You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Been looking for ages for a property we like, finally something's come on the market that we're 90% happy with and we've put an offer in and had this accepted (yesterday). We're just waiting for the agent to send through the vendors solicitors details to start the ball rolling, however:
Today there's been a property come to market that we know fits the bill 100% - would be tempted to have a look, and put an offer in. Only problem is this feels just a little bit un-ethical, but a bigger problem is that this new property is listed with the same agent that's selling the property we've just had our offer accepted on. Can't see the agent being too happy to show us round somehow?
Arghh - not an ideal situation, what to do?
Talk to the agent.
If I were them (and the vendor) I'd rather you withdrew and offer now than waiting 3 weeks and doing it anyway 'cos you decided it wasn't quite for you.
They'll get commission on both sales, whichever one is to you...
Do it. It is the biggest investment of your life, you have to make the best decision for you.
And don't feel even a little bit guilty.
You need a disguise.
[img] https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRJ6Q-nOyL_SUidhad2KsCO9l8NhIE5z7viN43NeFW-muVB68UeQw [/img]
Okay, but what will he look like with the disguise on?
No it's not unethical. Its how the UK process works, you've made an offer, its not binding
Withdraw the offer! You can't move into a new place with a load of "what-ifs" hanging over you..
[i]Estate agents[/i]
[i]unethical[/i]
Can't see an issue!
I'd go and look at the other place before you withdraw the offer.
Isn't the agent likely to get the hump, refuse to show us round and get the impression that we're time wasters or just too fickle to be reliable buyers?
Don't worry, I already have my disguise sorted:
[img] 
[/img]
Just tell the agent - what else can you do?
Turn it round the other way, how would you feel if you were the seller of the place you've put an offer in on?
It might not be illegal but definitely serious bell-end behaviour. Worrying that some people use the law as a yard stick of what's moral or not.
Nothing's certain on either side until you've exchanged. They could pull out of the sale, the chain could fall over at some point, you could find out some nasties in the searches, realise that next door has weekday early morning raves..
You SHOULD continue looking, it's the right thing to do. Agents can't complain.
If you find somewhere that you prefer, you need to get round it and move on it ASAP so the agent can get the other place back on the market.
Be open and honest, and everything will work out lovely.
Good luck!
Isn't the agent likely to get the hump, refuse to show us round and get the impression that we're time wasters or just too fickle to be reliable buyers?
they'd take another offer on the first place in a heartbeat if they thought it meant more commission.
It might not be illegal but definitely serious bell-end behaviour.
No it isn't. He has got to be happy with the house he is buying and if the alternative is 100% perfect he would be mad to pass up the opportunity just to appease somebody that he will probably never meet ever again.
One thing.
Either withdraw the offer or don't. Keeping it as a 'backup' house whilst you look at other stuff really isn't fair.
I'd be pee'd off but understand if an offer was withdrawn 24 hours after being made but to think for weeks the seller was serious when my house was their fall-back position would upset me.
Happens all the time, view the second place and then decide. I'd not withdraw the first offer until after the second house viewing.
But given the estate agent is the same, it might be tricky so he needs to come clean with them one way or another.
Can you afford both? If not then seriously think about how serious you are about house 1 and go see 2 anyway.
I do like that you are worried about offending an estate agent - they are estate agents ffs, one step up from traffic wardens and just below UKIP campaigners on the pecking order surely?
Estate Agents? Morals?
PWHAHAHAHAHAHA!
They'd sell their on mother to get a sale. They wont give a shit what you buy, as long as you buy from them.
I'd be upfront and honest. If they don't like it, too bad.
SMELL MY MONEY BITCH!
We have a completion date agreed and we are still viewing property with the same agent.
Presently selling and, given we're taking days i'd be ok about it, I'd be peeved if it were five weeks down the line just before exchange. That does happen, it's how the market works as said but I'd not be happy if it happens to me (we're a long time down the line with ours now but still nothing set), it's the way you do it and the time and effort invested in both sides, at the moment that is all of about nil
Can't you just be honest and say that you've seen this other property come on the market and that you need to go and see it just to put your minds at rest, before you crack on with the process on the first one?
Can't see many estate agents having a problem with that? They'll still get their commish whichever house you choose?
As long as you don't dick people about and make a decision quickly, then what's the problem.
On the other hand if you aren't 100% sure about the house you are buying then perhaps you should pull out anyway?
Oh, unless this new house is north of the border in soon-to-be-Salmondshire, in which case pulling out may be more difficult - I think the offer has legal implications of the house is up there.
how would you feel if you were the seller of the place you've put an offer in on?
Bit weird, making an offer on your own house, no?
As said above, you need to be as near to 100% as you can get so if the 1st place isn't right, withdraw your offer.
Totally ethical.
You haven't withdrawn multiple offers all over the shop
Nobody has spent any money yet
No timescale for exchange and completion
View and then decide but let the agent know what you are doing and why.
Unethical is pulling out the day before exchange without so much as an apology which happened to us after we had spent out on survey, mortgage arrangement fees and even measured and ordered flooring
As it's with the same agent, you have to be up-front if you want to view the property.
If you ask to view it without withdrawing your offer, don't be surprised if the agent tells the seller and they put the property back on the market!
In this market, if you withdraw the offer the house will resell in days. The problem is that you don't know that you can get an offer accepted on the new house (or that it's really as good as the listing suggests). Therefore, you could be shooting yourself in the foot.
Loads more variables here than just morals. I'd be asking myself whether 90% is enough justification to buy a house irrespective of what else comes on the market. FWIW 90% may be plenty in your current situation, if you only want to keep this house for then next 5 years - perfect is the house after this one. If this purchase is the family home until the kids go to uni, then it's a different equation.
Aye, it's not exactly like you're a long way down the line of buying
My seller withdrew from the sale on the day of completion. The day after we moved into a house in the same road, the original house went back on the market. It sold for £25K less than we had agreed to pay.
You have no legally binding contract. Do what you want.
At this stage it's not cost anyone any money or effort so move on. Sure they might have theoretically lost out on one day's worth of interest since you offered but they certainly haven't lost anything of substance. The EA will only care about what makes them the most money for the least effort.
You dont want to pull out yet.
Best check that this new house really is 100% first. Go round there, weigh up the pros n cons of both and make your choice the next morning. As long as you don't take a week to decide all is fair at this early stage I'd say.
And dont worry about the estate agent.... either way he gets to sell a house.
TiRed - MemberMy seller withdrew from the sale on the day of completion. The day after we moved into a house in the same road, the original house went back on the market. It sold for £25K less than we had agreed to pay.
You have no legally binding contract. Do what you want.
So great to see such a tosser coming unstuck to the tune of £25k. The day of completion FFS 😆 weapons grade bell-end
Just talk to the agent. Explain the issue and I am sure they will agree that you should view the other house ASAP and if you like it and get an offer accepted then you will pull out.
The seller of the house you have been accepted on never needs to know the full story. People pull out of houses all along and the estate agent will want to please you just as much as them as they want to make a sale. If you are not 100% on the current house an see something else with another agent and pull out in a week or more then he will lose out more.
We made an offer for a flat in Edinburgh many years ago. The seller hummed and haa'd, but didn't (at the time) accept. We subsequently discovered there was building work notices on the block, and withdrew our offer. Our solicitor was a bit "oh !" about it but I didn't see a /real/ problem.
I think if an offer has been accepted, in Scotland, it's still not binding but it's a bit off. In England, you folks do things differently so all bets are off.
Great advice from everyone here, the first property we'd be more than happy to carry on and buy, it's just this one would be the icing on the cake and from the looks of it would need almost no work doing to it.
I'm wondering whether to get the agent involved at all - the 2nd property is just around the corner from me so may just pop round tonight and see the vendor direct, view the property (or if it's not convenient for them pop back at a time when it is convenient). If we like it as much as we think then we can take it forward from there, if not nothing lost and the agent never finds out we were wavering on the first property. Sound reasonable?
Not unethical at all to view and not that big a deal to withdraw after only 24 hours.
They will be disappointed but no one is out of pocket.
FWIW i would feel bad doing it but living in a house that was not perfect would make me feel worse than being a bit of **** to someone else
It is your call but the right house is pretty important
View before you withdraw as well as you may not like it.
You need a disguise.
Or....
My mums next-door neighbours had their house sold, a chain of 6 behind them ready to move. Removal lorry even turns up ready to pack and load their belongings and presumably theres an empty house somewhere ready for them to move in to...... and after a while the removal men come and knock on my mums door to find out where they are. They'd just xxxxed the whole thing off and gone on holiday
Nothing unethical about it, if you are a dick it might come back to bite you on the arse (eg you end up buying the original house). Probably not a bad idea to be honest with the agent/owner, but everyone knows an offer is not legally binding.
agent007, going direct sounds reasonable, but I really think you're worrying way too much about something you don't need to worry about at all. As loads of people have said, keeping your options open is utterly sensible and utterly commonplace.
If the offer has been accepted by the vendor, what the agent thinks of you doesn't really matter. He's not going to go back the vendor and recommend they pull out because he's got a funny feeling about you, is he? How ridiculous does that sound? 😀
And if you're really worried about the agent thinking you're being underhand, going round the houses (eh!? eh!?) is going to look worse if it gets back to the agent.
Having said that, "I was passing, saw the sign and knocked on the off-chance" is pretty inoffensive if you want to play it that way.
If they're not in, call the agent and arrange a viewing.
Not unethical at all! Honest and straightforward to do it now rather than later!
2 Questions spring to mind .
1 Why did you put in an offer on a house you were only 90% happy with ?
2 Are you sure that you are 100% happy with this other place ?
If what you say is correct then definitely buy the second property and don't worry about causing a little bit of upset . It is the biggest purchase you are ever likely to make so it is quite important to get it right .
View other house first. If 100% put offer in. Youd need sectioning to go with a 90% house!!!!
They'd just xxxxed the whole thing off and gone on holiday
They had completed it sounds like, or at least exchanged. Must have cost them a lot to sort that all out?
Only 24 or so hours after an offer, yes, withdraw it. Nobody has spent any money yet. The seller may be disappointed, but they haven't lost anything yet, except an offer that may or may not have turned in to a sale.
Don't worry about the estate agent, they are akin to the scum on the dog turd on a tramps boot.
Boot on the other foot, seller excepts an offer, buyer starts the process, searches, solicitors etc. costing the buyer, about to sign contracts, seller dicides to take the house off the market. Buyer £1000 out of pocket. 3 months later the house is back on the market. She would have been happy to wait.
Happened to my SiL. I did offer the use of my Bombers and my full bladder.
Youd need sectioning to go with a 90% house!!!!
Depends why it is '90%'.
We bought a house that is probably 80% - too modern for us but it had absolutely everything else we wanted (4 beds, two bathrooms + downstairs loo, large and fully enclosed garden, double garage, end of cul-de-sac, quiet area, close to preferred primary school etc etc). It would have cost us another 50% to get all that in a lovely old stone-built character house so we compromised.
You'd be amazed just how disappointing it is for the seller 🙁