Someone placed offer without viewing!!!

masonsmum01

We started seriously house hunting a few weeks ago and as we live in a small village in the West of Scotland there isnt really much to choose from, however the Estate Agent called today to advise me a house had come on the market just a short walk away from where we currently live.

Its on the market at offers over £77,500 but the Estate Agent told me there is already an offer on the table from someone who hasnt even viewed the property, but said he doesnt think the vendor will accept the offer.

Do you think I should take that the offer was under the £77?? We are going to look at the property on Friday but what chance do you have if someone is placing an offer before viewing.:mad:

Jorgan_2

As an EA I've had mixed experiences with people offering on properties before seeing them. What happens if the person making the offer then views the property & decides they don't like it?

I would assume the offer is quite a bit below £77k. You have every chance of buying the property, don't get to hung up about the other offer and don't feel under pressure to make an offer yourself. Make sure it is the right property for you.

chappers

indeed go ahead and make your offer.Al;though the main factor money isn't the only thing vendors consider when deciding which offer to take. The vendor may be wary that the offer already made might not come to fruition and take your offer in preference.

My Dad had his house on the market for 3 years mid/late 90's trying to sell before he moved to America, he was in no hurry to move. He had it set how much he wanted for it and was unwilling to take offers. Eventually mainly due to a slight rise in the market he had three people fighting over it. All of them offered over the asking price but he sold to the couple who offered the least in the end , purely because they were cash buyers and not part of a chain.

Caz312

Problem with the Scottish offers over system is the seller will have an expectation that they will receive a certain % over the price so it does not necessarily mean the offer on the table is below £77k. Maybe they are looking for 20% over and the offer is only 10% over

merlinthehappypig

The problem is that you are up against buyers looking for second homes in the area in which you live.

The offer could easily be 20% or more over. For someone living in the South of England, for example, with a large amount of equity, an offer of £93000 will still be seen as cheap. Even if they don't like the house when they see it, they are unlikely to lose out much financially.

This doesn't help, I know, but you can't make assumptions. When we lived in Scotland it wasn't at all unusual for houses to go under offer without the buyer having seen it first. Out buyer bought ours and the first time his wife saw it was when they moved in, because of the distance involved in viewing.

Margaret_Skinner

It's possible that offer could fall through - I was advised myself when in a quandary about a flat to put in an offer before I had a second viewing because I could always withdraw it later before the contract had to be signed as nothing is legally binding before then.
Ethically I personally couldn't do that - to my mind it's 'mucking people about' - but the people who put in the first offer could be genuine, know what the property is like by some other method or just willing to take a chance if sizes of rooms are okay & it's ticking boxes in every other way.
They could also be chancing it.
I'd say go ahead - might be worth getting your solicitor to enquire about the offer from the selling solicitor- you've nothing to lose! :cool:

Suzy_M

masonsmum01 wrote: »

just a short walk away from where we currently live.

Don't know which area of Scotland you are in but without being aggressive it might be worth playing the "local homes for local people" card.

Are the owners "local" or absentee? Do you know them? Any chance the vendors would be more willing to sell to someone who would be permanently resident and not just a "commuter" / holiday home?

masonsmum01

Thanks everyone for the replies, estate agent has called back to advise the offer has not been accepted by the vendor. So hopefully we might still be lucky. Viewing the property on Monday night so wish me luck!!

bargainbarmy

You will probably have to offer over the asking price then. Wish houses were that cheap where I live !!! Good luck!

PasturesNew

bargainbarmy wrote: »

You will probably have to offer over the asking price then. Wish houses were that cheap where I live !!! Good luck!

They would be if you moved :P

But areas with cheaper houses tend to have low(er) salaries and poor(er) access to goods/services.

merlinthehappypig

PasturesNew wrote: »

They would be if you moved :P

But areas with cheaper houses tend to have low(er) salaries and poor(er) access to goods/services.

And snow, gales, heavy rain and midges on the three days in the summer that the sun comes out. (from experience). Nice scenery though to pass the time on the 80 mile round trip to the supermarket.