Found a buyer before instructing agents. Now what?

Happy_saver_4

steb4life wrote: »

I think you're scaremongering a little here. Putting an offer in verbally can attract the same legal ramifications. There are template letters for making and accepting offers:

http://www.lawpack.co.uk/sell_your_own_home_downloads.asp

Why bother with solicitors?
They need a solicitor for conveyancing - though it's possible to do this DIY as well.:cool:

The safest course of action to take and to keep matters simple :-

Get the purchasers name, address etc and solicitors. Pass this info, together with offer details to your solicitor. Let him deal with it.

I emphasise again. Do not write accepting any offer made. I think Steb4life is saying that a verbal contract is a legal contract; correct. But, if any potential property purchaser tried to legally enforce any verbal discussions regarding the sale, his solicitor would tell him " Forget it". No doubt if you were asked you would in any case say all discussions were ' subject to contract.

I think Steb4life you have delibrately mis-edited my posting. I was indicating, sarcastically, if people followed your advice why bother with a solicitor. If you bother to actually read my posts I have said any vendor should contact their solicitor. It is yourself who suggests downloading legal forms for vendors/purchasers to sign. I do not believe it is wise for anybody to sell or buy their most expensive possession on a DIY conveyancing basis.

steb4life

Happy_saver wrote: »

The safest course of action to take and to keep matters simple :-

Get the purchasers name, address etc and solicitors. Pass this info, together with offer details to your solicitor. Let him deal with it.

I emphasise again. Do not write accepting any offer made. I think Steb4life is saying that a verbal contract is a legal contract; correct. But, if any potential property purchaser tried to legally enforce any verbal discussions regarding the sale, his solicitor would tell him " Forget it". No doubt if you were asked you would in any case say all discussions were ' subject to contract.

I think Steb4life you have delibrately mis-edited my posting. I was indicating, sarcastically, if people followed your advice why bother with a solicitor. If you bother to actually read my posts I have said any vendor should contact their solicitor. It is yourself who suggests downloading legal forms for vendors/purchasers to sign. I do not believe it is wise for anybody to sell or buy their most expensive possession on a DIY conveyancing basis.

No mis-editing, just replying in the same sarcastic tone I don't endorse DIY conveyancing as you correctly stated it is a legal process with a lot of pitfalls and really needs the sagely eye of someone who actually knows what they are doing!
There seems to be a air of mystery surrounding certain things.

The forms have been endorsed (in this particular site) by the Law Society. It's not Black Magic. Lots of things used to be unattainable/impossible because people didn't know it was possible. The Internet has empowered people with a lot more knowledge. Whilst I agree this should be tempered with a certain amount of caution, you should realise that this is advice. I never tell people what to do or disagree with what other people advise, I put a point of view across - rightly or wrongly.

UNLESS YOU ARE A QUALIFIED BARRISTER AND THEN I WILL CONCEDE TO YOUR EXPERT TESTIMONY.