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Original poster

I finally have an offer on the house but I think the buyer is taking the piss? Is he? What should I do?

70 replies

Namechanger2015 · 24/01/2018 22:37

I am selling my house as a consequence of divorce, I don't live in the house anymore and really want it sold as its preventing me from buying somewhere myself. Its a hugely acrimonious divorce, ex and I don't speak and I am dealing with the sale mostly myself.

A buyer has placed an offer today, at a decent price.

However he is yet to sell his house, and has told the estate agent he will sell via them if we accept his offer and also place a lock-down agreement on my house - that is, we accept the offer and take the property off the market indefinitely until he can sell and complete on his house.

Estate agent is confident they can sell his house quickly, desirable location etc etc. But if I enter this agreement it means I have to wait for him to sell up and can't accept further viewings on my house.

I can't see any benefit for me, however the house has been viewed lots and no offers so far.

I haven't sold a house by myself this was before, ex is offering no viewpoint whatsoever so I am not sure if I am thinking correctly about this or not? What should I do?

OP posts:

Whoopydoo · 24/01/2018 22:44

No what if they take a year? No indefinite lockdown. Negotiate a mutually reasonable time 4-6 weeks to a suitable chain such as a first time buyer or small complete chain.

Original poster

Namechanger2015 · 24/01/2018 22:48

I thought my estate agents were ok but I am really distrusting them now based on this offer.

Agent said if we didn't want an indefinite lockdown we can negotiate a time period (which I thought would be an automatic next step). They suggested a lockdown of 2-3 months which I think is far too long.

If they don't find a buyer in that time I assume I will need to re-market and possibly at a lower price?

OP posts:

Justgivemesomepeace · 24/01/2018 22:54

To my mind if he's not sold he's not in a position to buy. I'd accept the offer provisionally and continue to market your house. He sounds like he'll push his luck throughout the sale if he's making demands like that now. Take it off the market when he has a buyer. If the estate agent is so sure it will sell quickly why would they object?

Myview2 · 24/01/2018 22:54

I wouldn’t accept it, as you say what is in it for you? I’d be surprised too if another seller accepted an offer with these conditions. If you are feeling generous then you could agree on a specific timescale to motivate both the buyer and estate agent into quick action. I did hear of someone who managed to secure a house subject to selling their own by offering a non-refundable deposit and paying over the valuation. Might that be worth a shot?

Mosaic123 · 24/01/2018 23:05

Accept a short time, say 4 weeks, and the buyer to have a survey on your house ASAP to show his commitment to the sale.

Original poster

Namechanger2015 · 24/01/2018 23:07

He sounds like he'll push his luck throughout the sale if he's making demands like that now.
He wants the house professionally dry-cleaned by us before completion (its in a really good state already and really doesn't need this) - so I will push back on this.

If you are feeling generous then you could agree on a specific timescale to motivate both the buyer and estate agent into quick action
I did think of saying a 6-week lockdown until they find a buyer, but I don't want them to then find a buyer in a long chain as well.

I did hear of someone who managed to secure a house subject to selling their own by offering a non-refundable deposit and paying over the valuation.
This is a great idea, but I think the price is fair, and if I increase that and add a non-refundable deposit they will lose interest in the house.

Take it off the market when he has a buyer
I think this might be the best option. I am trying to fight the temptation to accept any offer no matter what, as I really want it sold.

Not sure if its relevant but I need the house sold fairly quickly so it enables me to buy asap. DD1 has high school coming up and I want to buy before school applications go in, in Sept.

OP posts:

Original poster

Namechanger2015 · 24/01/2018 23:09

Accept a short time, say 4 weeks, and the buyer to have a survey on your house ASAP to show his commitment to the sale.

Also a good idea. This house selling process is very stressful and hasn't even really started properly yet..

OP posts:

CotswoldStrife · 24/01/2018 23:19

No way would I take my property off the market for a buyer that couldn't proceed with the purchase. If his house sells quickly then he can come back to you!

Original poster

Namechanger2015 · 24/01/2018 23:27

Thank you for that it is what I needed to hear! I think he is almost blackmailing the estate agent (for want of a better word). He has told the agents he will only market his house with them if I agree to accept his offer and enter a lockdown with him.

So if I don’t do a lockdown then my estate agent loses the buyers house. Which is not my problem really, I should refuse the offer regardless....

OP posts:

CotswoldStrife · 25/01/2018 00:06

That sounds like someone who would not be fun to deal with! Let them play their games elsewhere!

BackforGood · 25/01/2018 00:13

No way I would take my house off the market until the buyer were in a position to move, either.
You have to ask what is in it for you. there's nothing about this deal that benefits you.

butterfly56 · 25/01/2018 00:32

This guy is not worth the hassle. Housing selling is bad enough without having some idiot come along who hasn't even got his house on the market.
Also making demands about wanting it dry cleaned..good grief!! There are some dodgy cheeky folk out there!
Stay well clear OP and don't let the estate agents railroad you into this situation either.
It's your house you can sell it to whoever you want and if your gut feeling tells you this is a bad idea then you are right..it is!

Berthatydfil · 25/01/2018 01:10

His demands are ridiculous.
He’s using his (yet to be agreed) house sale to leverage your estate agent with no benefit to you. He’s an idiot if he thinks he can dictate your sale when his house isn’t even on the market.
He sounds a nightmare buyer.
The ea gets two lots of commission so of course they are keen.
However they are supposed to be working for you and tying you into an indefinite lockdown with no apparent plus points doesn’t seem like they have your interests at heart to me.
How long do you have with your contract period with this agent? If it’s not too long you might be better off looking at getting some other valuations in and going with another agent as soon as you can.
Also consider dropping the price in order to attract more motivated buyers.
Are you buying anywhere? If you aren’t your not in a chain which is a real plus.

Motherof3Dragons · 25/01/2018 06:34

Good morning OP,
it‘s sounds you are desperate to sell this house, but you don’t need more hassle like this buyer! He def sounds like one of the „difficult“ kind! Even if he would sell his house, he would put pressure on you and keep blackmailing until HE is happy with this purchase. What a nightmare! Please, do not get bullied into any agreement with him. He will threaten to back out of the sale at any opportunity in order to drive you into despair and squeeze the last bit of „generosity“ out for him! Tell the EA to find you another buyer, drop the price a little if necessary. I’d believe that this buyer would try to get you to reduce the price at the last minute anyway! And perhaps mention to the EA that you might look for another EA in the future, if they get swayed by buyers bullying them this way, since this proposed deal has absolutely NO benefit to you at all, only unmeasurable hassle! Good luck!

Rudeolf · 25/01/2018 06:39

No way.

It will sell...just not to that cheeky shite.

GU24Mum · 25/01/2018 07:58

Agree with the others - many buyers seem OK at the beginning then get demanding. This one is demanding from the start so may well get even worse!

I'd say that you'll be very happy to take your house off the market when he's found something but not til then.

Who knew that a house can be dry cleaned?! That's a definite no!

Theresnonamesleft · 25/01/2018 08:09

Haha, he’s a cheeky fucker. Tell him to jog on and come back when he’s in a position to buy if your house is still on the market.

Monkeypuzzle32 · 25/01/2018 08:24

This buyer will be a nightmare all the way through the sale, and that's even if it goes ahead! I've learnt that any buyer making demands like this is a messer and is not worth the hassle. He is in no position to make any demands at all, I don't even bother viewing properties (apart from Rightmove stalking) when I'm house hunting until I've got an offer on my own property and even then if never take mine off the market until they'd booked a survey!
I'd also be a bit wary of the agents who are suggesting this-its a massive no no, what if you did this and he found somewhere else or took so long you miss out on other buyers over Spring or the value of your home hours up but his offer doesn't and you are effectively selling low and paying high?

BlueUggs · 25/01/2018 08:36

No, no and no.
Don't accept his offer. He is not in a position to move forward.

Greatestshow · 25/01/2018 08:41

Don’t even contemplate it. I had a couple make an offer on my house when their own wasn’t even on the market. Tbh if I’d known that I wouldn’t have even let them view it. What’s the point?

I just said, when they are in a position to proceed let me know. If they had genuinely been desperate for the house I feel they would have sold up as they claimed they would be able to sell quickly. They never came back to me and as it happens my house was on the market for over a year but did sell eventually to a couple who wanted to complete quickly.

Laska5772 · 25/01/2018 08:45

I had one of those , a woman who wanted to make it a BTL..she was sniffy about it all and offered 20k below .. We said no , she then upped it another five with demands and we still said no . She got very sniffy and said we were being unrealistic it would never sell for what we wanted in that area etc etc ..

Three weeks later a young family came and offered us £3k less than asking price and we took it .(we already had seen this house ) . BTL woman came back with offer ABOVE original asking price .. We said NO (she was always going to be nightmare). Sold it to that family , that was 12 years ago and they are still there .. Ive never regretted it..

What was funny was that we were just actually walking by our EA that morning when she made the high offer and they came out to us in the street us in to tell us about it .. When we said no straight away , you could tell that the EA was delighted!.(that woman must have been a real pain). and the EA was really pleased to sell it to the family rather than the BTL.. even though they would get less commission..

Laska5772 · 25/01/2018 08:48

Also I really like our old neighbours I would have hated to saddle them with a BTL next door.. and we'd done such a lot to that house and garden It deserved a family

ChangoMutney · 25/01/2018 08:49

The EA isn't looking after your interests here and you are their client, it might be as well to remind them of this. I'm and EA and I wouldn't agree to this, simply tell them you're happy to consider their offer once they've agreed a sale on their peroperty but until then you'll continue marketing. Don't agree any time period because your EA sound like the type who'll just stop arranging viewings and tell you there was no more interest.

crimsonlake · 25/01/2018 09:02

I cannot believe the estate agent is encouraging you to go along with this. As others have said he is not even in a position to put in an offer as he cannot proceed. If I was you I would only accept future viewings from people who can proceed. I have just sold my house via an online estate agent and due to the same circumstances as yours .Good luck.

samscott · 25/01/2018 09:06

I agree with everyone else. How is this buyer in a position to make an offer when they don’t have a sale? If you agreed to this ridiculous proposal, I can guarantee that in a few weeks time, they’ll come back to you and say they’ve got a buyer but at x less than expected so they need to reduce their offer by x.

Tell them to do one, OP and I’d be looking at moving to a different agent.

When we were selling, our agent established the position before allowing people to view because I was only interested in serious buyers - not nosey gits having a look at what they “could” buy in their dreams.

And if they made an offer, they made sure that a) they already had a buyer and b) their financial person spoke to them to make sure they had finances in place.

Estate Agents charge a lot and if they’re not working for you, try someone else. Oh and like with everything else, you get what you pay for so I wouldn’t necessarily opt for the cheapest estate agent.

Good luck!

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