Can an estate agent sell a house that's not registered?

TeddyandMarie

They have told us the house is ours if we made the offer they asked for. We made the offer, then didn't hear anything.

When I phoned them, they said that they were getting the house valued, but nothing else as the house wasn't registered and it would take a long time for it to be registered. I didn't know whether an estate agent would legally be able to sell a house that wasn't registered.

I expected that our offer might be at least acknowledged and then they come back to me to ask if we would raise the offer before putting it on the market and having to pay the fees. I guess I do business differently to people I make promises to!

[Deleted User]

TeddyandMarie wrote: »

I expected that our offer might be at least acknowledged and then they come back to me to ask if we would raise the offer before putting it on the market and having to pay the fees. I guess I do business differently to people I make promises to!

Someone posted this video a few days ago, it accurately explains how most people feel about estate agents: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu8pIeeoZcg

Don't trust them as far as you can throw them, a large number are not to be trusted.

ILW

TeddyandMarie wrote: »

They have told us the house is ours if we made the offer they asked for. We made the offer, then didn't hear anything.

When I phoned them, they said that they were getting the house valued, but nothing else as the house wasn't registered and it would take a long time for it to be registered. I didn't know whether an estate agent would legally be able to sell a house that wasn't registered.

I expected that our offer might be at least acknowledged and then they come back to me to ask if we would raise the offer before putting it on the market and having to pay the fees. I guess I do business differently to people I make promises to!

Bear in mind that the EAs job is to get the best deal for their client.

TeddyandMarie

Yes, sadly the fact that these people 'consider themselves friends of ours' (their words) does not seem to enter into the equation.

ILW

TeddyandMarie wrote: »

Yes, sadly the fact that these people 'consider themselves friends of ours' (their words) does not seem to enter into the equation.

Are you expecting to get the house cheap due to this "friendship"?

TeddyandMarie

No, I think I've said before that we've offered market price, less the price of the EA fees and the option to proceed as quickly or as slowly as the sellers require, with the added bonus of there being no chain, and for sentimental reasons to the seller, no tearing apart what she knew as her family home for 60+ years. I think she is willing to sell the family home to us, but as they have now got an EA involved, he is forcing them into allowing other viewers.

ILW

Market value is the highest proceedable offer.

TeddyandMarie

Which is mine at the moment!

ILW

Fine if it stays that way.
There may be a possibility that the sellers think you are trying to pull a fast one.
When you say your offer is market value, what do you mean?

TeddyandMarie

It is the same price as other houses of the same size and some condition have sold for in the area. In fact, it's about £50K more in some cases! The agent's price is the same as the very top price for the street, and the house needs a lot of work doing to it (approx £30k)