Buyers caught nosing around

[Lasecretaire]

This is a tricky one.
I think might be being a little unreasonable so I am prepared to get flamed in typical mn fashion.
Our house has been for sale for many months. It's reasonably expensive and there arnt many buyers at this level in this area but it has been reduced by alot to what we paid for it 4 years ago. The buyers kept us hanging for weeks and weeks before finally offering . Theyve offered a good 50k under and continually cited money being an issue. Except we know they are multi millionaires so it's not. We have moved some stuff out and into a tiny rental as we are relocating and needed kids in schools here. They have been difficult and pushy. (Wanting the entire chain to complete in 7 weeks, we have agreed 10 and they are still not happy.)
Today we caught them on security cameras nosing around the property for a good twenty minutes. This feels like a massive infringement - if they'd asked it wouldn't have been a problem but to park up and then nose around for twenty mins feels rude.
We can't actually do anything about this and I need to suck it up but it leaves a sour note. I'm not leaving the curtains.

The buyers kept us hanging for weeks and weeks before finally offering . Theyve offered a good 50k under and continually cited money being an issue. Except we know they are multi millionaires so it's not.

they've done absolutely nothing wrong.

You chose to accept a lower offer, presumably because it was the ONLY offer so the price sounds about right? If it was too low, you could have just refused.

Their financial status is irrelevant, (as long as they can afford the price they agreed on)

They seem to want to haggle over things, up to you what you are ready to sell/give or walk out.

Trespassing is not "nosing around" , but if they know the property is empty, it's weird but they're not damaging anything.

Selling is stressful, decide what works for you financially and stick with that. Don't resent them for not wanting to over-pay on your house.

These buyers are trouble and will cause problems for you like pulling out of the sale the day before exchange etc I would not accept offers from them

I think that would be really cheeky. I would pull out if somebody did that to me.

So what? It's empty
They are thinking of buying it. They are doing no harm. What the hell does it matter

OP didn't have any better options, the house has been for sale many months, is in a chain, they've moved out already, and no guarantees another buyer (if they find one) will be hassle-free - almost guaranteed that there will be some hassle, and probably more price drops if they go back on the market.

it is very annoying, but is it worth losing a sale over it?

In this market they have the balance of power. If they pull out the whole chain is likely to collapse and your relocation might struggle. In this market you’re fortunate to get what you paid 4 years ago. My advice is take out tea and biscuits next time they have a snoop around. They hold all the cards.

Ha ha, I thought this too.

It does not belong to them!!! Private property is actually a thing. These cheeky folks do not own that property until completion. Until then, they should ask permission to walk round the grounds.

Put some locks on the gates so they can't get in if it bothers you that much.

It sounds like you just don't like them because you think they should be paying more for your house.

It is annoying but definitely not worth losing the sale over so I would moan in private but not say anything.
The other things that you are complaint about (taking some time to offer, offering 50k below asking price) are irrelevant. It is the buyer's prerogative whether to offer, when to offer and how much to offer. It was your prerogative whether or not to accept their offer and you chose to do so, presumably because you had had no other offers. It's not fair to hold that against them. You are just selling in a poor/falling market. On the bright side, hopefully you can secure your next purchase for a good price.

@Lasecretairehow do you know they are multi millionaires?
We knew a couple like this , everyone thought they were very wealthy, it turned out they were not. Not that it was anything to do with me.

I don't think they've done anything wrong. It's an empty property they're about to shell loads of money out on - I would do the same thing! It's a bit like Facebook stalking a boyfriend you've just started dating :)

Just trying to catch up with this.
They are able to get around 3/4 of the house as it's a corner plot so most of it is along the rd with only chest high walls / drive etc.
We do still live there. We are away during the week and back at weekends.
It's not empty. It's insured appropriately.

If they offered for the curtains that would be fine. They don't want to pay for them and so they are not included in the fittings form. It is entirely reasonable to take the curtains and warn them we are.

It doesn't really matter how much money they have if they can buy it but they have had 80k off asking and I feel that after that I am not required to furnish them with the curtains.
Of course we wont take lightbulbs.

Perhaps I am taking it too personally but they don't own it and we don't know them. So I think it is polite to at least say to the estate agent- we are just looking round the garden and house. Or ring the ring doorbell and we would have answered and talked to them.

I do think it's rude and it also erodes goodwill. Of course we don't want to lose the sale which is why I posted on here instead of sending a bitchy email to the estate agents.