First time buying....estate agent lies!

Melgiles66

Hello!
My husband and I saw a house we liked the look of on rightmove, called estate agent immediately to be told they had no viewing plans as they didn't have the keys. I was told they would contact the vendor and get back to me....this never happened. I thought it sounded odd so got my mum to call up an hour later and she was told the property was sold.

We drove by on Sunday on the way to another viewing and saw the sign still said our sale so popped a note through the letter box. The vendor responded quickly and invited us round to view the property. The vendor told us get was informed that an investor had offered the asking price on Saturday.. proving the estate agent lied to myself and my mum on the Friday.

We have offered £5k over the offer on the table but the estate agents are now saying lots of other people are now interested. I'm irritated they told us the property was sold and couldn't do anything about it and now because this has happened they are letting everyone put offers in.

Any advice on how to deal with this situation and to (hopefully) buy the property!

LEJC

Presumably the person who's living in the house and let you look round,is the vendor...if this is the case whilst the EA markets the property it's up to the vendor which offer to accept.

It sounds as if the EA is wanting to put multiple offers to the vendor so really no advice other than don't over offer (once valuation is done for any mortgage you may discover you have offered more than the house is worth).
Stick to a figure and if its not to be...look at other things

Melgiles66

Thanks for your post! we are assuming that the EA knows the investor personally and has offered him the property before anyone else and seeing as the investor offered asking price they haven't allowed anyone else to view the property. The vendor has been honest and says he's wants as much money as he can get.

marksoton

Melgiles66 wrote: »

Any advice on how to deal with this situation and to (hopefully) buy the property!

Offer more than anyone else and be more proceedable.

The EA is there to get their client the best price possible. You've no exclusive right to any property.

G_M

and put all offers in writing to the estate agent, with a copy sent diret to the vendor.

HouseBuyer77

Might be worth finding out from the vendor if they'd accepted the investor's offer already and instructed the EA to proceed with them as purchaser.

Given the vendor's reaction to your note and stated desire to sell for as much as possible it does seem a little odd the EA was declaring the property as sold and not allowing further viewings.

Were I selling I would be most displeased to discover the EA had been telling prospective buyers the property was sold until I had specifically instructed them to say this.

Melgiles66

We have just heard back from the EA saying the investor has made a counter offer and that the vendor does not want to recurve any more offers on the property. Considering he told us yesterday he's only interested in getting as much money as possible....does anyone else think this sounds odd?

Chanes

I would not trust an estate agent as far as I could throw the house they were selling.

HouseBuyer77

Considering he told us yesterday he's only interested in getting as much money as possible....does anyone else think this sounds odd?

Potentially a bit weird but it now sounds like it's the vendor who's the source of oddness and it's their perogative to accept or decline whatever offers from whomever for whatever reasons they like. Perhaps they're keen to sell specifically to an investor for some reason.

If you're feeling particularly paranoid you could confirm with the vendor directly but I doubt the EA would directly lie in a barefaced manner like that (an EA using underhanded tactics to sell to preferred investment buyers would be far more subtle to avoid getting caught).

Melgiles66

Well the EA has lied to us and the vendor in a bare faced manor so wouldn't be surprised if they were lieing now. The EA told us today they'd had lots of calls for enquiries so it's beyond me why the vendor would take it off the market when it has so much interest and all he wants is as much money as he can get!? I do have the vendors contact details so for peace of mind I'll contact him directly.

anotheruser

I wonder if the Vendor could accept the OP's offer, then whether the EA would cry foul play - but the EA didn't introduce them.