quick question regarding potential buyer questions

twirlypinky

will do, but fully expect it to be that we hear nothing apart from our neighbours telling us they've sold!

Bank to the drawing board...

ticket2ride

if a buyer wants to find out what your lowest price is they have to be a bit more subtle about it than this.

yes they should make an offer. yes negotiation is a "game".

no it is not is a car-boot sale transaction.

timmyt

twirlypinky wrote: »

Do you think this is a bit cheeky?

A potential buyer came round last night and waxed lyrical about how lovely our house was. They said we'd be hearing from them today.

Hubster just rang the estate agent only to be told that the potential buyer wants to know what our lowest price is. Firstly, i don't think that's how this game works is it? I know it's a buyers market and all that, but i thought they were supposed to make an offer first?

Secondly, our neighbours house is also up for sale. According to our agent, these potential buyers are going to play us off against each other, seeing who they can get to drop the most. I happen to be fairly sure it's our neighbours, so they'll sell. Fair enough if they're the cheapest - but this is a horrible game. We're friends with our neighbours and really don't want this to become anymore uncomfortable than it already is.

Thirdly, do we tell them? Should we get the agent to say what our lowest price is, or just say "No, it doesn't work like that, you make us an offer"

I thought I knew how this game worked, but this is getting irritating.

they'll be timewasters, so tell your Agent to say that they are not to answer the question about lowest - no agent would I am sure - and that they can put an offer in. ignore the fact that they are interested in next door. if they disrespect the value of your house, they disrespect you, so dont even sell to them.

klolav

timmyt wrote: »

they'll be timewasters, so tell your Agent to say that they are not to answer the question about lowest - no agent would I am sure - and that they can put an offer in. ignore the fact that they are interested in next door. if they disrespect the value of your house, they disrespect you, so dont even sell to them.

Our EA was terrible. Basically teling our buyers to put in a really low offer "the vendor is stressed with the kids and will accept that today" etc etc.
We found out when she came around and we got chatting and told each side of the EA story.
He gave her 3 figures and told her that we would accept. Not at any stage had we said we would accept £75k less than our already reduced property. He really played us both off against each other.
We gave the EA our very lowest figure that we would except and he never gave it to them.
6 wks later, she arrived again, we told her our bottom figure, which was very much politely 'take or leave it' because it really was our bottom and they went with it. So sometimes being upfront does work. Depends how much you want rid.
Does your house have any different features to next door that they might prefer or pay a bit more for??
Good luck with it all- so stressful!!:)

twirlypinky

Hubby nearly relented this morning, but i said no. We put a number on the advert, it's their turn to say a number and then we'll respond. They must be rubbish at chess.

twirlypinky

klolav wrote: »

Does your house have any different features to next door that they might prefer or pay a bit more for??
Good luck with it all- so stressful!!:)

We think so, but then we would wouldn't we? Ours has a view over the garden, theirs has a view over the car park. Ours is freshly decorated, their's isn't. Isn't much more in it than that though really.

googler

twirlypinky wrote: »

Hubby nearly relented this morning, but i said no. We put a number on the advert, it's their turn to say a number and then we'll respond. They must be rubbish at chess.

....amd even worse at poker?

wastedtalent

Speak to your neighbours, and as it sounds like they will be able to go lower than you anyway, discuss tactics to ensure they get as high a price as possible, then when it comes to selling yours, it'll show a good price when people look at sales in the area.

casper_g

They're not "playing a game" and I don't think it's inappropriate. You and the (potential) buyer are in a negotiation. It's perfectly valid for them to try asking you to make the first move, just as it's perfectly reasonable for you to tell them that you won't, and wait for them to start the ball rolling!

evoke

OP: I really wouldn't get stressed in your situation. Just sit back and wait for an offer. It you like the offer then accept it, if you don't then reject it (or make a counter-offer).

At the end of the day, you want to sell your property for the best price you can, the buyer wants it for the lowest price possible and the EA just wants his commission so will do all it takes to get the sale.

Ignore the neighbour's property. Again, don't get stressed about this - wait for an offer...and relax!