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Original poster

House STC, no contact from EA

51 replies

PurplePansy05 · 08/07/2020 21:46

Hi All

We recently found a house that we really liked. We've been in touch with the estate agent for several weeks, expressed our interest, were due to put our house on the market. We've had multiple very pleasant chats with them. The EA told us the owners were not accepting viewings in person yet, but they'd start this week (we're in Wales) and they'd call us as soon as they have an availability schedule from them (they're wfh). Fine. DH has been trying to get in touch every day this week, just a courtesy call, but busy lines.

Tonight I'm scrolling through Rightmove to find out what was supposed to be our next home "Sold STC".

I am livid and upset in the same time as this looked like a perfect place for us.

Where did we go wrong?

Can anything be done now?

Will appreciate advice from someone who's been in a similar position 😔

OP posts:
Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 08/07/2020 21:49

*SSTC, sorry about the typo

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CathyWuthering · 08/07/2020 21:53

Hi @PurplePansy05. All I can say is what a shame! I am so sorry that this has happened to you with a house you love. The only thing I can think of is that could it be possible the house was listed before lockdown, someone viewed it, it was taken off the market & then when it went back on they made their offer? I know that this doesn't make things any easier to accept but it could explain the situation rather than the EA fobbing yourself and your husband off?

Also - my DP & I are in the final stages of purchasing the house of our dreams. We first saw it on Rightmove and booked a viewing for 2 days away in line with our work schedules. Within that time the sellers accepted an offer on it so it was sold STC. Unfortunately for the buyers (but lucky for us) they couldn't secure their mortgage so it went back on the market 3 weeks later at which point we swooped in and bought it! So you never know what might happen!

Sometimes I think things are meant to be!

Brenna24 · 08/07/2020 21:55

My sister has had an offer on her house by people who never even viewed it.

MartinJD1976 · 08/07/2020 21:55

Not a lot can be done, sorry. You could still offer on it - the agent is obliged to pass all offers on, but I wouldn't recommend it as Gazumping as a bad thing to do.

Bert2020 · 08/07/2020 21:56

EA’s are a strange bunch, we had the same situation during the end of lockdown. Not a call or email to say the house had sold despite us being on the list to view. We then registered to be kept informed for other properties, not heard a word since despite us accepting an offering on ours. Thankfully we found another property soon after.

MartinJD1976 · 08/07/2020 21:57

@Brenna24

My sister has had an offer on her house by people who never even viewed it.
I would never recommend buying a house without viewing it. Stupid thing to do unless it's for an investment perhaps.
Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 08/07/2020 21:59

Hi @CathyWuthering. Thank you for this. The house has been on the market since end of May 2020 and we spotted it right away and have been in contact with the EA at least twice a week ever since. It wasn't listed before - I am that sad person who scrolls through Rightmove daily because I'm interested in property and I know I would have seen it before. The EA made no mention of it being listed before either, or of any offers.

It is just absolutely bonkers they didn't even bother to call us, just why. I can't get over we lost it without even being told anything about it 😭 It might fall through but somehow I'm convinced it won't.

OP posts:
PickACoolUserName · 08/07/2020 22:01

What you need to remember is that when an estate agent speaks lies automatically come out.

I'm sorry you lost your dream home. I'm sure the right house is there for you.

Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 08/07/2020 22:02

To be clear: we won't make an offer without a viewing. That's not an option.

Secondly, is it bad form to make a higher offer (assuming the unlikely event that we could still see it) if it's the agent that cocked up and we could not have done more and were completely transparent throughout?

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Notyetthere · 08/07/2020 22:26

The same has been happening to us but it seems our EAs were open about why they weren't very accommodating about viewings. We were still preparing the house to list and they preferred people who were further along at SSTC. We finally listed our house and luckily sold it quickly but by then all the ones we liked were sold. Nothing we like is coming on.

Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 08/07/2020 22:33

Thing is, our house is freshly renovated to a very good standard, nearly throughout. The location is also good, I genuinely think it would have sold quickly. The same EA saw our house last week and gave us a valuation figure which we were OK with and we were in discussions with them to sell our house through their agency too to keep things moving quickly. I just do not get it AT ALL 😔

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Brenna24 · 08/07/2020 23:04

I am with you on that @MartinJD1976 I would never do it. It could explain how the house is SSTC despite not allowing viewings though.

CatAndHisKit · 09/07/2020 00:26

could be an EA's relative or friend who offered and they gave the the 1st viewing.

CatAndHisKit · 09/07/2020 00:26

*gave them

Onemorerep · 09/07/2020 00:54

We've been trying to get viewings on three houses all advertised with the same EA for the past three weeks. They're just not getting back to us despite chasers. It's so infuriating that, at the peak of my rage, I was tempted to put notes through each of the seller's doors to let them know. I'd be upset if they were marketing my home and was missing out at a time when the market is apparently booming. Needless to say, within all that waiting time, we've viewed and had an offer accepted on a house marketed with another EA. It's our perfect forever home so maybe it was just meant to be.

Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 09/07/2020 07:02

That's what I suspect happened, they probably gave the first viewing to someone they knew very well, despite the fact we may well have expressed interest before them. We just sent an email stating the position ans requesting a viewing and the number that's been accepted offer - wise. I won't accept this kind of dirty tricks. They might of course refuse, but we'll make it as awkward for them as can possibly be. And of course never buy or sell via them and tell all our local friends how bad they are, so no long-term wins for this EA. They might not cry at night after us, but if more people acted once they treated like us, soon they'd have hardly any customers. Which is what they deserve.

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Aurorie11 · 09/07/2020 07:06

A lot of agents locally aren’t allowing people to view if they haven’t sold, so if you aren’t even on the market, maybe they allowed someone who had sold and could proceed to view and offer?

PrayingandHoping · 09/07/2020 07:13

If the offer has been accepted and it's not sstc and off the market and really hope they don't tell u what has been agreed as that is REALLY bad form to start a bidding war and for u to potentially guzzump the other buyers

They may also have been interested since it has been on the market and regularly calling and have been cash buyers....

I'm sorry u are in this position. Absolutely express your disappointment.

Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 09/07/2020 07:15

@Aurorie11 But like I said in the thread, over the period of few weeks we've been in touch with the agent, they fully knew our position, not once mentioned that was an issue and we were proceeding with putting our house on the market with the same agency. So how could this be an explanation?

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onlywomennotmen · 09/07/2020 07:18

I wouldn't have accepted a viewing or an offer from someone who didn't even have their house on the market in these times. I also think that you can't assume that they sold it to a friend or talk about 'dirty tricks', you just don't know what is happening within the business or with the house. Your response is aggressive and rather unpleasant.

AuntImmortelle · 09/07/2020 07:18

It's completely simple: your house wasn't on the market.

End of speculation.

To be considered seriously your house must be on the market or, actually, under offer.

Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 09/07/2020 07:21

@PrayingandHoping Well I'm not so sure they played a clean game here, like I said, we rang them about the viewing on the morning the house went on the market, as soon as their office opened. So even if we were extremely unlucky, which I doubt, realistically there could have only been 1-2 other interested parties ahead of us who rang in the same time as us and requested a viewing. If so, the EA should have been in touch with all of us to arrange viewings and be clear - you're 2nd/3rd on the list, then just say, look it's sold. But they didn't even reach out at all which bluntly tells me we were likely the first, but despite that they gave the first viewing to someone they knew. Which means neither played a clean game, and whilst I'd never gazump someone who just had a better offer and played fair, there's a huge difference between that and being a mug.

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Whathewhatnow · 09/07/2020 07:22

I can understand your disappointment but it is very unlikely the sellers would have accepted an offer from you anyway as you arent proceedable at the moment.

EAs have lists of interested buyers who are proceedable and will contact them first. Really, their job is to work for the vendor. They wont tell you the agreed sale price either. sorry: harsh truths of home buying!

Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 09/07/2020 07:25

OK, well if some of you are so certain this was the reason then I take that on board, however I think I have the right to feel deceived and infuriated by the agent who not once talked about it being a problem, especially not after they saw and valued our house. But there we are.

Yes, I probably do sound aggressive now, because as I said in my first post, I am livid and upset over how we were treated when I don't think there was any reason for that at all.

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lancashirelady · 09/07/2020 07:26

Legally the estate agent is not allowed to tell you how much the offer is on the house. They work for the vendor not you. You are not in a position to proceed so I'm not sure how you can make it as awkward as possible for them or why you would even want to.