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Is this a new tactic for UK buyers?


Guest The Cutches

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Guest The Cutches
Posted

Hi All,

 

Still no luck on the house sale, just waiting to hear from a viewing we had on Sat so fingers crossed. Anyway... at the start of Dec we had a phone call from our Estate Agent saying that a couple had looked at our house (on paper) and wanted to know, even before viewing it, whether we would drop the price by £30k. We said no but they decided they wanted to view it anyway. After 1 viewing with the agent and a 2nd with us (where they left us looking after their baby, whilst they walked around nosing in kitchen cupboards and wardrobes!) they went back to the estate agent and put in an offer £15k lower than the figure we originally rejected! We were gobsmacked by the cheek of these people and thought it was a one off.

 

However, last week the agent phoned us again, this time saying that someone had seen the house (again, on paper) and wanted to know if we would drop £30k. Again we said no and this person has now booked to view the house next Saturday.

 

We find this really strange as it is not something that we would think of doing. Has this happened to anyone else? We thought it might be some new tactic that UK buyers have adopted with the current housing market being in a bit of a state. I can understand buyers wanting to shortlist before viewing but surely if the asking price isn't in your range then why bother? :unsure:

 

CC

x

Posted

Never heard of this, our house not on market until March this year.

 

But this country is full of P*** takers, thats for sure !

 

Good luck lets hope there are a few decent people out there that do the honourable thing and pay up !

Guest claire&fred
Posted

That is just blatantly called taking the pi**. It really riles me when people assume they can do that. Even if a house has been on for a long, long time a reduction of that size is just ridiculous. Some buyers are arrogant and think that the seller is so stupid that they will accept their offer. We have many smug buyers come in and put a stupid offer on a house that has not been on long. I have great pleasure in telling them it won't be accepted and when they get the ar** I tell them we are on the seller's side and we are there to get the seller the best price.

 

Hope you get a decent buyer with a respectable price soon.

 

 

Claire

Guest billy braveheart
Posted

chase them!!! tell the estate agent that if they are not going to bid even close to the value price then you wont be wasting your time letting them view,

some people have a right brass neck

billy

Posted

Do the estate agents know you are looking to emigrate?? If so is there a possibility that they might be tipping the potential buyers about it so they make ridiculous offer because they think you are in a rush to sell at any price!??

 

There has been other threads on here where some sellers have been let down by estate agents trying to make a quick sale by passing on "confidential" info to sellers about ther circumstances behind the reasons to sell.

 

Just a thought if a pattern is developing?

Posted

Tell your estate agent not to phone you up asking if you'd reduce it my £30k and not to waste your time, and that you will consider reasonable not stupid offers. - I too wondered if this is your estate agent as never heard of this before

 

Ali

Guest jonny.co@tiscali.co.uk
Posted

hi, we are also about to put our house on the market, tipped off from a friend not to tell the estate agent that we are emigrating,as far as they know we are moving down south, blah blah blah! A good friend of ours mistakenly told an estate agent they were emigrating, and,just like you,:arghh::arghh: people were coming with ridiculous offers, thinking they were desperate to sell. my advice would be, get another estate agent, and dont tell them of your plans, it has nothing to do with them anyway, they are only there to sell your house, good luck!

Guest homer and marge
Posted

At least your agent rings you I have to chase mine all the time. when I walk in their shop you can feel the shaking Ha ha (I'm a right old hag).

 

The agent is the one taking the P**s he should tel them to come back when they have a proper offer. Remember the agent works for you so if your not happy tell them. there are lots of agents out there so you have to play 1 off against the other.

 

Hope your house sells soon if not change your agent.

 

Marge x:err:

Guest Ian&Lou
Posted

We decided to tell our agent we were moving up north rather than to Oz. I've heard so many stories of buyers pulling out just before exchanging contracts and then saying they will only complete if the price is dropped!!

 

Going to call our agents tomorrow as we've not had a single viewing since the beginning of December and I'm starting to wonder what we are paying them for!

 

Lou

Posted

I agree they are probably pulling a fast one coz they've heard you're moving to oz! We too are trying to sell our house and I tried really hard not to mention our move to our estate agent but I tripped myself up! Oh well - time will tell!

Good luck to everyone trying to sell their homes - fingers crossed the market will pick up soon!

Jo x

Posted

Can't see the problem, its called negotiation. You can enter into it or not?

 

I would never think that an estate agent is acting on my behalf. From the agents point of view you are one of a group of customers of which some must sell their houses each month in order to maintain the business cash flow (or employee bonus). The price you actually get is not that relevant to the business as the 'winners and losers' are averaged out over time.

Posted

I suppose it is what is termed a 'buyers market' at the moment.

 

Not too sure if it is only the south that is experiencing this problem - the south being England as a whole.

We are not putting our house on the market until we have been granted our visa but I know that where I stay, houses are only on the market for a matter of weeks before they are snapped up.

Knowing our luck, when the time comes to sell, we will experience the problems that you are having.

 

Good luck and I hope a GENUINE buyer comes through the door soon.

 

Gill

Guest The Cutches
Posted
Can't see the problem, its called negotiation. You can enter into it or not?

 

I would never think that an estate agent is acting on my behalf. From the agents point of view you are one of a group of customers of which some must sell their houses each month in order to maintain the business cash flow (or employee bonus). The price you actually get is not that relevant to the business as the 'winners and losers' are averaged out over time.

 

I guess everyone judges situations like this by their own standards. I wouldn't insult anyone by trying to knock them down before even setting foot in the property. Personally I think it is a very negative approach to 'negotiation'.

Guest oz migration
Posted

Hi

 

Unfortunately these are opportunists tactics and your agent is not helping and obviously just wants the sale - 30 K less to them is not an issue.

 

Perhaps to even up the stakes (if you have not signed an exclusive) have another estate agent or threaten to have another represent you and ensure no mention of migration - you are simple moving and wish to get the best offer in a reasonable time frame.

 

If the buyer wishes to lower the price (realistic offer) then place a condition on them (settle withon 30/60 days or the price is X etc).

 

Kind regards

 

Chris

Posted

Hi all fellow house-sellers!

 

Things have picked up since Christmas and we have had a few viewings on our house and two offers - both reasonable ones. We did tell one couple we were going to Australia and they said they had viewed another house where the owner was emigrating! What does that tell you!

 

Anyway, I digress as usual but the people making the offers for our house haven't sold their own houses yet - one couple who made an offer hadn't even got theirs on the market! So sometimes you wonder if people just look at houses and make offers for the fun of it! However, I am sure our houses will sell eventually - just might be in for a long wait.

We decided to book a trip in April to validate our visas and then at least we don't have to be in the position of accepting a drop in asking price because people think we are in a rush to emigrate! :wub: But it looks like the British press are trying their best to talk the housing market into a crash! :cry:

 

Love to all trying to sell! Keep plumping those cushions and hoovering them carpets!

 

Love Gill, Phil and Harry

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