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Original poster

We're in that we make an offer, they laugh in our faces stage. Please talk me through it.

66 replies

LibertyGibbet · 13/08/2010 12:29

I know it's the dullest thing in the world but we've made an offer on a house (well 2 actually) and they've both been turned down.

Come and tell me all about the fact that estate agents lie bend the truth like the wizards they are to try and get you to part with every penny you own.

Because 'the vendors are hoping for more or will consider renting it instead', 'we've had a couple of investors show interest' and 'you're close to what they're hoping to achieve' is all EA game playing isn't it?

Please help. DH is in crown court all day (at work, he's not a criminal) and I'm supposed to be calling them back. I panic you see. I'll offer 10% over the asking price, a portion of my soul and my firstborn because I don't like bargaining and just want this over with. Somebody stop me.

What do I do now?

OP posts:

Longtalljosie · 13/08/2010 16:00

Right - so you're a first time buyer, and actually, it's not your dream home.

You have ALL the power. The estate agent is just trying to put you off so you don't realise this.

Ring and say - well, we're not in any rush, perhaps this just isn't the home for us. Because, you know, if you're not madly in love with it this is just the time to get a good deal.

Your email sounds perfect. In fact, ring the same estate agent and ask to look round another house on their books. That'll get 'em.

I know you hate bargaining but actually in this particular buy, you've got it all to play for...

EndangeredSpecies · 13/08/2010 16:05

Good email.

I will send you a virtual slice, it's victoria sponge with plum jam .

rebl · 13/08/2010 16:51

We did what you've done and stuck to our offer. I pulled out of negotiations at what we thought it was worth. Low and behold they called us back less than a week later to ask if we were still interested. I also viewed a couple of other properties that that particular EA had on to make it clear that I wsa serious about pulling out. It certainly pays to stick to your guns.

badembabe · 13/08/2010 16:58

Can I make a suggestion? Get someone else in the family or a good friend to negotiate on your behalf. I agree with everyone else you are in such a good spot don't give them a penny more - if you are meant to get that house it will be yours at that price - that's a promise. Anyone who has bought any amount of houses will tell you that.

NonnoMum · 13/08/2010 18:44

And keep us posted.

This is nearly as good as Property Porn TV.

Fiddledee · 13/08/2010 19:46

Or play the estate agent at their own game - get a friend/relative to go see the same house and then say they are really interested and put in a much lower offer, yours will look so good. Immoral but so are estate agents.

Original poster

LibertyGibbet · 14/08/2010 12:17

MIL has just phoned as her step dad has rung the estate agents to ask about the house (feigning interest in a buy to let investment I think) and they said they accepted an offer yesterday afternoon.

Curious.

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SandSad · 14/08/2010 12:28

I think they were stringing you along - to see if you were going to come back with anything higher.

The email you sent was spot on. Always reinforce that you have nothing to sell so can move quickly, you have your mortgage offer agreed in principle, and are generally the best option.

People who want to sell will put a price on the inconvenience and process of having a house on the market.

Good luck!

NonnoMum · 14/08/2010 19:36

Maybe it is your offer that are going to accept???

Just a thought? But want to try and squeeze a few more pennies out of you?

Or get back on the property websites..?

Alouiseg · 14/08/2010 19:39

Have you looked on Rightmove for the actual sold prices in that area.

Asking prices and sold prices are two very different things

Original poster

LibertyGibbet · 14/08/2010 19:59

We're still looking at other properties. Viewing one next week.

If it was our offer, surely they'd have let us know? It's just weird that they hadn't had any other offers bar our offers and then our final offer yesterday afternoon and suddenly they've accepted an offer. I assume an investor has bought it. They've only had investors look at it apart from us.

Have checked sold prices, yes. And dh's grandad has quite a few properties that he lets. I know what price it needs to go for and that's what we offered.

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Alouiseg · 14/08/2010 23:15

Hold your nerve and just remember everything happens for a reason.

It's blooming nerve-racking though :)

SkiHorseWonAWean · 15/08/2010 08:48

If these vendors have any sense at all they'll be taking your hand off rather than waiting for prices to fall further.

londonlottie · 15/08/2010 09:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

LibertyGibbet · 15/08/2010 10:52

The EA knows exactly how much money we have and what our AIP is as his colleague arranged it for us. Doesn't mean I'm about to be pushed to my limit though. The EA works for the vendor and will be trying to get the best price possible. I was prepared for all of this. I don't like it though. It's a disgusting, expensive and unfair system. I'm in Norfolk and the market's definitely geared up in the buyer's favour atm.

I am assuming it's all over tbh.

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lalalonglegs · 15/08/2010 11:18

Did your grandfather speak to the same agent that you were dealing with? It occurs to me that EAs do occasionally get things wrong and someone may have heard that there was an offer on that house and misremembered that it has been accepted. It sounds really unlikely that there would have been an offer on the same place on the same afternoon from someone completely different after x number of weeks on the market without a sniff.

londonlottie · 15/08/2010 11:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

thelittlestkiwi · 15/08/2010 11:35

Even if it is an offer that has been accepted quite a lot fall through. I've bought two houses and had two fall through. Still sad I lost the first one but thanking my lucky stars the second one didn't happen. The building report came with 'Money Pit' stamped on the front.

Original poster

LibertyGibbet · 15/08/2010 15:56

I've no idea who he spoke to tbh. I don't think it was the guy dealing with us atm as I'm pretty sure he said he didn't work Saturdays (I was too busy wondering why a grown man would wear lynx/hair gel at the time). Another house on the road is sstc atm, so there might be some confusion somewhere. I'm not getting my hopes up.

We almost bought a house years ago when I was pregnant. The vendor was odd odd odd and we were on the verge of pulling out many times. A few days before exchange he demanded we give him another 10k for the house or he wouldn't sell. We pulled out sharpish and he's still trying to sell now. Prat.

It's a bit annoying as there's nothing else on the market at the price we can afford. But I'm hoping for a few people selling next month once the schools go back and summer's over.

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SandSad · 15/08/2010 16:59

We moved recently and the EA did everything in writing - so you might get a letter in a few days rejecting - or perhaps accepting - your offer.

But I'd think it odd they didn't inform you by telephone first. Ours just sent a letter, until the final negotiation.

Original poster

LibertyGibbet · 15/08/2010 17:15

We dealt with the same EA last time we were in the process of buying. They do everything over the phone.

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Original poster

LibertyGibbet · 16/08/2010 10:58

Have had an email from the mortgage broker who works at the EA. It's a bit cagey but worded in such a way that I think he's implying they are going to accept our offer.

I'm now terrified. Is it normal to want to pull out and run away? I've spent days being disappointed and now I'm terrified.

Why is it so emotive? It's just bricks.

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wubblybubbly · 16/08/2010 12:35

lol, sounds like it might be good news!

You've probably talked yourself out of it over the last few days, to save any disappointment.

When we came to see our home, it was a block viewing, with loads of developers etc. We'd already lost one house in the same location, due to a shocking survey so we walked around loudly pointing out all the problems with the place (the vendors weren't here) but honestly thought we didn't stand a chance.

We didn't bother putting in an offer until the estate agent called us and asked, so we plucked a figure from the air (just £2k over the offers over price) and we're totally stunned when we found out a week later we'd got it

By that point we really couldn't decide if we wanted it or not, we'd talked the place down so much to save any disappointment.

We realised just how much we wanted it when we came back from honeymoon to find our conveyencer and totally arsed everything up, the property had gone back on the market and had another offer accepted

It all worked out in the end though. Keeping my fingers crossed for you Liberty. When will you find out?

Original poster

LibertyGibbet · 16/08/2010 12:43

About 5 minutes ago...

I hate moving house. My life (subject to contracts, surveys, valuations and acts of God) is boxes and packing tape from this point onwards.

OP posts:

wubblybubbly · 16/08/2010 12:48

You've got it?

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