2nd viewing booked but house now sold STC

virginblue4

As mentioned in an earlier post, my parter and I are first time buyers and are looking for our first house. We have a second viewing booked for tomorrow evening and are taking our parents along as a few extra pairs of eyes. We have our mortgage in principal in place and to be honest, there is a very good chance we will make an offer. However, I’ve just looked on Rightmove and within the last 4/5 hours it’s now sold STC!!

The house has been on for about 4 and a half weeks and had a reduction 2 weeks ago. The estate agent hasn’t called to tell us about it now being sold STC, so I’m not sure if we still have a second viewing booked for tomorrow or if they are going to cancel it. How would something like this usually work? I’ll have to give them a call in the morning and ask.

The house is on for OIEO £245,000 and we were thinking of going in at £235,000. If we still do get the chance to have a second viewing, I now have absolutely no idea what to offer! However I really do want our parents to see the house before making this offer, so if they cancel the viewing then we won’t be making one.

I’m just wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation. I find it strange that the estate agent hasn’t let us know. Also, if we can still have the viewing, what do I offer now?

Tiglet2

I am sorry to say that it looks as though somewhere in between your first viewing and your second, someone else viewed and made an offer which was accepted. Under these circumstances, your second viewing probably won't take place but it would have been polite of the EA to have let you know.

Mutton_Geoff

Tiglet2 wrote: »

I am sorry to say that it looks as though somewhere in between your first viewing and your second, someone else viewed and made an offer which was accepted. Under these circumstances, your second viewing probably won't take place but it would have been polite of the EA to have let you know.

Or the agent has seen the whites of your eyes, can see straight through your wish to buy and has jumped the gun. Or even changed the Rightmove status to bring you under pressure to offer full asking.

“Sold STC” means absolutely nothing. It ain’t sold til completion. Press on with your plan. And be more adventurous with your offer. It’s a buyers market whatever the agent may convince you otherwise.

POPPYOSCAR

When we sold our house we accepted an offer.

We still allowed further already booked viewings to take place on the understanding that the property was effectively no longer available.

We had someone express an interest that if the sale were to fall through for any reason they would be interested and at the asking price. We stood by our first acceptance.

Buying and selling is not a straightforward process with many variables.

Even if you view and make a higher offer it may well not be accepted anyway.

virginblue4

Thanks for the responses.

I’ve just called the estate agent who advised the seller wants to honour booked viewings but will not be booking any new ones. He is also still open to an offer from us.

I asked the estate agent how close the offer was to asking price and he advised the offer they accepted was just below asking price. So should we go in at asking and sell ourselves as first time buyers / no chain etc?

Thanks again!

PasturesNew

Those "extra pairs of eyes" make you the bigger risk.... the other buyer might be single/a couple who just made their decision ... and the agent knows there's nobody to put doubts in their mind.

An extra pair of eyes is good .... on the other hand, that's more people to talk you out of it as they don't like the house you do. Any pair of eyes will always be speaking from their own opinion/likes viewpoint and can NEVER see what you want... and how "this is ideal", because it's not the size/style/location/layout they'd want.

You've not decided. The others have.
You've probably more people likely to talk you out of it. The others might not have.

Cakeguts

virginblue4 wrote: »

Thanks for the responses.

I’ve just called the estate agent who advised the seller wants to honour booked viewings but will not be booking any new ones. He is also still open to an offer from us.

I asked the estate agent how close the offer was to asking price and he advised the offer they accepted was just below asking price. So should we go in at asking and sell ourselves as first time buyers / no chain etc?

Thanks again!

The offer has been accepted. That means that the seller have decided to sell the house to the people who made the offer.


Find another house to make an offer on.

lisyloo

virginblue4 wrote: »

I’ve just called the estate agent who advised the seller wants to honour booked viewings but will not be booking any new ones. He is also still open to an offer from us.

Just to clarify.
Did your estate agent say whether the buyer was procedable?
Sometimes people accept an offer from someone who is no procedable e.g. have a house to sell but still keep their place on the market.


If you haven't clarified this then do so.

AnotherJoe

There's no harm in the OP making a second viewing.
Even if the vendor decides to stick with the current buyer, there's statistically a one in three chance it will fall through, so they can ask if the vendor will accept asking, or they can put their best and final through and say "call us if this one falls through"
I do hope the vendor has told the current buyer something to the effect of "we will go with you subject to our already booked 3 viewings not making a better offer" otherwise it seems like they are the sort to gazump you as well.I'd try to understand from the agent what the deal is.eg is it more like a "best and final bids" situation, underpinned by one solid bid?

Roo89

virginblue4 wrote: »

The house is on for OIEO £245,000 and we were thinking of going in at £235,000.

Why would you think the vendor would consider an offer of 235k if they've already had an offer around 245k? Even as a FTB with no chain on your side, that (to me) is not enough of an incentive to lose out on 10k.

If you go for the second viewing and still want to put in an offer I would offer 245k. You want your offer to be taken seriously by the EA and the vendor.

Honestly though if the vendor has already accepted an offer, I wouldn't go for the second viewing it just sounds like a waste of everyone's time

Red-Squirrel_2

I would be a bit wary here.

If the vendors have accepted an offer, that should mean that they have agreed to sell the house to those buyers and they should be cancelling viewings.

Its not a good reflection of their ethics that they are carrying on with viewings, they are clearly willing to let a gazump happen, or are maybe hoping for a bidding war.

Are they the kind of people you want to be doing business with for your very first house purchase? There would be no trust at all.