offering on two properties at the same time?!

[BugEyedBeans]

I offered on a property back in February, proceeded slowly but steadily up to July when I was expecting to agree an exchange date, started getting removal quotes, collecting packing materials, allowing myself to dream about paint colours.
Then the seller said she wasn't going to move until she was ready to buy herself (previously said she would move out to rented). All on hold. Probably for months! Or years!
I have already sunk costs into survey, searches etc - and it is a nice house in a street that rarely comes up. I told the estate agent my offer remains on the table.

But now I do not trust the seller not to change her mind again, and I re-started the property search. Saw another property I like and am tempted to make an offer. While also keeping the first property offer open.

If I do this I will inevitably - knowingly - let one or other seller down. It is not how I would usually behave. But otherwise I could be waiting around for ever for the first house.
Has anyone else offered on two houses at the same time? And what happened?

I haven't done it, but I do think it would be the right thing for you to do.
If the vendor hasn't found anywhere between February and August and isn't willing to move out while she looks, then you are perfectly (morally) right to look elsewhere.
She will take that risk by leaving you hanging for so long.

I suspect she would remarket it for more money, so I'd withdraw or give her an ultimatum.

Your issue would be in both houses suddenly proceed, you'd have to pull out of one?

I think you should make an offer on house 2 yes and not spend any more money on house 1.
House 1 vendor has basically wasted a lot of your time & money. You can withdraw from that purchase at any point now and not feel guilty

I’d make an offer and if it is accepted pull out. You don’t know if your offer is going to be accepted anyway so wouldn’t pull out before then. However I would be making it very clear to the estate agent of the one your buying your not happy wouldn’t have offered and you will be considering looking for other properties if it doesn’t move on. It’s ridiculous you’ve been dragged out on it for this long! Assume your not selling a house?

I have never done in myself but I think it would be very reasonable in the circumstances you describe. The seller has changes her mind and wasted your money while she has strung you along. You would only be looking elsewhere as she has changed the agreed terms.

It’s fine. The estate agent representing our seller told us we can keep our offer on the table while we offer on other houses because the sellers are taking too long to find an onward purchase.

I would have a friendly chat with the current seller’s estate agent and say look, our offer was accepted on the basis that the seller would move into rented, and we’re really upset and worried now that the seller has changed her mind as we would not have spent all that money on surveys etc. Say obviously the seller can do what she likes, and our offer remains on the table, we love the house, would love to buy it and are ready to exchange asap, but we’ll have to start viewing other properties as your client is unable to proceed, has changed the basis of the deal and we’re concerned that she may not sell at all.

Then offer on the other one asap IF they’re chain free 😬

Be aware that agents do call each other to discuss which buyer is viewing what, and may informally blacklist buyers as ‘not serious’ or ‘not trustworthy’. We rejected a high offer because the agent said he’d got a bad reputation at a different agent for pulling out of something else and was a bit of a weirdo. So try to keep the agent onside.

Really good advice about keeping the estate agent onside. This is a small town, and I know for a fact that the agents talk to each other as they have passed on gossip to me! So indiscreet. So they will probably be sharing info about me!
Thanks for your views...
I am your dream buyer - motivated, cash in the bank, currently renting so no chain - and seller 1 has thrown away that advantage.

We did it after the first house messed us around, both houses were under the same estate agent as well and had had offers accepted on both for a good few months. A lot of the conveyancing work had been done on the first one when they pulled out their purchase and we didn't start any on the second as they were still looking.

Unfortunately the owners of the second house also messed around with finding somewhere so we brought a different house (with a different EA) 😆. DH often wonders how the first EA stays in business as none of their clients ever seem to want to move!