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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Selling before property goes on market

20 replies

nowhheeeyyy · 02/12/2021 08:02

Has anyone sold their property before it actually went on the market?

As the market is moving so quickly would you allow a viewer before going on the market and if so would you sell to them or still want to put on to see what other interest there is?

OP posts:

Zodlebud · 02/12/2021 08:18

If they were a cash buyer with no chain and offering 10% over the asking price then bring it on!!!

Otherwise, let them see it and hopefully make an offer but allow other viewings to take place to see what other offers you get.

Original poster

nowhheeeyyy · 02/12/2021 08:32

Good advice, I couldn't see any other benefits as a seller, only for the potential buyer as they won't have the competitive nature of other buyers interested also.

OP posts:

Happy1982ish · 02/12/2021 08:33

The other benefit would be if you’d seen your team house and the buyer woul only accept your offer if you had an offer on you’re

Happy1982ish · 02/12/2021 08:33

On yours

Happy1982ish · 02/12/2021 08:34

Dream house!!

Justcannotbearsed · 02/12/2021 08:39

We sold to the son of the first estate agent who viewed it. Got 3 other valuations and came to an agreement. Not having to have the for sale sign up or keep it viewing ready was worth a lot to us tbh.

WeAreTheHeroes · 02/12/2021 08:43

I agreed a sale of my first house before it went on the market. Viewing took place when the photographer was going round. I have a nagging doubt that the EA knew the buyer who did minimal work to the place then sold it 12 months later at a profit. However, I was happy with the deal at the time and sold for a good profit myself.

Mizydoscape · 02/12/2021 08:45

We bought a house before it was put on the market. We've been here 2 months now. It was due to go on with an agent and we leafletted the street just before it went live so the owner passed on our details. They let us view before the ad went live and we offered the same day. For the owner they had no stress of keeping the place clean and tidy for multiple viewings or having to have a sign outside so I guess it made sense. We were not cash buyers but were immediately proceedable.

Original poster

nowhheeeyyy · 02/12/2021 08:51

What's the issue with having a sign up?

OP posts:

Daisydoesnt · 02/12/2021 09:16

If they were a cash buyer with no chain and offering 10% over the asking price then bring it on!!!

Yea exactly this. Our buyers - who got to view before the house had gone on the market, but after we had signed up with an EA- asked how much it would take to not put our house on the market? We came up with a number and they matched it. Bingo! In that situation, why would we go ahead with the rigmarole of multiple viewings on the off chance we could get buyers in a similar situation (cash buyers in rented) and all for potentially a few thousand more? It wasn’t worth it!

It didn’t matter that we still had to pay the EA fee - we had a great price for our house and the convenience of not having to put up with loads of viewings.

milkshakeandchips5 · 02/12/2021 09:30

We just did this. We'd been working with an EA and found nothing. She introduced us to a colleague thinking about moving on our preferred road and we viewed off market. We offered the same day.

Benefit for the seller was that he was confident in our status as serious (chain free) buyers, didn't have the hassle of cleaning and multiple viewings and we agreed a good price. Our chain ended up being three people and was completed in 8 weeks. Our seller also works in the EA business and he said the benefit of having a good buyer who wasn't going to mess him around cannot be underestimated.

LittleMissTake · 02/12/2021 14:47

If your house is on a busy main road in a popular area, a for sale board can be an open invitation to dreamers, tyre kickers and chancers. The ‘viewing by appointment only’ strap line will not stop them from pestering you, even in the days of covid.

endlesswinter · 02/12/2021 15:35

We sold to our tenant, we had to pay the same fees but it was a hassle free sale.
Maybe we could have got a bit more on the open market, we sold year in the buying frenzy but I was happy with market value.

elfofftheshelf · 02/12/2021 15:39

We did. Buyers said they were cash, offered slightly below our offers over price, but we accepted with the rationale that they were cash, and it was an easy deal. Turned out they weren't cash, had a horrible chain below them (which they also lied about) and proceeded to mess us around and lie to us until we broke the chain and bought our new house without them. Personally, I'd test the market, yes it's hell having to keep a home show home ready, but with a bit of luck you'll have competition and find the right buyer at the right price.

Snowpaw · 02/12/2021 22:20

I agreed to two viewings right after the estate agent took the photographs of the place. I showed two couples round. It went on rightmove later that day - I wanted this to happen so I could reach all the potential buyers. I did 4 viewings after that. I accepted the offer of the first couple who had viewed, before it went on the market. So it worked out well!

Usuallyhappycamper · 03/12/2021 09:04

For my first place, I accepted the offer from the first people to view. It was above the minimum amount that I was prepared to sell for and just below stamp duty threshold, so there would have been a ceiling price of people not wanting to pay that. The couple split up a week later , so didn't proceed. There were then a few more viewings and I accepted the next offer, which was a couple of k higher. Never went on to the estate agents website or national websites. As far as I was concerned, being happy with the offer was the main thing.

ISaidDontLickTheBin · 03/12/2021 10:19

I think in a fast market, you want as many viewings as possible then see if you can go to best and final offers / sealed bids. You may well get a better price and can pick the buyers in the best position finances/chain - wise.

escapingthecity · 03/12/2021 10:21

We plan to put our house on the market next year. If we got a note through the door from someone before then and the timing was right, and they agreed a good price, we'd def consider a private sale without putting it on the open market.

MrsBison · 03/12/2021 10:21

No.

But for my house, i was able to get a viewing the same day it was posted online, i was the 1st viewer, made an offer that afternoon and it was accepted.

languagelover96 · 03/12/2021 10:31

No experience but prepare well. Research estate agents online and pick one.

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