Putting offer on another property with same EA whilst withdrawing first offer

glybera27

Hi
Would be grateful for your help. We put an offer on a property that was accepted in June this year. Our vendors are very picking (on price/location) and have still yet to find a property and don't look to be moving forwards at all. They say that they also cannot find a property to rent.

We need to move in the next few months for work purposes and personally have no chain. We are of course appreciate it's a tough time to buy at present. 

We have seen a second property in the sam area from the same EA that is on the market that will be available straightaway as it's a new home. 

Technically can we see this property and put an offer and at the same time withdraw the first offer if it gets accepted?

We have waited 4 months already for the vendors to find a home and given my work circumstances I have to move asap. 

Many Thanks 

glybera27

Sorry just to add we have made it very clear that we need to move in ASAP. So shouldn't be a total surprise to the vendors given the time frame. 

Joeyjo

What is the position of the sellers in the house you want to offer on now? 

We sold in April, we did not find anything to buy until the end of August. We looked at everything in our bracket and area that came on the market. We went to best and final offers and lost on 4 places. There is not a lot of stock in some areas and some price brackets. 

eddddy

You can certainly do what you describe.

The question is whether the EA will 'enthusiastically support you' with this.  Realistically, the EA might try to steer things in whatever direction suits them best.


For example, if they get lots of offers on the 'new' house, the EA might encourage the sellers to accept an offer from somebody else - and leave you plodding along with buying the 'old' house. That way, they hope to get 2 sales and 2 lots of commission.


Tactically, you could try suggesting that you're on the verge of walking away from the 'old' house whatever happens. So they have nothing to lose, if your offer gets accepted on the 'new' house.

glybera27

Thanks. They are allegedly looking. One other snag is that one of the vendors has declined the COVID vaccine (and actually caught COVID in the mid-summer). I have no opinion on whether someone choses to get vaccinated or not, but clearly that has also made the vendors quite scared to go and look at houses. They are looking to move to Scotland/coast but as you have all said the market is competitive at the moment. 

@eddddy: thanks. Yes this is my fear that they will block as to carry on with the current offer. The question is whether we pull out earlier i.e. prior to offering. The viewing is not until October as it's a show home but the house ticks a lot of our boxes, we've also sold our property in the last few months (we didn't need to sell to buy) but obviously now it means we can afford more. 

In an ideal world I'd like to take the original house but sadly I need to be moved in by latest end of the year and it doesn't look promising, particularly if there is a further wave of COVID. 

The new house we want to offer on is a newbuild (6 houses fairly identical) with no chain so it makes a lot of sense.  

climbthatwallseegar

I'm in your exact position and also need to move by the end of the year. I gave up on the vendor several weeks ago (almost 4 months in and still searching for an onward purchase allegedly) although my offer is still officially on the table. In my case, the EA is sending me new properties to view and has said they understand why I cannot wait around. I don't think the vendor has any intention of selling now, goodness knows why he has wasted everyone's time like this, so the EA has nothing to lose by sending other properties my way in the hope of still securing commission on a different house!

JIL

It might work in your favour? If the people do genuinely want to move it might force them into action. If it doesn't then you have an alternative. 

Thrugelmir

Have an honest conversation with the EA.  You may not be successfull in bidding for the other property and end up with nothing. Heading into what is always the quietest time of the year.  

glybera27

Thanks. @Thrugelmir and everyone else. As we've sold our flat it has opened up many more options so could theoretically go with other properties too. My feeling was to speak to the EA as you have all said and make it clear that I have to move asap for contract purposes and pull out formally in the coming weeks if nothing changes. We cannot view the new property till the open day in October in any case. It's very disappointing as I do feel the vendors are having their cake and eating it. 

74jax

It happens a lot. As an EA I've seen people offer on multiple to see which they get at the same time.

I wanted my commission. If I was waiting 4 month with no sign of the vendor moving, I'd be looking at other properties the buyer might be interested. I got paid on a house completing, not offer accepted. The office got paid on completion too.

If you then offered and completed elsewhere we miss out. We don't want that. 

glybera27

@74jax: do you mean it would be ok to offer one second with the same EA without worrying they wouldn't block our offer? Essentially the property we like is a new-build of 4 houses roughly similar. Or would be better to pull out of current offer first?