I give up

[LoveLimesoda]

Found my dream house, put in our best offer, £17k over asking. Cash buyers, no chain, solicitor ready and waiting.

Vendors went with buyers in a chain, needing a mortgage, for an extra £3k.

Couldn't have stretched a penny further so there's nothing more I could have done but I'm gutted.

I've offered on 6 houses and keep being outbid. :(

This one really was special. I'm gutted.

Gutted for you OP. You never know though - it might fall through. Lots of sales are at the moment. Ask the estate agent to let you know if there’s a change of plan!

Yea definitely tell the agent you are still interested and reiterate that you can move fast.
A friend's daughter (first time buyer, good deposit) had to bid £590k on a £565k flat in Brixton no outside space last week. Things are still flying off the shelf.

Drop a polite letter through their door saying that you are sorry that you missed out, but if anything goes wrong with the current deal You are in position to proceed immediately.

I don't think that cash buyers are viewed so favourably these days. Too many people who have no skin in the game and blithely walk away from deals. Or turn out not to be cash buyers - i.e .do need a mortgage, which slows things down - after all.

My parents got the seventh… hang on in there!

Thanks everyone!

Feel a bit better this morning, going to take take break from house hunting for a month.

We are genuine cash in the bank buyers and sent proof with our offer. We also sent a lovely letter explaining this was our dream home and would be lovingly lived in for the rest of our lives, so it feels like a personal rejection! And all for just £3k extra.

I've chosen cash buyers before, when the difference was £15k, to avoid stress/chain! Oh well.