Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Buyer won't instruct solicitor or order a survey until my offer has been accepted

118 replies

InkedGreen · 02/09/2019 16:26

What would you do? I'm not sure she is serious as had a 20 minute look at my place then offered a week later.

She said she wouldn't want to incur any costs while it was still on the market, now it's off the market I feel like the goalposts have been moved.

What do you think?

OP posts:
LolaSmiles · 02/09/2019 22:37

It sounded like you were annoyed they weren't going through with surveys.

Either way, it's not been sold STC. I wouldn't be doing anything until it was.

Original poster
InkedGreen · 02/09/2019 22:40

What do you mean it's not been sstc?

OP posts:
bloated1977 · 02/09/2019 22:41

But how does she know whether you will ever find a place to complete the chain. She's not going to pay out unless you have your offer accepted if she's got any sense.

Original poster
InkedGreen · 02/09/2019 22:45

I see that, but how do I know she'll ever commit to this sale if she doesn't even have a solicitor ready?

OP posts:
LolaSmiles · 02/09/2019 22:55

Right, I've had to re read the thread. It's your agent who is telling you to go to under offer (my mistake)

You said it was the third (??) Time you've been sold STC.
They said they don't want to spend money til it's off the market (reasonable) and that they'd be willing to wait a bit and be flexible on your move (very generous).
She's waiting for you to have somewhere before shelling out money (understandable).
You've put an offer in on somewhere but they don't know that (so as far as they can see they are buying a house from someone who's just looking for somewhere and can't proceed).
You wouldn't mind if they'd said they'd not do anything until your offer was accepted (but then if they don't know you've put an offer in then how would they know).

All the way through you're saying they're not serious, you've got reservations etc etc but they've not really done anything wrong by not spending money on a property that's not in a position to proceed with the sale for a potentially indefinite period of time.

As the buyer I wouldn't be putting any money into this until I knew the vendor had an offer accepted on their new house and was sold STC. I'd certainly not be entertaining any nonsense that I'm an unreliable buyer for not parting with cash on the off chance the buyer actually sells the house and moves at some point in the future which is open ended.

donquixotedelamancha · 02/09/2019 23:12

I had someone do this, as soon as we committed to the house we were buying they dropped the offer.

How long ago did she offer? If it was within two weeks and you are waiting on a response to your offer, then give it until you have chased down your offer.

What do you want to happen with timings? Is it very important to you that she is willing to wait or do you want to crack on and risk having to rent for a while?

Personally I would put it back on the market, if someone was not willing to show they are proceeding with the purchase.

MediocreOmens · 02/09/2019 23:15

I was advised by the EA (a proper traditional one if that matters) not to do anything until the chain was complete. Your buyer hasn't done anything wrong Confused.

FeeFee832 · 02/09/2019 23:43

@ChicCroissant I'm with you and OP. If I wanted the house I'd get a survey done and pay... buyers fuck around too much always pull out.

Sounds like they're messing around. I've had 3 buyers drop out now too. Sad

Scholesfan · 02/09/2019 23:57

I'm with the buyer. If they still think your house hunting then I wouldn't be commiting financially either.

Surveys and solicitors arent cheap. If someone is buying with a 95% LTV mortgage then that can be a huge chunk of money to burn on a potential non starter.

Original poster
InkedGreen · 03/09/2019 06:48

*@ChicCroissant I'm with you and OP. If I wanted the house I'd get a survey done and pay... buyers fuck around too much always pull out.

Sounds like they're messing around. I've had 3 buyers drop out now too. sad*

Thanks, yep they sure do especially in the market at the moment. They've done loads of things to make me have no trust in them (not that I've shared them here to remain a non).

This buyer I have no trust in. So it's going back on the market.

I think lots of buyers are just throwing around offers on houses and have several on the go then will decide at a later date after stringing vendors along.

OP posts:
wowfudge · 03/09/2019 06:57

With that kind of approach you are never going to sell.

Bubbles121 · 03/09/2019 07:27

The thing is, OP, it's an uncertain time and people are cautious with their money. It's a risky time to move as it is, in current circumstances I would recommend keeping your buyer happy as they will be hard to find soon. A lot of people are reluctant to move with the uncertainty of Brexit (not all I know and the market is still moving, but no one can deny the fear Brexit has put into the market)

Focus on finding your next purchase and talk to your estate agent. Their job is to ensure you have a proceed-able buyer. If she turns out to be a time waster and is the third one on this house, then you need a new agent really as they are not doing their job very well.

MediocreOmens · 03/09/2019 07:30

Wow you are really not going to sell with that attitude. It's very normal for everyone to wait until the chain is completed before anyone instructs surveys and solicitors. You sound like a nightmare seller, especially if they are having to deal with you personally through Purple Bricks. I feel sorry for your poor buyer to be honest.

ShirleyPhallus · 03/09/2019 07:36

I also think you’re doing your buyer a huge favour by pulling out, you sound like a nightmare to deal with, with little understanding of how buying and selling actually works

I am absolutely sure the next offer you get the exact same thing will happen again

LolaSmiles · 03/09/2019 07:36

Wow you are really not going to sell with that attitude.
It's bizarre.

I know of vendors who insist on having a mortgage in principle etc to accept an offer, and that's reasonable.

The OP is expecting people to part with cash when she hasn't even got an offer accepted on a property and is unwilling to move out to rental. She's seeking a buyer who will spend money and out wheels in motion when she isn't in a position to move.

I might say I could be flexible on when to move for a house, but I wouldn't hang around indefinitely waiting for someone to find somewhere. This poor buyer could find themselves still waiting for the OP to find a house 6 months from now. All this talk of the OP Wanting it sold etc by the end of the year doesn't work when she doesn't have anywhere to move to yet and won't go into rented. I'm not really sure someone without a property to buy can really have an issue with people not moving to their ideal time frame.

FeeFee832 · 03/09/2019 08:10

@InkedGreen agreed, you've already made two moves and taking it off the market is a big one.

No solicitor and no step towards paying for fees is HUGE. I wouldn't be taking my house off the market till solicitors are engaged. That's always the advice of the EA too.

Good luck op. Hope you sell to someone else who doesn't mess you around. Maybe look into renting too, to 'complete the chain'.

Original poster
InkedGreen · 03/09/2019 08:19

Thanks feefee yeah I've made far bigger moves and no solicitor is huge. Surprised so many are just happy to take their house off the market when the buyer won't even sort a solicitor.

My ea said the same, no solicitors then it's time to put back on the market.

Another forum was the total opposite and 90% said ditch the buyer if they aren't even getting a solicitor.

Ive said many time it's not parting with cash, it's no moves to start the ball rolling.

OP posts:
Original poster
InkedGreen · 03/09/2019 08:23

The thing is, OP, it's an uncertain time and people are cautious with their money. It's a risky time to move as it is, in current circumstances I would recommend keeping your buyer happy as they will be hard to find soon.

It was up for sale for about two weeks and had three offers. One was way too low and one wasn't proccedable. It's a nice house and at most takes a couple of weeks to "sell" even at the moment. It's spent far longer sstc than it has up for sale. This buyer has done many things to make me think they aren't serious. Now changing their mind again after its accepted is too much.

I'll be much happier with a new buyer that doesn't have a background story that keeps changing.

OP posts:
Blobby10 · 03/09/2019 08:49

InkedGreen my buyer knew that I didn't have a house to move to but instructed solicitors etc immediately I accepted their offer. I had said I would live with family if we couldn't get sale and purchase lined up (like i've had to do on every single bloody house move in my life!!) just so we didn't lose the buyer. But I had said this right from the start.

Original poster
InkedGreen · 03/09/2019 08:54

That's annoying you've had to do that every time. This by far has been my worst house sale and I blame brexit! Previous two time were much smoother, sold in a few weeks and the buyers didn't pull out.

If this buyer had of said from the start they will wait until I've found mine that would be fine. But last week she was waiting for it to be off the market then will instruct and order survey. Now she's changed her mind on another thing. I'll be glad to see the back of her.

OP posts:
whatsthecomingoverthehill · 03/09/2019 09:03

You seem to be wanting people to agree with you when you are only giving half a story. You keep saying they've done all these things to make you think they're not serious but won't say what. That's absolutely fine. Don't take it off the market then. You aren't coming across as the most honest seller either, given that you were going to lie to them about going into rented.

At the moment the only thing holding up the process is you. Not instructing solicitors or a survey when you haven't even had an offer accepted is absolutely fine. Getting a solicitor isn't a long process. The only thing I would be wanting at this stage is some proof of being able to proceed financially.

whatsthecomingoverthehill · 03/09/2019 09:05

If this buyer had of said from the start they will wait until I've found mine that would be fine. But last week she was waiting for it to be off the market then will instruct and order survey. Now she's changed her mind on another thing. I'll be glad to see the back of her.

You've only said one thing that she's changed her mind about. And most people agree that it is a sensible thing for her to do.

ShirleyPhallus · 03/09/2019 09:07

Now she's changed her mind on another thing. I'll be glad to see the back of her.

What else has she changed her mind on?

Original poster
InkedGreen · 03/09/2019 09:32

I can't really say everything she's done and give away my annon. But yes there are several things and as I keep saying it's not the not instructing but the changing her mind.

I need to move by late Jan. So I will rent if I can't sell by then.

OP posts:
Mildura · 03/09/2019 10:16

Is there a difference between labelling the house sstc or under offer?

No, the terms are used interchangeably.