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Original poster

Sold STC

53 replies

mayastern · 18/01/2024 12:34

Is it usual to try and view a property that is sold STC? Will EAs usually let you?

If you were the seller would you allow it?

OP posts:
SaltySeaBird · 29/01/2024 22:03

kidcrazy · 26/01/2024 12:54

Your mindset is interesting. You want to reserve the right to pull out if the circumstances suit you (survey, funding issues etc.), but the seller is morally obliged not to change their mind when the circumstance change…

I reserve the right to pull out if what I’ve offered on is significantly different to what’s been presented.

It’s a different story to gazump or gazunder when people have invested time and money, for no reason other than you just got greedy at the end.

If you can’t tell the difference then that says a lot about you and you are part of the problem as I said.

Original poster
mayastern · 12/02/2024 12:05

CuriousMoe · 26/01/2024 14:43

I’d ring the EA and let them know you’re interested should anything fall through. They’ll likely keep you on a list and give you a call if anything happens. It’s also not totally unheard of that when an offer is accepted it is agreed between the buyer and seller that viewings continue until solicitors are instructed by the buyer and their survey is booked in. If it’s newly gone under offer you may still be able to view, no reputable agent though would allow that unless there was an agreement such as the one above. As a buyer though I’d be reluctant to do that though as it can call get a bit messy.

We went to view a different property that was not under offer on our first viewing. We then booked in our second viewing (yet to take place).

I went back on to look at the listing on rightmove and it is now under offer (as of mid last week). The EA hasn't called me to cancel my second viewing. Maybe he is trying to encourage gazumping? I don't really know what's happening! DH thinks that we don't call to cancel and still ho ahead of the EA allows us to and to make an offer if we want to (which we do).

This is unfamiliar territory and looking for any advice!

OP posts:
sweetpickle2 · 12/02/2024 12:12

I'd say the most likely scenario is the agent doesn't know their arse from their elbow and have simply forgotten to cancel your viewing. I'd call and ask.

curlupandvanishforever · 12/02/2024 12:16

We has this a couple of years ago - houses being marked as SSTC or Under Offer when we had viewings lined up. I’d have no qualms just ringing up and asking what’s going on. I’d rather not waste my time if a house was ‘gone’.

Original poster
mayastern · 12/02/2024 12:17

curlupandvanishforever · 12/02/2024 12:16

We has this a couple of years ago - houses being marked as SSTC or Under Offer when we had viewings lined up. I’d have no qualms just ringing up and asking what’s going on. I’d rather not waste my time if a house was ‘gone’.

In any of your situations did viewings go ahead/you then make an offer?

OP posts:
NewFriendlyLadybird · 12/02/2024 12:47

curlupandvanishforever · 12/02/2024 12:16

We has this a couple of years ago - houses being marked as SSTC or Under Offer when we had viewings lined up. I’d have no qualms just ringing up and asking what’s going on. I’d rather not waste my time if a house was ‘gone’.

‘Under offer’ is slightly different from SSTC. Given the state of the market, lots of E As are allowing viewings without first establishing that viewers are proceedable. Once an offer is made and accepted, they then go into all the AML checks etc., but won’t take the house off the market (SSTC) until they are completed.

curlupandvanishforever · 12/02/2024 12:54

@mayastern no they didn’t go ahead although we did have two houses that came back on market a few weeks after being taken off market that had fallen through and we did view and offer on one of them.

Original poster
mayastern · 12/02/2024 13:20

@curlupandvanishforever thanks. A lot of things are coming back on to the market because of the current climate. As bad as it sounds, I'm hopeful this one does!

OP posts:
Twiglets1 · 12/02/2024 13:24

I would phone up & ask the EA @mayastern

Tend to agree with @sweetpickle2 & the EA is probably just being slow to cancel appointments. It’s bad of them if they’re allowing viewings after the owner has accepted an offer.

nightnightcircus · 12/02/2024 13:25

As a seller I would refuse viewings if I was sold STC, but would ask the agent to keep your details in case the sale fell through.

Original poster
mayastern · 12/02/2024 14:55

Thanks all

OP posts:
Original poster
mayastern · 16/02/2024 09:45

The agent has had an operation so has been off sick. No one realised we still had a viewing booked in but it's now been cancelled. Really disappointed as loved the house but it's our own fault for going to see it before being on the market

OP posts:
Postapocalypticcowgirl · 16/02/2024 18:13

mayastern · 16/02/2024 09:45

The agent has had an operation so has been off sick. No one realised we still had a viewing booked in but it's now been cancelled. Really disappointed as loved the house but it's our own fault for going to see it before being on the market

I guess all you can do is let the agent know you really like the property, and if things fall through you'd be very interested.

BTW if you make an offer, they are obliged to pass it on to the seller still. So if you did sell yours and there was nothing else you liked, you could call up and make an offer on the off chance- they don't have to let you view again though.

Was the house really special, or reasonably standard for the area?

Ilovemyshed · 16/02/2024 18:28

No, not usual but I did and bought the house.

EA told me there were two offers and the vendor wasn't taking any others. I was a cash buyer, managed to beg a viewing, turned out that one person who had offered had no mortgage and one had gone quiet, so neither proceeding.

I bought the house at 15% discount and completed in 8 weeks.

Original poster
mayastern · 16/02/2024 18:44

@Postapocalypticcowgirl I think we will make an offer once we're under offer if there's nothing else we like.

It's a beautiful detached 1930s house which needs renovating but has so much potential. Can walk into town, the station and also next to a huge park. Just loved it!

OP posts:
Original poster
mayastern · 16/02/2024 19:08

@Postapocalypticcowgirl and to answer your question, it's more special than standard due to curb appeal but the inside of it is more standard, apart from the fact it's 3 double bedrooms. All others we viewed in the area were two doubles and a tiny, tiny single

OP posts:
Roselilly36 · 16/02/2024 19:09

When we have offered on a property, and a sale has been agreed, it has always been on the basis, that marketing/viewings are ceased. Would you want anyone other interested parties viewing, if you had had an offer accepted OP?

Twiglets1 · 16/02/2024 19:50

Roselilly36 · 16/02/2024 19:09

When we have offered on a property, and a sale has been agreed, it has always been on the basis, that marketing/viewings are ceased. Would you want anyone other interested parties viewing, if you had had an offer accepted OP?

Exactly - if everyone behaved like that buying & selling would be even more stressful than it is!

Poniesandpigs · 16/02/2024 20:07

It’s a really shitty thing to do.

We lost a few houses when moving, but others do come up that will be just as nice. Better in our case.

Mirabai · 16/02/2024 20:22

I got my current property after it was already under offer. I kept pestering the agents asking if it had fallen apart yet and they said no. But then 3 months later they rang me up and asked if I was still interested as the buyer had pulled out. Viewed it that afternoon and put in an offer which was accepted immediately.

Original poster
mayastern · 16/02/2024 22:19

Poniesandpigs · 16/02/2024 20:07

It’s a really shitty thing to do.

We lost a few houses when moving, but others do come up that will be just as nice. Better in our case.

We've been keeping an eye and in the current climate, nothing is really coming up

OP posts:
Original poster
mayastern · 16/02/2024 22:26

Mirabai · 16/02/2024 20:22

I got my current property after it was already under offer. I kept pestering the agents asking if it had fallen apart yet and they said no. But then 3 months later they rang me up and asked if I was still interested as the buyer had pulled out. Viewed it that afternoon and put in an offer which was accepted immediately.

Definitely going to register my interest and try and keep getting updates. Very frustrating but we'll see. I do feel bad to gazump but it's fine to be waiting in the wings I think

OP posts:
Twiglets1 · 17/02/2024 05:10

Mirabai · 16/02/2024 20:22

I got my current property after it was already under offer. I kept pestering the agents asking if it had fallen apart yet and they said no. But then 3 months later they rang me up and asked if I was still interested as the buyer had pulled out. Viewed it that afternoon and put in an offer which was accepted immediately.

So it wasn’t under offer then, at the point you got it as the buyer had pulled out. That’s completely different to getting a viewing while another party is still proceeding on the purchase.

Mirabai · 17/02/2024 09:04

Twiglets1 · 17/02/2024 05:10

So it wasn’t under offer then, at the point you got it as the buyer had pulled out. That’s completely different to getting a viewing while another party is still proceeding on the purchase.

Show quote history

It was under offer and STC. It was under offer for 3 months while I kept calling the agent. Some agents mark properties STC as soon as an offer is accepted, others wait until exchange/completion. So it’s always worth contacting the agent, sounding out the status quo and registering interest, even when apparently STC.

Twiglets1 · 17/02/2024 11:46

But my point is you were only allowed to view it after the sale fell through