Do I ask too many questions/appear awkward? WWYD

[DespairingHomeowner]

Hello, just would like some perspective from a seller's point of view...

I've seen 2 houses I like, 1st one I was 'gazumped' (not really as v early stages), 2nd one few weeks later I now have an offer in but not yet accepted (its been 2 days)

In both cases, I have sent a list of questions to EA about property before offering: is there subsidence/damp/when was roof repaired/have you been burgled etc?

I do this as: 1) would like to understand major deal breakers before shelling out thousands for a survey, 2) to save walking away eg 2 months down the line

I think 1st house this may have gone against me (they def wanted ask no questions FTBs, so I think maybe they have something to hide). The current house - I asked if they had rising or penetrating damp, & got reply 'no rising damp': so I've just gone back to EA to clarify if they have had penetrating...

My questions are polite & definitely not derogatory to the house/sellers: I also make it clear to EA that I expect some things to need rectifying in an older property

My question is: if you were selling, would this put you off/make you favour someone else? Should I kill the questions?

@DespairingHomeowner Most conveyancers offer "no completion, no fee" so it is not going to cost you £2k. I'm glad you're happy with the answers you've been given, but have they accepted your offer? If so, do instruct a solicitor quickly if you want to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday - everything to do with buying and selling is taking much longer at the moment and March is only 4 months away.

I would be shitting myself as the seller thinking you will pick over everything in the survey with a fine tooth comb, to then potentially drop out and waste everyone's time

Sorry OP

I have just completed on a house sale, I had some simultaneous offers and just ignored the tedious list of emailed questions from one prospective buyer assuming they would be a pain in the arse as they were expecting me to do a load of engagement with them before they even offered. They did then offer without me answering the questions but I was put off them by then.

As someone who has sold property and had idiot time wasters asking pointless questions just to delay things, but also as someone who bought a property and should have been more on the ball and should have asked a whole lot more questions; I would say that you must ask the estate agent to find out from their estate agent anything that may concern you. Get your solicitor to find any concerns you have, after all you pay for this.

I bought a house with a boiler which was sold as a combi boiler. The vendor assured me it was fairly new. It was over seven years old and would not heat the water unless the heating was on. Some of the double glazed windows were broken and would not open. I omitted to check plug points. I had to pay thousands to get the electrics sorted out- some of the wiring was unsafe and we only found that out after we had moved in. They had also redecorated over damp in a bedroom caused by a leak in the flat roof. I will never get caught out like this again.

Next time I buy a property I will pay for a full survey. I will make sure I don't pay more than the property is worth.

If the vendor thinks you are asking too many questions and they are valid questions - not stupid ones, then they may have something to hide

I suspect they answered the damp question in that way because they don't know the answer. It's not always obvious if there's damp and I think most older properties have some. They answered to say there's no serious rising damp however.

I had someone come with a long list of questions like that and just said they need to get a survey after we accept an offer if they are serious. It seems like time wasting to me, and like someone playing at buying a house.

I also wouldn't ask for a viewing immediately after you've had your offer accepted. That suggests to me you're not sure and it wasn't a real offer. And that you might pull out after the second viewing. At least pay for a survey first.

@Spickle: thanks, hoping I get the green light tomorrow. If so, will use conveyancer who helped me buy last time/is handling my sale. I didn’t realise it as a FTB but they were excellent, and also v fast, so plan to stick with same firm

@Anordinarymum: am definitely doing full survey, the place does I believe have a history of penetrating damp as the agent suggested I leave that for surveyors... I’m in 2 minds as I want the house, but obviously not if it’s got huge problems, hence my questions. I had a few expensive oversights last time around too

@cloudchaos: I think you are spot on, pay for survey or at least mention it...

it is a tricky process, I asked a vendor about her sagging roof and using torch to check any damp in dark cupboard, she commented sarcastically about my eye sight, she took a dislike(written all over her face).
I couldn't care, I knew I will only need to get lucky once, went sstc the next day and then back on the market last month for some reason.

now, you don't have to follow by the book what you read on property site.
do a lot homework, believe me you can found out a lot on the net.
spy on facebook any old pictures of the house and planning permission on local authority website, old cached website page if sold few years ago to see any improvement, google street shows for a period of time how house was changing.
my current house vendor's solicitor asked me to prove that the window were changed in the last couple of years, I had to snapshot it from google street, then accepted to pay indemnity insurance.
basically, the more you dig the less questions you need to ask sadly.
as people mentioned second viewing after accepting the offer ask most important questions.