reckon he'll try to knock it down further.

Briony123 · 26/03/2022 09:49

Those extra thousands you may be offered this weekend aren't thousands for the EA which is why they are fine with the lower offer. Tell them you will make a decision next week in case higher offers come in from these next viewings.

Lou98 · 26/03/2022 09:50

Definitely honour the viewings, it's not as if you're making him wait weeks, it's one day.

Fwiw, anyone I know that's bought/sold - when someone wants the house taken off the market with their offer, they usually offer over market price. I know it happens a lot but I've never seen anybody offer less and want it off the market

BuanoKubiamVej · 26/03/2022 09:55

It depends on the specific circumstances and the agent may not be being honest with you. A lot of viewing booking are deliberate time-waster decisions from the agents - house hunters come in saying they are looking for an X bedroom house in Y area at Z price and the agents book up appointments to view anything on their books that meets one of those 3 criteria knowing full well that nothing will come of it. Your weekend bookings may be a waste of everyone's time.

shssandhr · 26/03/2022 09:58

He sounds like a right pain in the arse.
He could have upped his offer to get it taken off the market - this happens all the time on Kirsty and Phil - the offer is X on condition that the property is taken off the market immediately. If you'd accepted an offer like that and then allowed the viewings, that would not be reasonable. But that is not what happened.

If you get an offer from one of the viewings you can go back to him (if you want) and say they have offered more does he want to up his offer. Obviously that's not what he wants to happen which is why he is pressurizing you already.

Don't why people are having such a go at you. This is what happens with house sales in England because it isn't a closed bids system like they have in some countries.

DelurkingLawyer · 26/03/2022 10:03

People don’t usually talk about “formally” accepting offers on houses - my experience has been the offer is either accepted or not. However I don’t think you muddied the waters that much because it seems pretty clear that what you meant was, you were inclined to accept his offer and if you didn’t get a better offer over the weekend you would do so (& presumably would not then arrange further viewings).

As many have said (a) offer man sounds like hard work (b) he has made a low offer so of course he doesn’t want other viewings or to find himself having to give his best and final offer against other buyers. That all militates in favour of going ahead with viewings as I assume you know are.

Also, agents get a tiny percentage of any increased offer - on £50,000 an agent on 1.5% would get £750. On £10,000 they’d get £150. The increase makes a huge difference to the vendor but the agent probably feels that what they get isn’t worth the extra work for them involved in getting it. That’s why they’ll pressure you to accept a lower offer. Don’t fall for it. Dealing with assertive/aggressive/annoying buyers and getting the best deal for you is their job. They can crack on with it.

skyeisthelimit · 26/03/2022 10:07

YANBU OP, you have stated your case and the EA needs to be assertive back to the potential buyer. The EA works for you, not the buyer, and will get their commission no matter who buys it.

Just stand firm, and let the viewings go ahead. Don't let the buyer or the EA push you around

justasking111 · 26/03/2022 10:08

[quote mum61]@VerbenaVerveine
Yes it him!
Yes ,I suspect there may be problems down the line ..[/quote]
Yep he'll drop the offer after survey. Go with your gut.

Thingstodotoday · 26/03/2022 10:08

@rwalker

“Complete twats trick you've accepted an offer . Why let people look round if you won't take an offer off them so you obviously would .”

She hasn’t accepted the offer FFS.
Misreading a post and them commenting aggressively based on what you think it says rather than what actually it says is a twat’s trick!

bunfighters · 26/03/2022 10:11

I remember the thread about he WiFi password.... I think you are going to have trouble with this buyer OP. Definitely do not cancel the viewings. I would actually be inclined to take any other offer which was close as I suspect you are going to find him very 'assertive' during the conveyancing.

Nelliephant1 · 26/03/2022 10:12

And what would you do if someone put in a higher offer? If you take it that's really rubbish behaviour towards the people who are currently celebrating buying a house they must love.

If you wouldn't accept the offers from the viewings then you're just wasting people's time.

If you were happy enough with the offer you accepted then stand by your decision and don't be greedy.

It's probably not legally wrong to go with other viewings but it's morally reprehensible.

ChicCroissant · 26/03/2022 10:12

I'd avoid this potential buyer tbh OP, it sounds like he's going to make a stressful time a bit worse for you! Don't accept the offer yet and see what happens with the viewings this weekend.

If my offer was accepted on a property then yes, I'd expect viewings to stop. But if you haven't accepted it then it's fine to go ahead IMO.

Hathertonhariden · 26/03/2022 10:24

The EA doesn't work for you, they work for themselves.

It comes down to who is the most valuable person to them. If you are going to be selling and buying with them they may see you as the person to keep sweet. If the potential buyer regularly uses the EA, (eg BTL investor who organises rentals through the EA) then it's not in the EA's interests to get you the best deal.

Fluffymule · 26/03/2022 10:30

He has made an offer under the asking price, other potential buyers may be willing to meet the full price (or more). In this market he will be fully aware he may lose out, or have to up his offer.

It's business. He wants to spend as little as he has to, which is fair enough. But it's your asset and you want to secure the best deal for you, which is also fair enough.

Have the viewings, see what the position is afterwards and then make the best choice for you and your family.

Chewchewaboogie · 26/03/2022 10:30

The agent works for you.
Therefore it is your choice😀

Schoolchoicesucks · 26/03/2022 10:31

If you've accepted his 2nd offer, I think it would be shitty to go ahead with the viewings.

If you've not accepted the offer, I think it is fine to go ahead with the viewings. He could choose to either withdraw his offer, offer asking price on basis that you don't go ahead with viewings, or to wait and see.

Although there's nothing binding in him making the offer and you accepting until exchange has happened, I do think people should be honest and clear about their decisions. If your decision is that his offer would do, but you want to see if you can get a higher one, I think you should be clear about it and not let the EA give the impression that you've accepted the offer and are being sneaky in still allowing viewings.

MotherOfLunatics · 26/03/2022 10:32

I think you're being a little unreasonable. If I were the guy I'd be revoking my offer, I really wouldn't want to proceed with a purchase if the vendor wasn't satisfied with the offer and would potentially pull out further down the line. If I were you I would be considering whether it's worth pissing off/losing your current buyer, for two viewings that may not be at all interested in making an offer on your property.

girlmom21 · 26/03/2022 10:34

Is the estate agent commission based or fixed rate? They probably just want a fast, easy sale.

Maskless · 26/03/2022 10:42

@Zonder

He sounds like a bit of a bully which could have implications for how the sale proceeds. I would say you can't accept an offer until you've honoured all the booked viewings.
Perfect answer.
Puzzledandpissedoff · 26/03/2022 10:44

If you don't have the new viewers' details and the EA wants them cancelled, they'll probably be cancelled anyway - all they have to do is call them and say you've pulled the plug

Quite apart from the ethics of allowing new viewings, with today's crazy price inflation an assertive buyer who the EA's keen to prioritise sounds to me like a mate. Apologies for the (possibly misplaced) suspicion, but I've had too many similar experiences

chaosrabbitland · 26/03/2022 10:45

maybe i shouldnt be giving advice really as iv never bought or sold a house , but i would honour the 2 viewings , you have been honest with him , its not like you have accepted the offer and then allowed it to procced and then gone and just gazumped him or summit

if he is really desperate to buy your house he really should have offered at least the guide price first and then asked if you would not have any more viewings , hes just hoping to get it for as cheaply as possible it would seem

the house market is very competative at the moment , its down to him to make you an offer you really cant refuse .

fuzzyduck1 · 26/03/2022 10:45

Any house that comes on the market in stoke on trent is going 10-20% above asking price so I’d let the viewings go ahead and see if you attract any more offers