making an offer when your house isn't on the market.

[hatwoman]

Just wondered what people's opinions are on this. what kind of reaction do you think we'd get from the vendors? Our situation is a bit unusual - we're not just looking on a whim. We are selling a house in a city, with a reasonably bouyant market. The house is currently let - tenants moving out in 2 weeks' time.

The house we might put an offer in on is in a completely different, rural area. houses don't come up for sale very often at all. We are living in a rented house (in said rural area).

Is it unusual to put an offer in when you haven't got an offer?

I am in a similar position, I am guessing that an offer could be accepted, but the vendors would keep the house on the market as yours was not proceedable until you are under offer yourself or otherwise able to go ahead?

Agree with cheggers!

so you reckon it's worth putting on offer in? the fear is being guzumped, but I guess there's not a lot we can do about that - apart from move as quickly as possible.

They probably won't take it as a serious offer as you can't proceed yet but no harm in registering your interest.

Agree with cheggers and quiteplease, they'll probably leave the house on the market.

I guess by "being gazumped" you mean somebody will offer higher than your offer (ie I don't think you can be technically be gazumped if you are not in the process of completing a sale)? Yes, that's the risk but that could happen anyway.

You will be showing your hand but IME getting your offer in early at least shows that you are serious. If you hang back and somebody else offers in the meantime there will be less incentive for the sellers and their EA to contact you if you haven't even offered.

no harm, is there? Have you viewed it yet? Perhaps if you viewed it, you'd get an idea of whether they have other people interested.

Another idea might be to tell the EA that you are interested and ask to be kept informed if they get any offers? We're in this position with a house we're looking at buying.

yes howto - that's what I meant, and yes, you're right - it wouldn't be proper guzumping. I like your point about showing our hand.

we've seen it twice. we were the first viewers and I think our second viewing was the second viewing iyswim. when I asked about others the vendor said they had some people coming tonight.but didn;t say anything about any between our first and second.

I would not set your heart on it as there may have been quite a few people waiting for such a house to turn up just like you. If somebody is a cash buyer/nothing to sell/straightforward chain they will probably be ahead of you.

The risk of putting an offer in now is that you would have to put a higher offer in perhaps than you would have done if you had already sold your city property and got the cash.

I would not put an offer. Tell the estate agent your position and that you are putting your house on the market immediately and to be notified if anybody else offers on the property.

That's good advice from Fiddledee. You might be paying too much just to secure it if you offer now.

The housing market is really slow ATM. I'm really shocked how slow (to give example, two neighbouring houses sold last winter, one in a fortnight, one in six weeks, we've been on the market for 7 weeks without an offer - EA knows all three houses and reckons ours was streets ahead of the other two - and having been inside, I'm confident that's not sweet talk!).

There's every chance that house will be yours for the taking once you're in a position to buy!

We've put an offer without our property having been on the market yet, but had someone lined up for it. It was accepted and now I feel awful beacuse our side is going really slow. Everyone is still committed but I wish we hadn't been in this position. If it falls through we'll definitely sell before putting an offer again. Should have done this, just didn't get our act together.