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Original poster

House gone before viewings have even started.

43 replies

cosmicglittergirl · 29/05/2015 21:22

Meant to be visiting a house tomorrow morning with an appointment made ten days ago, tomorrow is the first day for viewings. However, on right move the house is showing as sold
STC. Does anyone know why or how this has happened? We haven't been contacted. We're assuming a developer has got in there.

OP posts:

Original poster

cosmicglittergirl · 30/05/2015 12:05

So... My DH's back and the owners have died unfortunately. Apparently there were loads of people there and the agent had a massive list of people coming to look, I'm none the wiser why they said it was under offer as they are accepting offers! Thanks for your advice. We might put an offer in...

OP posts:

yomellamoHelly · 30/05/2015 12:28

With our first place we instructed the EA on the afternoon of the Monday. They immediately asked if they could show people round that evening (despite no photos, brochure etc). We had two offers from the two people who'd looked around by Tuesday am.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 30/05/2015 12:31

You need to see it OP before you put an offer in. 1)because you may hate it 2) because the agent shouldn't take your offer seriously because of (1)

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 30/05/2015 12:37

If the owners have died, do you know how recently? Because if it has to go through probate before it can sell, it could take a while. Keep looking would be my advice.

newstart15 · 30/05/2015 13:17

In my experience this is the agent playing the game, selling to someone but continuing with viewings so that its legimate, especially if it's probate.

My sister was a beneficiary of this however, The EA were keen to sell her house (so they had double commission) and took her on a private viewing, they accepted her offer but kept it low profile allowing viewings on an open day but she was assured she would be allowed to proceed and buy the house.She had to increase her offer slightly but it was still a very good deal.
Its win/win for EA, they get a quick sale, own the chain and double commission.Had it been a 'true' open market the estate may have got slightly more but with crazy London prices it was still a massive inheritance for someone and I think they valued a quick no stress process.

It used to be that without a chain you had an advantage but in the SE you are better placed if you have a 'good' house to sell as EAs will fall over themselves to help you purchase a house they also market.Developers also benefit as they have the 'promise' of re marketing the house 6months later when its been developed so its pipeline business for EAs.I know a builder who buys and sells through 1 agent, he always gets the offer of 'good' houses first and does several transactions a year.

We didn't get a look in for many houses when we were buying as we had changed areas so were chain free.

Original poster

cosmicglittergirl · 30/05/2015 14:55

That's interesting newstart, these are all things I have previously been unaware of. I am an expert in the rental market but this is a new world!
We will offer as it's below our budget and we d love to do it up to our taste. I know it's odd I haven't seen it, but my husband and I have identical tastes luckily. If we don't get it, so be it. It's all a learning curve.

OP posts:

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 30/05/2015 15:57

I just don't think they'll take your offer if you haven't seen it. I wouldn't.

CrapBag · 30/05/2015 20:08

Why not? I offered on the house I am sat in before DH saw it. He didn't view it until after the negotiations and our final offer accepted. Not everyone will have both people seeing it.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 30/05/2015 20:13

Because a second person often says "nah, just doesn't feel right"

Chchchchangeabout · 30/05/2015 20:16

I made an offer on the first place we bought when my OH hadn't seen it. We would have missed out otherwise. I say as long as one of you has seen it, make an offer and arrange a second viewing asap.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 30/05/2015 20:24

Yes, but a lot of vendors miss out because they accept an offer when one half of a couple has seen it, but when the other one finally is able to then the offer is then withdrawn. I would NEVER take my house off the market when only one half of a couple has seen it. Until exchange.

I'm not saying it doesnt happen that a couple buy a house when only one half has seen it. But it is more likely not to go ahead when that happens.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 30/05/2015 20:27

Unless it's a terrible market - not currently- that's an inadvisable way to do things.

forago · 30/05/2015 20:32

maybe he didn't mention he was part of a couple? he could be a single bloke?

I'd never spend 100s Is on a house ibhadnt seen though unless was investment not family home

Notyetthere · 31/05/2015 00:33

Our house came into my emails Friday midnight, our parents cheekily knocked on the door Saturday morning and expressed our interested in it. The agents earlier that day had told us that viewings would not start till a week later with an open day.

The vendors did not show us round but they did speak to their agents who advise them that we were keen buyers. We had viewed other houses with the same agent. Vendor gave us a viewing 2 hrs later and we made an asking price offer. House sold in 15hrs from hitting Rightmove.

It also turned out that the agent had made a mistake by listing on Rightmove. The house was not ready yet. When we viewed, they were halfway through rebuilding a garden wall.

zoemaguire · 31/05/2015 08:07

Your tastes are so identical that you are prepared to risk 100s of 1000s of pounds on it?! Don't buy a house you haven't seen, if there is ONE piece of advice about house-buying for novices you should take, that is it. Pictures just don't tell you enough. I certainly wouldn't have bought our house from the sales particulars, but once I was there it just had a lovely feel. Another house that looked perfect on paper gave me the jitters in person, I really hated it, the feel was all wrong. My dh (we also have v similar tastes) quite liked it. So beware!

SoftSheen · 31/05/2015 08:15

We've had the same experience. House goes on market on a Monday, and we booked a viewing for Saturday (first day for viewings). However, by Thursday house has already been sold to the friend of a neighbour, who offered £50k above the asking price to get it off the market. Not that uncommon in some areas.

Rockdoctor · 31/05/2015 09:50

Ok so here's a thought given that it's a probate sale. Perhaps the house has been left to someone (eg children) and they need an offer for valuation purposes - not too many offers but enough to establish the value in terms of the estate.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 31/05/2015 17:04

Zoe - I had the same - I got details of one house through the post and thought, "ugh, no". But the really helpful EA phoned me and said "you need to come and see this house" so grudgingly I did. And bought it.

Rock - probate takes the value of the house from the EA's estimation, usually 3 of them and they tend to choose the middle one (although not always). EAs don't usually need offers to work out the value of the estate. This can be a real problem when EAs have over-estimated the value, probate have set it, and then you sell the house for a different sum.

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