AIBU regarding potential buyers of our property?

[UniqueShaker]

We are selling our house and we had a lovely couple feed back to the estate agent on their first viewing that they really liked our property - albeit it took them a few days to offer this feedback. They said they would make contact with the EA after they viewed a couple more properties that they already had lined up. Fair enough.

They emailed the EA after the other viewings and said they were not considering the other properties they viewed and asked to arrange a second viewing on our property. They came back for the second viewing and again said they loved the house to me. They told me once they had an offer on theirs they would be in touch to place an offer on mine.

EA called them following their second visit on my property (which is just standard procedure for them to chase feedback). It took them 4 days to respond to the EA. They told EA they can’t give me a figure what they would like to offer but they’ll be in touch when theirs SSTC. They hinted it would be very close to asking. They informed EA they had lots of viewings going ahead on theirs and would be in touch following these. EA has tried to chase them up following the viewings they had on theirs but they are blanking the EA completely. Their property still hasn’t sold as I can see it on Rightmove still for sale.

I know they clearly haven’t sold but It worries me that they are blanking the EA and they’ve suddenly gone really quiet. Their last viewing on my house was over two weeks ago and two weeks since they spoke to the EA. EA told me not to worry as they have always been difficult to make contact with, but I just feel if they were that interested they’d respond to my EA to update us.

I’m starting to get a little frustrated because around this time I wanted to reduce my property to sell quickly but in order to try and maximise our chances of selling for the highest price we delayed reducing considering we had this couple as potential keen buyers - they have certainly been overly enthusiastic each time they visited and EA felt it was wise not to reduce until our potential buyers had the rush of viewings on their property. They said it was silly to reduce at that point in case they came with an offer the next day. I was in agreement with this too. It made sense.

I had found a house that I liked and had told our potential buyers this. We unfortunately lost that property today as somebody else has offered. Now I know it’s not our potential buyers fault, they haven’t sold yet so we can’t change the situation but I feel a little more communication and updating throughout would have been nice. It would fill me with more confidence that they are serious and genuine.

I can’t understand why they wouldn’t be making contact with my EA? Unless they are no longer interested. I updated the estate agent regularly on the property I was hoping to purchase, even if just to say things are slow moving but we’re still keen. I feel that if you love and want a property enough you have to maintain that contact. This clearly worked as the vendors I was looking to buy from ensured their EA gave me a fair chance to place an offer by close of play today and again chase our potential buyers before they accepted the other persons offer.

I think I’m just feeling a little disheartened and feel I have been strung along by this couple. It’s just so bizarre that they discussed decor and where they’ll put their belongings in the rooms when they’ve viewed my house, to just be completely silent…

I’m also wondering that if for any reason we do hear from them soon and they sell theirs, that I don’t particularly feel I want to sell to them because of how poor their communication is and I just fear they’d stress me out during a house sale.

AIBU? Am I just letting this house selling and buying malarky send me in to an overdrive? At the end of the day they did say they’d be in touch when they sell, and clearly rightmove suggests they haven’t…

Ive reduced my house now and I’m trying to no longer see them as ‘potential buyers’.

I don't think they've been laid back. They've been honest and probably aren't pinning their hopes on your house because they need to agree a sale of theirs first. What more do you want? They could have offered you full asking price, but couldn't proceed.

Selling a house is a very odd thing. The number of viewers we had who were definitely buying our house bit didn't was unbelievable. I didn't beleive a word any of them saud in the end.

I guess they have changed their mind and have not the decency to contact the estate agent.

Yet another argument for why the house sale and purchase law should mirror that in Scotland.

They may love your house and want it, but until they are proceedable it is just a pipe dream.

They are not a buyer, they are tourists.

More like they are sick of the EA pestering them when they have already made their situation crystal clear. They like the house a lot but won’t be making an offer at the current time because they need to sell their own house first.

And why is the EA wasting time chasing a non-proceedable buyer and why did they even have a viewing in the first place.

First rule of selling : only buyers who have a confirmed sale on their property or proof of funds, get a viewing.

I wouldn’t be hanging around for them and would potentially decline any offer they make down the line. They sound like everything will be about them and ok their terms only but to be honest I don’t think they are really interested in yours at all.

Because it was clearly overpriced and they were desperate for a sale. Its a slow time of year for EAs.

You haven't got any buyers - they just expressed a slight interest. After a terrible time with my last house move we vowed we wouldn't even start looking until we had a definite offer on our own property. I kept an eye on the market, but we were messed around so much we felt we had to wait for a definite offer on ours first. This worked in our favour when we started viewing. A family member is currently buying for the first time, they had to prove their position as a buyer before their offer was even considered

Yabu, they're either still not in a position to proceed or they don't want to. Numerous calls from your EA would really annoy me. If they want you to know something they will tell you. Crack on with trying to sell your house.

OP I think you need to chill a bit. They may love your house and there may be a million reasons why they can’t proceed at the pace you want.

Buying a house is a major deal and they have to do what’s right for them.

You are overthinking this and frankly sound a little bit much.

Leave then alone and stop thinking about it and move on. This is house buying in the UK - it sucks but it is what it is.

Christ, if I were them I'd be put off so much by being nagged by your EA when I'd made it crystal clear we'll make an offer once we are sold. If they aren't sold they can't offer simple as that!! You know as much as anyone what feedback from viewers means (take this thread for example), it means fuck all until you have an actual offer. Why should they have to keep you updated on viewings? What could they possibly say to your estate agent? Nothing! Leave them alone and just hope they get an offer or alternatively you get a different offer. I wouldn't hold out for them they could take months. I'd get on with selling yours whatever that takes.

With kindness, leave them alone! Tell your EA to leave them alone too! Concentrate on drumming up viewings and finding a buyer! It seems very desperate and it would make me think twice about the property!

They've promised nothing, other than they will be in touch once they have an offer. Doesn't look like they've had one yet OR they may have changed their mind!

The EA is putting their energy in the wrong place!

Your EA is BU!

The potential buyers said they would be in touch when their place was SSTC. In the meantime focus on your sale. The house buying process is brutal - never believe it’s sold until contracts are exchanged. Buyers can be flaky! Good luck 🤞

Yes it looks desperate, the agent should know better. You simply don’t do this . Leave them wondering if someone else is offering.

and there was nothing wrong with their delay in feedback in the first place, I’ve no idea why that’s a complaint, they are allowed to look at other houses, discuss it, look at their finances etc, they don’t need to respond immediately . They responded in a timely manner.

this constant hassling would also make me think the seller is beyond desperate, and it would put me off, I’d be thinking I was very clear, and they are going to be an utter nightmare to deal with if I buy from them. And I’d start looking at other properties, you just don’t hassle people to buy your house. If nothing else it removes all your negotiation power.

Have you read the original post?

Estate Agents contacting the potential buyers and ignoring them for days before responding. They may well have told them they were waiting to be sstc but they could be courteous and say look we will be in touch with you when we are good and ready, please do not contact us again.

The fact they are waiting days to respond to the EA is being lax in my opinion and no, I would not want them as buyers if they can't respond in a simple manner!

Well I think eveyone read the op, and there is nothing wrong with them taking a few days to give their feedback,they are allowed to consider other houses and make a decision. How rude and entitled to think it needs to be immediate.

and they already stated they would be in touch when sold. They don’t need to keep reassuring and dealing with a pushy agent.

I think they have said everything they can say at this point.
Their house has not sold, until it does they don’t know what they can afford to offer.
They are being realistic.
In their shoes I would feel harrsssed if the EA kept calling me.

I agree the Estate Agent is being pushy and should have held back from contacting the potential buyers but I also think it is rude to ignore correspondence from them.

Of course, I wouldn't expect an immediate reply but I certainly would expect a reply within 2 days even if it's just a quick reminder to say look we have already told you will be in touch when we are good and ready.

That said, personally, I would just keep my house on the market and open for viewings and not bother contacting them again, if they want to be in touch they will be and OP can decide if they wish to proceed if they agree to go ahead with a sale.

When we sold, our (very good) EA wouldn't allow viewings from any potential purchaser who couldn't prove they were proceedable. They had to show proof of funds / sale agreed / mortgage offer before they could make a viewing appointment.

This method removed all time-wasters and wishful thinkers.

But they told you they’d be in touch once they were proceedable and could make an offer. They aren’t yet, so true to their word, they haven’t been in touch. And you and your EA are acting a bit crazy and desperate chasing them. I wouldn’t call you back either! 😂

They don’t need to play hard ball because they know you are so desperate. Sit back, chill a bit, reduce your asking price if you want. If they are interested, I imagine they’ll be in touch when they said they would - when their house is SSTC.

Ideally it is better to only allow proceedables with proof of funds but it is very much a buyers market at the moment, especially higher price properties. If you want to maximise your chances then a non-proceedable may view and have their place sold a week later. You never know. Some buyer’s get the hump if they are not allowed to view because they haven’t sold yet, then write your place off completely! Personally, I don’t view until I have an offer. You never know what will be out there/still available until you’ve actually sold.

These people have no extra info to give so the EA needs to back off and stop looking desperate. They’ve said they will offer when they have an offer. Another phone call is not going to hurry that process and will just annoy them. They might even change their mind before they get an offer and unfortunately you just have to accept that. House selling is very much “what will be will be”. Try not to think too far ahead and take one step at a time.

But why expect it within two days, there is no rule here, and they likely don’t wish to appear too keen at first, as they need to negotiate, but they also need to make their own decisions, but more the repeated calls from the agent pushing them for a decision, on something so major , would piss most people off.

Especially the last one , bizzarely wanting an update on viewings of their own house, I can’t articulate how out of line this is, these,people have not even offered yet, they have given a time line to communicate and it has been not respected remotely.

the op now looks desperate to sell to them, and may actually have pushed them away, I get she is desperate to sell to them, but she should have sat on that desperation, and if she was the one who instructed the agent to hassle them, then she’s made a mistake and the agent should have told her to back off. If the agent did it off their own back, she should have a stern word.

hopefully it’s all good and works out, but she needs to ensure these people are not hassled and given the time and space they need to sell their property, make some decisions, sort their finances, and offer.

It is on their timeline. not the ops.

This. They've told you they'll come back to you when they've sold. Until then what further is there to discuss? Really unsure why your agent is hassling them tbh. As PPs have says their sale might be tomorrow, next week or in 6 months. You can't sit around waiting for them to sell so just do whatever you think you need to do to get on and sell yours.