Property Buying - Protocol

[Londonsays]

Hello all. I would like the advice from people who have bought properties in the last 5 years or so. I am a first time buyer. I have been looking at various properties online and for the ones which tick all of the right boxes, I've been emailing the agent and simply saying I have seen the details and I would like to make an offer of XXX amount, usually above the asking price.

I am finding that the estate agents aren't responding to my emails, even with new listings. I am wondering if, as a first time buyer and I may not understand the etiquette that my offers aren't being taken seriously. I'm really not bothered about spending time viewing, as I plan on decorating and refurbishing to my taste and I can live with any problems no matter how major, as long as it ticks three boxes:- is a house, not a flat | has a garden | is in the location I want.

What was the first step you took in buying your house? Thanks for your replies.

We completed on our first home 3 weeks ago although the process did take 6 months because things were held up due to stamp duty, Covid and 2 solicitors going on long term sick.

We made our offer via our mortgage broker. She done all the negotiating on our behalf.

I think the estate agents preferred this.

 

[LennyBriscoe]

I have no problem with estate agents personally I'm sure some are lovely and as I said earlier I am willing to put up with the rude ones until the sale goes through. You are right we all have to go through things in life we don't like. The ones I've spoken to so far have not been very helpful and I know people on this thread work with estate agents so I gather they don't consider it important to gain my respect as I am the customer not the client. I'll just have to bite my tongue. It's the culture of treating buyers like insignificants I don't like (another Tattler had her emails ignored too), no problem with an individual who choses to be an estate agent.

I think a mod should close this thread now to avoid things getting heated and personal.

If you want to close it just hit report and ask them to do it and they will. Good luck

 

[Kim Mild]

Thanks all. I do have an Agreement In Principle, I mentioned this to one seller but onl really to bulk out the Email. I'll be sure to mention this in future. I don't think I could bear an auction, getting so close and losing it. I find it anxiety inducing seeing all of these properties I like and knowing that they could slip through my fingers, this is why I want to put offers in straight away. Interesting point about there being nobody in the office, they should say so on their website if this is the case. The buyer is the customer and shouldn't have to go chasing as if applying for a job.

The auctions in our local area were online bids , so basically you typed an offer in and if someone did a higher offer , you increased yours before the deadline ( I never bought at auction, although I did consider an auction property)

Edit - I would only go above the asking price on a regular sale if it said " offers over". Otherwise asking price or a bit below, but make it clear to the agent you would be able to increase should someone else make a higher offer

 

[Isanythingrealanymore]

Good luck. It’ll be a long process and I doubt you will move this year. But I hope it goes well for you in the long run.

 

[Kim Mild]

I think some people are being a bit harsh to @Gloria Rostron . They don't take into account how someone is perceived on an anonymous Internet forum when deciding who is eligible for a mortgage.
My experience of house buying during covid restrictions is that everything is pretty much done via email, with the occasional phone call. Apart from viewing my house, I never met anyone in person during the whole buying process till I collected the keys ,and these were handed over in the street as I showed the estate agent my proof of id. I'm sure experience of buying pre-pandemic had a lot more dealings in person..
It also isn't abnormal to thing that problems can be solved by throwing money at them.

It's because I am worried about someone else offering above the asking price and beating me to the post. It's a long story with my current property, basically I'm 26, lived here all my life with my mother and my siblings, mother died 5 years ago, we ended up with the house, my siblings been talking about moving for years but I only agreed about a year ago, my brother now has a partner and a baby and needs more space , my house is falling apart and uncle has offered to buy it (he's family hence it won't matter if we can't move out for a few months). The thing is my family have no motivation to get stuff done so I just think If we don't get it done now, it will never get done. Nothing ever gets sorted with my family lol.

Are you buying alone , a house for yourself or is your family moving with you?

 

[Be More Pacific]

I wasn't aiming anything negatively about you... I was just talking about how I have come across clueless people in my job...

I don't think "daily property programmes" are the best example of how to learn about the conveyancing process either. They don't create a realistic view at all.

Realistic, no - but you do get a rudimentary idea of the basics.

 

[Giggling Squid]

If you don’t have the full cash in your own bank account, as cash not a loan you won’t be a cash buyer. The mortgage goes from your bank, to your solicitor to the sellers solicitor and then either to a bank or the seller.

I’d suggest speaking to a mortgage advisor to understand What you’re actually able to afford

 

[Gloria Rostron]

I am currently in the process of buying my first property,I found that E.A. did not respond to emails so ended up calling and requesting viewings.

It's rather rude, isn't it? We are the customer at the end of the day and common courtesy should apply. Thanks for sharing. I'll try calling tomorrow.

 

[Londonsays]

Oh wow! I didn't know they could do this! And of course the mortgage broker works for you, so you don't have to put up with any arsey estate agents. Did your MB arrange a viewing or did you just buy based on the details in the listing?

We arranged the viewing ourselves but because it was during lockdown we had to provide proof we were serious so we had to email over our mortgage offer and proof of our deposit.

I really recommend having a mortgage broker. She helped us a lot along the way and especially dealing with the solicitors.

Unless it’s an auction I doubt an estate agent would take someone seriously who offers without viewing. It’s just not how things are normally done.

 

[Gloria Rostron]

We completed on our first home 3 weeks ago although the process did take 6 months because things were held up due to stamp duty, Covid and 2 solicitors going on long term sick.

We made our offer via our mortgage broker. She done all the negotiating on our behalf.

I think the estate agents preferred this.

Oh wow! I didn't know they could do this! And of course the mortgage broker works for you, so you don't have to put up with any arsey estate agents. Did your MB arrange a viewing or did you just buy based on the details in the listing?

 

[Gloria Rostron]

I knew the first step was to get a mortgage and I have looked at mortgage repayment calculators on said Google but I wasn't sure why my emails to estate agents were being ignored and I have found the advice from some people in this thread most helpful. Blimey, Kirstie and Phil make it look so easy.

 

[Magee]

Recently sold a new build bought off plan and currently buying an older house; the homeowners alliance website is fantastic for explaining a lot. We missed a lot of the usual process buying straight from a developer, no estate agent, no bids or mass viewings, so had to learn all the etiquette! Definitely ring and register you interest, get on the mailing list as you’ll see these before they go to the general market. Get your docs and agreement prepared! Good luck x

 

[Wowitsme]

This thread took a turn … and I’m so here for it

With your suitcase?

 

[WilmaHun]

Sorry to hear you are having a long wait. My neighbour's property has had a "Sold STC" sign outside it for a long time now, so it sounds like they are having problems with their probate. I'll look out for the STC when I am viewing properties. I hope to be out of my current house before the weather turns colder and the mice start coming back in .

STC simply means "subject to contract'" - so not necessarily meaning probate just that the sale has not yet gone through yet (ie: going through the conveyancing process)

Hope you find somewhere soon!

 

[disneys]

Thanks, I'll have a look now. I don't have an account on there but will give it a whirl.

I don’t think you need an account , it’s an article from Martin Lewis

you clearly need to do a lot of research on buying a house and that article is very thorough

 

[Be More Pacific]

Trust me, as someone who actually works in the industry, there's a lot of clueless people out there who have no idea where to look for any kind of financial advice. There genuinely are people out there who wouldn't think to google it and find websites such as the one you've mentioned. I see it daily with FTB

Actually worked in the industry myself for 24 years including way before daily property programmes and the internet.

Like I said, she knew enough to get the AIP and watches Location, Location, Location but didn't know you need a solicitor?! Come on!!!

 

[standupsitdown]

It’s all very odd, can’t quite figure it out.

 

[Gloria Rostron]

Hello all. I would like the advice from people who have bought properties in the last 5 years or so. I am a first time buyer. I have been looking at various properties online and for the ones which tick all of the right boxes, I've been emailing the agent and simply saying I have seen the details and I would like to make an offer of XXX amount, usually above the asking price.

I am finding that the estate agents aren't responding to my emails, even with new listings. I am wondering if, as a first time buyer and I may not understand the etiquette that my offers aren't being taken seriously. I'm really not bothered about spending time viewing, as I plan on decorating and refurbishing to my taste and I can live with any problems no matter how major, as long as it ticks three boxes:- is a house, not a flat | has a garden | is in the location I want.

What was the first step you took in buying your house? Thanks for your replies.

 

[Giggling Squid]

I saw that too. I think she was saying she’d never be humble as she was a Tattler.

And then someone called her a bellend

Hahahahaha I missed that bit!

 

[Gloria Rostron]

Just to say from the offset, I can’t stand estate agents, but you have to keep them sweet to get viewings etc. Play the game and be nice, if you act difficult there is a lot of demand out there and they will move to the next person. You aren’t the customer in all of this their client is the seller who will provide them a fee.

You're right. I think I'll have to bite my tongue and arse lick. Then when I get the house, leave the estate agency a bad review.