Meaning of estate agents text

aslon

Hi,

Have been looking to buy a house now for 5 months...anyway, had enquired about a house in clonsilla a couple of weeks ago and estate agent just got back in touch with the following text...
"you expressed an interest in (2 houses). I have a block viewing arranged for Tuesday next 16th April @13.00. Only if you are in finance or loan approved need you attend as the properties will sell on the day"...

Do you think he means he will accept the highest offer on the day or is he just hyping it up?

Lingua Franca

Both, I should think. It depends on how many people he has viewing it.

I'm not in Ireland but when viewing houses we had estate agents telling us their houses were going to sell fast and they then stayed on the websites for months. Even for the house we did eventually buy we were told by the estate agent showing us around that it had attracted a lot of interest and they were expecting lots of asking price offers - we ended up getting 15% off the asking price with his help as he realised that they weren't going to get a better offer.

aslon

Well we know we can't take time off work to view the house - so it's a very specific market he is aiming at? cash buyers? we are guessing most people getting a mortgage will have day jobs...
I wasn't sure what way to take the text - as factual or hype..if we knew an offer would be accepted for sure by the end of the day we would attend the viewing - going to ring him tomorrow to clarify...

Lingua Franca

Are you pre approved for a mortgage? It looks more like "no time wasters please" to me.

aslon

Yep we are pre-approved..all good to go, just need the house. We have made offers before but the house always stays on the market for a couple of extra weeks and we always get outbid (even with offering the asking price.) - so it would be great if we got an answer if it was ours on the day...

ABajaninCork

This is done to weed out the 'tyre kickers' and nosy parkers who just want to look at the house.

If anybody was serious about buying, then I would imagine they'd arrange for a second or even third viewing before bidding. I would only go if finance is in place.

aslon

True - the EA can't expect someone to make an offer after 1 viewing so they would expect to arrange a second viewing so it's not realistic to expect it to sell on the day - which should mean he might arrange another viewing out of work hours...we hope! so we can pretty much rule out it 'being sold on the day'...
Thanks all.

killers1

aslon wrote: »

Hi,

Have been looking to buy a house now for 5 months...anyway, had enquired about a house in clonsilla a couple of weeks ago and estate agent just got back in touch with the following text...
"you expressed an interest in (2 houses). I have a block viewing arranged for Tuesday next 16th April @13.00. Only if you are in finance or loan approved need you attend as the properties will sell on the day"...

Do you think he means he will accept the highest offer on the day or is he just hyping it up?

The EA is saying don't bother turning up if you are not a cash buyer or don't have mortgage approval in place as they are expecting the property to sell and will be looking to sell to someone who can provide evidence that they can complete the purchase.

aslon

Thanks Killers1 - I was just wondering whether there would be another chance for a viewing, in my experience the agents keep the houses on for as long as possible...and to say it would sell on the day didn't sound right...

killers1

aslon wrote: »

Thanks Killers1 - I was just wondering whether there would be another chance for a viewing, in my experience the agents keep the houses on for as long as possible...and to say it would sell on the day didn't sound right...

They just want to discourage time-wasters from turning up. If the EA thinks you might be looking to put in the highest bid they will be more than willing to facilitate a second viewing.

aslon

Thanks - I meant another 'first' viewing as we can't make Tuesday lunch time due to work....he knows us from a few other houses so hopefully he will know by now that we are serious...

killers1

aslon wrote: »

Thanks - I meant another 'first' viewing as we can't make Tuesday lunch time due to work....he knows us from a few other houses so hopefully he will know by now that we are serious...

Give him a call tomorrow to confirm but I'm sure he'll be willing to facilitate you if he thinks you are serious and it might secure a higher price for the property.

aslon

Thanks killers1 - I think a phone call is best next action - thanks a million.

the_syco

aslon wrote: »

Thanks killers1 - I think a phone call is best next action - thanks a million.

Just ensure you include the line "subject to my surveyor" when you say you'll buy it. If he doesn't like this, run a mile, as the only reason that I can think of someone not wanting a surveyor is if there's something wrong with the house.