At Offer stage *NEW* EA question last post

rosie383

Just bear in mind that you can always add an extra room yourselves, but you can't change the size or aspect of the garden.

jbainbridge

It's possible the EA is just playing you? All of a sudden 'remembering' an earlier offer from 'a long time ago' when you go for your second viewing.

jhsam

rosie383 wrote: »

Just bear in mind that you can always add an extra room yourselves, but you can't change the size or aspect of the garden.

Yes this is what is leaning me towards the one I think is in a better position view/garden wise - I don't know how much a garage conversion is though, I would estimate somewhere in the region of £5,000 - which makes this property £15,000 more expensive than the other, it's trying to decide if the view, position and garden aspect is worth that extra £15,000!!

jbainbridge wrote: »

It's possible the EA is just playing you? All of a sudden 'remembering' an earlier offer from 'a long time ago' when you go for your second viewing.

Yes these were my thoughts as well, I mean is it usual to not tell perspective purchasers that there is already an offer in?? I don't know as I am new to all this, but surely common sense dictates that you DO tell people this?? Perhaps not. He said they were allowing viewings as the sale was moving so slowly and valuation had not even been done, but then miraculously when I wanted a second viewing it was supposed to be getting done that week.....the only thing is he didn't actually push me to make an offer, I started the conversation with him about how it all works! So I don't know if they are playing games or if that is genuinely the situation, either way, my offer is on the table they can take it or leave it, if they are playing games and decide to take it when they are desperate, we might have already offered elsewhere so it will be their loss!!

Will wait and see what happens after Christmas!

jhsam

Is the EA required to tell me if there have been any offers on the property before that have dropped out or issues with surveys etc if we ask them when we view it?

Well we are still house hunting, and while one of the houses in the post above (better position) is still on our radar (we have another viewing booked this week) we have found another property in the same area. The only thing that worries me is that this property was originally advertised at £225k in April 2013, I remember seeing it when we have been looking for houses summer onwards in 2014 but property bee is showing it as being added on 5/12/2014 (same agents, same pictures, same description) so I am guessing it was taken off and added back on to generate some "new" interest.

My worry is why has it been on the market for nearly 2 years, it is a nice house, detached, double drive (garage converted) it is a little dated inside, a new kitchen would be on a list of things to do but as it was only built in 2001 it's not too bad if you know what I mean. Basically on face value of the pictures, if you can live with the kitchen initially all it needs is new carpets, and decorated.

This is what worries me, it is £14k cheaper than the other one we're looking at, the other one is slightly smaller room sizes and has no garage converted, granted this one is not on the same estate but basically at the opposite side of the road on a small estate there, so this one is built the same eara, bigger, £14k cheaper yet been on the market for 2 years in April. I wonder if the surveys are coming back badly or something.

rosie383

It's hard to know why it has been on the market that length of time, or off then on again. You will not lose anything by going to view it and asking the EA. Sometimes it can be very simple. We put ours on the market in May of last year. Where we are, the houses get snapped up very quickly. We got a buyer, they took ages to do paperwork etc, then quite a few months down the line we found out that they were unable to get a mortgage finalised. We have a new buyer now, but because we still haven't found anywhere to live, we are still here.
There could be a good reason for the house you are interested in being on the market. For example, they put it on the market, sell STC, that falls through, then the vendor maybe changes job, has a bereavement, a new baby etc. Could be anything. Also could be dodgy survey results, but no one on this forum can tell you that. If it is the right price for you, and looks good on paper, then go and see it and ask all your questions of the vendor and EA.

jhsam

thanks for your reply Rosie383 - Yes I suppose never thought of chains falling through, buyers dropping out or other issues and there could well be a valid reason. What I was wondering was if we asked the EA if there has been offers before that have fallen though are they obliged to tell us if it has fallen through due to a survey/valuation result, therefore saving all our time and money or could they quite simply just say "no nothing wrong as far as we know" (even if there is) and wait and hope that any negative survey results don't affect us?

We have booked a viewing for this weekend anyway and hopefully it's as good in person as it looks on paper!

rosie383

The EA may be honest with you if you ask, but may not be. I would take anything they say with a pinch of salt, but definitely ask anyway. We were looking online at a house which is on near us. The EA did tell us that there is a problem with damp once the surveys have been done. we were grateful for his honesty as it saved us going to look. On the other hand, the same agent is advertising a house with full planning permission for a double storey rear extension and single storey front extension. It is on with four different agents and another agent has been clear in their description and also verbally that the planning permission has expired. So as I say, pinch of salt.

jhsam

well we went to see the house and liked it, needs some work doing (nothing major from initial checks, all cosmetic. Asked EA and she said feedback has all been that the garden is too small (same size as our current one so fine for us!) and that it did sell and so was off the market for a while but that the sale fell through as the people buying it couldn't get a mortgage.

Anyway we decided to offer, it was on for 225k, we offered 211k, was refused as expected, re offered 218k and had a phone call to say if we could push it to £219k they would accept it, so we agreed!!

So as it stands we have an offer accepted, now for the long haul of actually getting to completion.....at the moment we are very happy though (lets hope it stays this way!)

domcastro

The EA should have an idea what the seller wants. I put my house on for 250000 and told the EA not to even forward me any offers below 249500. The house was a worth a bit more but, at that time, the stamp duty threshold was 250k. I sold it within a week and only had one offer passed to me of 249500. Accepted it.