Can we offer on 2 houses

Curious_Jack

Hi everyone

Long time lurker of the forums here, this forum in particular in recent times.

Me and my girlfriend are FTB’s as you can probably tell from the above question. We have been looking at houses for a while and started finally viewing last week, have now viewed 2 houses twice that we love and can’t decide between. Both estate agents are expecting us to have decided on each house tomorrow and either make an offer or not.

Both houses are up for 240K, so our thinking is as we can’t decide that we would go with whatever house we could get cheaper out of the 2... well as long as offering on both is not completely out of order.

As we are new to it all we genuinely aren’t sure.

Thanks for any help in advance

AnotherJoe

Yes you can offer on both.

I presume you'll start low on both and work up?
And go with who ever accepts first and then withdraw the other offer ?

BTW, *&$% the estate agents "expectations" offer when you are ready
Go for a third viewing
Ask the agent which is most likely to take a low offer. Has one been for sale much longer than the other?

middleclassbutpoor

Nothing stopping you offering on them both.

You could be completely open with both EAs and say that you are undecided. You would like to offer X on property 1 and if this isn't acceptable, you will withdraw the offer and then offer same on property 2 and keep going until you get where you have an offer accepted.

The first vendor to meet you at a price will get your business.

There is a risk that both vendors could walk away and say Im not playing that game. Depends on their circs I guess.

The other way to play it is - flip a coin - don't tell the EA and then offer on that property and see how far you get and if its a full asking or nothing price, do the same on second and see where you get to.

Curious_Jack

Thanks for such a fast reply, it’s very much appreciated.

Yes we will start low on both and then whichever accepts lower we would take and retract our other offer.

Regarding the agents, thanks for the advice and I completely agree with it they just manage to make you think that you have to be as quick as possible and that,

Also on the subject of the agents one said to us tonight we need to decide tonight and bid tomorrow as it suddenly has a lot of interest (how believable this is who knows) and our other agent has been pushing us for an offer since our first viewing when I rather foolishly said we would decide after viewing a second time and viewing our other houses (end of last week)

Thanks again Joe

middleclassbutpoor

Another Joe has it spot on in that you make an offer when you are ready to and not before regardless of what you have said. Just explain that you need more time to consider and discuss with parents/etc. Ask for another viewing to buy you some more time and to help you if you need it.

Curious_Jack wrote: »

Thanks for such a fast reply, it’s very much appreciated.

Yes we will start low on both and then whichever accepts lower we would take and retract our other offer.

Regarding the agents, thanks for the advice and I completely agree with it they just manage to make you think that you have to be as quick as possible and that, Don't forget they are working for the vendor - not in your interests.

Also on the subject of the agents one said to us tonight we need to decide tonight and bid tomorrow as it suddenly has a lot of interest (how believable this is who knows) and our other agent has been pushing us for an offer since our first viewing when I rather foolishly said we would decide after viewing a second time and viewing our other houses (end of last week)Simply respond that you are not yet in a position to provide an offer yet and need more time. If the increased interest is true and offer comes in, it will only help you with your decision in that it was meant to be the other property. If you decide to start with an offer on that property - you could end up in a bidding war - which may make you feel like its better to go to the other house where you are less likely to get caught up in the need for an offer being placed on you at short notice when you are competing against someone else.

Thanks again Joe

Curious_Jack

Thanks again for a very quick reply Middle Class, it’s very much appreciated

On a side note from our research of the properties sold and other for sale nearby we wouldn’t want to pay more than 230K for either. With that in mind would an first offer of around 220K be acceptable or could that be seen as taking the P***

Thanks again

AnotherJoe

It's hard to know. Some may take it personally, some may regard it as all part of the game.
If 230 really is what other similar properties are going for then 220 isnt low at all.

hazyjo

I've thought the same before, but there is usually one that you'd be more disappointed to lose than the other. Sometimes you only realise it when you get the call saying 'you've got it' or 'you've lost it' that you realise which that house was.


Try to imagine how you'd feel in both scenarios. It won't necessarily be the house that ticks the most boxes on paper. I once bought the one which wasn't what I set out to buy at all, but it just felt right compared to the one that was pretty much perfect on paper.