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?

Agree with others OP, you need to look elsewhere. There might be somewhere you love even more just about to come on the market (with more straight forward sellers!).

Probate sales can be a nightmare.

We offered £5k under asking price on one (because the rear parking area doesn’t have a dropped kerb so isn’t actually extra parking as advertised) and it took them three weeks to come back to us to reject it. Apparently there was rounds and rounds of discussions between the multiple executors about accepting or not.

Then they came back to us four months later to say “actually, we’ll take that” and seemed genuinely surprised that we had bought something else some then!

I would always avoid probate sales now

My advice is keep looking! When you get people who mess around like this they will mess you around with everything. They can't be that motivated to sell if they are doing this.

When I was looking 7 years ago we found one we liked but they wanted way too much money. I made a fair offer and explained why I was making that offer and backed it up with similar sold prices in the area. They declined. Fair enough. 3 months later they called me back and told me they would accept my offer now. I had already found a better house. They ended up selling for less than I offered.

The right house will come along soon enough, buying a house is a game to play with your head not heart.

either party can pull out up to the point contracts are exchanged (and even after that point but they will lose their deposit).

keep all your options open.

It sounds like they’d be messing you about for months so I would look for something else seeing as you are in a rush.

I think the estate agent who called me back was the manager. He said he can't get into the details, but there's a reason why he wasn't able to get hold of the seller because this sometimes happens.

He said he's known him for a very long time and they have worked with the family for a very long time. But by that point I'd already emailed to say I would withdraw my offer. So I felt like I couldn't backtrack then.

I don't know what the reason is, but he just said he couldn't go into it and that it's difficult

It'll be family squabbles/greed. Someone I met had been left half her mother's bungalow. Her brother put every block in the way to stop it being sold. They eventually moved in, letting their own house out. Which annoyed him no end. It was two years before he finally agreed to put it on the market.

@justasking111
My god that's annoying isnt it!

I am sort of regretting withdrawing my offer.
I know it might sound ridiculous and very weak, but I wonder if it's worth me calling and speaking to the man I spoke with today and explaining my situation. It might not make a difference at all.

I'm a single mum with a young baby. I love the house but need to move quickly. My offer is there but if he wishes to accept it needs to be this week.
Does it sound ridiculous and desperate to do that?

It is possible to get the courts to force a sale to complete the estate distribution.

They had a nice savings pot from renting out their house and living rent free which annoyed him no end. Ain't karma great 😂

Go on right move before you miss out on something else. We tried to buy a house in probate, cost us a lot in surveys and one of the siblings then pulled the plug again. The EA barred him.

It looks like at least one owner/seller isn't motivated to sell. They might be trying to raise a mortgage to buy it themselves or trying to bully a sibling to give them their share or let them live there. One owner might want to rent it out/buy it as buy to let. Someone might be challenging the will.

Just because you are a very motivated buyer you can't change an unmotivated seller. Stop romanticising this house as if its meant to ge and move on to looking at others.

Walk away from this one and find another

Interesting conversation with the manager - perhaps the seller has been kidnapped and held to ransom by another member of the family!

It's nothing to regret that you've withdrawn: You've strengthened your position and you can still be in the game if you want, but with a stronger hand price wise, if not in respect of getting them to move more quickly.

The problem I see with your timetable to move quickly - within weeks - is that it puts massive pressure on you - hence the almost panicking thinking talking to the manager could conjure up something to bring it about - which may be unrealistic with the family situation as far as it appears - and costly; it would give away your power and advantage and put you on the back foot again. You could be strung along for months while the family wrangles and still not get the quick move you are desperate for.

Normally buying a house takes a few months, not weeks, and trying to force it, though sometimes achievable, may make you make a hasty and ultimately not the right decision for you. That's the bigger danger. It's the most important purchase of your life. Can you instead consider a temporary solution, such as extending your existing tenancy or getting a new short-term month by month rental or staying with family or friend temporarily so that you are not making this important purchase under time pressure and have time to find a suitable property and straightforward sale by someone who isn't messing about and doing a disappearing act?

Might be worth another conversation with the manager. It’s all very mysterious.

I wouldn’t worry about looking weak, just do what you feel is right. See if the EA can reassure you (now they know you are not happy with the current situation) that they will stop arranging viewings while they wait to get a response to your offer from the legal owners.

@Twiglets1

They have said they're going to call me today. I find it very bizarre that they can't get hold of the owner. That they've been trying for days and I've had no response. I really don't understand it. They said it's a little complex and they can't tell me the details.
I would feel better about it if they stopped doing viewings drawing this time, but they're still allowing people to view which makes me think they want higher offer.

The agent is acting on behalf of the owners. Not anyone else. The agents instructions are to market the property unless instructed otherwise. Which they clearly haven’t been as they say they are unable to contact the owner. It’s probate or care home sale and more than one person involved in the sellers side.

1. it isn’t going to be taken of the market anytime soon. You cannot ask for that until your offer is accepted, and the financing has been vetted.
2. viewing will continue until the estate agent is instructed otherwise - that isn’t going to be soon.
3. someone somewhere isn’t making a decision on the sale anytime soon - they are not answering calls.
4. supposedly there are other offers. Either someone is waiting for a bidding war or someone is lying - neither of which is not good news.

@offerquery you say you want a quick sale - you wasted nearly another week waiting on this house. You are not any further forward in finding somewhere to live and in fact even further from resolving your own housing issue by having wasted a week waiting around. House sale are not quick at the moment. Our solicitor is quoting 9-12 weeks minimum for a cash sale, no chain purchase, survey already done, with the owners paperwork ready to go.
This house might have captured your heart, but you need to think of your housing situation - and it really doesn’t look like this house is going to fill that need. There are red flags all over it. The estate agent cannot offer you insight into the sellers position but will string you along - all he has in his sight is his commission, nothing more and nothing less.

You want a quick sale, I think it's unlikely this seller can offer you that with his mysterious complicated periods of no contact.

This would piss me right off.
they shouldn’t have reduced the asking price if they weren’t happy to accept that full price.
i really think you should move on and draw a line under it. They sound like they would be a nightmare to deal with and aren’t that motivated to sell if the agents can’t get hold of them.
save yourself lots of stress!

Even if you get a “yes” I personally would be extremely nervous about them messing you about, dragging their heels, trying to get a higher offer then pulling out, and generally being difficult.
I honestly think it’s best to leave it

I think you may have dodge a bullet if you need a quick move.

Our second house divorce couple but kids were adults and moving out so now selling - there was delay getting back to us each time after two offers - as one sitting in property wanted more - they were going into rented - but after that it was delay after delay had to decouple the chain so as not to lose our buyers and put our stuff in storage and move in with family for 3 months.

Think sitting person in property hadn't wanted to move really so delayed as much as possible. Our urgency wasn't their issue - which was true but we did get close to pulling out.

Also first time we offered went to asking price - and we told by estate agent not to bother offering more - they went with friends got thoroughly messed around and ended up with a lower price- turned out knew neighbour. We got stopped on street months later after buying another house in area and asked by woman who showed us round that house - her Daughter's house - why we hadn't made offer on her property we'd also looked round as well because kitchen was so small washing machine was in garage unsuitable for us. Apparently they'd all managed to convivence themselves if they turned us done for property we put offer in for we'd go for other family property. Again turned out for the best - catchment line was down center of street so house was wrong side would have been an issue for younger kids.

I made an offer on a house a few weeks ago, but they accepted somebody else's. I was absolutely heartbroken and was praying that it would fall through! They have just messaged me to say that it has fallen through and asked me if I am still interested!
I don't know what to do because I have set my heart on the other house. They are absolutely messing me about. But this could be a sign to go for this other house. I really don't know what to do. It is a lot more expensive. it is actually £70,000 more expensive. I really don't know what to do..!!