Offer accepted, more viewings this week

mhuk01

Hello

I have had an offer accepted on a flat. However I am concerned to start moving things forward, as according to the agent the vendor 'has a viewing on friday and wants to see how that goes'. I don't understand how the agent can tell me the vendor accepts the offer, whilst still allowing viewings and openly telling me this!
I called the agent this morning to get some clarification to the situation. Agent is going to speak to the vendor and call me back.
Throughout all of this I more have the feeling on unprofessional behavior from the agent, rather than the vendor. At no point has the agent called me back with news, even when there has been.

Has anyone had any experiences similar to this? Whilst my offer is below the original asking price, it has been 'accepted'. It just seems like the vendor wants to treat me as the backup, and hold out for the original asking price...

Surrey_EA

That is a littler unusual. Wait for the EA to call back and hear what they have to say. If the vendor is insisting on the viewing going ahead on Friday, despite having accepted your offer you can either tell the EA that your offer is no longer on the table, or wait and see the outcome of Friday's viewing.

It's impossible to tell whether the EA or the vendor is playing the games here.

Rosetinted

Did you make your offer on the condition that the property be removed from the market and no more viewings conducted if it's accepted? If not, the seller is entitled to continue to market the property if they so choose, although some EAs would frown upon it and advise their client not to do so. It's not unheard of that sellers will keep a property on the market until the buyer has shown some kind of 'commitment' (often booking/conducting a survey).

It's worth trying to persuade the vendor to cease marketing, as they won't want to lose you as a buyer, but you can't force them to do so. Bluffing that you'll remove the offer unless they take it off the market is a risk and may well annoy them. I'd start with politely expressing that you're unhappy and want the property off the market and see how reasonable their response is.

You can't blame them for wanting the best price for their property, but they are trying to have their cake and eat it too. Might not seem very fair, but in England's property game, nothing is!

theGrinch

usually once a survey is booked they will call of viewings, until then viewings may continue

mhuk01

Thanks for the quick replies. I did not make the offer on condition that the property is removed from the market and no more viewings. However, now knowing that there is a viewing on friday I feel it is fair for me to request this in retrospect... how can the vendor expect me to begin incurring solicitor/mortgage costs when the property has viewings as if no one has made on offer, let alone accepted offer?
This is my first experience of house buying - here's opening it gets better...!

mhuk01

theGrinch wrote: »

usually once a survey is booked they will call of viewings, until then viewings may continue

As the property is less than 5 years old and a small flat, I do not plan on booking a survey.

djedga

mhuk01 wrote: »

As the property is less than 5 years old and a small flat, I do not plan on booking a survey.

The bank lending you the money will still do a valuation survey to check that their investment is sound. Forms part of your mortgage application.

I wouldn't progress anything that incurs a significant cost just yet until the property is off the market.

quidsy

Just tell them offer is on condition of property being immediately removed from all marketing & all future viewings cancelled. If they refuse withdraw offer then tell them that they can contact you if the viewings don't produce a better offer, then if they call, reduce your offer by 5k.

mhuk01

djedga wrote: »

The bank lending you the money will still do a valuation survey to check that their investment is sound. Forms part of your mortgage application.

I wouldn't progress anything that incurs a significant cost just yet until the property is off the market.

I realize that they'll conduct a basic valuation, I just meant I shouldn't need to conduct a full survey aside from that.
What frustrates me the most is that they come back saying offer accept when clearly there is no commitment to it. The situation leaves me unable to offer on any other properties, whilst also giving me seemingly very little security of getting the flat.

Hoploz

Make an appointment to see another similar property, with the same agent.

fairy_lights

quidsy wrote: »

Just tell them offer is on condition of property being immediately removed from all marketing & all future viewings cancelled. If they refuse withdraw offer then tell them that they can contact you if the viewings don't produce a better offer, then if they call, reduce your offer by 5k.

I agree, I would withdraw your offer, or at the very least book viewings of other flats through the same estate agent to make it clear to them that as long as the vendor allows other viewings, you will be viewing other properties.