Estate agent will not take property off websites - should we proceed?

watermelonspring

We made an offer on a property in late August and it was conditional on removal of the property from the market. The estate agent (well known) sent a sales memo to say it is off the market and anyone who enquires about the property will be told that it is no longer for sale. A few days later, we saw that the property was still on Rightmove and their website. The estate agent said that their company does not remove properties off their website and search engines until contracts are exchanged to help market themselves. I have tried to google the estate agent and I can’t find anyone else posting about this. 

Anyway, the property had a lot of issues which came to the forefront and I feel
that the aforementioned issue was missed as we were planning to pull out actually. 

But the property remains on websites and I’ve read that by law, the estate agent must take every offer to the seller. 

I wonder if this is a big red flag and if we should just walk away? I worry about being gazumped at the last moment as we have spent a lot of money on private surveyors and other tradespeople. 

WeAreGhosts

I'd question whether your issue is with the EA or the seller. Usually it's the seller who calls the shots when it comes to removing the property from the websites. If the seller is happy to remove it from marketing then it should be done.
As for "should we proceed?" well, yes, otherwise you'll never buy a property!  Unless there's something really wrong with the house and that's really the issue, rather than it still being on websites.
Everyone's in the same boat when it comes to putting their faith in the seller actually completing the transaction. I've known sellers pull out at the last minute because they suddenly have an epiphany and realise they actually like their home more than they thought they did!
Personally, though, as a seller I'd never stop a property from being marketed until the buyer was signing or very close to signing on the dotted line. However if you started the process in August then you should be fairly well into the process by now, a seller would be silly to start all over again with another buyer. But there's nowt so queer as folk.

AdrianC

If you're worried, get a friend to phone the EA and enquire about getting a viewing...

Mutton_Geoff

Until you exchange contracts, the property isn't yours and there's 101 things that can cause the deal to fall through. I'd stop worrying and just press on with your purchase. The deeper in you are, the less likely the vendor is to accept another offer even if it were higher. Does the Rightmove ad state "Under Offer" or "SSTC"?

steampowered

I would expect the property to be marked as "sold subject to contract" on the agent's website. See if they have done that with other properties.

Thrugelmir

Have you obtained a mortgage yet? 

watermelonspring

Thanks all. 

We haven’t got a mortgage yet but the valuation is booked. 

The property is listed as “for sale” on all websites. 

I can’t find any properties listed by them that are not “for sale”. 

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

If you are buying my pad, it remains available until you pay the deposit and exchange contracts. 

sweetsand

Dear OP
We have boguht a few properties over the 12 year period.
We always buy chain free, we but cash ony during the last 12 years.
Our consitions are the property is off the market once they have confirmed we have money in place that usally takes a few mins,
the seller accpets the offer
The important bit no one else has mentioned is the fact the property remains on the website as people do pull out/etc BUT, the message on the property will be  STV aka Sold Subject to Contract and they can not allow other viewings once our position is clear that we have the means to buy!

HTH

sweetsand

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth said:

If you are buying my pad, it remains available until you pay the deposit and exchange contracts. 

In London, please see above post us, our family and friends nearly all have more than one proerty and we all agree that once we have confirmed our ability to pay for the property it shows as Sold/STC and agent will not show others around or we pull out allways works for us.

Thrugelmir

watermelonspring said:

Thanks all. 

We haven’t got a mortgage yet but the valuation is booked. 

Your vendor will be expecting progress after 6 weeks or so.