Why won’t estate agents tell you offers/ what house sold for?

[trefl]

The sold price is eventually public knowledge so why won’t they share this information?

Because it’s none of your business.

I think it is partly in case it falls through, but even if they told you would you believe them?

Ours did tell us a couple (we didn't ask) however one still hasn't sold 7 months later and the other may be accurate but will be interesting to see what it does go through for. I wasn't that bothered really, it was what ours was worth and from whom the offer is from makes a difference. Though houses by us where all different.

Because they want you to keep upping your offer as much as possible. And a 'sold' house isn't actually sold til money in the bank. But I've never had an agent refuse to tell me a sold price, but they certainly do not want to tell you other offers - though they can give you a rough idea. And they do also make up offers - my own agent told one viewer that there was another offer on the table when there wasn't.
Sometimes they can't help themselves though. I asked why a property i was viewing hadn't sold in a hot market, and the EA straight away said it was overpriced and what the seller would accept!

They can tell you if the vendor allows it.

They are employed by their client, the vendor. It isn’t their job to tell you the client’s business until it is all done and dusted and in the public domain.

We've been told with each property what other offers have been declined. No point in us offering the same or lower if the EA knows the owner won't accept it.
Whether it's true or not is another thing entirely!

Another odd thing about the UK property market.

Also they want sales to go through so they get paid they don't want someone coming in with a marginally higher offer and upsetting the process.

If the sale falls through, they may want to market it again at a higher price. If people know an offer was accepted, they might not be willing to offer more.

Also, the price agreed can change. A survey can lead to it being downgraded etc.

I wouldn’t expect to be told an exact figure, especially if I had been interested in it. EAs know that very often sales fall through and they end up showing previous viewers it again and sometimes those who offers before offer again. Their job is to get the highest price for their client who is the seller. Revealing a price which has been agreed before completion doesn’t usually work to benefit the agent or the seller but can work against them in future.

If it all falls through, what is accepted a 2nd time round could be quite different.

Im guessing because if you put in a higher offer they would be obligated to inform the seller, who may pull out of their current deal, and the whole process will start again. Delaying exchange of contracts, completion, and ultimately commission payment to estate agent.