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Original poster

Being a bit crafty with a house buy

40 replies

Rbarty · 23/08/2019 07:10

A few months ago my husband and I saw a house for sale in our dream area. Then disappeared off Rightmove but then it came back. When it did we went to view the property and got ourselves a mortgage in principle on the Saturday. By Tuesday our house (the one we live in) was on the market, within 24 hours we had 6 viewings booked. I checked on Rightmove at the property we want and it said sold subject to contract! I panicked and called the estate agent and asked can I make an offer? She replied no they've accepted an offer already so that's it. After that the estate agent who is selling my house rang me to booking another viewing and I mentioned this to him, he said the by law the estate agent has to present all offers to the vendor before exchange of contracts. He advised that I just put a full ask offer in. He also said that based on the interest in our house in the short amount of time it had been on the market, he was almost certain we would be getting an offer within 7 days. So this is where I am now.
I want to put an offer in and so does my husband but as of this very moment we do not have an offer on the table for our home, but we are convinced that we will. I've written a draught letter to the vendor which is basically a begging letter explaining how this is our dream home & our dream area. Also we have said that offer is not survey dependent and that we will be buying the house no matter what.
My question is should I lie in the short-term that I have an offer on my property just to strengthen my case (who would know it's not true?) or hang on and send my letter to the vendor further down the line when the new buyers will be even more invested?
Please help Confused

OP posts:
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 23/08/2019 07:14

The vendors agent will need to know your agents details and will check with them that your house is under offer with a completed chain. There is no point in lying.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 23/08/2019 07:17

They do have to put offers forward but as if now you are in a weak position I.e. no buyer yet. I’d put a full asking price offer to them, and then contact them again once you have a completed chain behind you.

Why is it not survey dependent? Are you not getting a mortgage? How old is it?

Original poster
Rbarty · 23/08/2019 16:18

So we have spoken to the estate agent and put in an offer, we're waiting to hear back. We were honest that our home is not under offer yet but we've had alot of interest. We've offered 5k under ask and the estate agent didn't mention the other offer being higher. We explained we only put ours on the market to buy this house.
It's not subject to survey because the novice estate agent that showed us round told us in depth what was shown on the survey of a sale that fell through (due to the buyers finances). We also have enough savings/equity/bank of mum and dad to cover any shortfall in the mortgage.

OP posts:
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 23/08/2019 17:34

Good luck!

lastqueenofscotland · 23/08/2019 19:34

I’m in property and I’d not consider your offer at all until you were under offer

Sauvignonblanket · 23/08/2019 19:41

In your position I would be offering full asking price or even a little over to show willing.

Snazzygoldfish · 23/08/2019 19:52

I feel sorry for the buyers in this instance...maybe it's their dream house in their dream area too?

ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets · 23/08/2019 20:14

I'd put a note through the vendors door aswell stating that you've out an offer.

I wouldn't trust the estate agent to put it forward.

purplemunkey · 23/08/2019 20:22

I agree with snazzy, they've already accepted an offer. You should be accepting you missed out. We bought earlier this year and the house was taken off the market once our offer was accepted. Surely that means that people like you can't then swoop in after the fact?

soreknees · 23/08/2019 20:41

If they’ve accepted an offer why would then sell or to you instead? I’m confused but I understand how it feels when you see a perfect property.

Alexalee · 23/08/2019 22:00

You really should have gone full asking... not playing silly games over 5k on a property that is already under offer. If the vendor accepted the other offer that quickly it was probably at or very close to asking price

purplemunkey · 24/08/2019 07:32

Or negotiations could have been underway already. We had a viewing booked but we're warned an offer had already been made but not accepted. The viewing got cancelled just hours before as they had agreed on a price and accepted.

I think it's incredibly mean and unfair ton try and pinch it from under them.

Pipandmum · 24/08/2019 07:40

If I was the vendor I wouldn’t consider your offer and the letter would make no difference. When I put my last London house on the market within a week we had three offers so agent put it to sealed bids. There was over £40,000 between top two bids (both well over asking) and each had a letter. The top bid were not under offer so I went with the second one who were under offer with same agent. Letters didn’t add any weight to my decision.

Malvinaa81 · 24/08/2019 18:22

I think if using an estate agent, I'd find direct contact/letters from prospective buyers a turn off.

It looks sneaky, and indicative of a buyer who tries shortcuts.

And why consider anyone not under offer?

Banangana · 24/08/2019 18:29

Isn't it a bit risky to offer 5k under the asking price if it's your dream home? Especially as they already have a buyer and your house isn't under offer?

NomDeQwerty · 24/08/2019 18:34

I'd not sell to you tbh. Firstly you're in no real position to make an offer and secondly the 5k under asking price knowing I'd accepted an offer already would make me think you'd be a CF further down the line.

Floridasunset · 24/08/2019 19:02

I think it's a shitty thing to do. I wouldn't accept your offer because I wouldn't treat the person we had accepted an offer from like that. I would also be concerned that you wouldn't think twice about behaving badly during the process such as dropping your offer amount the day before exchange.

ChicCroissant · 24/08/2019 19:07

Don't do it, you're going to make yourself look pretty idiotic - the EA will check with yours if it is under offer and once the vendors know you are a liar they won't take anything you do seriously (and rightly so).

AntiHop · 24/08/2019 19:14

Why have offered £5k under the asking price if you're so desperate for it?

DontCallMeShitley · 24/08/2019 19:18

I wouldn't consider your offer unless the other one had already fallen through. It shows you are not a person I would want to deal with and would wonder what else you would get up to.

keepingbees · 24/08/2019 19:23

Most offers are made on the understanding that the house is being removed from the market, so I think the vendors agent did the right thing in the first instance.
You've not yet sold and so aren't in a position to proceed. You'll also be in a chain.
I can't say I agree with what you're doing in deliberately trying to gazump someone sorry.

greenlynx · 24/08/2019 19:24

I would wonder why 5k under asking too. You’re expected to put full asking for your dream house. I would also unsure about you buying without surveys, etc. I wouldn’t just believe it.
Quick sale for cash will make a real difference in this situation. But tbh this particular vendor might not be interested in quick sale e.g. he hasn’t found anything yet.

OldGranvilleHouse · 24/08/2019 19:39

I think what you’re doing is pretty underhand - how would you feel if the boot was on the other foot? What if you got an offer accepted and then someone gazumped you, bankrolled by mum and dad? Gazump actually comes from “swindle”....... just a thought.

Alexalee · 24/08/2019 19:46

You going to update us op?

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 24/08/2019 21:07

When I was an estate agent we checked the chain with the other agents involved. You won't get away with lying.

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