Auctioneer angry with Bid!

[danb]

I went to see a 3 bed semi-d on the outskirts of Cork yesterday. It has an asking price of 370K. It has been on the market for 3-4weeks.

When I met the auctioneer he said that he had no bids. He did indicate that he had a lady who wanted to place a bid but who had not seen the house. He said he would never take a bid from some one who has not the seen the house. Fair enough.

When I got home, I decided that I would like to buy the house and set my limits. I decided to open my bid at 340K and rang the auctioneer. I asked it he had any offers since we met and he indicated no. I told him that I would like to open at 340K and he started tutting at me. It was like someone gave him a glass of sour milk. He then told me that he could not take the offer and that he had already refused a bit of 350K!

Is an auctioneer allowed to refuse an offer like this?

Also, I see a significant slow down in Cork with a alot of houses with for sales sign for an 'usually amount of time' without offers or below guide price.

Interested to hear what you think?

Dan B

 

[Towger]

Interested to hear what you think?

Write a letter to the owners with your offer and drop it in the door of the house. A few years ago I had that sort response and wished I had. I'ed moved on... But a month later the house had droped almost 25k and a few weeks after that I saw the owners name with the house as his address appearing the in the Sunday Business Post, owing Revenue a few bob.

BTW: The auctioneer will not like it, but all is fair in love and war. Buying a house is war and auctioneers are not to be trusted.

Towger.

 

[efm]

You're doing the right thing - the auctioneer is doing his job by getting you to bid higher but all you say is "my bid is x come back to me in 72 hours with an answer" - he's bsing you when he says he can't take an offer of 340K

 

[Priory]

Would you mind telling us what part of Cork?
There may be many reputable ones out there but i have a deep distrust of them to be honest. We went to see a house with one particular individual. He hardly said two words to us. He opened the door of the house and did not try to sell it to us, stood outside with a sullen face on him. If I was employing him, he would have been sacked on the spot. He had obviously agreed a deal with someone else. The same guy called to my door a couple of weeks ago doing the usual "we'll sell your house for you stuff". He is now working for himself I asked him if he remembered me and then I let rip at him. The coward literally ran away from me

 

[danb]

This is in the b'town area.

Would you mind telling us what part of Cork?
There may be many reputable ones out there but i have a deep distrust of them to be honest. We went to see a house with one particular individual. He hardly said two words to us. He opened the door of the house and did not try to sell it to us, stood outside with a sullen face on him. If I was employing him, he would have been sacked on the spot. He had obviously agreed a deal with someone else. The same guy called to my door a couple of weeks ago doing the usual "we'll sell your house for you stuff". He is now working for himself I asked him if he remembered me and then I let rip at him. The coward literally ran away from me

 

[capricorn]

no he can't refuse, in fact isn't he obliged to inform the owners of all bids ?

its a good idea to cut him out as suggested above and make your offer directly to the vendor.

i would always take everything an estate agent/auctioneer says with a pinch of salt. They are professional liars. The old "we had a bid of X before but it fell through" or "you better hurry, someone else is about to make a bid" are just standard sales talk. Any honest EA will admit that.

 

[Dreamerb]

no he can't refuse, in fact isn't he obliged to inform the owners of all bids ?

I believe so. Unless the owner has given him a standing instruction that no bids below a certain level are to be entertained - but that would be a bit dim of the owner, IMO, and very unusual. Strikes me that the auctioneer is behaving unethically - there's a world of a difference between "Look, I'll tell them, but I can't advise them to consider it / am sure they won't accept - if you bring it to X level, they might be prepared to negotiate" and a straight refusal on behalf of the vendor.

Ask him specifically if he is refusing to communicate a bona fide offer to the vendor - that might put the wind up him.

 

[purplealien]

When I met the auctioneer he said that he had no bids.

He then told me that he could not take the offer and that he had already refused a bit of 350K!

He's lying - you asked if there were any bids and he said no - then he turns around and says there was a bid of €350,000 but it was refused!

Is an auctioneer allowed to refuse an offer like this?

No!

Also, I see a significant slow down in Cork with a alot of houses with for sales sign for an 'usually amount of time' without offers or below guide price.

Complete slowdown everywhere in Cork - houses arent budging!

 

[danb]

Thanks for all the replies - I forgot to mention that this was a probabte sales and is there any way to get around the auctioneer to access the solicitor directly?

Dan B

 

[soma]

I told him that I would like to open at 340K and he started tutting at me.

I think this auctioneer is in for a rude awakening. IMHO He'll be remembering bids in the 340k range for those properties with regret this time next year.

 

[phoenix_n]

Your best bet is to wait a couple of weeks and contact the auctioneer again. The market is slow so you have to show the same patience.

 

[Vanilla]

I forgot to mention that this was a probabte sales and is there any way to get around the auctioneer to access the solicitor directly

Chances are if you contact the solicitor s/he will direct you to the auctioneer, however they will be likely to keep a note of your bid on their file and inform the executor if anything underhanded is going on.

 

[Lorz]

Check out this link

[broken link removed]

They were discussing it on local radio this morning. Apparently there is a new auctioneering firm selling houses in Cork for a fixed fee of ~€999. The other co's weren't too impressed! I only found about 12 firms listed so far.