Really want house: what opening offer do I make?

Hello98765 · 05/09/2025 15:03

I'm not sure they'll submit your offer if you're not proceedable? That's always my experience of how it works.

Ihavetoask · 05/09/2025 15:04

You're going to have to sell your house, right? To buy this one? So what would you accept for your house? Would you be able to accept 65k under your asking price? What would you think about the people who offered it?

Is this area sought after?

Contraryjane · 05/09/2025 15:08

I would only accept an offer from someone non-proceedable if it was the full asking price.

FollowSpot · 05/09/2025 15:08

You are not ‘proceedable’ and they have 3 other viewings lined up after only a week on the market.

Not a position from which to play cool and make low offers, IMO.

It may be better to appear extremely enthusiastic, make an asking price offer or a bit below and say you are selling in order to buy this very house and will not look at any others. And put yours on immediately with the same agent so that the prospect of two linked sales gets them to work v hard to sell yours.

How crucial would the sale price of your house be to affording the new one?

Otherwise wait until after the weekend and then see if any offers have transpired… in which case you circumstances might not be so disadvantageous, and a lower offer might be more attractive.

If they do get an offer you could attempt to gazump. But tell the EA today that you are v v interested and could they talk to you before accepting any offers.

What’s your main objective? Get the house… or get it at a bargain price?

TillyTrifle · 05/09/2025 15:09

Sorry to be a bit blunt but I can’t for one minute imagine them entertaining an offer significantly under asking price from someone whose house isn’t on the market already. Have you already taken steps to put your house up for sale or would you be starting from scratch purely in response to this house coming up? If it’s the latter then I think having it on the market within a week is very unrealistic especially if you want to get max value for it (which it sounds like you will need).

Not wanting to be negative but flip it around and put yourself in the vendor’s shoes - would your offer be in any way interesting?

FollowSpot · 05/09/2025 15:11

Hello98765 · 05/09/2025 15:03

I'm not sure they'll submit your offer if you're not proceedable? That's always my experience of how it works.

The EA has to submit all offers, but they give context to each offer: first time buyer / cash buyer / house under offer / mortgage in principle agreed etc etc.

ZiggazigA · 05/09/2025 15:11

I think if your house is not on the market they are unlikely to accept any offer apart from an asking price offer or above.

Chewbecca · 05/09/2025 15:11

I wouldn't accept any low offer from you with more viewings lined up and your house not even on the market.

The best you can do is tell the agent you are seriously interested and get them to put your house on the market asap at a competitive price, specifically so you can proceed with the house.

But, depending on the desirability, bear in mind it is quite likely to sell for over 650 in the next week anyway. You want it to still be on the market in a few weeks to get your offer accepted.

Soonenough · 05/09/2025 15:19

In this market anything less than asking price I wouldn't even consider. Then to be told your house isn't on the market would be a no straight away . Perhaps contact their agent , ask them to be yours too and they might be able to help.

Such a difficult thing to do selling houses in UK . Understandable that you don't want to sell without somewhere to go . But tough situation.

Gardendiary · 05/09/2025 15:23

I think if you offer having not sold yourself and it’s got several people viewing you would have to do something attention grabbing at this early stage like going over asking price. Might be a different case if it had been on the market for months. Otherwise why wouldn’t they just wait for someone in a stronger position?

Ihavetoask · 05/09/2025 15:26

Gardendiary · 05/09/2025 15:23

I think if you offer having not sold yourself and it’s got several people viewing you would have to do something attention grabbing at this early stage like going over asking price. Might be a different case if it had been on the market for months. Otherwise why wouldn’t they just wait for someone in a stronger position?

This is what I think and therefore, your only chance is to appeal to their good nature by being honest about your finances and situation, why you want the house and then maybe, if that price can work for them, they will see the benefit in selling to someone local and it would be a dream house for them.

Original poster

taratiaras · 05/09/2025 15:44

Thank you for all the replies so far.

For context after we looked at the house we spoke to the estate agent who said he would sell our house - he had a brief look and said he would put it on for £575 with the expectation that it would go for around £550. Apparently around here (Hampshire) nothing is going for full asking price - a similar house on the next road was on at £625 and went for £595

The thing is we dont want to sell unless we get the house we looked at as we are happy here. I am going to speak to him again on Monday after the weekend viewings to see where we're at. Crossing my fingers that no-one else wants it!

OP posts:

CatkinToadflax · 05/09/2025 17:20

We are currently selling (hopefully!) to someone whose house wasn’t on the market when they came to look round ours. They are selling specifically for our house. In a weird twist, we are now (hopefully) buying theirs.

Their non-proceedable offer was for the asking price and was the only offer we’d had in 6 weeks being on the market, and we’d just reduced the price. Our EA suggested that we give them two weeks to get listed (with the same agent) and sell theirs. The twist then happened that within those two weeks we decided to buy theirs.

Absolutely no way would we have agreed to accept a non proceedable offer, below asking price, as soon as we were listed. The market round here is currently very slow, but we wanted the best chance of getting the highest offer we could.

Ihavetoask · 05/09/2025 17:24

taratiaras · 05/09/2025 15:44

Thank you for all the replies so far.

For context after we looked at the house we spoke to the estate agent who said he would sell our house - he had a brief look and said he would put it on for £575 with the expectation that it would go for around £550. Apparently around here (Hampshire) nothing is going for full asking price - a similar house on the next road was on at £625 and went for £595

The thing is we dont want to sell unless we get the house we looked at as we are happy here. I am going to speak to him again on Monday after the weekend viewings to see where we're at. Crossing my fingers that no-one else wants it!

This makes no sense to me. Put it on at 550 and then you'll create a bidding war between the people who are in that max budget range vs the people who can pay more for it if needed. Why would you give it away for less than you said you want to sell it?

MyElatedUmberFinch · 05/09/2025 17:34

Full price or above if you want it removed from the market although TBH if it was my house I wouldn’t consider any offer unless it comes from someone who is procedable.

Contraryjane · 05/09/2025 18:07

MyElatedUmberFinch · 05/09/2025 17:34

Full price or above if you want it removed from the market although TBH if it was my house I wouldn’t consider any offer unless it comes from someone who is procedable.

This.

Jmaho · 05/09/2025 18:11

You're not in a position to put in an offer as your own house isn't even on the market.
Why offer below asking anyway? Is it overpriced at £675k?
Or do you just feel like you have to make a low offer for the sake of it?
I wouldn't accept any below asking price offer when the house has been on for a week and weekend viewings are lined up

housethatbuiltme · 05/09/2025 18:12

taratiaras · 05/09/2025 15:00

Today husband and I looked at a house on our road that we really want. How do we play it cool making it clear we want it but are not desperate? Its been on since last Friday, estate agent said he has 3 other people lined up to look at it over the weekend

Its in the terrace on the other side of the road and has an extra bedroom, extra reception, a basement room and is generally larger and grander. We have desired the other 'posher' side of the street since we moved here 5 years ago.

Its on at £675,000 so what would you recommend our opening gambit should be - just over 90% at £610 seems a bit low and cheeky doesnt it? Should we go in immediately at £650 which is about the max we can pay or let it edge up towards that?

It would of course rely on their goodwill as our house is not for sale yet but could be within a week.

Offer asking price if you really want it. This might be enough to cinch it before anyone else gets an offer in if they just want a quick sale.

You can offer less but do not expect them to snap your hand off especially with lots of interest, they might even use it to spur on the others who are interested and willing to offer more. 10% less on a desirable house with lots of interest is HIGHLY unlikely to be accepted just days after listing.

As everyone else said you NEED to be proceed-able to even be considered really.

housethatbuiltme · 05/09/2025 18:15

CatkinToadflax · 05/09/2025 17:20

We are currently selling (hopefully!) to someone whose house wasn’t on the market when they came to look round ours. They are selling specifically for our house. In a weird twist, we are now (hopefully) buying theirs.

Their non-proceedable offer was for the asking price and was the only offer we’d had in 6 weeks being on the market, and we’d just reduced the price. Our EA suggested that we give them two weeks to get listed (with the same agent) and sell theirs. The twist then happened that within those two weeks we decided to buy theirs.

Absolutely no way would we have agreed to accept a non proceedable offer, below asking price, as soon as we were listed. The market round here is currently very slow, but we wanted the best chance of getting the highest offer we could.

So your basically house swapping?

At least it makes the chain really easy lol.

TennisLady · 05/09/2025 18:16

They’re not going to accept if you haven’t sold yet.

Otherwise, if it’s a house you seriously want, then why not just go full ask? I didn’t want to risk losing the house I loved and playing games with lower offers, so I didn’t and went straight in with the asking price.

housethatbuiltme · 05/09/2025 18:21

FollowSpot · 05/09/2025 15:11

The EA has to submit all offers, but they give context to each offer: first time buyer / cash buyer / house under offer / mortgage in principle agreed etc etc.

Show quote history

People often instruct EA to screen out non proceed-able buyers. People think EA must submit everything but they don't have too, an EA can auto reject an offer if the seller has set rules. The rule about EA having to submit means the EA themselves cannot choose to just not pass on an offer but if its the sellers preset choice its fine.

Example:

Seller instructs 'ONLY cash buyers only and no offers under £365k'
EA then gets an offer from a person that has a 'mortgage in principal' and offered £355k, they can instantly say 'no' on the sellers behalf without bothering the seller.

XVGN · 05/09/2025 18:38

I wouldn't negotiate with anyone that didn't have their home on the market and under offer. No one knows how much their home is worth until tested by the market. Clearly your onward purchase is very much dependent on this entirely unknown factor.

Gunz · 05/09/2025 20:42

Honestly I have had this scenario this afternoon. House is back on the market after chain broke at 6 months. One of the viewings is from somebody whose house is not on the market - apparently very keen on it. I can't move forward on a non proceedable offer.

SunnySideDeepDown · 05/09/2025 20:45

CatkinToadflax · 05/09/2025 17:20

We are currently selling (hopefully!) to someone whose house wasn’t on the market when they came to look round ours. They are selling specifically for our house. In a weird twist, we are now (hopefully) buying theirs.

Their non-proceedable offer was for the asking price and was the only offer we’d had in 6 weeks being on the market, and we’d just reduced the price. Our EA suggested that we give them two weeks to get listed (with the same agent) and sell theirs. The twist then happened that within those two weeks we decided to buy theirs.

Absolutely no way would we have agreed to accept a non proceedable offer, below asking price, as soon as we were listed. The market round here is currently very slow, but we wanted the best chance of getting the highest offer we could.

That’s so funny! I guess you have similar taste?!

StrongandNorthern · 05/09/2025 20:45

If you want it, you offer as much as you can afford - now!