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Original poster

Offers over?

155 replies

NotMyCircusMonkeys · 21/08/2018 23:05

I'm a first time buyer with a maximum budget of £195k-£197.5k.

I've seen three properties I like advertised, two at "offers over £200k" and one at £210k. They've all been online for 2-3 weeks.

I'm just wondering what would be a reasonable offer? Is "offers over" normally really strict, with no exceptions, or would it be worth offering £195k on either of the two listed at £200k? Also, would I have any chance at all of getting the £210k house for around the £195k mark?

I'd just like to try and work out really how much sellers generally accept under the asking price (I appreciate it will vary depending on circumstances!) so that I don't waste anyone's time.

OP posts:
marants · 25/08/2018 00:19

Agents can show people around, no need for the owner to be there at all. That’s what they are paid for.

MaisyPops · 25/08/2018 00:22

It's still time to sort the house and get it ready all so some nosey parkers can have a neb to satisfy some weird need to peruse houses they aren't considering buying.

If any of my friends went to view houses because they like window shopping and wanted a look then I'd think there was a weird side to them.

AnalyticalChick · 25/08/2018 07:57

Window shopping a car from a dealer or a pair of boots in a shop doesn't require someone else to take time out of their day,

Yes it does. The shop needs to rent premises and pay staff to maintain and man it. If the shop wants to make its money, it needs to be invest in being accessible to customers. If house sellers want to make their money (which, in many cases, is likely to be unearned profit) they need to make their houses, likewise, accessible.

Chickencellar · 25/08/2018 08:19

They do need to keep it accessable but ideally only to people who may buy not those who have no intention of buying. Selling some shoes or not in a shop that's open already is like comparing apples and bricks.

MaisyPops · 25/08/2018 08:22

That's my point chicken. There is no point justify people looking at properties who don't want to/can't buy because it's like window shopping and people window shop for cars and shoes.
Window shopping someone's house when they have to take time to get things sorted etc is hugely inconsiderate and a waste of time (but this thread has highlighted to me how many people think it's totally acceptable to waste other people's time).

AnalyticalChick · 25/08/2018 08:33

MaisyPops The EA is on huge commission. What are they getting that for if it isn't to show people the house that is trying to be flogged.

MaisyPops · 25/08/2018 08:39

I'm not disputing that.

But nobody I've ever met has their house show home ready all the time. It takes time to make sure everything is just so for the viewings. Someone just perusing because they like window shopping and fancy a look is inconsiderate and wasting time.

Going to look round houses you aren't seeking to potentially buy or that are well beyond your means is a bit weird and nosy. I drove past a development a few weeks ago. They'd done a conversion of a beautiful stately home into flats. I've wondered what they're like in there but wouldn't book a viewing because that's weird.

AnalyticalChick · 25/08/2018 08:45

@MaisyPops If you cannot have a house show ready, just show it as it is. You cannot market it at its best AND not have enough time to tidy up. Maybe it needs the services of a cleaner.

MaisyPops · 25/08/2018 08:51

If it's pouring with rain and I have my washing hung up inside taking up half the spare room then that's not 'not showing it at it's best'. It's something that will take time to sort, stash somewhere etc.

I can't believe you're suggesting that nobody spends time getting ready for viewings (which presumably is why it's fine for any Tom dick or Harry to want to peruse even if they have no intention of means of buying, after all we should be thankful for anyone who wants to look).

Every house we looked in had been neatened up for viewings. It's the norm.

Anyway, time to call it a day. Only on MN would you get people claiming it's totally normal to window shop houses and that buyers are wrong to think it's weird a waste of their time because they should be grateful people want to look

marants · 25/08/2018 11:53

Neb? Haven’t seen that word used in that context before. Where are you from Maisie?

Selling a house is stressful but you seem to make it more stressful than it needs to be by worrying about wording and washing. People can see beyond those things. I don’t think they will be offering less because there is washing hanging around!

Regardless, if it bothers you, if you think it draws attention to the fact you can’t fit a dryer in or whatever, just tell the agents you only do viewings on certain days of the week and don’t do washing then. But you can’t fool most buyers, they’ll offer what they want to pay.

MaisyPops · 25/08/2018 12:09

I just prefer it when people are reasonable.
If you're told X multiple times then to keep coming back with anything other than X is just unreasonable. It's not like on the 7th time I'm going to suddenly go 'oh you know what yeah... all these months of me saying one thing, I didn't mean it at all.'

(Tumble drier by the way is something I avoid on energy efficiency grounds but now i live somewhere it seems impossible to get washing dry outside for half the year I might have to cave)

The reality is people do make sure their house is ready for viewings. I've never met anyone who doesn't spend an hour or so smartening it up. I know how busy my life is and how some things have to go on one side when selling/buying, but I'd dislike having to shift my plans around someone who isn't a serious potential buyer and so wouldn't do that to others.

I think it is a giant waste of time people viewing houses because they fancy window shopping and aren't in a position to buy. To do that (I feel) is quite inconsiderate.

Clearly, my approach isn't the norm but I wouldn't look at houses out of my budget and would only book a viewing if I thought there was a realistic possibility of me considering to buy the house (e.g. we saw a lovely stone built cottage in a village when we were house hunting. It was in budget but realistically we knew we'd need more space. To go and view it just out of interest would have been inconsiderate of us. I mean we could dress it up that we were looking 'just to get a feel for some alternatives' but the reality would be we would have just been nosy and the poor seller would have lost time out their day for nothing more than our curiosity. That seems wrong to me.

marants · 25/08/2018 12:27

It's not like on the 7th time I'm going to suddenly go 'oh you know what yeah... all these months of me saying one thing, I didn't mean it at all.

This happens all the time. People have to sell for loads of reasons, can’t pay the mortgage, can’t afford rent and mortgage anymore and had to move already for work, divorce, bereavement, retirement, lost job.... for whatever reason they are not in the same position they were a few months ago.

And that’s not even taking market into account, or the fact that next door has got planning pension to open a nightclub or a train line is being put at the end of your garden or the school is closhing or whatever else might change the price...

Artichoke18 · 25/08/2018 12:28

Home owners do viewings in Scotland unless the property is empty. Despite two open viewings a week we still had people who could only possibly come at 7.30 on a random weeknight. As well as tidying, we put a pet cage in the car for each viewing and one of us took the children out. Then someone would come and make it clear they didn’t even have a mortgage agreement in principle. It was annoying but you can’t turn someone down just in case they are “the one”.

MaisyPops · 25/08/2018 12:34

Home owners do viewings in Scotland unless the property is empty.
We're in England. The owners did every one of our viewings when we looked around unless it was a house where the owner had passed away.

AnalyticalChick · 25/08/2018 12:37

The best way of avoiding viewings is not to put a house up for sale in the first place. But if someone really feels a pressing need to put their house up for sale, but does not want the rigmarole of viewings, they should just price it in a way (including 'offers over') that puts people off viewing. Problem solved - house up for sale, but with as few viewings as possible.

Artichoke18 · 25/08/2018 12:38

Was just replying for people saying “let the estate agents do it, that’s what they’re paid for” - that isn’t always the case

Artichoke18 · 25/08/2018 12:40

Hmm Thing is pricing your property according to market rate and selling for around the valuation price is also a way to sell houses.

MaisyPops · 25/08/2018 12:44

Artichoke18
Not on mumsnet.

You could have a £500,000 house and if someone with a budget of £200,000 wants to view it and make an offer of £190,000 then you should never be frustrated or irritated or think of them as time wasters. Your property is only worth what the viewer is willing to pay and you should be intensely grateful that anyone has been to look around. If you find it annoying getting your house ready for viewings only to find they are time wasters then you should chill out and get a cleaner.
It's the house buying version of 'look at all this stuff that is bothering me in my life'... replies = have a spa day and get a cleaner.

AnalyticalChick · 25/08/2018 12:49

@Artichoke18 I think some people would prefer to market their house for a long time (but without many viewings), in order to try to get a top dollar price. Although the problem with not having many viewings is that it is unlikely to sell, so those occasional and inconvenient viewings will carry on and on indefinitely into the future.

marants · 25/08/2018 13:02

People view property for many reasons, hobby, decorating ideas, aspirations, motivation, because they know the person and want a look inside their house... that’s just life. 🤷🏻‍♀️

When we sold the first time (no children) we had viewings whenever and only turned one lot down because they wanted to view when we were having family round. The agent showed everyone round. I think he prefered that and knew when we were at work. Apart from them having to inform us when they were coming in, we didn’t see much of the process. Maybe we didn’t see the time wasters because we weren’t in or maybe we didn’t have any. Don’t know.

Once we had children we only had viewings on certain days, after the cleaner had been because Lego etc. She let herself in and so an estate agent doing the same was no big thing. We only had one viewing when we were home and I admit that it was a pain waiting for them with ds wanting to get his paints out, so in the end I let him. Family house, stuff happens!

Artichoke18 · 25/08/2018 13:04

But I knew what my home was worth (valuation in home report) and so did potential buyers so they could offer that amount, more, or wait to see if the house languished for a month or so in which case offer under. There’s no incentive to sell it for less than the prediction of a surveyor, unless you are getting no interest.

MaisyPops · 25/08/2018 13:04

People view property for many reasons, hobby, decorating ideas, aspirations, motivation, because they know the person and want a look inside their house... that’s just life.
Anyone viewing property up for sale because they have a hobby or want DIY inspiration is an inconsiderate arsehole.

It's property for sale. Not property to come and have a nose around because you're incapable of using the internet and thinking of ideas for your hobby or decorating. Hmm

marants · 25/08/2018 13:06

Plus, when several agents kept sending us houses to view that were in the next price bracket to the one we went looking in, I asked a couple why. Typically, they told me, people tell them a figure that is less than they can really afford, they go for that which they can comfortably afford, so the agent ups it! Plus of course, people take offers.

marants · 25/08/2018 13:10

It's property for sale. Not property to come and have a nose around because you're incapable of using the internet and thinking of ideas for your hobby or decorating.

And we’re back to the browsing argument. It’s for sale, people look, window shop, whether they can afford it or not. It’s for sale. They go and look.

marants · 25/08/2018 13:16

You don’t have to like it Maisie but people do it and you have to put up with it if you’re selling. You can’t be too precious about a house you want rid of, it’s a business and you want people to give you money for something you want rid of! Do make the process as easy on yourself as you can, let the agent earn his commission.

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