Letter through door asking about selling our house

Photogemic · 2022-01-03T19:52:36+00:00

So we have our house on the market and today we got a letter posted through our door. Basically the guy introduced himself saying he is seriously looking for a property in the area at full market value. He put his email and mobile number. Has anyone had this and what did you do? Should we get in touch or put him in touch with our estate agent? Thanks for the advice in advance!

Anordinarymum · 03/01/2022 19:56

I can guarantee you that he works for an estate agent locally ! Deviousness is their talent !

Howshouldibehave · 03/01/2022 19:59

Why wouldn’t he just contact the estate agent for a viewing presuming he wants to buy it and knows it’s up for sale?

SeasonFinale · 03/01/2022 20:01

I suspect the estate agent was shut today as it is a Bank Holiday and he was hoping you might have called and he could have viewed. I would message and say the estate agent is open tomorrow and any viewing should be arranged through them.

Rrrob · 03/01/2022 20:01

I think it’s genuine. He’s probably missed out on a few houses given the market so is approaching sellers directly. A private sale would save you the EA fee…

SeasonFinale · 03/01/2022 20:02

@Rrrob

I think it’s genuine. He’s probably missed out on a few houses given the market so is approaching sellers directly. A private sale would save you the EA fee…

Most agents fees will still be payable during a determined period.

MaryAndHerNet · 03/01/2022 20:03

He'll be there ready to make a cash offer at near asking...
Mess you about for a bit... as long as he can..
Then offer you much much less than asking and because you've been dangling for months, you'll be tempted to take it because you've got the house you want to move too lines up and if you don't take the lowball, you'll lose the house you want..

Dazedandconfused10 · 03/01/2022 20:03

@SeasonFinale only if they can prove they introduced the buyer and tried to secure a sale and for sale sign would not be considered enough.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 03/01/2022 20:04

If you have a contract you’ll have to pay the agent anyway. Put him onto the agent,

RoyKentsChestHair · 03/01/2022 20:05

@Rrrob

I think it’s genuine. He’s probably missed out on a few houses given the market so is approaching sellers directly. A private sale would save you the EA fee…

Yeah it’s not that easy to duck out of EA fees, otherwise everyone would do it! If they’re actively marketing your house then any sale would incur a fee payable to them. You could try and dodge it by taking the house off the market and then waiting a few months but that would be quite the gamble to avoid a couple of grand fees tbh, especially as you’d then be left dealing with the solicitors and chasing everyone up etc. Not worth it.

I’d probably contact him and say it’s for sale with xx agents. If you want to arrange a viewing please contact them directly.

ComtesseDeSpair · 03/01/2022 20:07

People hope that bu trying to arrange a private sale and cut out the agent, they can avoid bidding wars and get a better deal: unlike an estate agent you’re unlikely to have the guile to use “other offers” to encourage them to up their price; you’ll be saving on agent fees and they’ll use that to negotiate a discount for themselves; without the agent showing other potential buyers around, you won’t actually know if what he’s intending to offer is actually the price you could have gotten eventually.

It can work out fine if you keep all the above in mind, and you would save n the agent fees. But you could also end up with a demanding or difficult buyer and no middle man to liaise between the two of you.

Clymene · 03/01/2022 20:13

You're still liable for the estate agent fees so you may as well put him in touch with them

ProudThrilledHappy · 03/01/2022 20:16

Stick with the agent. Property sales are very good at the moment and it is possible you will get offers over asking as well, so best to put it out on the open market

TheRealHousewife · 03/01/2022 20:20

We are seriously thinking of doing this in the areas we’d like to live. We are still drafting how to word such a letter (any ideas much appreciated). The market is chaotic at the moment and it’s increasingly difficult to find anything suitable.

It could be genuine.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 03/01/2022 20:21

[quote Dazedandconfused10]@SeasonFinale only if they can prove they introduced the buyer and tried to secure a sale and for sale sign would not be considered enough.[/quote]
Has this changed then? It certainly used to be the case that if purchasers had made direct contact because of a For Sale board they had seen and proceeded to buy the property then the agent still got their fee. It was as a direct result of the agents advertising which made the purchase possible.

RedWingBoots · 03/01/2022 20:21

I know someone who is an estate agent who essentially did this to buy his houses.

As PPs said if you are going to have to pay fees to your EA tell him to go through them.

TheRealHousewife · 03/01/2022 20:23

Sorry miss read your opening post @Photogemic … I’d read it that you HAD been on the market previously. Sorry.

I personally wouldn’t put a letter through the door of a house already on the market, I would go via the EA as required.

Fixerupper500 · 03/01/2022 20:24

This is quite common in my area because the market is so competitive. I would just email and pass the estate agent details.

Idontknowlondon · 03/01/2022 20:25

I've had 2 friends put notes through the doors of all the houses on the streets they really wanted to buy on when they had no luck finding anywhere. Both got houses that way. Is it possible he posted to all the same style houses on your street and didn't realize yours was also on the market anyway?

Idontknowlondon · 03/01/2022 20:27

Oh, and I've done it before when the estate agent has been a cock and refused us viewings before "checking our eligibility" i.e. making us sit through a sales pitch with their mortgage advisor.

RuinedReindeer · 03/01/2022 20:27

We’ve had letters through here signed by “Jeff & Diane” who are looking to buy a house in the area to settle in & they “like ours”.

Had more than one. They look handwritten, but are clearly photocopied.

My mum also lives very locally & has had the same from the same people.

Our house isn’t remotely similar to hers.

My moneys on property developers to be honest.

Clymene · 03/01/2022 20:30

[quote Dazedandconfused10]@SeasonFinale only if they can prove they introduced the buyer and tried to secure a sale and for sale sign would not be considered enough.[/quote]
No, not true. If the house is on the market, the contract the OP has signed means they get their cut, even if they do fuck all

purplesequins · 03/01/2022 20:39

we had some of those.
most were other estate agents or expat relocation agencies.

also the local housing department of the council looking for places to rent to difficult to house people.

send him the link to your rightmove and go from there.

SeasonFinale · 03/01/2022 20:47

[quote Dazedandconfused10]@SeasonFinale only if they can prove they introduced the buyer and tried to secure a sale and for sale sign would not be considered enough.[/quote]
This is not correct for many standard estate agents contracts.

2bazookas · 03/01/2022 20:56

You're paying an agent to deal with all potential buyers; send him to the agent.

When selling I've often had men try to "make an offer I can't refuse" which involved going behind my agents back/ misleading other viewers/jumping the system and every single one of them turned out A) to be a chancer trying to manipulate a woman and B) someone who when push came to shove couldn't afford the property. None of them ever turned into the buyer.

CasperGutman · 03/01/2022 21:20

The details of the contract with the EA are important. Is it a "sole agency" contract or a "sole selling rights" contract?