Buyer already asking if we will move into rented!

[homebuyerstress]

Sold our house quickly a few weeks ago to buyer who has family nearby and is moving long distance. We are also moving long distance and had been looking at properties online so knew which we were interested in. Offered on a property after about 10 days and offer accepted. Seller now looking for somewhere to buy but they are very motivated as already had sale fallen through and lost onward purchase. Similar they already know what area they want to buy and already have viewings booked.

Our buyer has already had surveyor booked and wants to do second viewing for measuring up. Thought it was unusual to do those when chain not complete but seems anything goes at the moment.

Now today buyer has asked us to move into rental as she doesn't want a chain! We never advertised to the property as chain free. We were clear to agent we would be buying another place, and they even asked us when signing contracts. At no point has anyone said we would go into rented.

Obviously we have said no chance and just really annoyed that if she didn't want a chain then to have bought a chain free property?

If she pulls out we should sell again pretty quickly as nothing much coming on market here and lots of demand. But feeling really stressed at the moment.

Anyone else had this to deal with?

‘Going into rented’ became popular to be chain free / hold on to a sale in the first stamp duty race.

Also because the process has become more drawn out since viewings were only open to those whose house was under offer or who were cash buyers or FTB because of COVID, so renting became expedient in some circumstances. And now seems to linger as a suggested option.

No doubt EAs love it as there is less chance of the chain collapsing, and it speeds up their sale and commission.

'No'.

She's been ridiculous. So just tell her, 'No, we're not going into rented'.

There's nothing personal in this request, they are probably just worried about not making the stamp duty cutoff so are pushing their options.
You need to go back to the EA & work out if not being chain free is a deal breaker for this person, & if so, remarket.

Thank you all I'm more calm today haha. Spoke to agent who has spoken to buyer it seems her buyer is putting pressure on her ... but turns out she accepted offer from them over 2 months ago! She wants her cake and then some and eat it.

We are standing firm, I'm sure we'll resell quite quickly as so little coming onto market at moment here and still lots of demand. I'm resigned to her pulling out now but we shall see.

If her buyer is a FTB they may have a mortgage offer about to expire.

The EA could usefully encourage your buyer to go into rented....

@crimsonlake
I know measuring up does sound a bit 'previous' at this stage, but sometimes measuring isn't just curtains and similar-we went back to remeasure our last house because we needed to know if by removing fitted wardrobes in one room we could get two single beds in- not a dealbreaker, in our case, but it helped us to plan things. The vendors were happy about it and we never had a cross word with them. (It had been on the market for a year, we offered the day after viewing, and stuck to that price even though our lender insisted on a completely unnecessary rewire, so I think they probably liked us! )

................(and we offered asking price too....)

Hi all thought I'd give you a little update as it's been a very fast moving week! As expected buyer pulled out as she wants to buy a no chain property. Fair enough.

So agent was looking at notes and we had someone else interested before who couldn't offer as was still waiting to sell theirs. long story short agents called them to see how things were going, turns out they had sold and struggling to find somewhere to buy... and would love to buy our place!!! They've had the situation explained that we are buying onwards so at least they have made decision based on that.

But the best thing is the original buyer has contacted agents to say she does want to buy the property after all as nothing much on the market. Apparently she just hung up once agent told her it's already been sold

Of course no ideas what will happen but if you want a chain free property buy a property that is advertised as chain free!!!!