Do they want to sell this house?

[squeezysparklyballs]

Basically I'm wondering if I'm waisting my time even trying to buy the house I like.

It's been on the market eleven months, empty as the owner has gone into a home. It needs work and is incredibly dated. Oddly, it's priced the same as other houses nearby that sold in an immaculate condition.

I put in a low offer and it was rejected but no counter offer received. I wasn't really expecting my initial offer to be accepted (who does?) but no counter offer and a very discouraging estate agent? He told me that the vendors (her daughters) rejected a much higher offer a month ago as the buyer wanted money off after the survey.

Am I wasting my time?

Has the daughter even got power of attorney?
It doesn't sound like they're incentivised to sell. Be glad you found out now before the survey expense.

They could be grieving and struggling to sell emotionally. Maybe go in with some personal info about how much you’ll love it and cars for it?

Care not cars

Why bother having it on the market? They'll be haemorrhaging money on the care home.

It sounds like your low offer was so low that they dont think you're serious and it's not a case of you wasting your time, they dont want to waste their time dealing with someone they probably perceive as unrealistic. I know when we were dealing with the sale of an elderly relative's property, we gave the estate agent authority to reject any offers without even contacting us below a certain amount because we simply didnt want to be bothered with it / have time to deal with what we saw as time-wasters (we had our own homes / families / elderly relatives to manage). If those people wanted to come back and offer something more realistic (above the cut off point) of course the agent would speak to us and we'd consider it. It took a few months but we sold for very close to the asking price (well above the cut off point).

If you really want it, increase your offer and see what they say.

Of course, they might be holding out for something unrealistic but given that there have been offers much higher than yours, it presumably is worth more than you have offered.

No idea if those offers are real though. Don't believe everything estate agents say.

We're prepared to get close to what I think one of those 'offers' may have been (according to estate agent) but not match it. I could buy better for that and would if I could afford it.

Oh well, back to the drawing board!

What namechanged said. We're currently selling my father's house and I don't see it as our responsibility to come back with any counter offers.
If you're taking the piss with your offer, then we're not interested. Either offer something more reasonable or, if you can't afford it, go away.

Care home fees for us are funded through pension/share income. So no, we're not going to give away my dad's house to someone who reckons they can get a bargain.

Don't believe everything estate agents say. tell me something I dont know

I will never understand why people get all offended about low offers. I've had a few myself.

Just said no.

Why take it personally?

Thing is, the owners of this house in question are NOT selling it. Not going to either at that price.

I've sold a lot of houses. It's not really the seller's job to make a counter offer. It's up to you to up it if you're interested!

If it seems overpriced compared to others in the area, maybe the daughters have very unrealistic expections - 'We're not giving it away!' etc. Not at all uncommon.
. I've know it happen in the same circs. - relatives who were selling on behalf of the person in the care home had fixed ideas about what it was worth - not helped by the estate agent who'd overvalued in the first place! and felt the need to get the best price to cover future care home fees.

They did it with the best of intentions, but it hung around for ages, and eventually sold for considerably less than the initial price - to someone who'd offered quite a bit more 6 months previously and been turned down.
So if you're not in a hurry, you never know!

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I think it is very unrealistic. I think people forget that the buyer is not going to pay for their happy memories.

I think it is very unrealistic how do you know that without any information about the property, the selling price, or the vendor's circumstances?!

Link... then we can judge a fair value

Name change... if as the OP says that they are asking for the same as fully refurbished houses I think that qualifies as unrealistic

Sellers don't tend to counter offer in my experience. If it's really overpriced then it won't sell and if they want it gone then they'll have to reduce it eventually. Bide your time unless you can't risk losing it.
If someone else wanted money off due to the survey then that's bad news and sounds like it will need more money spending on it than is obvious.

@Alexalee but "dated" or "needing work" are very subjective and a vendor doesn't have to lower the asking price because a buyer wants to put a new kitchen in / new carpets etc. I get that high spec / top notch fittings can command a premium but the main driver for price is square footage, plot size etc.

When it's a case of someone having gone into a home, or a probate sale, IMO it's more or less a given that 'dated' or 'needing work' will usually mean precisely that.

I don't think the OP meant 'dated' as in, 'Eeeuw, I can't possibly live with a six year old kitchen!'

I would walk away.
They want the same money as a property that has been done up,
Fine.They want it to sit there unsold leave them to it.
Depending on where in the country it is they will only be chasing the market down.

I assumed a full refurb including full electrics updating, new heating system, repeater and replace kitchen and bathrooms... sellers always underestimate these costs, which in London and the south east can easily run to 1k perm2 for not even a top spec finish

The kitchen is around thirty to forty years old. Parts of the electric system date from the 50's (I can recognise it). The bathroom is ok albeit 70's avocado.

The house is clean and has been cared for. Just not updated in many years.

Not posting a link, too outing.

I've lost track of what you are asking here. But if you want the house just go back with your best offer. Don't be offended if the answer is no.

OP in that case you are looking at 10s of thousands of pounds,walk away.

Round here house prices are sky high because of very sought after schools. There is very little discount for dated properties.

However 11 months says they're in no hurry. I would be looking elsewhere. Ultimately the sale mainly requires that buyer and seller agree a price. Whoever's right about the value is a bit of a moot point. I think you are unlikely to agree a price and therefore you should walk away.