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?

Agreed. Call them and state you need an answer by close of business today or tomorrow or you will be withdrawing

If the vendors are being difficult to get hold of now, just imagine what they will be like through the buying process. A potential red flag imo, especially if the estate agent admitted it.

I asked her if it's normal to take this long. She said there are several family members who are selling it so it can sometimes take this length of time while they are discussing it. But she did say the manager was trying to contact them this morning and they haven't been able to reach them. It's so frustrating for me because I've offered for asking price. I would understand waiting a bit longer if my offer was under the asking price so they had to discuss it. But it isn't

Time to start looking at other property.

this is estate agents after more commission, if a property is reduced and you make a offer that is accepted get it took off the market, but don't go up in price, many agents do this like a unauthorised auction trying to get you to beat the last offer (don't fall in) I gave gave back what I was given, I went up in price as the agents came saying they had a higher offer until my offer was accepted, I then ealised it was over priced , it came off the market after bank details were exchanged, I pulled out of the purchase, the property later was sold over £20,000 less don't be afraid to play agents own game causing inflated prices that do not exist

Hang on op, what do you mean several family members? Is it a probate sale or a family member in care ? If so this is a key fact not a drip feed. They always always take longer to decide as multiple people involved.

if it is probate or family member in care, then my advice changes.

Not necessarily. It appears a key bit of info may have been missing.

@Sunnyandsilly
Yes, I said that in one of my earlier posts.

There's a discussion on page 2 about it being a probate sale after the owner passed and different opinions about how that might mean some one would want a slow or a quick sale and how it can slow the process down with the need for multiple people's input.

@Sunnyandsilly they are going to be like this throughout the whole process - always deferring or wanting to confer with others. Doesn’t really matter as to wether it is probate or a care home sale, the fact is this behaviour will stall everything along the way. It’s most likely to be money driven as well - so they are highly likely to be arguing over that now and if the op gets as far as a survey and that brings up issues - they will be arguing amongst themselves again, if the survey leads to a reduction in the offering. Buying is stressful as it is, no need to add the stress of sellers being unable to agree on things promptly into the mix. (Speaking from personal experience having been on both sides thanks to a meddling sister in law and resulted in having to put passwords into place when dealing with estate agents and solicitors! ).

Never fall in love with a house that isn’t yet yours OP! I would ring again and make it clear that you need an answer by end of tomorrow otherwise you will withdraw the offer. And it might work out better that you do- if they’re messing you around at this point, it will only get worse!

Except that the timeline was: OP offered, they counter-offered, she agreed. I don't get how it takes them over a week to accept what they suggested.

@senua
EXACTLY!! They said to me verbally and in email they will only accept the full asking price. And then I offered that.

OP if the agent hasn't been able to contact the Vendors for a decision today, then there is clearly a problem, as they've had a long weekend, and more, to make up their minds to accept your full asking price offer, which you say was their counter when you offered below asking. Time to withdraw and look elsewhere I feel. Bear in mind that if you do withdraw, it doesn't mean you can't buy this house, it just means that you're in a position to review your offer if they come back to you. For example, if they come back in a week's time, and say they'll accept your full asking price offer, you can then say, 'sorry, but I've been looking at other properties as they didn't come back to me, and now don't feel that it's really worth full asking price, however, I will offer ............... (possibly your original offer). However, as others have now pointed out, there is a good chance that every single decision will take much longer than in an average house sale, due to the number of people involved, so this could end up being a very long, drawn out process, if it doesn't all fall apart because someone decides they're not happy with something.

When we sold my MIL's house after being granted probate, we suggested that as we were using a solicitor close to where we lived, that my DH handle all of the legal side of things, as we had done all of the work to clean the property up, re-decorate, and get it ready to sell, plus instructed agents, etc. There was only my DH and his brother involved, but his brother, who lived a long distance away, and was obviously of the opinion that my DH was going to pull a fast one in some way, insisted that he wanted to be involved in all of the legal side of things, which caused a lot of problems and delays, because he worked shifts, so wasn't always available when the solicitors wanted to see them. Thankfully you don't have to be so personally involved these days, due to emails, etc., but the more people involved in the sale, the more chances there are of things going wrong. Therefore if you want a quick purchase, I would highly recommend that you continue to keep looking.

Have you seen anything else over the weekend? Is there a shortage of houses like the one you want?

@FredsRoses
I haven't seen anything else that I like, and that is affordable.
I know what you mean about the time it might take going forward because of the amount of people who are involved.
I can't believe it's taking them almost a week and they haven't decided whether or not to accept. I honestly thought they would know within a day!

I'm Going to call tomorrow and make it clear that they have until the end of the day to make up their mind. I asked the estate agent if this is normal and they said this is very common to happen when there are several people involved.

But I don't understand when they asked for that exact fee and that is what I have offered. Surely that makes it easier? It's so frustrating.

And I do want a quick sale. I need to be in a property ASAP.

In your position, I would tell them that you want a reply by COB tomorrow, or your offer is off the table and you'll look elsewhere. Yours is the only offer - do they actually want to sell their house? I 99% guarantee that if you do this, they'll come back to you - at which point, you offer your original lower offer and not the AP. If it's meant to be, it will happen, but you might as well try and get it at the lower price if you can.

I have experience of selling probate property and it isn't as easy as you might think - six months after probate is granted, they have to pay 100% council tax and this then rises every six months that the property remains unsold. It's in their interests to sell.

Do this!

I'm going to call tomorrow and make it clear that they have until the end of the day to make up their mind... And I do want a quick sale. I need to be in a property ASAP.
People do get fixated on £££ during the offer process. Sometimes it's useful to throw something else into the mix; if they won't budge on £££ then they might budge on something else.
I suggest that you speak to the EA and tell him that you are not happy with the slow pace. It is not a case of "they have until the end of the day to accept £££". It is "I have agreed to their £££, now it's their turn to agree to my demands, namely (1) house off the market and (2) a timetable for exchange/completion. And I want a reply by dd/mm or I'll walk away". Of course you can't enforce the exchange timetable but it's helpful if all parties at least agree to try to achieve it.

Anyone who sells anything should be VERY focused on the ££££££s this is especially true when buying a house. When you drop £10k off your offer you are essentially saying, have a car or a luxury holiday on me to sweeten the deal

I once offered a little under asking for a flat, only to be told by the EA, yes, OK, but only if I could exchange contracts within 24 hours.

Well, of course I couldn’t - I’d never heard of such a thing. He told me it was not unusual.

I was bemused, but thought no more about it until a few months later when I checked the sold price on Nethouseprices.

It had sold for well below my offer! IIRC £180k against £220k.
The penny then dropped. It had been a rental, and, as had been stated (by law) in the EA’s blurb, it had been owned by one of the EA staff.

So they were just going through the motions of having it on the open market, while it had been promised at a large discount to a friend or relative - and so the owner, who’d probably bought it when prices were considerably lower, was avoiding much of the capital gains tax, and I dare say would be receiving a nice fat brown envelope, too.

Biggest joke was, at the viewing, the very personable EA had told me his father was a vicar!
Talk about an education in the dodgy ways of some EAs.

Update:

My friend phoned them today to book a viewing. They told my friend they have 2 offers already but they're still taking viewings and booked him in.

So I've emailed them and said I'm withdrawing my offer.

@SwimmingSnake

They tried phoning me about three minutes after I sent that email. But I was on a call.

I'm sorry that it's gone wrong at the moment.
If/when the EA do speak to you, be a grown up and be polite because the vendors may come back to you later with their tail between their legs. You are allowed to do the "I am disappointed in them" speech, though.