Negotiating on more than one house at a time

[Buyingahaus]

We have seen two houses that we like the look of, but price is a factor. Is it the done thing to make an offer on more than one house at a time to see how low the vendors will go?

I'd do it, but be honest with both vendors about it

I don't think there is anything wrong with making two separate offers. How are you planning to see how low the sellers will go though?

I've done this before, but through different estate agents. I think in certain markets, the estate agent would get very cross if they found out about the other one, ie if they'd got a 'less flakey' buyer elsewhere, etc that they could have recommended instead of you. But in this market, and if there are no other offers on the table, I don't see how you'd be wasting anyone else's time or emotions. I actually think it's very healthy for you, it keeps you level-headed in the negotiations rather than if you'd thought you'd just found your dream home and were getting carried away in a race trying to secure it.

Anything goes when house buying! Basically you just need to look after your own interests and do what is best for you. After all that is what everyone else you interact with during the process will be doing.

So go ahead and make multiple offers if that’s what you feel is best.

In other areas of life this kind of behaviour might be no acceptable. Buy when house buying it’s par for the course.

I don't really see the point. Surely you prefer one house over the other? Why not just try and get the deal you want on your preferred house and move on to the other if you don't settle on a price you like?

Personally whilst it is wasting someone's time, you need to think about yourself and therefore I would. I find with houses people do all sorts of things so you can never rely on getting one or offers not taking ages so no harm especially if there's nobody else offering.

we did it with three! But we were honest with EA, that there was a set price we were willing to pay and if vendors didn’t match it, we would go with other options. It cut some of the fluff from the back and forth - all houses had been on market for a while though, probably not a tactic I’d use if market was hopping!

I think this is a v reasonable tactic in a falling/buyer's market.

Most people view house purchases quite emotionally, but some do not.

In this case the "preferred" house may be the one got cheapest.

The houses are similar, there are differences but they both have pros and cons. A significant price difference would sway us. As the poster above says, we are not emotional
about this purchase (almost indifferent sadly - it just needs to tick as many boxes as possible) - it’s very much a move for necessity for the medium term.

I think this is fine and I don’t think agents give a shit even if it’s the same agent showing both houses. In fact recently I viewed a house I liked but which needed some work, said I’d offer on it and the agent asked if I’d be interested in seeing a different house which hadn’t yet come to market but was similar and had already had the work done. Clearly not acting in the interests of the owners of the first house! I then considered offering on both and told the agent, whose response was that that was fine!

Be ready for vendor to accept multiple offers in that case.

The vendor can only accept one offer. They can't sell one house to multiple buyers.

Vendor can accept an offer and then later accept a better offer from gazumpers, very common.