This house has two agents, one sold STC and one not? And I have viewing...

Rony

Hi,
So I had a viewing booked on Monday for tomorrow.
Throughout the week I was looking at some more properties around the area and I found this property again, but under a different agent. However this one says 'Sold Stc'.
So I am just trying to rationalise the situation and trying to figure out my next moves.
The other agents has listed that property since Jan 2020
My agent listed the property on 20th May 2020

1) I know that having two or multiple agents is fine, but surely my agent should have put up "Sold STC" as well on their Advert even if it weren't them who sold it? Unless the seller kept it from my agent?
2) Since my agent's listing is quite recent, could it be possible that the other agent had a fall through and the vendor re-listed with my current agent? And the other agent just has not re-updated the "Sold STC"? I guess the other scenario is that the the house was sold by the other agent after the 20th May.
3) My viewing is still valid right now, and they have sent me a confirmation for tomorrow.  I most likely will still go on it, but should I mention about this situation to the agent tomorrow? How should I approach?
4) This is probs a silly question but, in any scenario tomorrow, am I allowed to ask what the offer was previously (assuming it fell through)

I am just conscious of gazumping if the "Sold STC" is still live i guess.
Thank you,

anselld

Ask the agent.  In fact ask both agents and see if they agree.
Nobody will tell you the previous offer and even if they did you would not be able to believe them with any confidence.

DoaM

It could be as simple as that the first agent has listed it as Sold STC to improve their "selling image" when people browse online, rather than remove it from their listings altogether if they are no longer the contracted selling agent. (Whether this would be a breach of advertising standards, or the codes that EAs must abide by, is another matter).

Scotbot

Yes ask the agent when you view tomorrow why it is listed as SSTC with another agent. Most likely the sale fell through as a reputable agent won't  book a viewing if it  has already sold.  If they have then they are trying to get you to offer more. In this situation walk away as even if youo loved it you would be paying more than the vendor is willing to accept

Missy79

I'd just call the agents and ask before you waste your time on a viewing if it has sold. If the vendor has accepted an offer and is hedging their bets to maybe try and get a better offer I'd question their reliability anyway.

eddddy

Only the EA that finds the buyer gets a fee - so I've come across multi-agency EAs who play slightly dirty tricks. The seller accepts an offer via one EA, but the second EA persuades the seller to continue viewings, in the hope that they can find a buyer to gazump the other EA's buyer.

But it could also be something less dodgy.

There's no harm in asking the EA you're dealing with what's happening. It's probably best not to contact the other EA - so that they can't suggest that they've negotiated with you about the property.

Rony

Hi all,
Thank you for your responses.
I decided to call my agent just now and they told me that it is still on the market and the other one fell through and that it just hasn't be updated. Although I was the one who asked the closed question "Was it because the previous buyer fell through...." and he just confirmed it. But surely he can't just lie to my face like that.
But at least one the surface layer I am told that it is still on the market, which is good news to me, my heart sunk when I saw the SSTC.
I wonder if tomorrow when I ask him why the offer fell through before he will know? As it wasn't his agent who dealt with it at the time. I.e. is information like this shared freely amongst all agents involved?
I hope my viewing goes well! 
Thanks again,

DoaM

Keep an open mind and don't let your heart rule your head ... don't let the "This is my dream home!" thought blinker you from the realities of the property, thus leading you to make an offer way over what it's worth/what the market level is.

eddddy

Rony said:

But surely he can't just lie to my face like that.

Do you mean as an EA or as a 'human being'?

The law says that EAs are not allowed to lie or mislead you about any material facts. But EAs are also human beings, and human beings sometimes lie (or embellish the truth) - whatever profession they are in.

Rony said:

I wonder if tomorrow when I ask him why the offer fell through before he will know? As it wasn't his agent who dealt with it at the time. I.e. is information like this shared freely amongst all agents involved?

The reason for the sale falling through would be a 'material fact', and the law requires the EA to disclose any 'material facts' to you.

But the EA will have to rely on information given by the seller. And the seller might lie to the EA, or the seller might not know or completely understand why the sale fell through.

(So maybe be prepared to ask some probing questions.)

Scotbot

You won't  get any helpful info on why the sale fell through. As it was through the other agent it is unlikely your agent has been given full details and I doubt he cares. Possible  reasons: the other buyer has got nervous as a result of covid or their financial circumstances have changed, the survey revealed something., the house has been down valued by the other buyers bank.
If you like it and want to offer go in low, you can always up your offer if rejected.

bucksbloke

We were multi-agency and we sold with one and the other agent did not make it SSTC on their website. Only the one that sold it.