What's the done thing with offers and people who have said they are keen but haven't yet offered?

[LilyBobtail]

So our house has been on the market for a couple of weeks and we've had some viewings. Now had an offer just under asking price but have three other people who have said they are interested and want to view again. What's the protocol with letting them know about the offer and giving them time to offer as well?
I don't want to mess around the initial offerer so am inclined to accept that but also don't want to miss out on a higher offer.
This is so stressful, help!

This is where your agent earns his/her keep. They should be chasing up the other interested parties and seeing where they stand and giving you feedback about whether it's worth waiting or not.

Or are you selling the place yourself without an agent? if so then personally I would contact the other interested viewers and say there is another good offer on the table and so please can they make any offer by [12 noon saturday] after which you'll make a decision.

What's the buying position of the person who's offered? Chain/no chain? Do they have a mortgage offer in principle for the amount they would need? Is their position better/worse than the other interested people's? Again if you have any agent they should be asking all this.

Afterbe being messed around loads when we sold our last house, I told the agent eventually that I was only prepared to take it off the market when the people whose offer we had accepted had booked their survey.

Thanks so much for the advice. Yes we are doing this via an agent so I'll get them to chase it up. The offerer (?!) is in an ok position, no chain but hasn't got a mortgage sorted yet.

I feel so sick it's so bloomin stressful. We haven't found anything we like yet to move to either and there's barely anything for sale. I need to get a grip!