Contacting vendor directly

KatieDee

When we were searching for a property, a house came up that matched all of our requirements. It had sold before going to market initially, but the person had pulled out due to some issues with the lease. I loved the property so much, knew I wanted to buy it and didn't want to get beat to the post once other people viewed. I called and asked the EA if I could put an offer of asking price in and was told the same thing - they aren't able to accept an offer without a viewing.

I viewed the next day and just...did not like it. I didn't get a good feeling from it, the photos were extremely well taken and didn't really show the size of the property and there was a lot of small issues with a property which was somewhat overpriced.

I suppose what I'm saying is that the viewing is incredibly important, even if it's just to get a feel for the house. I've viewed the house we're due to buy twice, and I'm still desperate for another one just in case I missed something the first two times.

I know house buying is a very stressful process and sometimes we can let our emotions get the best of us, but waiting a short period to view will give you a lot more credibility when it comes to making an offer. Knowing how quickly the other house sold, the vendors will no doubt know what their house might sell for, so I don't think swiftness of offer will come into it. I imagine they will hold out for the highest bidder regardless.

Slithery

SmashedAvacado wrote: »

The agents are legally required to pass on all offers.

[pedantic]Not quite. They are legally required to pass on all offers that meet the vendors requirements. If a vendor tells the EA that they won't accept an offer under £x000 then the EA doesn't have to pass these on.[/pedantic]

SmashedAvacado

By law, you must tell sellers as soon as is reasonably possible about all offers that you receive at any time until contracts have been exchanged unless the offer is an amount or type which the seller has specifically instructed you, in writing, not to pass on. You must confirm each offer in writing to the seller, and to the buyer who made it, within 2 working days.

The law is pretty specific if you want to be specific.

GabbaGabbaHey

oystercatcher wrote: »

If I was selling my property and said viewings start from date X then that is when I would be ready. It would really annoy me to have people pestering before I was ready and if there was more than one offer I would accept the non pestering people !. There is probably a reason they have said viewings start on a certain day.

If I was selling my house, and somebody expressed interest early, then I'd bite their hand off at the prospect of an easy/quick sale!

Estate Agents try to justify their existence and their fees by building up this mystique that all communication has to be done through them. Whenever I've been buying/selling a house, I've always dealt directly with the other party as much as I could - it makes everything run much more quickly and smoothly.

It's no different to buying and selling any other item: you want to sell it, I want to buy it, let's see if we can agree a deal. The negotiations don't all need to be facilitated by an Estate Agent, with their vested interest in the transaction.

Slinky

GabbaGabbaHey wrote: »

If I was selling my house, and somebody expressed interest early, then I'd bite their hand off at the prospect of an easy/quick sale!

Estate Agents try to justify their existence and their fees by building up this mystique that all communication has to be done through them. Whenever I've been buying/selling a house, I've always dealt directly with the other party as much as I could - it makes everything run much more quickly and smoothly.

It's no different to buying and selling any other item: you want to sell it, I want to buy it, let's see if we can agree a deal. The negotiations don't all need to be facilitated by an Estate Agent, with their vested interest in the transaction.

Patience is a virtue. If we'd have taken your approach we'd have lost out by £20K that waiting 4 more days and EA doing best and finals on got for us. We were on the market for under 2 weeks.

Exodi

GabbaGabbaHey wrote: »

If I was selling my house, and somebody expressed interest early, then I'd bite their hand off at the prospect of an easy/quick sale!

So, for the avoidance of doubt, in these circumstances in which an offer has been made on a property without a viewing, would you similarly be keen to 'bite their hand off at the prospect of an easy/quick sale!'

Personally I think your stance is straight up daft. Early ≠ Easy and Early ≠ Quick. Plus the smaller the window, the less offers you'll receive ergo likely accepting less than you may of been able to get.

Davesnave

GabbaGabbaHey wrote: »

If I was selling my house, and somebody expressed interest early, then I'd bite their hand off at the prospect of an easy/quick sale!

That's your house, though, and the market varies considerably with location.
In a neighbourhood where property moves fast, it could be unwise to accept the first offer without testing the market.


With a small property I decided to sell, one agent told me it was worth around £130k, but I actually sold it for £148k through another.

NaughtiusMaximus

Exodi wrote: »

Really, what is the point of making an offer on a house you haven't viewed? It does't make you look serious or sensible (two qualities that are preferred from someone purchasing someones largest asset...).

Quite.

If I was the vendor and received an offer from someone who hadn't even viewed the property, my first thoughts would be that the person making the offer is either a timewaster or a bit dodgy.

Albala

NaughtiusMaximus wrote: »

Quite.

If I was the vendor and received an offer from someone who hadn't even viewed the property, my first thoughts would be that the person making the offer is either a timewaster or a bit dodgy.

I would probably cut them a bit more slack and put it down to inexperience if the HA told me they were FTBs. But I wouldn't even consider accepting their offer until I had heard from the people who had booked to view. So in my case the OP might as well wait and view themselves first.
It seems to me also that only inexperience would make anyone reveal to an EA that they were so madly keen as to offer without viewing so soon after the house came up for sale, and try to do it before others (who may have spotted it first and agreed to view as the seller wants) could even view....

Nbutterworth1

Thanks all for sharing your thoughts.

The EA actually got back to us this morning stating that it is their policy to only consider offers after viewings for the reasons many of you have stated and that the vendor wants to wait until the weekend viewings are over before considering any offers. That's fine with us it was the fact that they initially said that they "legally" couldn't pass on offers until after viewings that put us on our guard.
We already have a viewing booked in so will go and see the property before deciding on final offers.