Being Played by EA

Dan-Dan

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

Try it yourself. Post #17 isn't the OP.

As if your advice was intended for the original op......

Sweet_Sugar_1984

Hi everyone thanks so much for all your replies.

I've just been to speak to the vendor and she confirmed that there was another offer but couldnt tell me how much. She said its a mortgage purchase so if it falls through she may come back to me.

The house has been on the market for a year and as far as I know the vendor is still looking for another home.

Ive decided not to increase my offer simply because i can't afford it. Loved the house but have to let my head win over my heart for once.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Dan-Dan wrote: »

As if your advice was intended for the original op......

I don't know why I'm bothering, but that would be why I said "the OP" and didn't quote any posts of the secondary poster. Hence, replying to the OP.

Accept that you made a stupidly arrogant post in error, and move on from it.

ruggedtoast

Jo_King wrote: »

Well, the other offer has mysteriously disappeared! But my offer was turned down. A bit of back and forth and I've now offered £93500. But the EA keeps coming back saying 'I've spoken to the vendor and they want closer to the asking price. Well of course they do! I asked what they'd be willing to consider and the EA, rather patronisingly said 'this is house buying works, dear, you need to make your best possible bid'. I've said that I'm seriously considering another house, and that I'd like to know if they're willing to negotiate the price - so can they have a think about that and get back to me.




Think I'll walk away. Another very nice house on around the corner, with a much more pleasant EA. Needs a bit more work, but nothing urgent, and I reckon I could get it for a lot less, which would cover the work...


But really, it's the EA who's putting me off. They're making no effort, being patronising, and I'm not even convinced they're passing my offers on to the vendor. I'm in the area tomorrow and am seriously tempted to knock on the door... Just how much would the vendor save if we had a private sale, cutting out the EA altogether?

Unfortunately your bargaining position is being somewhat undermined by your obvious desperation for them to accept your offer and take it off the market.

If you want them to do that you'll obviously have to offer more.

If you want them to accept your last offer you'll have to allow them time to consider it, and hope no one outbids you in the mean time, or that they just decide not to bother and take it off the market until next year, or any one of a million other variables you have no control over.

You dont have to withdraw your offer and stomp off in a rage. Leave it on the table and keep looking for somewhere else that fits your price band better.

(Edit, also telling them that you are 'seriously considering another house' isn't going to make the vendor think you are an especially safe bet either)

Jo_King

Well, in the end I just kept with honesty. Told them I was viewing a house at 2 yesterday (which I was). They offered to sell for £96,000, I offered £95,000 and they phoned at 2 and agreed. I'd hoped to get it for £95,000 originally, and thought I'd be lucky if I could, so I'm very happy with that.

I guess I dislike the playing of games, the pretending and creation of false offers. The vendors are nice people, and so am I. The EA wants to get the best price for the vendor, which is fair enough. But I want to hold on to my integrity - which probably makes me naive - but I feel I've paid a fair price, and behaved with honesty, so I'm happy with that.

Jo_King

I should add, thanks for all the help here. It's been a long, slow, painful process, but I'm very happy with the house I've found. I think we'll be very happy together!

anotheruser

And if you're happy with what you paid then it's nobody else's business really.

Maybe this whole "let's see how much we can get for our house" not "let's see how much our house is realistically worth" game is what's landed us in a mess anyway. Why people think buildings from 20 years ago bought for £80K are now worth £180K is stupid. But then yes, supply and demand and all that - greedy landlords is what it is!


But then it's like the story with the cows and women...

A vendor was selling women.
A guy comes to the vendor and says "I'll pay 5 cows for that woman".
The vendor laughed and said "no, she is only worth 2 cows".
The buyer insisted on paying the full 5 cows.
The vendor laughs again and calls the woman over. She sees the 5 cows being paid for her and is taken away.
The buyer tells the vendor that she will be a 5 cow wife, because that is what he paid for her.
Over the years following, the woman sees she is worth 5 cows and becomes just that... a 5 cow wife.

Something like that anyway.

So to bring this back to the post topic, the OP paid for a 5-cow house, so they will make it a 5-cow house.