Private sale potential - WWYD?

[MixedupMartha]

Our house is on the market at the moment and we may possibly have a buyer (very keen viewer yesterday - now bank hol weekend so if they want to offer, they have to wait until Tuesday).

We haven't found anything we want to buy despite looking for ages. We'll go into rented if we get the right offer but it will be hugely disruptive for us as a family and I'd be so happy if we could find something to buy.

At the end of the summer term, I heard that one of the other mums at school is selling her house in September. I don't know her personally (friend of friend) but I know her house and though I haven't been inside, I think it might be the right house for us.

I communicated this to our mutual friend back in July and she introduced us in the playground. I spoke to the lady who owns the house and said I was interested and if she'd like to do a private sale, I'd certainly be in favour.

She didn't seem to object to the idea of a private sale, though I suppose it hadn't crossed her mind. Our mutual friend later sent me her mobile phone number, so I sent her a text to make sure she had my number, reminding her who I was and saying I'd love to see the house if/when she had it ready for viewings.

The problem is, she didn't ever return my text or acknowledge it in any way. As I don't know her personally, I haven't seen her since the schools finished for summer and I'm not sure what to do next. As far as I know, she's putting it on the market the first week in September.

She stands to save about 7.5k on estate agent fees if the house is what we want. I'm not looking to make her a cheeky offer - we'll make the same offer we'd make on the open market - I'd just like to secure something and save going into rented.

What should I do? Can you think of any reason why she might not be in favour of a private sale? Personally, I'd jump at the opportunity to save on EA fees.

Well I guess she might want to test the market - also the downside of a private sale is you have to deal with everything yourself and you have no buffer if negotiations get sticky.

Perhaps she'd rather do everything the conventional way but felt a little cornered when your friend suggested it.

And of course if the house does go on the market, you don't stand to lose anything if you really are prepared to pay market rates - do you?

seems fair enough...give her a ring before its too late.

we bought our new place earlier this year through a private sale...the vendor was happy to save money (and time in all probability), and we thought we got a good deal easier and quicker than having to deal with a horrible ea.

same kind of thing as you, a mum at school who heard through the grapevine that we might be interested...and so we were.

you've both just got to bite the bullet and talk cash at some stage...it doesn't come naturally to most people, but its got to be done.

we went round and instantly knew the place was the one for us (after a while looking nearby where we were renting). she said a price. i said take a bit off. she said ok. job done...20 seconds negotiation if that!

go for it. if eas get involved, you might miss out, or at the very least have things delayed and the waters muddied by other people

good luck

no, of course not. I guess it's just the fact that somebody else might beat us to it before next week and we don't actually have a sale agreed on our house.

TBH we'd probably offer the asking price - the last house down her road sold for asking price earlier in the year so we know we're looking at similar.

Imagine if she puts it on the market and we view and offer more or less the asking price...and then she loses 7.5k in EA fees when we'd have paid the same privately!

She may have not got your text ring the number it may be wrong. Do it today what have you got to lose.

I sold our house privately to an acquantance of a friend.

I would leap at the chance personally as it is so much easier if you can talk to each other directly. There were quite a lot of problems with the sale further down the chain. We sorted what we needed to sort out about it all over one quick phone call each time.

In fact I can't see what the EA does...once the offer is accepted. As once it was all in the hands of the solicitors they dealt with it iyswim.

In your situation I would defintiely try to get hold of her and speak to her on the phone today.

Just bought a house by knocking on the door - didn't even know the owner - got a whiff it was for sale and thought it might be right. My selling agents have been fantastic in helping me with it all (there's a rarity). Go for it - what have you got to lose?

I texted our mutual friend today, said I hadn't heard from the lady selling the house and perhaps she'd given me the wrong number originally?

She says she's on holiday and no longer has a mobile phone. Says she will text me her new number as soon as she gets it.

I guess I'll see her at school next week.