Best to deceive?

olbas_oil

My situation: 100% cash buyer. Nothing to sell. Looking to do an ultra-quick deal at about £250. I'm prepared to take the risk on using my own judgement rather than a survey, making my own estimates about what to allow for remedial works etc. In other words my offer, albeit low, is the price at which we would do a sumultaneos exchange & completion within 10 days or so.
But my offers never get accepted. There's always someone offering £10k more, 'sold subject to contract'.
The ironic thing is that when the actual sales price is published some months later, it is often at the level of my original offer. This has just happened for the third time in eight months. (I have mixed feelings - on the one hand I'm annoyed that the offer was clearly realistic; on the other hand I'm relieved it wasn't accepted, because things have since dropped more.)
Would I be better off to make a higher offer than I'm willing to pay on the next house, and go through the deception of a worrying survey that reveals 'unexpected' remedial work (as they all do), and choose a particularly slow solicitor who would faff around so much that I can then request a reduced price due to the falling market?
That's more of a rant than a serious proposition. I wouldn't be so deceptive. But I feel like vendors are hopelessly naieve, and are so desparate to get close to what they think is an already low asking price, that they'll accept the higher offer at face value. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?

poppysarah

It's annoying isn't it. I put a last and final offer in on a property and I think the guy got it for £50. more. I thought I was in a great position - cash, ready to go - but apparently so was he. Whether he was or not - he waited 11 months for the sale to go through (probate) and then had to spend a fortune on the place ... he's a local developer who's probably bought many times off this particular EA. What chance do I stand if I'm only buying one?

Vendors are so insane at the moment. Next door to the repo I pulled out on (Caravan man) has put their house up for sale. It's on at £45k more than the repo (Which admitedly needs a bit of work on the heating system) - but even so .... Why would you put your house for sale so much higher than next door?

kunekune

Putting myself into the shoes of any seller, there's two aspects of OP's offers I'd worry about.

1) What is there about my house that is so special he wants it NOW? Perhaps I'm asking far too little and he's taking advantage, and
2) Can I get somewhere else fast enough? Heck, if it's empty, can I get aunty's stuff out fast enough? Have I got time to go and do the legal stuff next week? Oh, I was meant to be going out on Thursday night ... And this other chap who wants it will give me plenty of time to get organised ...

That is so fast that it might actually be scary.

Robert_Sterling_3

olbas_oil wrote: »

Would I be better off to make a higher offer than I'm willing to pay on the next house, and go through the deception of a worrying survey that reveals 'unexpected' remedial work (as they all do), and choose a particularly slow solicitor who would faff around so much that I can then request a reduced price due to the falling market?

I am all for a good bit of deception and you should not have too much difficulty getting a slow solicitor who would ffaf around a lot. Bad luck in all your efforts.

Robert_Sterling_3

olbas_oil wrote: »

My situation: 100% cash buyer. Nothing to sell. Looking to do an ultra-quick deal at about £250.

Rather optimistic although in 1909 you could have bought a good property at that price.

poppysarah

Is it illegal for someone to pretend to be a surveyor? I could probably find you someone who could sharply draw in their breath a lot. whilst shaking their head!