Do I still dare to dream?

[countrytweed]

Long story short... our dream house came up in our village, we scrabbled to get ours on the market and put in an offer which they accepted (following a very heartfelt letter that we're also in the village, feel like this is our forever home etc) pending the sale of ours.

Yesterday we had a very positive viewing (second viewing this Friday) and we've got two FTBs lined up to see it on Sat. Thing is, yesterday our dream house accepted an offer with a proceedable buyer.

My question is... if anything comes of this weekend's viewings, do we still stand a chance even though they've gone with the other buyer (ie if we were proceedable plus upped our offer slightly)?? I'm not ready to let go of the dream yet... 😥

So you are going to gazump

Dream house was silly to accept your offer as you had not sold yours

But other buyers have a seller which trumps all imo

@Blondeshavemorefun I said we've made a plan we're very comfortable with.
And yes it probably was silly of them. But their house, their prerogative. 🤷🏼‍♀️

So what's your plan ?

Don't be coy 😂

Either going to gazump or take house off market as no other house will match dream house , and cancel viewings arranged on yours

I seriously doubt anyone will ever post a heartfelt letter about how much they want to buy my London shoebox flat but I’m really hoping it does happen one day so I can respond telling them that emotional manipulation won’t work and they’ve just lost their chance of me ever considering their offer, even if it was 10x what the property is worth.

@Blondeshavemorefun Actually option 3. Go ahead with 3 viewings (being honest about our situation, so it's up to them whether they want you to go ahead or not - which they've all said yes to) and see if any offers come about. If yes, let Dream House know we're now proceedable if current deal falls through and to keep us in mind, while also keeping eye out in our village for other houses. If no, take off market and get on with our lives.

@Ratisshortforratthew 😂 classic.

You never know, it's seems like there's a lot of flaky buyers out there. We just exchanged contracts on MIL's house (probate) after being on the market for almost a year. Had 3 buyers pull out weeks into the process (after they spent £££ on surveys and solicitors) for no real reason other than they changed their mind about relocating or decided there wasn't enough parking!

@Octopies Very true - we shall see!

I’m confused about how they accepted your offer then accepted another? Or was it more of a case of them saying they would accept it if you were proceedable, but you weren’t?

I’d speak to the estate agent today and ask whether, if you receive an offer on your house with the next few days, the vendors would be amendable to receiving a higher offer? If yes, crack on. If no, don’t waste your time.

The latter @TickTockPolly - there were no other proceedables at the time and wanted us (for various reasons), so it was a case of "when you're proceedable, it's yours". For right or for wrong.

we were in exactly the same position. We are currently selling our property and are on the market. Have been for a little while now. We are looking to up size due to little ones and needing more space etc. We found a lovely house we liked, but obviously like yourself wasn't proceedable. We provisionally had an offer accepted, but knew that the house we liked was still on the market so if we didn't sell, then the owner would obviously accept other offers. It got sold a few weeks ago and nothing we could do about it. When we eventually have an offer on our place, what will be will be and everything happens for a reason

If you get an offer this weekend I would definitely submit a revised offer. It’s only been a few days so the other buyer is unlikely to have spent anything yet. Up to the seller whether they feel able to accept.

It’s very different from gazumping where a deal is quite advanced imo.

@Tblock1800 It really is a nervous, all-consuming time (well it has been in my experience!) so I do sympathise. I hope all works out for you, whichever way that may be... and that you're happy with the outcome ☺️

That might be one to thrash out with some other past posters re: gazumping 😂
But I think first step, I'll see what the weekend brings... as without a solid offer, it's all just speculation. But feeling much more pragmatic today, yesterday I was all emotion. Fun times 🙃

Ah. I was going by what you said

Was the only house you wanted and would not move

Hope you find a house

@Blondeshavemorefun more rational head on today. And thank you. 🙏🏼

It’s frustrating i agree and all you want to be is proceedable so you have more power to purchase and bid on properties, but unfortunately until you are in that position you have zero power.

@Tblock1800 So frustrating. How feasible is it for people (especially with kids/pets/lots of stuff) to sell up and rent in order to be proceedable?! Not very, I'd have thought. I don't know what the secret is. If there even is one.

You would be gazumping the people who are in a proceedable position.

The other people offered on a house that was already under offer.

Just go for it.

@PrimalLass It's a dog eat dog world (of real estate), for sure 😝

I reckon so. If it's your dream house 🏡 prioritise you not strangers.

Update: we've just had an asking price offer. Two days after Dream House accepted another. The universe certainly has a sense of humour! 🙈

There have been lots of threads on here with basically the same story... and there are always two sets of commenters:

1. You've lost it. Get over it. It's gazumping (which I accept it is before ppl doubt whether I think it is or not 🙄). It's spiteful and immoral. Karma etc.
2. Go back to let them know you're now proceedable. They can only say no. You don't owe strangers anything. It's business not personal. At this stage other buyers won't have spent any money. "Hate the game not the players."

So there it is... the age-old glorious UK real estate market. I honestly feel like I haven't come this far to come this far.

While it’s shitty to gazump, it’s only been a few days so unlikely the other buyer has spent anything.

from your perspective- you saw the dream house, made an offer which was conditionally accepted on the understanding you got a buyer for your house, you were to come back and confirm your offer once you had an offer on yours. So if you do get an offer this weekend, by still going back to dream house owners and confirming you are now able to proceed and confirming the price you will pay, you are just doing what you said you would do.

if your offer for dream house is higher, and dream house owners choose to with your offer, that’s on them not you.

I don't think it's "shitty" to go back to them to confirm you are now proceedable.

Are you going to look elsewhere in the meantime?