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Original poster

Just seen a great house that is STC

41 replies

herewithmyfrog · 31/05/2022 23:05

I have just seen the perfect house for me - I'm a single parent and ticks all my boxes as it's a stones throw from my current home so I wouldn't have to go through too much upheaval on my own.

It is STC on rightmove and on the estate agents own website, I've only just seen it this evening and rightmove says it was only put on yesterday so I have only just missed out.

Is there anything I can do?
I love this house so much, it would give me and DD double our living space and I could afford the mortgage, I love the area as I already live here, this is almost unbelievable.

Please someone say there's hope?

OP posts:
Daisycat76 · 31/05/2022 23:07

Literally the only way you could get it is if the sale falls through for the people who are buying it, which isn't very likely.

DeedlessIndeed · 31/05/2022 23:09

Ach, I feel your pain, but STC is STC.

By all means put a note through the door and politely state that if the sale doesn't proceed for whatever reason, you would happily offer £X and leave your contact details.

Having said that I'd advise against getting so emotionally attached to property, (especially before you've even looked around the inside!) otherwise buying a house will be a long and painful process. Easier said than done though.

Cattenberg · 31/05/2022 23:26

The house might actually have sold a few days ago. When I put my own property on the market last year, my estate agent gave a few people the heads-up before it even appeared on the estate agent’s website.

After that, it was briefly advertised on the estate agent’s site and was due to appear on RightMove a few days later. But it never did appear, because it had sold by then.

After an offer has been accepted, estate agents will check the buyer’s financial situation, which can take about two days. While this is happening, the property will probably still be advertised as “for sale”, or “under offer”, which is an utter pain for anyone who’s still searching.

If a property is SSTC, the estate agent probably won’t let you view it. I suppose you could make an offer without viewing the property, but that would be very risky indeed. I’ve read that estate agents are supposed to pass on all offers to the seller, but in practice, they may just tell you that the house has already been sold, and not engage further.

Cattenberg · 31/05/2022 23:33

Although, if it makes you feel any better, an estate agent told me that one in three property sales fall through. Apparently when this happens, it’s more likely to be due to an issue with the buyer, not with the seller.

TheLadyDIdGood · 01/06/2022 04:47

If the property falls through, are you in a position to make an offer though? You didn't include these details in your post.

Is your home for sale or are you renting because most estate agents are only allowing viewings to people who are already under offer. This is the situation in my area, you need to have sold or be a cash buyer to be able to view.

So I would concentrate on putting my house up for sale and having a mortgage in principle ready. The market might be hot right now with houses selling fast, chains are also breaking down.

YukoandHiro · 01/06/2022 04:55

You can try to gazump by offering the vendors significantly over asking price - if you can afford it and think it's worth it? But they may care less about the extra money than the hassle of starting from scratch with contracts. If they're under time pressure it won't sway them either

WisteriaLodge · 01/06/2022 05:05

Anything can happen, STC means exactly that, it's not a done deal just yet, the buyers could be in a chain from hell that could fall through, but what position are you in to buy it should the house come back on the market?

ByeByeMissAmericanPie · 01/06/2022 05:05

Email the EAs and state in writing that you’d like to be contacted ASAP if the sale falls through for any reason. Are you registered with them? It helps to build a relationship with EAs through gritted teeth.

SafelySoftly · 01/06/2022 06:49

If it’s gone through that quickly it probably has gone way over asking, eg we offered £70k over asking to secure ours. So I suggest you stop getting so carried away. Have you sold your house? And if so are you not on the estate agents’ list and phoning them regularly. Seems odd you missed out.

Mashinga · 01/06/2022 06:52

I would gazump and offer more money. They might take it.

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 01/06/2022 06:58

You don’t mention your position OP?
They may only want proceedable or even cash buyers.
Round me ones going SSTC as soon as they go up we’re sold before they went to market and it’s just a shop window for the estate agent.
You’ve also not even seen it yet…

Divebar2021 · 01/06/2022 06:59

I’m living in a house that was SSTC but that sale fell through. We had sold our place and were living in rented so could move quickly. By all means offer more if you can afford it but it’s that kind of behaviour that makes house-buying in England the stressful, heartbreaking experience it can be. I really hope that everyone who behaves dishonourably in the process get that shit served back to them down the line.

Rainbowqueeen · 01/06/2022 07:04

There is hope OP but that depends upon the current buyers being unable to proceed and you being the next best option. Only way to find out is to get in contact with the agent, express your interest and find out what it would take to be next in line. Then hope.

Dont pin all your hopes on it though. There are always other houses. Good luck in finding one that works for you.

GingeryLemons · 01/06/2022 07:08

Speak to the agent by all means, but perhaps frame it as looking for a property as similar to that one as possible, and see if they will contact you when the next one comes to market. Make sure you're fully proceedable so you can make an offer asap. But STC means someone somewhere is excitedly making plans for moving into that house, and it's best if you don't get attached. Hard to do, of course, but you'll find something.

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 01/06/2022 07:10

Mashinga · 01/06/2022 06:52

I would gazump and offer more money. They might take it.

Fingers crossed the house buying process changes so that this isn't allowed to happen. Such a shitty move.
OP is your current home on the market already? I'd speak to the EA and ask if it falls through, could he let you know.

Whinge · 01/06/2022 07:12

Anything half decent has viewings and offers before it's advertised online, so this property could have had multiple offers before the sellers accepted the one who they felt was most proceedable.

I also think you seem very invested in this one property, especially as you haven't viewed it. How long have you been looking, and what makes you think this property is better than anything else? Confused

Buildingthefuture · 01/06/2022 07:14

Our current house was SSTC but fell through (for a non reason, previous buyers solicitor was not very good!) so it came back on the market and we got it. I think there is a lot of fate in house buying, if it’s meant to be, it will be. We are currently eyeing up our next house which is also SSTC. I’ve contacted the estate agent, registered our interest and sent proof we could afford to proceed, so we will see. If we don’t get it though, then it obviously wasn’t meant for us and I would never gazump. That’s happened to us before and it’s awful.

Mashinga · 01/06/2022 07:22

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 01/06/2022 07:10

Fingers crossed the house buying process changes so that this isn't allowed to happen. Such a shitty move.
OP is your current home on the market already? I'd speak to the EA and ask if it falls through, could he let you know.

Show quote history

That’s life. People are shitty. To compete you need to be shittier. Put yourself first, nobody else will.

ballsdeep · 01/06/2022 07:24

YukoandHiro · 01/06/2022 04:55

You can try to gazump by offering the vendors significantly over asking price - if you can afford it and think it's worth it? But they may care less about the extra money than the hassle of starting from scratch with contracts. If they're under time pressure it won't sway them either

What an absolutely awful and shitty thing to do. It makes me sick that there are people who actually do this..
Don't do this op. As much as you think it is the perfect house, the ones who have out in an offer are also thinking the same.
You weren't quick enough and there will be another house..

ballsdeep · 01/06/2022 07:25

Mashinga · 01/06/2022 07:22

That’s life. People are shitty. To compete you need to be shittier. Put yourself first, nobody else will.

Show quote history

Ergh what a horrible way to look at the world and to be. You sound delightful.

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 01/06/2022 07:45

GingeryLemons · 01/06/2022 07:08

Speak to the agent by all means, but perhaps frame it as looking for a property as similar to that one as possible, and see if they will contact you when the next one comes to market. Make sure you're fully proceedable so you can make an offer asap. But STC means someone somewhere is excitedly making plans for moving into that house, and it's best if you don't get attached. Hard to do, of course, but you'll find something.

Yes, this is a good idea - and combine it with asking to be key informed should anything change with the first property. The first one probably sold quickly precisely because the agents knew of potential buyers in advance and went to them the minute it came on the market.

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 01/06/2022 07:46

Ergh what a horrible way to look at the world and to be. You sound delightful.

I agree. It's like a way to justify a persons own shitty behaviour.

SatinHeart · 01/06/2022 07:52

Keep an eye on it - unsure about speaking to the EA as it'll either achieve nothing or they'll inflate the price for you.
We moved last year and loads of the houses we saw sold and then came back on the market a few weeks/months later. Especially the ones that sold very quickly after coming on the market. I assume people offered in haste then either changed their mind or didn't have the finances sorted.

Pheonixgirl · 01/06/2022 12:25

I can only reiterate what others have said in here but please if you want to make an offer check if you can qualify it, a few years ago I had a lovely little mews house on the market, I got sick of the 'dreamers' and time wasters who seemed to think that all they had to do was make a good offer and then i'd happily sit on my thumbs for another 12 months whilst they sold their house or started searching round for a mortgage.

sleepyhoglet · 01/06/2022 12:30

If you want it, then you need to contact the agents/ letter through the door NOW! Then you know you've done all you can. But don't bother unless you are chain free or are SSTC on your own with little chain and can pay over the asking or you are unlikely to be attractive.

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