Should I put a time limit on my offer on a house?

Lilabee123

Hello
We viewed a house on Saturday and made an offer for the asking price at the earliest opportunity after (Monday morning due to estate agent being closed Sat afternoon and Sunday).
Estate agent called back Monday saying that there had been another viewing after ours who would like a second viewing so the vendors had wanted to wait until then to make a decision, so second viewing was booked for Tuesday. Spoke to an estate agent Tuesday who said he would come back Wed or Thurs with a response so not to keep us waiting.
I've still not had a response.
My issue is we have sold our houses and are looking to move before the end of March, we have a few other options for houses we have seen which are nice in the same are within budget. Should I call back and put a time limit on our offer / stress if it's not being accepted we need to make an offer on a different house? Conscious that we don't want to lose out on any other house, and feel like given the situation and that the other potential buyers will know there's an offer on the table any other offers should have come in by now and it's coming across like the sellers are wanting to hold out / being a bit greedy given that we have offered their asking price?
What's an appropriate amount of time to wait?
Thanks

pbhb

I would An offer in on the other house that you like and keep your options open. You will probably hear back this evening or tomorrow on the other house but have peace of mind that your offer is in on the other house that you like, you can easily pull out of an offer

SpiderLegs

You’ve put your offer in, just carry on looking. Time limits are a waste of time.

rik111

Yes just keep looking and if you see something you like, offer on it. If they come back next week accepting your offer and you’ve lined up another house you like more just tell them the truth, you got browned off waiting and found something better...

warby68

No need to put a time limit on - its antagonistic and its only a few days so far. These are big decisions, you can't force a vendor onto your timetable. What you can do is keep looking and offering if it comes to that and if their decision then comes too late so be it. You can be open about doing that. Your reasons are fine , there are other properties you like and you wish to get something moving quickly for the sake of your own sale. The indirect urgency might prompt a result without the hostility a time limit might. Deadlines and ultimatums make you look a bit daft if you'd still be interested if they came back a week later.

hazyjo

You don't have to stop viewing others just because you've submitted an offer. Once it's accepted, that's different. I wouldn't fling loads of offers around, but if you find a house you like more, great. You've lost eff all by getting an offer accepted on that. Just withdraw the other offer and account your lucky stars you found something better. If it falls through, you could fall back on the first house again if you wanted.

UnderOffer

Hope you hear something today @Lilabee123. I would follow up with EA one more time, then as others have suggested keep looking at properties. Personally I think it’s a bit rude of the vendor not to have let you/EA know their decision or at least give you an idea of the reason for delay and by now I’d be thinking of withdrawing that offer. A week is more than enough time. Good luck. 

martindow

Viewing other houses with the same EA should incentivise the agent to put pressure on the vendor to make a decision or risk losing a potential buyer.  But, if the other person going for a second viewing is serious the agent may well be hoping you will get involved in a bidding war. 

You should think about what you would like to do if you are asked to up your offer.  It's always better to consider how you will react rather than thinking on your feet on receiving a phone call.