Offer acceptable but not accepted

[KittenOnTheTable]

So because of our situation we will not be able to complete until June. Saw a house fell in love. Put in offer 15k over asking to help with the inconvenience of the June date. Seller has come back saying she likes the offer but is going to keep the house on the market and do viewings ect untill April. We are the only people who have put in an offer.

Seller hasn't found onward purchase yet. Is this a common thing?

I think it’s quite reasonable - she is giving herself half the time between now and June to find someone who could move more quickly, and if she doesn’t, she will come back to you.

If she offered on a house but said she couldn’t compete until June, that offer would probably be turned down right now, but it would be accepted in April.

You are free to keep looking and withdraw if you find someone who is fine with this timescale (perhaps someone moving in with a partner or going into a new build that wont be ready for a few months)

We;re in a similar situation, offer on a house is acceptable, but as we haven;t yet sold ours they won't accept it fully. they don't have any other offers though and i can totally see thier point of view.

But if you offered the extra 15k for the inconvenience, then surely if she doesn't accept until April, then she doesn't get the extra 15k? By that stage June becomes ambitious rather than inconvenient!

I think the seller is reasonable to do this unless a slow move happens to fits their circumstances too. It does mean that you don't have an agreement so are free to continue to look elsewhere yourself though. I expect a lot more properties will come to market in the next few months so worth continuing to look.

Yeah there's a few other properties that are already about. Just feel like I only offered the extra to sweeten the deal of waiting I truly doubt she'll get much more but I suppose if she wants a quicker sale. Realistically she'd only be saving a couple of weeks if she picked someone else

Can you really not complete until June? As a seller I wouldn’t have accepted your offer either.

But you could pull out in may and then they back to square 1

It’s not about whether she’d be ‘saving a couple of weeks’ - it’s that she may struggle to get an offer accepted in this scenario, especially if she’s up against other buyers who can move more quickly.

And actually June is 5 months away. Lots of house purchases move more quickly than that - sure, lots don’t, but you’re being a bit dismissive of what a delay you’d be causing.

Perhaps but whatever the seller's thoughts, the ball is in your court now. You don't have to proceed at the amount offered, you could reduce it if he/she has no more offers from now until April. You can look elsewhere over the next few months. You do what is best for you and the seller will do likewise.

Honestly, I'm not surprised. June is a long time away and your extra could well be worth less than you think by then if house prices continue to rise.

She doesn't necessarily want more; she does want a proceedable offer. It would be perfectly reasonable to point out that the £15k over was in light of the extended timetable and you may revise the offer down if she comes back in 2-3 months.

I agree.

Yes all true I get both sides. It is a while to complete. I'll just keep everything crossed while I wait 😊

I accepted an offer for my house in January and it didn't complete until July due to technicalities with solicitors and lease documents, so it can take that long.