House under offer but won't tell me how much...

LegalNim

I'm a first time buyer and had an absolute nightmare with a shoddy agent. I really like the property but it's been a complete disaster trying to view it. They kept cancelling and changing when they were free (even though the property is vacant). I viewed it but the agent couldn't answer any of my questions (including why the neighbours had their fence scooping some of the property's garden into their garden). I emailed with questions and got no response. Now the property is "under offer" but the agents won't tell me what the current offer is. What can I do?

wilfred30

How on earth did you think the Agent would know about the neighbour's fence?
It's normal for the amount of an offer not to be disclosed to other potential purchasers.

tom9980

Simply decide what you are willing to pay for the house and make your offer if the reject it then find something else.

LegalNim

wilfred30 said:

How on earth did you think the Agent would know about the neighbour's fence?
It's normal for the amount of an offer not to be disclosed to other potential purchasers.

I'd expect an agent to know where the property line is for a property considering that it's available on the internet... The fact that two weeks after sending an email, they still can't figure it out is ridiculous.

LegalNim

tom9980 said:

Simply decide what you are willing to pay for the house and make your offer if the reject it then find something else.

Yeah, it's just frustrating because on the one hand you don't want to overpay but equally don't want to miss out by a tiny amount. Just seems like a game and I'm done playing it. Also, as a property lawyer, I'm more than sick of estate agents telling me what the law is (and always being wrong). Including "legally we aren't allowed to let you see the attic", "legally we aren't allowed to tell you what the offer is", "legally we can't pass on an offer below an "offer in excess of". Bit of a rant but I just can't anymore.

pinkteapot

An agent's not going to get involved in the boundaries. That's for your solicitor to look into and sort out later. There's also no way they'll tell you what the other offer is because you'd offer just slightly more than that. If they don't tell you, there's a chance you'll offer more than you need to which is what they want. 

If it's under offer the vendor might not even be listening to further offers. First thing to do is decide whether you want this house (if the boundary issue will rule it out completely then leave it). If you do, either ask the agent whether the vendor is still open to other offers or just go straight in and offer what you think its worth. 

LegalNim

pinkteapot said:

An agent's not going to get involved in the boundaries. That's for your solicitor to look into and sort out later. There's also no way they'll tell you what the other offer is because you'd offer just slightly more than that. If they don't tell you, there's a chance you'll offer more than you need to which is what they want. 

If it's under offer the vendor might not even be listening to further offers. First thing to do is decide whether you want this house (if the boundary issue will rule it out completely then leave it). If you do, either ask the agent whether the vendor is still open to other offers or just go straight in and offer what you think its worth. 

The boundary issue was an example. It's not a disputed boundary, it's very clear where it is and I spoke to the neighbours myself and they explained that it's so that they could get into the house to visit the current owner (who was elderly) without letting the dog into their garden which wasn't fully enclosed. The agent didn't know whether the property had gas, when it was built, the size of the garden, whether the fireplaces were working, what was in the local village etc. They didn't even come upstairs and left us to view the upstairs and the garden entirely on our own. The exact words of the agent when we entered the property were "it's not much but it is what it is" - I think it's gorgeous!!
The vendor is still open to offers but they want us to pay in excess of what is necessary. I understand that they're aim is that we'll overpay but, truthfully, it just makes me not bother to put in an offer and the vendor will end up with less. 

wilfred30

LegalNim said:

wilfred30 said:

How on earth did you think the Agent would know about the neighbour's fence?
It's normal for the amount of an offer not to be disclosed to other potential purchasers.

I'd expect an agent to know where the property line is for a property considering that it's available on the internet... The fact that two weeks after sending an email, they still can't figure it out is ridiculous.

If, as you say, you're a property lawyer, I'm amazed that you don't know what an Estate Agent does and what issues are nothing to do with them i.e. the neighbour's fence!  
You seem to be displaying all the traits of a FTB that Agents/vendors are increasingly not wanting to deal with.  I fear you're going to have a lot of disappointments going forward and you may struggle to find an Agent and/or vendor willing to nurse you through the process. 

Sachs

Estate agents are often rubbish, surely as a FTB you must have at least heard people moaning about them?
It's very common in my experience that the estate agent has never been in to the house before they show it.

Make your offer or don't. 

LegalNim

wilfred30 said:

LegalNim said:

wilfred30 said:

How on earth did you think the Agent would know about the neighbour's fence?
It's normal for the amount of an offer not to be disclosed to other potential purchasers.

I'd expect an agent to know where the property line is for a property considering that it's available on the internet... The fact that two weeks after sending an email, they still can't figure it out is ridiculous.

If, as you say, you're a property lawyer, I'm amazed that you don't know what an Estate Agent does and what issues are nothing to do with them i.e. the neighbour's fence!  
You seem to be displaying all the traits of a FTB that Agents/vendors are increasingly not wanting to deal with.  I fear you're going to have a lot of disappointments going forward and you may struggle to find an Agent and/or vendor willing to nurse you through the process. 

I thought an estate agent's job was to try and sell the property... Forgive me for expecting them to actually try to sell it by knowing something about it and not flat-out insulting the property to prospective buyers.

LegalNim

Sachs said:

Estate agents are often rubbish, surely as a FTB you must have at least heard people moaning about them?
It's very common in my experience that the estate agent has never been in to the house before they show it.

Make your offer or don't. 

Thanks, this is what I thought but I just hoped there was another option. It's tough when you're just negotiating in the dark.