How long did you take to respond to offer on your house?

ElsieMonkey

For those who have sold property in the past: just wondered, out of interest, how long have you taken to respond to an offer?

I viewed a property sat, EA closed sunday, made offer to EA 9am this morning. EA called back to confirm he has left a message for vendor (think wherever she works she doesn't get access to her phone by the sounds of it). Haven't heard anything back yet.

Property advertised for 189,950, I've gone straight in with a strong offer of 185. Don't want to mess about. We're in strong position, our sale almost complete and moving into rented, and mainly cash purchase etc. The vendors had property up for more than a year now - had a buyer who messed her about and it went back on market last week.

I'm not being impatient, just used to these things moving at a quicker pace. But then again I'm the type of person that just likes to get things done - we responded to our buyers offer within the hour! Will ring for update towards end of play today I suspect...

Dan-Dan

Probably they will chew it over tonight and respond in the morning

Personally for me once i start negotiating i tend to get the deal done in a series of phone calls so that the game playing stops and the serious work begins

ElsieMonkey

Dan-Dan wrote: »

Probably they will chew it over tonight and respond in the morning

Personally for me once i start negotiating i tend to get the deal done in a series of phone calls so that the game playing stops and the serious work begins

Me too Dan. I hate all the game playing, which is why we just went straight in with strong offer. When someone offered on our place too, we went straight back and said no, but will accept XXX. They came straight back and said yes. Both parties met in middle and feel good about the transaction that way. But I guess can't expect everyone else to behave in the same way...

hazyjo

How long has it been on the market? Do they have somewhere to go?


If not on long, they may have other viewers lined up. If nowhere to go, they may not be in a rush.


I also try to tie it up within the hour, usually with a few phone calls. It has however taken me months and tears to get an answer before. They wouldn't take me seriously. I kept being told to come back in a couple of weeks or month or whatever ("after the snow has passed", or "after the tonnes of people lined up get to view", blah blah blah). In the end I emailed and blocked their number and said I just wanted to get this done and was about 4 weeks into my sale already and I just wanted to buy the bloody thing. Thankfully I got it and am still there 3 weeks later.


Good luck


Jx

glasgowdan

A lot of people play games, perhaps listening to the estate agents' advice. Problem up my way is that it's a seller's market right now, and ALL the good family homes are being snapped up within the week at over the home report value.

We sold our house to the first couple who offered after getting back right away and saying 'no, but we'd accept X', same as you. Contrarily, we put in an offer on a house above HR value and they said no, it's going to a closing date (we were first to offer, EA told me the day the house went on the market it's going to go to a closing date. I suspect they didn't even pass on my offer). I then asked for a counter offer and they said no. It seems a lot of sellers and agents simply don't care about messing buyers around with the current condition of the market.

phoebe1989seb

Last time (2014) - a lady viewed house with her mum, we were doing that viewing as our EAs weren't available and she actually made us an asking price offer whilst in the house

We had two other offers on the table (made that morning on the back of viewings the previous day) so we said we'd get back to her through our EA. Immediately after the viewing we drove out to do some shopping and whilst in the car we had a call from our EA to formally make the offer. We had been talking it over since the viewer/her mum left and had decided to accept as she genuinely seemed to adore the house (her tears during the viewing gave the game away ) and whilst she needed a mortgage - one of the other offers was from a cash buyer, but a single lady who seemed a bit flaky - we felt she was the right buyer for our quirky, period home. Only issue was her DH hadn't viewed it - and didn't till the following weekend - and there was a chance he might not be so keen (he loved it!).

So, from offer till response/acceptance - less than an hour.

ElsieMonkey

Thanks all. I would think anyone selling a house and waiting for offers will literally be glued to their phone - I know I was. And yes would respond pretty sharpish to any near asking price offer. I'm just hoping no news is good news and the only reason she hasn't responded yet is because she genuinely can't get to her phone due to work. Think I'll give the EA a call for an update...

hazyjo

ElsieMonkey wrote: »

Thanks all. I would think anyone selling a house and waiting for offers will literally be glued to their phone - I know I was. And yes would respond pretty sharpish to any near asking price offer. I'm just hoping no news is good news and the only reason she hasn't responded yet is because she genuinely can't get to her phone due to work. Think I'll give the EA a call for an update...

On the same day you offered? I'd at least leave it until tomorrow! Surely they'd ring you if they had a counter-offer or yay/nay? You don't want the EA peeing her off by chasing her if she genuinely can't take calls at any time during the day.


Jx

ElsieMonkey

hazyjo wrote: »

On the same day you offered? I'd at least leave it until tomorrow! Surely they'd ring you if they had a counter-offer or yay/nay? You don't want the EA peeing her off by chasing her if she genuinely can't take calls at any time during the day.


Jx

Yeah maybe you're right...I just haven't been able to do anything all day for thinking about it all! Need an answer for my sanity lol!

glasgowdan

Quizzical_Squirrel wrote: »

Our buyers provisionally offered before they viewed the house and we accepted immediately as it was a good price. I doubt they had to wait longer than 10 minutes!

The house had only just gone on the market on a Friday night but we couldn't arrange viewings until the Tuesday and the buyers wanted to get in ahead of anyone else.

First thing Tuesday morning, they came for a viewing and the offer was formalized.
We completed 4.5 weeks later.

Can I ask, how did they make the offer? Did the personally call your estate agent and put it to them? Or did they contact you directly somehow? It's a method I'm seriously thinking of doing should we see something suitable. Was the offer above your home report price?

hazyjo

ElsieMonkey wrote: »

Yeah maybe you're right...I just haven't been able to do anything all day for thinking about it all! Need an answer for my sanity lol!

*Hugs* I remember. It's bloody awful isn't it. You think all sorts of things. I hate the game-playing, and the acting cool/nonchalant bit (my poker face is rubbish), but it's just part & parcel of it unfortunately.


Give them a ring tomorrow Give them a chance to put the offer to her, and for her to mull it over. She prob doesn't want to seem too keen either in the fear that you may think you're overpaying and drop the price at a later date.


Stoopid housebuying games and worries...


Jx