Am I expecting too much?

[Rudolphian]

Ok so this will be outing if involved, but I'll go ahead anyway.
A property went on for sale on Friday just gone.
We viewed on Saturday and put on offer in on Saturday.
The house was on for 265.
We offered 260.
On Saturday they asked us for out proof of funds and AIP. Which I sent on Saturday.
They said the vendor would be busy doing viewing all Saturday so they would get in touch on Monday.
On Monday at around 5pm they rand us to say that some viewers wanted a second viewing for Tuesday so they would ring on Tuesday.
They didnt.
Today my husband rang. And they said that an offer had been made at asking which the vendor may accept.
Also told him that if we wanted to up our offer we had til the end of today to do this.
I'm just really confused.
Were we too enthusiastic so they are making it up that there is an offer to see if we would go higher?
If an offer had actually been put on would they not automatically let us know to see if we could up our offer. Rather than just arranging a sale.
Also they are only saying we have til the end of today because we rang. If we had rang tomorrow, I assume they would have said we have til the end of tomorrow?
We can afford to go a little higher. But I thought it was normal to offer a little lower and then negotiate the price.
I really dont want to get into a bidding war. So despite the fact we like the house we are also able to wait til next year and carry on viewing.

I was advised years ago, if you love a property and it's worth the asking price, then just offer the asking price. It's what I've always done.
We've just moved and our buyers did exactly that to us. We accepted it and had no more viewings. They were great buyers.
We did it with the house we've just moved to too.
For the sake of £5k you've created all this chaos!

Sounds like the vendor wants to find his next house before he takes his own off the market. Not really how it should be done and his EAshould advise him that!

Have I misunderstood or were never in a position to be able to offer the full price?

Sorry, typo.. 'were YOU never in a position' etc.

You have to be very proactive to get what you want .. it's up to the seller who they sell to and maybe they had loads of interest..I got first dibs the best plot on a new build by calling them daily and checking ..

@JaniceSopranoJr

As they hadn't accepted your offer they're not really responsible for keeping you in the loop.

If someone offered asking price and they accepted then it's kind of bad luck to you for not offering higher. If you hadn't called they probably wouldn't have chased you up. If you actually want the house I'd proactively offer higher right now, at least £5k over asking.

Not really - that is the point of using an estate agent - their jobs is to negotiate the highest price for the sellers and the good ones will keep the people making offers in the loop proactively.

It sounds like they just forgot and are a bit useless. There’s lots of rubbish ones out there.

This summer I had to phone twice and send two requests via RM to get a viewing at a house for sale nearby that has dropped its price to drum up interest. It wasn’t until I sent a general email to the office asking was the house actually on the market as I’d tried so many ways to get in touch with the agent to no avail. I suddenly got a phone call!! No offers on it no viewings.... I actually felt sorry for the seller, their EA was losing them genuinely opportunities.

@Rudolphian

Ok so I rang yesterday. They said ours was the best and they were pending offers. But we were in the best position to move. We upped to best and final. But the estate agent said the vendor had been shocked he had had an offer so quick. That he is viewing properties that he will move into and they should get back to us next week. When viewing he said he was downsizing cos of a relationship breakdown. And that he didnt want to rush. We cant go any higher. We just want an answer. And if he accepts the property off the market. I mean how long do you wait to see if they have accepted the offer or not. Would you offer a deadline? Right now he has had the offer for over a week now. And there is still no clear answer. We are not in a hurry to move but if he is going to accept we want the property closed to further viewings etc.

Oh wow I see, OP, nice and messy seller! Good luck I hope you get it!

Honestly...
You won't get a clear answer.
This will be a messy sale.
I'd leave the offer on the table and keep looking.

My husband had misunderstood.

There is no other higher offer.
There are some but way below asking and others pending.
I think the seller is dragging his feet. Or maybe he is worried about everything moving so fast. They said he hadn't thought he'd get an offer so quick.

I would ring the estate agent and let him know that until you hear your offer has been accepted, you will continue to look at properties.

Be wary of him mucking you about.