Making an offer on a property unseen

strawberry

I've been looking at a property for a relative who wants to make an offer on it but the estate agent is refusing to accept an offer unless the couple see it themselves (and wants both to view). The agent is also being difficult about accommodating viewings (neither of them live in Dublin where they are trying to buy).

Any views on whether this is usual practice or is something funny going on?

ElitesTeam

Estate agent is right. That's silly carry on.

o1s1n

Potentially the biggest purchase of their lives and they won't go to look at it in person? That's crazy.

Smee_Again

If there's someone living in the house then it is they who decide when viewings can take place so its not necessarily the agent being difficult.

As for not accepting a bit from people who haven't seen the house, makes sense to me. Pictures can only do so much and if it went sale agreed there's a chance they'd pull out once they do see it.

SteM

Don't think he'd view them as serious buyers without them seeing the property first tbh. From his point of view they're likely to pull out of the sale if they found something they'd disliked when they finally saw it, which would lead to more work for him. It's safer for him and the sellers to go with someone that had seen it and is happy to put in an offer.

strawberry

Thanks all. Various family members have been to see it but I guess he thinks it is not enough. Seems odd to me as it is standard practice in some countries to buy off plan but guess everywhere is different.

Bass Reeves

I would report him to the body that oversees auctioneers, loads of people put bids on property through a solicitor and auctioneers accept them. Email him the bid, if he refuses to accept it send one in through a solicitor.

I suspect he has a regular investor couple interested in it. During the crash loads of people bought property without viewing it

artanevilla

He probably just sees them as timewasters.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122508896#Comment_122508896

that is not his call.

Deeec

I agree with the estate agent. He has no idea who he is dealing with or if they are serious buyers. The estate agent will also give a briefing on the potential buyers circumstances to the seller. I cant see the seller being interested in someone who has no interest in viewing the property themselves and potentially lives abroad which could lead to delays in the buying process.

Also I wouldnt like to be in your shoes recommending houses for your relative. You could tell them what to buy based on your taste and they end up hating it! I love my family but no way would I trust them to pick a house for me to buy without me seeing it in reality. Tell them to get themselves to Dublin to house hunt if they're serious about buying.

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122508903#Comment_122508903

It may be the instruction from the seller.

RichardAnd

Back in the lockdown days, there was the rule of "no viewings until sale agreed". We can presume that a great many sales fell through after the "buyer" was finally allowed to see what they were buying, and that's a headache for the EA and the seller.

SteM

Remember the EA works for the seller, not potential buyers. We don't know what instruction he got from the seller or what professional advice he has given them in private.

He may have advised the seller not to accept bids from couples that hadn't seen the property based on past bad experiences, it's up to the seller to decide who they want to deal with. If it's a property that's going to sell easily then they're right to go with the safest bet imo.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122508809#Comment_122508809

what are the IAVI going to do? it's a reasonable condition on sale - and there's no legal requirement to accept bids from any or all people.

i'm not surprised by the EA's stance either - less scope for 'oh we didn't realise that…' if they've seen the property before bidding.

FWIW over 20 years ago we tried to complain about an estate agent to the IAVI. they didn't quite seem to understand the concept of a complaint.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122508809#Comment_122508809

I very much doubt there is an unconditional requirement for EAs to accept bids from anyone. Not accepting bids from someone who refuses to even view a property first would seem entirely reasonable. In fact, there is a reasonable chance such bids would drive up the price for others before the bidder finally views, and possibly withdraws from the process.

Who spends hundreds of thousands of Euro sight unseen?

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509028#Comment_122509028

Are you sure? I bought my current house during the Covid pandemic and went to a little under 50 viewings during the process. Went sale agreed in Summer 2021, so would have attended viewings from January 2021.

The only restrictions during those viewings was it was one couple in the house at a time and not to touch anything under any circumstances.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509122#Comment_122509122

I think you are missing the point being made, rather than about whether viewings were allowed, I suspect it was more about buyers bidding on properties before viewing, then pulling out when they laid eyes on the property. This is likely to be the reason why the EA told the buyer in the op to jog on when they tried to bid without even seeing the house.

whatnext

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122506934#Comment_122506934

I didnt view the house I'm currently living in. Got my parents had a look for me as I was overseas. Most places I've bought were off plans so there was nothing to see. In fact the only properties I've ever viewed was when I was renting. Once the surveyor is happy I'm happy.

Hairy123

Can you get a couple of friends to view the house & just get them to give the names of the people who want to buy it.

suvigirl

Pretty sure if they said they were investors, the estate agent wouldn't have an issue taking a bid from them.

I'd definitely complain about this, if I was the couple wanting to make a bid

elperello

Where do the prospective buyers live ?

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509271#Comment_122509271

again, though, complain to who? unless it's part of a code of conduct or written down somewhere, the EA is free to reject a bid they don't think is sincere.

Bass Reeves mentioned bidding through a solicitor - that at least would show commitment as it would cost money to do so and would be an indicator they are serious.

RichardAnd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509122#Comment_122509122

I was told multiple times that there were no viewings. This changed around May 2021 when they would allow viewing with restrictions as you point out. However, for the first part of 2021, most EAs didn't allow viewings with only some exceptions. I guess you just had more reasonable EAs and sellers.

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509271#Comment_122509271

You're "pretty sure" based on what exactly? You're just fabricating a scenario so you can get worked up about something. You don't even know who the EA is for goodness sake.

Kurooi

Time wasters , the EA is right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509271#Comment_122509271

The regulatory body can’t make a vendor/EA accept a bid if the condition of accepting the bid is the buyer must view the property first.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509374#Comment_122509374

I'm not at all worked up.

But I have bid against people who had never seen the property we were bidding on. Twice in fact. I don't care who the EA is

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509507#Comment_122509507

If your posting the OP complain (without even knowing who to complain to) then you're worked up.

Your experience means nothing to the EA in question or the sellers past experience in the market.

magicbastarder

i once bid on a house, to be told it had gone sale agreed - i (exasperatedly) told the EA 'you knew i was interested in the house and was intending on placing a bid!' and his response was 'yes, but i also knew you were getting married at the same time so we went with the person less likely to be distracted'.

spaceHopper

The view the house go sale agreed price is set done. If the survey finds anything they might open up the price again.

They don’t view the house, go sale agreed, price is set. Time passes, then they eventually view the house deicide it’s not for them or they over paid…..

Which would you deal with, which is in the best interests of the client.

etuzyuk

Understand your frustration, buying can be a frustrating process but the day you buy is the day you sell, so no harm to be dealing with uber conscientious professionals. That goes for your solicitor too, you want them to go through everything with a fine comb but that does not always help with you wanting the contracts signed ASAP. But it's the only way to go.

Just to clarify as well, you said multiple family member have viewed it. Was that multiple viewings or just the one viewing with a big group? How was the EA? Was there a good rapport or were they curt, in and out, seem disinterested? Plus I don't understand exactly why the buyer can't just go look at it. You said EA was being difficult. Maybe they have the same opinion of you if you cannot get the buyer to come.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509519#Comment_122509519

🤣 no I'm not at all worked up

The last property I rented had never been seen by my landlord either, ever. So happens regularly.

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509670#Comment_122509670

Again, your past experience mean nothing to this EA or the seller.

Who should the OP complain to by the way? What exact rules are being broken?

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509699#Comment_122509699

I never said rules were broken. You can complain about things without rules being broken. I think perhaps you have a bias about this type of thing. I'm not arguing with you.

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509832#Comment_122509832

Complain to who about what?

There is no argument to be made to be honest, you just wanted to complain for the sake of it.

Who will I complain to? Don't know.

What exactly am I complaining about? Don't know.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509865#Comment_122509865

Pretty sure the OP and the potential buyers would be the people who know those answers.

We’d all like to think complaints have merit, complaining to a regulatory body because the EA/vendor won’t consider an offer from someone who hasn’t viewed the property, would seem to be complaining for the sake of complaining. Life would be a struggle for anyone who was so easily upset.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122509053#Comment_122509053

It depends if it the vendors condition of sale, it may be the auctioneer going on a solo run to benefit a regular buyer who is an investor or he may have someone he knows interested in it.

The IAVI is not the regulator for auctioneers its there representative body. The National Property Services Regulatory Authority is there actual regulator. You probably would be send to them by the IAVI.

The frst thing OP needs to ascertain from the auctioneers is that he has received those instructions from the vendor and that the instructions are absolute. He can make a complaint to the NPSRA then who would check with the vendor to make sure t6gat these were his instructions.

Another option for the OP is to go onto the Landdirect site get a copy of the property folio if it is available and contact the vendor directly. The folio copy costs less than a tenner

https://g.co/kgs/DJyLkc8

Yes maybe it's the vendor instructions and everything is above board. However it would not be the first auctioneers to do a solo run that suits them.

By the way I have nothing against auctioneers but OP has every right to follow through if that is his wish and if there relations are genuinely interested in the property.

etuzyuk

Sometimes the simple reasons are the most common.

Is the asking price/bid reasonable?

Is there much interest in the property, desirable location etc?

If yes, then EA is dealing with many other bidders, viewings and trying to liaise with occupants, co-ordinate times etc. and give their client a realistic expectation of how the sale will go. In your case they may have said blind bidder, reluctance to view from actual buyer. If you're the only bidder then that's their tough but in a sellers market, and if they have multiple bids, then it could be just a simple case of them only accepting bids they feel genuine. You'd be better off to humour them and get the buyer to view it even if the timing is awkward.

If there is something else dodgy going on then I'm sorry for you, you're in a difficult situation. You're only trying to help out a family member. Your best course of action would probably be to identify another suitable property instead of investing your energy in a battle with no realistic outcome or win. You don't need that stress.

strawberry

One half of the couple has seen it, the other is having issues getting to it as viewings are only during the week. It just seemed odd to me that the EA would impose that type of restriction as I've known various people who have bought without an in person viewing and I've always been able to get a pretty good feeling for a property based on photos and a floor plan. If I was a seller I would be a bit annoyed if the EA was limiting the pool of bidders for that reason but maybe he's just had some bad past experiences in that scenario. Good to hear others' views on it in any event.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122512298#Comment_122512298

This doesn't make sense. So the bidders have actually seen the property? But the EA won't take bids from them? I'm calling Shenanigans!

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122512298#Comment_122512298

If what you say is true it's very odd. I be following it up

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122512298#Comment_122512298

Why didn't you mention in your original post that 1 person from the couple has seen the property. No seller or EA only allow viewings during the week - seems a bit unbelievable being honest. Your first post made it sound like the couple lived abroad!!!

If your serious can the other half of the couple not take a day off - they have to make an effort if they are interested. Tell them to give themselves a shake!

JVince

Op's story seems to have changed.

I suspect it's mostly made up.

Imagine looking at buying a house for €400,000++ (a low estimate for Dublin) and not wanting to take a day off to view it?

Either the buyer is extremely naive or terribly stupid and no agent will waste time on such a bid to the detriment of genuine buyers.

I'm currently looking at a retirement property in Portugal. I've flown over 3 times recently to look at properties I was interested in. Yet the op's friend won't drive a couple of hours to Dublin?

Now imagine if you were interested in buying this property and the estate agent tells you that someone down the country who has not seen the property has put a higher bid in? Imagine the reaction of the EXACT same people on this thread claiming the agent is trying to do something untoward.

Funny, when you look at other posts of these people they seem to believe every conspiracy theory out there in everything. Rather funny

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122507177#Comment_122507177

Buying off plans is only a thing for new builds, where you are going to have a snagger and various other things in place. This is, presumably, an extant house

Buying those without viewing is not a standard practice anywhere.

etuzyuk

Ok Strawberry, it all seems a bit odd. Maybe there's something else going on. But if it's a genuine sale, only other excuse I could give EA is the new rules on renters having first refusal. If it's renter occupied, maybe the EA is paranoid about accepting bids that could be construed as dodgy and designed to drive up price. Or maybe it's a buy back. Good luck.