Is this normal when making an offer on House?

[offerquery]

I've seen house to buy. It's been on the market for around two months or so. It's already been reduced in price online.

When it was reduced, I made an offer slightly under the asking price. After a couple of days they said they want full asking price.
So I immediately offered the full asking price.

Anyway, I haven't heard anything so I've just called the estate agents and they said the family want to think about it. So they will get back to me on Tuesday.

I was really confused about this because I've offered the full asking price so I'm not sure what there is to think about?

She said they feel somebody else might be interested in the property. I asked a couple of questions about this… It turns out the person who is "interested " hasn't sold their house and hasn't said they want to make an offer. They've simply said they like the house. But have not indicated at all that they are looking to make an offer.

I have a feeling I know who this is because when I was viewing the house for the second time, a woman was there and I heard her say that she likes the house and that was it. So I'm not sure if that's the person

I just don't understand. I'm not sure if they're trying to get more than the asking price from me. Or if they're just waiting to see if they get any other offers over the next few days?

You just need to be patient until Tuesday. They want to ensure they get the most possible. You would want the same in their position.

Assuming they accept the offer on Tuesday ask that it is taken off the market from the date you book your survey. You will have committed money then so want protection from time wasting.

If it's been empty this long it's unlikely someone will come along in a better position to you and make an asking price offer.

I'm assuming you are chain free, have a mortgage in principle etc and ready to go.

Yeah l think it’s bullshit there is someone else at 2 months in

@Theteapotsbrokenspout

I feel like that is what they were doing with me. I felt like I was bidding against myself. They then said about getting an extra £5000 above the asking price. So I said no and that I'm only willing to pay full asking price, but I'm not paying an additional £5000

The property market is crap. There’s no excitement or enjoyment to be found, just stress and a high chance your purchase will fall through. Don’t get attached to any house until you own it.

@BlueMum16
I have a mortgage in principle and my house has fully sold. So I am ready to go ASAP.

I didn't realise this happened to be honest, because when I sold my house, an offer was made below asking price, but I accepted it within 15 minutes because I was so afraid that they were going to pull their offer!

OP, bluntly, you seem more than a bit naive. I get everyone who buys somewhere to live does it for the first time at some point, but you seem baffled by entirely predictable parts of the process. Of course they want to see if they can get a better offer if they have other viewings booked over the weekend. Of course the estate agent isn’t a neutral party. Of course the vendors can come back to you later on if other offers fall through. Of course they’re not necessarily in a hurry if it’s an estate sale. Of course vendors can, and do withdraw, pretty much until the moment of exchange.

Don’t lose your heart to anything till it’s yours. If you’re in a hurry, tell them your asking price offer is time-limited, but keep looking elsewhere, too.

Scottish system is awful in other ways...you have to pay for a survey before offering without knowing you get accepted...alot of money out for no reason. So glad not in Scotland. Had a friend buy in Scotland and now lives in Scotland but can't move as costs so much to pay for survey etc.

Op...sounds like they using you. Yes very normal but awful. Keep looking at other places.

Totally agree, a really miserable process that sucks out all the pleasure of finding a home.

I was actually very naive in thinking this would be quite simple and straightforward. Especially because it's just been sat there for so long with no offers.

Honestly having been messed around by sellers recently and used to drive up another offer recently too (I offered full asking, then above asking) I’d retract my offer before the weekend so they can’t use it to push up other interested parties.

You can say you’ve offered on something else, then in a weeks time say that didn’t progress as they decided not to sell and re offer.

@LightsCameraBitchSmile
Couldn't they say it anyway to the viewers? Even if I pulled my offer tomorrow , they could still tell them that there is an offer on the table couldn't they? And then I lose it then either way.
I just don't get how someone would risk losing an offer Especially when they haven't had any others in all this time

I’d tell them you have no interest in a bidding war scenario or sealed bids and making a full asking price offer in a position to move quickly should be enough for them and give them 48 hours to accept and remove from market

You've said several times that it's been on sale for some time without having any offers. Does that tell you anything? Is the market generally slow in that area? Would it suggest it's overpriced? Have you looked at any comparisons with houses sold or for sale in the area to get a sense of where the asking price is pitched? It doesn't exactly suggest to offer full asking price.

I'd withdraw the offer, look for other houses and if they come back to you I'd then offer below the asking price. That means being prepared to take a risk and playing hard to get. When people delay or mess around like this, throw in a move or two of your own.

Hi OP, you seem in love with this house don’t forget it’s not the only one! View more this weekend as you are doing, anything can happen during the process. Also - not saying you aren’t - I feel that you need to view it as your home not just a purchase. So yes you’ve upped your offer and you’ve been asked to wait but over a lifetime the money and time won’t amount to much. It’s a bank holiday and with possibly several siblings involved it may have been the easiest decision for them. Keep busy viewing this weekend! I hope it goes your way.

@Mintygreenleaf

I do feel some very strange attachment to the house. I can't really explain it. When I went to see it the first time which was around 5 weeks ago, I wasn't keen on it. But it stayed in my mind ever since, despite viewing several other houses.

I kept mentioning it to my mum and she said it's very strange that I keep talking about it considering I wasn't overly keen.

So I went to view it a second time and just felt completely different about it. I just had this really happy joyful, feeling like I was meant to be there. I can't really explain it. I just felt like it was my house.

So this whole process just feels like it's thrown a spanner in the works because very naïvely I just thought they'd agree to my offer and that would be that

That might explain it. There's several people inheriting and one is being greedier. We've had that and walked away because the daughter wanted to sell quickly and the brother didn't.

Another probate one in our cul de sac three offspring arguing over the price. 18 months of arguments, weeds growing through the driveway, garden gone to pot. House got damp. They lost 50k in the end.

I know a sibling who fell out with her sister over 5k. It's not pretty.

@justasking111

Well yes, this one the garden is completely overgrown. The pictures look different because they were taken months ago and the house has just been left.

Wish i hadn't set my heart on it.

I don't get this as a strategy. What did you say was the reason for offering £3k under asking price? Because this just sounds like playing games to me if you immediately upped it to asking when they countered. And that would annoy me!

Hi OP, I can tell from your posts you are a nice, gentle sort of person. unfortunately most estate agents have rather predatory instincts as their commission is based on sale price. I think you need to appear ruthless, as if you don't care either way (don't let them smell your urgency) and very much ready to walk away. whenever you make an offer don't increase it easily. the fact that you increased to full ap last time made them possibly think they can push you more.

you will get the right house for you, be prepared that there will be let downs on the way. don't contact them for now, let them field offers. there is a difference between lots of viewings and actual offers. go and see other properties and make other offers. you don't have to wait for these guys.

being chain free and having your mortgage in principle agreed, you are an attractive buyer to most sellers. who knows maybe there is something wrong with the property that you are not aware of and their twattishness might mean you have a lucky escape!

@therealcookiemonster

I think I've already given myself away really as I've either phoned or emailed every day for updates. Which is probably why they are doing this, because I've seemed so keen.

OP it's a buyers market right now so you have an advantage.

And it's not just buyers being dicked around. We put a second home on the market last September and the first viewer "fell in love" and offered the AP. We accepted but she eventually pulled out in late December (great timing) as she was apparently also building a dream home in Spain and costs had spiralled.

It was immensely stressful as we'd had to give notice to our tenant. We put the property back on the market in January expecting a similar turnaround, but we've only just agreed a sale this week!

Like you, we were so buoyant and optimistic last Autumn, but now feel rather more cynical and deflated about the whole thing...

Good luck! As PPs have said, the right place for you is out there, be it this current one or the next.

Don’t trust the estate agents to have passed on your offer. Put your offer in writing, meaning that they are legally obliged to pass it on. State your position (first time buyer, or an offer on your current property etc) and that you have mortgage in place and when you will be in a position to move. Also give name and address of your solicitor and state that you’ve instructed them to act on your behalf. This will show vendors that you are serious and want to progress.
It worked for us! Good luck op.

You need to email the estate agents with you full and final offer, add in your house is sold and you have a mortgage ready to go and looking at 8 weeks completion time .
You don’t have to be a sitting duck.

You could say you want an answer in x days.

You have options you can use.

I have my fingers crossed it works out for you.

In Scotland, the sellers pay for a home buyers report, which includes a mortgage valuation survey. It has been this way for many years, no potential purchaser has to pay for a survey. The Home Report is often (but not always) available as a downloadable pdf from rightmove, before you even view the property.

The Scottish system is not perfect, but this is misinformation.