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Original poster

Do estate agents do this every time they try to sell a house?!

20 replies

CTW23 · 08/12/2025 18:31

We have put ann offer on a house we really love, the house has been on the market for several months and was reduced in September. We went to look at it a couple of weeks ago, and Estate agent was saying that there were no other interested parties. They had had a low offer several months before, but it all fell through.

we made an offer the following week, and they said as we weren’t proceedable they were going to keep it on the market. The estate agents were great at putting our house on the market and we got a good offer the first week.

Anyway, the estate agents have been back to the house we want to buy. And apparently now 2 other parties are interested. So they have said best and final offer by the end of this week.

This also happened with the first flat we bought in London, and the next house we bought locally.

Is this just a way of seeing how high we’re really willing to pay for someone we love? Has this happened to anyone else? It’s so difficult to know what to do! What would you do?!

OP posts:
Theroadt · 08/12/2025 18:35

Yes it happened to me. I put in an offer and whilst it was being considered another offer came in so we were both asked for sealed bids. I lost but looking back I realise I dodged a bullet. There’s nothing you can do really except play the game or walk away. One day you may be in a similar situation to the vendor, who just wants the highest price understandably. If they had already accepted your offer that’s a different matter and I’d walk away.

Original poster
CTW23 · 08/12/2025 18:39

that's interesting, so you lost out. So in your case it was true. I just find it so strange that it’s been on the market for months and now apparently there are 3 interested parties. And they have emailed and said one of the offers is higher.

OP posts:
PermanentlyExhaustedPigeonZZZ · 08/12/2025 18:42

The market has been quiet in anticipation of the budget announcement. There's just no way of knowing if they're lying or not.

rainingsnoring · 08/12/2025 18:43

Yes, some estate agents make up other interested parties to put pressure on buyers to increase their bids. It doesn't sound very likely that, after months of very little interest, they suddenly have 3 or 4 interested parties within 2 weeks but you never know!
How much do you love this house and what would you do if you don't have your offer accepted? Would you withdraw from your sale too or do you need to move somewhere?
I guess you have the choice between withdrawing and saying that you don't want to enter a bidding war or simply submitting your offer again, the same as before a a minor increase if you are prepared to pay more, and seeing what happens. Either way, there will be other houses. A lot more will come to market from next Spring.

Fibrous · 08/12/2025 18:55

Yeah it may have been budget related. Is it over £500k?

Original poster
CTW23 · 08/12/2025 19:37

Yes it is worth over 500k. Thanks for your input everyone, it’s been so helpful. It’s so hard to know it’s real or they’re bluffing. They’ve given us until Friday so will mull it over. We can go higher, but there’s work needed and it’ll mean we will have to save for another year or 2.
thanks again

OP posts:
TheMateofOphelia · 08/12/2025 19:41

Two can play that game. Start booking in other viewings with the same estate agent while you consider your final offer.

Wizardonabroom · 08/12/2025 19:46

Have you put your house on the market with the same estate agents that are selling the one you've offered on?

SconehengeRevenge · 08/12/2025 19:48

Good advice I was given when we were house hunting...

"Don’t emotionally invest in a house before it's yours, another one will come along, and you'll love it just as much, if not more"

Original poster
CTW23 · 08/12/2025 20:00

Wizardonabroom · 08/12/2025 19:46

Have you put your house on the market with the same estate agents that are selling the one you've offered on?

Yes, is that not a good thing to do? 😬

OP posts:
Wizardonabroom · 08/12/2025 20:06

@CTW23 Totally fine! If you don't get this house, they are risking you turning down the offer you have on yours and no longer selling. Just seems silly of them to not support you with purchasing the house when they will get commission for your sale as well.

Somersetbaker · 08/12/2025 20:43

Offer what you think it's worth. the other parties may well be in the agents imagination. As is often said a house is only worth what somebody will pay. Remember the agent is acting for the seller not the buyer.

PollyBell · 08/12/2025 20:53

Somersetbaker · 08/12/2025 20:43

Offer what you think it's worth. the other parties may well be in the agents imagination. As is often said a house is only worth what somebody will pay. Remember the agent is acting for the seller not the buyer.

I do agree with you up to a point, I presume for mortgage, insurance and valuation purposes there is a particular monetary worth of a house

but as I do and would say if I have to to the agent this is my offer take it or leave it and there could be 50 people interested it wont change my offer

graceinspace999 · 08/12/2025 20:58

CTW23 · 08/12/2025 18:39

that's interesting, so you lost out. So in your case it was true. I just find it so strange that it’s been on the market for months and now apparently there are 3 interested parties. And they have emailed and said one of the offers is higher.

I’d be suspicious too. When I was buying a house I informed the EA that if I made an offer it was final one, and that I’d never take part in a blind auction so don’t try me.

My solicitor advised me to say this from the getgo and it worked for me.

rainingsnoring · 08/12/2025 21:04

graceinspace999 · 08/12/2025 20:58

I’d be suspicious too. When I was buying a house I informed the EA that if I made an offer it was final one, and that I’d never take part in a blind auction so don’t try me.

My solicitor advised me to say this from the getgo and it worked for me.

Show quote history

Sensible advice! It saves you from being messed around, at least to some extent!

pinkcrepuscule · 08/12/2025 22:03

Sounds a bit fishy indeed, but I have been on the sellers side where indeed after an initial period of low interest suddenly three buyers pop up within days. So you never know, might as well be true. But in any case I would offer what you rationally think it's worth it for you.

Doris86 · 08/12/2025 22:17

I viewed a house once, and the agent told
me there were two other interested parties and I needed to be quick if i wanted to
put an offer in. I decided the house wasn’t for me and I didn’t offer.

The house had been on the market for two years before I viewed, and was on the market for a year afterwards as well before the vendor gave up and took it off the market. Strange conicidence there was such a flurry of interest at the exact time I viewed!

flatfootedfred · 08/12/2025 22:37

When we were selling our last house by complete coincidence I met someone at a work event who had been trying to make an offer on it. When we compared notes we realised the EA had told us each completely different things.

For whatever reason it seemed the EA wanted to sell our place to someone particular as they told us they were the only interested party and advised us to accept their (low) offer.

They had told this guy I met (who was willing to go to asking price) that they’d been inundated with interest and that it would go over asking.

We ended up going to confront the EA who denied everything and said we were confused. We ended up ditching the EA’s preferred buyer and selling the house to the guy I’d met at the work event.

PigeonsandSquirrels · 11/12/2025 14:28

Our current house was on the market for 9 months. Us and another person both puts bids in the same day.

You might not believe it but our flat was on for 5 months and low and behold… we got two offers on the exact same day. The same day we put in the offer at the same time as the other people on this house.

The world loves to take your money.

HavenSprings · 11/12/2025 14:44

Either they made them up or... I've seen something else equally bad happen. A local agency phoned the people who'd offered on the house weeks/months before and were rejected because the price wasn't high enough or they weren't proceedable at the time.

They did the same with us. They called us when we were halfway to exchange on the house we eventually bought and asked us if we were willing to match the offer from another party on the house we'd offered months prior.

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