Offer on House before viewing.

mummy2threeboys

Good Evening. We are first time Sellers, so I'm sorry if this is a silly question, I am also a little behind with modern technology. We are on the market with an agent that offers app usage. We have had an offer a little above what we were hoping for, via the app (This also shows on the website).
The thing is the "Buyer" hasn't seen the house and doesn't have a viewing until Thursday. We decided to wait until Friday to see what happens if she retracts her offer. My Estate agent agreed this was probably the best course of action and to not get my hopes up.
Alas, this has and I can't see what benefit it is to someone to offer before seeing? All I can think is it puts others off of viewing possibly (As others can see there is an offer I believe).
Also what would have happened if we accepted, and they then decided to not proceed, I just don't understand why anyone would do this and get our hopes up?
Thank you for your thoughts x

gaz_moose

sounds like a buyer I would avoid if they are already playing games.

AdrianC

It's the online shopping generation. Buy four shirts, send three back.

hazyjo

It's not unheard of. Especially if an investor who may know the houses.


I had an offer from the wife but the husband hadn't seen it. I accepted but wouldn't proceed until he'd seen it. You just never know how they'll feel. It may tick every box on paper. I've thought some would be perfect until viewing and there's just that feeling that it's not right. (Thankfully they did go on to buy it.)


I certainly wouldn't rule them out - but let them view before accepting.

AnotherJoe

Don't overthink it.



Maybe they are desperate to buy and this hits all the hot spots for them and they want to show how keen they are. I really doubt it would put others off viewing, except ditherers and timewasters, knowing there is an offer would tend to make people think "must be something going for it" and "better get a move on" rather than "well i wont look now" because its not as if you've taken it off the market. Indeed it would tend to work in your favour, you have a bid in your pocket, if someone else bids say 190k agaisnt your 195k offer you can always say teh truth "we have a higher offer but are waiting for confirmation".


As to what would happen if they retracted, anyone can retract at any time so no difference.

AnotherJoe

gaz_moose wrote: »

sounds like a buyer I would avoid if they are already playing games.

How on earth did you jump to the conclusion they are "playing games".

We've had posters on here asking about bidding before they've visited.

Everything has to be a conspiracy theory or Machiavellian plot with some posters here.

Take a chill pill and see what happens without trying to think through every what if and maybe.

NeilCr

Good mate of mine is in the process of moving down to the coast - somewhere near me

A particular town caught his eye - and then a house came up in that town which he absolutely loved online. So last Sunday he spent a day in the town - went round the area where the house was and took a good look at it from the outside. He couldn't view on the day as the vendor (who is doing the viewings) was not available. He has now done some more research on the area (transport, shops etc).

He knows what he likes very quickly (he has always bought that way) and it wouldn't at all surprise me if he made an offer before viewing. It's a reasonable journey there and back so he can't get back again for a while

If he does try for it he will be an excellent buyer. Once he goes for something he sticks with it

As it happens I think it would be ideal for him

phoebe1989seb

Like hazyjo, a few years back we had an (asking price) offer from a woman who viewed without her DH. She made the offer to us in person at the end of the viewing, having cried on her way round the house

We actually accepted, even though our EA advised she was 'flakey'. It was several days before the husband viewed, but he loved it too and the sale proceeded according to plan.

When we were selling/buying/moving long distance in late 2017, we had an offer accepted on a house that we hadn't viewed - although I confess that a week later (after we'd looked round the area) we withdrew our offer as something in a better location had come onto the market.

Many years ago we purchased a large house that we'd not viewed the ground floor of - it was then set out as several flats and the tenant of the ground floor flat refused access........

I wouldn't read anything too sinister into it, OP

onwards&upwards

Hmm, I kind of think, if you are going to offer without a viewing, why view at all? Because you shouldn’t be offering if you aren’t sure you want to buy it!

Sounds to me like when you aren’t sure if you want to buy something in a shop so you put the item behind the counter so nobody else can swipe it. Then you may or may not actually put your money where your mouth is.

I might entertain an offer without viewing if there was a very good reason. An offer coming in a few days before a booked viewing? No chance.

onwards&upwards

hazyjo wrote: »

I had an offer from the wife but the husband hadn't seen it. I accepted but wouldn't proceed until he'd seen it.

Ooh, naughty!

If that had been my mum you’d have lost a sale. She makes all the financial decisions and my dad is happy that he doesn’t have to! She’s walked away from buying cars and holidays (back in the days of travel agents) because people were unwilling to take her seriously without her husband present.

hazyjo

onwards&upwards wrote: »

Ooh, naughty!

If that had been my mum you’d have lost a sale. She makes all the financial decisions and my dad is happy that he doesn’t have to! She’s walked away from buying cars and holidays (back in the days of travel agents) because people were unwilling to take her seriously without her husband present.

OMG nothing to do with him making the decisions. Nothing naughty about it thank you lol. Could've been two sisters buying. I would always want them both to have viewed.

Like I said, I've expected houses to be perfect. Literally lovely in the pics and in one of a handful of roads I would've bought in. Even considered making an offer without viewing. But I viewed and there was just something missing I can't put my finger on. My house had compromises and was over half a mil. I had to be sure he wasn't going to change her mind after seeing through the decor. They had a small child, it had a paved garden and was terraced with no parking.