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Property taken off the market

Hello,

Looking for some advice.

We viewed a house and really liked the place so made an offer, we offered below the asking price but were willing to go up to the asking price if necessary.

The estate agent called today to say the house has been taken off the market and the offer rejected. I called back to ask if this was because of a better offer or if they had decided not to sell.

The estate agent said that the seller has decided to stay in the house but the property will remain on the market till may as the seller is tied in with the estate agent. I dont think this sounds right?? Surely the estate agent would not waste potential buyers time by arranging viewings and the seller declining every offer?

A colleague suggested we write a note to the seller and ask them to contact us if they would like to sell in the future, I dont want to annoy the seller is it ok to do something like this? The seller had not found anywhere else to live but she had 2 young children and the house was pretty small.

We were not in a hurry to move out we just really liked this house and now have our heart set on moving out but there is nothing else in the area that does not need a load of work doing!

Appreciate your advice :)

Belle

Comments

  • Foxy-Stoat_3
    Foxy-Stoat_3 Posts: 2,980 Forumite
    Belle365 wrote: »
    Hello,
    The estate agent said that the seller has decided to stay in the house but the property will remain on the market till may as the seller is tied in with the estate agent. I dont think this sounds right?? Surely the estate agent would not waste potential buyers time by arranging viewings and the seller declining every offer?

    The vendor signed a contract with the Estate Agent which probably has a notice period so that may well be right. Either way, the vendors don't want to sell it now.

    If you decide to buy it now or after May, the vendors may well have to pay the EA fees, depending on the contract they signed.
    "Dream World" by The B Sharps....describes a lot of the posts in the Loans and Mortgage sections !!!
  • theGrinch
    theGrinch Posts: 3,133 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    The vendor doesnt want to sell and thats the bottom line (unless they get a very good offer of course).

    The agent is correct in saying vendor is tied in and he is probably building up contacts until a time it may return to the market.
    "enough is a feast"...old Buddist proverb
  • stator
    stator Posts: 7,441 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    If you were to offer asking price you might find that the seller has to pay the EA's fee whether they accept your offer or not, as you would be a ready, willing and able buyer.
    Changing the world, one sarcastic comment at a time.
  • Belle365
    Belle365 Posts: 6 Forumite
    Thank you for replies.

    Do you think it is worth offering the asking price to the estate agent?

    I think she was worried about finding some where else to live she had a little baby and a 3 yr old and the property has only been on the market a few weeks.

    Ideally we didnt want to move out till around october anyway, might be worth mentioning that to the seller and she may keep us in mind when she eventually finds some where new.

    Belle
  • Jhoney_2
    Jhoney_2 Posts: 1,198 Forumite
    theGrinch wrote: »
    The vendor doesnt want to sell and thats the bottom line (unless they get a very good offer of course).

    The agent is correct in saying vendor is tied in and he is probably building up contacts until a time it may return to the market.

    ...and preparing for some commission from the vendor should any of those contacts subsequently offer with a different agent.:)
  • Foxy-Stoat_3
    Foxy-Stoat_3 Posts: 2,980 Forumite
    Belle365 wrote: »
    Do you think it is worth offering the asking price to the estate agent?

    Who knows apart from the Vendor, you can put your offer in to the Estate Agent, but they have already confirmed that the Vendor do not want to sell.

    If you don't want to move for another 7 months anyway, you may as well drop a postcard round for them to contact you in the future.
    "Dream World" by The B Sharps....describes a lot of the posts in the Loans and Mortgage sections !!!
  • Belle365
    Belle365 Posts: 6 Forumite
    Thank you. Think we will drop a postcard in and hopefully they will come back to us.
  • Hoploz
    Hoploz Posts: 3,888 Forumite
    You might be right ... Once you get an offer it hits home that you might actually be moving and suddenly you think OMG I've got to find something! They might have been looking and not found, and will continue to look while the house is half on the market and half not ... That's how we felt when we could not find anything for ages! If they manage to find something they will switch the house to full-on marketing in order to buy. But you can't tell when that will be!

    ....If you make them an offer they couldn't refuse, though ....
  • Belle365
    Belle365 Posts: 6 Forumite
    I think we are going to drop a postcard in letting them know we are interested if they change their mind and that we are not in any rush to move out right now.

    I'd be willing to pay the asking price although my partner is not, so i dont think he would agree to pay more than the asking price.

    I think it has been a shock, the property has only been on the market a few weeks.
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