Is there foul play involved?

[Busterlin]

A property went onto the market last Wednesday, I instantly phoned the estate agent to book a viewing. I was then told that the earliest I could view the property would be Sunday at 1:30 PM which was attended.

After viewing the property and falling in love with it we decided there and then that we would put in an offer of the full asking price for the property as we felt that it was worth possibly more than was being asked.

We then contacted our mortgage adviser to move forward with our mortgage application so that we would be in a stronger position to place our offer for the property the next day (Monday).

At 9:15 am i received a call from the EA asking how the viewing went, I explained that it went fantastic, we where interested and that we would place an offer on the property in due course while waiting for conformation from our MA. EA then explained that two other offers had been placed on the property already, both for the asking price (we where unable to view other than Sunday at the earliest??) I then explained that we would better the offers placed for the property and to please hold fire while we got conformation.

around 90 minutes later I checked Right Move to see if there had been any developments with the property to see that it had a STC denotation, I then Contacted my MA to chase up the application, and was told that it had been sent off and would have a reply within the hour and told me he would contact the EA directly and try to do some digging He called me back telling me that an offer had been accepted although they where still taking offers on the property.

At 10:49 AM i received a text message confirming what had been said, i quickly contacted the EA and spoke to a different member of the company who then told me that they where not entertaining offers anymore.

I proceeded to place an offer regardless at £4000 over the asking price, a FTB, mortgage in principle with solicitor all ready, but was told it was declined around 15 minutes later.

My question is, am i living in denial and everything has happened exactly as it has, with nothing strange going on, or is there something not quite right?

My gut tells me that I should continue pushing, but my head says otherwise, I think because it was a house that i fell in love with and definitely could see myself moving into my heart is ruling my head, but surely once the offers had been made and i had said we would better what had been offered the EA would relay that message to the vendor and they would wait out to see what would come in, the house had only been on the market for 4 full days by this point with only one day of possible viewings.

Sorry if it is a little bit of a ramble, i have lots going on in the little box and no answers for any of it!!

Thanks.

Sadly you were not the only people who thought it was worth more than was being asked. Perhaps the others who viewed just phoned up before you did to book a viewing? Perhaps the agent had someone in mind when they took the instruction? It sounds as though someone else offered on the spot and the vendor was happy to proceed with them because they had accepted their offer.

I think you have to chalk it up to experience. Tell the EA your offer is on the table should the accepted offer not be proceedable or anything go wrong with the sale, subject to survey of course.

In your shoes there are a few things I would have done: I would have 1) rung the EA myself if I was that keen; 2) actually made an offer when we spoke; and 3) said I'd send the MIP through as soon as I got an opportunity at work or some such.

You made an offer when you were told they weren't accepting other offers. It does sound as though the agents were not clear with you on the phone though.

The ea us obliged to put all offers to the vendor, I'd check he did tbh

Definitely an experience i have learnt from, and yes in hindsight i have thought of everything you would have done, but sadly I did not.

Although the EA do not expect a MIP to make an offer, it was something they 'lead' me to believe. (they're no saints!)

I just needed some conformation i guess, its never easy to accept the one that 'got away'

How would i go about making sure the offer was put forward wicked?

I'm inclined to not, as they have accepted the offer and i would hate for it to happen to me.

I have been in a similar position: saw a property online (buy to let) and was given a viewing a couple of days later which I was told was the earliest possible. When I made an offer an hour later, I was told an offer had already been accepted. How? Dh called up to question this and found he knew one of the agents, who admitted he had already shown it to buyers he knew personally before it officially went on the market. Dh didn't have a problem with that (I did) and asked him to do the same for us, which he did. I think it stinks.

First they do have to put all offers in writing to their client -

Why did you wait - you put an offer in - then if it's accepted speak to the mortgage people etc

Not sure why you hung fire?

Hate to disagree, but unless the vendor has specifically said so, all offers do not need to be put to them. Vendor could fit example only want offers over X amount put to them.

I wanted to be certain we where mortgage'able as we had not received conformation of voters register, but went ahead regardless once seeing the property.

I will be phoning all the estate agents that have our details tomorrow to re assess our specifics.

It's unusual for offers above asking not to be put forward to the vendor as don't forget that unless it's a fixed commission, the EA will stand to make more money the more the property sells for. I'd be questioning this actually although I'm not sure how you'd get proof that your offer was put forward.

Put a note through the door or knock and check your offer was passed on. If i was selling i would want to know

Just so you know for other houses / future - you dont need to be on the voter's register. Neither of us are and we got a (hefty) mortgage without. I think now there is so much digital data banks are placing less emphasis on whether you are registered to vote. Think of the number of foreign buyers - they are obviously able to get comfortable without this.

Maybe this is the exact opposite of foul play and it is, for once, vendors and estate agents behaving ethically:

By 9.15 am on Monday, an offer had been made and accepted by the vendor (e.g. someone viewed the house 1 hour after you on Sunday and made an offer there and then). The purchaser stipulates that as a condition of their offer, the house is to be taken off the market, no more viewings and no more offers entertained (hence marked STC as soon as the office opened and updated Rightmove on Monday). The vendor agrees, and asks the Estate Agent not to put any more offers forward. Estate agent follows vendors wishes.

If it's the house for you, offer there and then! We have done that twice; with our last house, it went on the market on a Tuesday, I booked a viewing for the weekend. DH flipped at me and said we need to view it before then - it will go quickly (desirable house, underpriced) - so rearranged viewing for following morning 9 am. We liked what we saw, made offer there and then, stipulating the conditions above. Now live in house.

Id agree - you make the offer get it accepted and then worry about paper work!

Think you weren't coming across as a serious buyer to the estate agent so they accepted the other offer - as they were in contact they did give you a chance!!

Thats the issue with estate agents - you never know. The whole thing is murky at best. They will have people who are looking to buy that are also selling with the same agent, developers who flip properties who will use the same agent time after time, buyers who they know are cash buyers, their own family and friends - all of whom the estate agent wants to keep on side and probably put miles ahead of you in the queue.

All you can do is develop a relationship with the estate agents, pop in regularly, don't mess them about, show them that you're keen and hopefully you'll work yourself up their greasy ladder so you stand a better chance next time. And if you do see something you like, act quickly.

I second the advice about dropping a note and saying you have offered x amount and your offer remains on table, mention you are chain free and ready to proceed etc. Then just say you hope all goes well either way and wish them a good day. This is how we secured our house (although that is now going wrong for other reasons...) it had transpired that the estate agent had told the buyer we were not willing to match the offer that had at that point been put forward by the rival buyet which simply wasn't true - we were never asked to match it and in fact went on to beat it by 5k when seller realised she had been duped. Would have never come to het attention unless we had reached out to her. The agent just did not want to sell us that house (they continued to try to boot us out for a further three weeks - such a long story!) I can only assume their preferred buyer had agreed to sell their own house through the agent (which we couldn't offer, as we're chain free) or the agent was trying to secure it for a friend. I absolutely hate the agent but we've had to suck it up to try to get the house. I do feel your pain. Drop the note and then walk away and move on.

I live in an area where there is an undersupply so anything coming on to the market is going under offer in a couple of days, we're about to put our house on the market. A good tip which I don't think has been mentioned so far is to make sure that you're registered and friendly with all the local agents. If they know you are serious and proceedable they will call you if something comes on the market sometimes even a few days before it goes on Rightmove.

I'm also with the people saying make an offer then and there if you like something, mortgage offers can take days to come through in my experience and at least an offer registers your interest and I am pretty sure the EA then needs to keep you informed of any other offers.

Good luck!

I should mention seller had asked agent to ask us if we would match offer (we were in a better position). Although you just don't know who to believe

Sadly if a house is in high demand it can just boil down to luck whether you are in the right time and right place with your offer.

When we bought our house we knew the local market really well and had a buyer for the house we were selling. Immediately the house appeared on Right Move I rang the agent and sold myself as a serious buyer which enabled me to get the first viewing (despite them initially saying that the house wasn't open for viewings until the following week). I said very clearly on the phone that we knew the type of house and just wanted to check the layout of the extension that had been done and see the condition of the work, then we would be ready to put in an asking price offer and were ready to move.

We had a viewing that afternoon (Saturday) and offered immediately after the viewing, our offer was accepted.

Not necessarily easy to do if you aren't in or very familiar with the market. Before that when buying our first house we were disappointed like you a few times.

It's annoying, I called an EA the day a house came in the market, they were supposed to call me back to confirm viewing but of course they didn't, next day it had changed to sold STC. Never mentioned anything about existing offers on the phone. Some houses don't even make it to rightmove around here, the EAs have to have you in mind so get friendly with them all, it's crazy!