No response to offer - frustrated!!

badger09

AskAsk said:

they are probably waiting to make sure that a better offer is confirmed, like waiting for the proof of funds before refusing yours.  i have done this before where i didn't refuse an offer as i wanted to make sure the higher offer is solid before i turn this offer down or they said they needed to check before they can confirm their higher offer.

What makes you think that? OP said property had been on the market nearly a year. Huge coincidence if 2 almost asking price offers were made at the same time.

OP
Do you know the circumstances of the sale?
Is vendor living at the property?
Could it be a property subject to probate?
Could there be a separation involved, with one reluctant vendor? 
Have there been previous offers/sales which have fallen through?

I would be asking EA for more information about the vendor's position. Are they actually motivated to sell, or just testing the market?

Coopsy85

What makes you think that? OP said property had been on the market nearly a year. Huge coincidence if 2 almost asking price offers were made at the same time.

OP
Do you know the circumstances of the sale?
Is vendor living at the property?
Could it be a property subject to probate?
Could there be a separation involved, with one reluctant vendor? 
Have there been previous offers/sales which have fallen through?

I would be asking EA for more information about the vendor's position. Are they actually motivated to sell, or just testing the market?

Yes they are living there at the moment, they are buying a house off of a family member.
There was a sale agreed before lockdown 1, but the buyer pulled out due to redundancy. 

The estate agent seems a bit fed up with it as well. 

We are still looking but end up comparing every other house to this one. 

Those of you who have mentioned notes through the door, what would you suggest as the content? We have a solicitor and surveyor lined up but would need to apply for a mortgage, which, from what I’m hearing is taking a long time. 

Thanks for all your comments, will let you know if we ever hear from them. 

coachman12

Coopsy85 said:

Those of you who have mentioned notes through the door, what would you suggest as the content? We have a solicitor and surveyor lined up but would need to apply for a mortgage, which, from what I’m hearing is taking a long time. 

Note through the letter box :
" We are very interested in buying your house and would like to proceed, but your Estate Agents say they cannot reach you. We appreciate that you are very busy with shift-work but we would love it if you could let us or your Estate Agent know if you are prepared to consider selling to us. Obviously, we have other houses that we have viewed and would be happy to buy, but we'd really like to make your house our first choice. Because of that we have been patient, especially as you sound so busy at work. But if we don't hear from you in the next week that you are interested in selling to us, we will have to move on to our next choice. Apologies for bothering you like this but it's probably best for us and you if we can clear this matter up now please. Look forward to hearing from you and hope you don't mind our intruding on your privacy like this. Kind Regards.....  "   How's that sound ?

AskAsk

badger09 said:

AskAsk said:

they are probably waiting to make sure that a better offer is confirmed, like waiting for the proof of funds before refusing yours.  i have done this before where i didn't refuse an offer as i wanted to make sure the higher offer is solid before i turn this offer down or they said they needed to check before they can confirm their higher offer.

What makes you think that? OP said property had been on the market nearly a year. Huge coincidence if 2 almost asking price offers were made at the same time.

OP
Do you know the circumstances of the sale?
Is vendor living at the property?
Could it be a property subject to probate?
Could there be a separation involved, with one reluctant vendor? 
Have there been previous offers/sales which have fallen through?

I would be asking EA for more information about the vendor's position. Are they actually motivated to sell, or just testing the market?

good point about the property being on the market for nearly a year, but there has been a hype of activity at the moment from the stamp holiday so maybe the property has got more interest.  the property may also have dropped in price, attracting more interested parties.

Unicorn_cottage

coachman12 said:

Coopsy85 said:

Those of you who have mentioned notes through the door, what would you suggest as the content? We have a solicitor and surveyor lined up but would need to apply for a mortgage, which, from what I’m hearing is taking a long time. 

Note through the letter box :
" We are very interested in buying your house and would like to proceed, but your Estate Agents say they cannot reach you. We appreciate that you are very busy with shift-work but we would love it if you could let us or your Estate Agent know if you are prepared to consider selling to us. Obviously, we have other houses that we have viewed and would be happy to buy, but we'd really like to make your house our first choice. Because of that we have been patient, especially as you sound so busy at work. But if we don't hear from you in the next week that you are interested in selling to us, we will have to move on to our next choice. Apologies for bothering you like this but it's probably best for us and you if we can clear this matter up now please. Look forward to hearing from you and hope you don't mind our intruding on your privacy like this. Kind Regards.....  "   How's that sound ?

Knock on door which if not answered is followed by the above. I MUCH prefer the direct approach!

Scotbot

Unicorn_cottage said:

coachman12 said:

Coopsy85 said:

Those of you who have mentioned notes through the door, what would you suggest as the content? We have a solicitor and surveyor lined up but would need to apply for a mortgage, which, from what I’m hearing is taking a long time. 

Note through the letter box :
" We are very interested in buying your house and would like to proceed, but your Estate Agents say they cannot reach you. We appreciate that you are very busy with shift-work but we would love it if you could let us or your Estate Agent know if you are prepared to consider selling to us. Obviously, we have other houses that we have viewed and would be happy to buy, but we'd really like to make your house our first choice. Because of that we have been patient, especially as you sound so busy at work. But if we don't hear from you in the next week that you are interested in selling to us, we will have to move on to our next choice. Apologies for bothering you like this but it's probably best for us and you if we can clear this matter up now please. Look forward to hearing from you and hope you don't mind our intruding on your privacy like this. Kind Regards.....  "   How's that sound ?

Knock on door which if not answered is followed by the above. I MUCH prefer the direct approach!

Not if the buyer is a shift worker. He or she will be pretty hacked off at being woken up. Personally I would tell any buyer approaching me directly to deal with the agent , that's what I  pay them for.

coachman12

The direct approach when a tired night worker wants sleep is just plain folly. It's OK for YOU to prefer the direct approach. But I was thinking more in terms of helping the O/P, rather than indulging
in my own personality traits. 

Blue_bell_20

Some people may not like a direct approach. Did you view the house through the EA or through the sellers? I guess that’s a first question. If it’s through the EA then it’s a sign they may not want or have time to directly converse, if you’ve met the seller eg at the viewing then the contact has already been made and it’s possibly ok to knock. 

AskAsk

Blue_bell_20 said:

Some people may not like a direct approach. Did you view the house through the EA or through the sellers? I guess that’s a first question. If it’s through the EA then it’s a sign they may not want or have time to directly converse, if you’ve met the seller eg at the viewing then the contact has already been made and it’s possibly ok to knock. 

if i was mulling over the offer, i would not appreciate the buyer knocking on my door and ask if i have an answer for him.  if i have, i would have given it to him by now!

Blue_bell_20

AskAsk said:

Blue_bell_20 said:

Some people may not like a direct approach. Did you view the house through the EA or through the sellers? I guess that’s a first question. If it’s through the EA then it’s a sign they may not want or have time to directly converse, if you’ve met the seller eg at the viewing then the contact has already been made and it’s possibly ok to knock. 

if i was mulling over the offer, i would not appreciate the buyer knocking on my door and ask if i have an answer for him.  if i have, i would have given it to him by now!

That’s a good point actually and it’s them needing to think about the decision. I saw someone mention about knocking on the door so I thought it might be good for them to think about any prior contact before deciding to make direct contact. Not accounting for the exact question.

It is a big decision and it would be better to go through the EA and let them keep making the contact. There is a relationship of sorts between the seller and EA. Plus they are being paid to be the middle person.