If you’re actively looking to buy a property, you’ve probably heard a real estate agent saying that a house or an apartment you’re interested in is ‘under offer’.
But, what does under offer mean? Can you still view the property and make an offer, and how is it different from a property that’s marked as sold STC?
Let’s find out.
Under Offer Meaning: What Does It Mean When a House Is Under Offer?
In England and Wales, a property ‘under offer’ means that a potential buyer has made an offer on a property that the seller is considering.
The term is often used by estate agents when advertising or marketing a property to attract higher offers. They also often use guide prices to generate more buzz.
On the other hand, ‘under offer’ in Scotland means that the seller has already accepted an offer from a buyer (in writing). It’s not a legally binding agreement but is considered to be a step further in the sale process.
Can I View a House That Is Under Offer?
A property under offer is not taken off the market, meaning other buyers can still make offers on the property.
The property can still count viewings, and the seller has the right to look at and even accept offers from other buyers.
What Is The Difference Between Under Offer vs Sold STC?
A sold STC, which stands for Sold Subject to Contract, means that the seller has accepted the offer and the parties have started the process leading up to the exchange of contracts.
When there’s an under offer house, the seller has not yet accepted the offer from the buyer.
If you find a property that’s labelled as under offer or sold by STC, it’s best to call an estate agent to check if you can still place an offer.
How To Avoid Being Gazumped?
Gazumping happens when another potential buyer beats your offer on a property with theirs.
The seller can accept a higher offer from another buyer even as you’ve moved into the later stages of securing the deal. This can be especially frustrating if you’ve paid for mortgage costs, legal services, and property searches.
According to a survey done by Market Financial Solutions in 2019, 31% of UK homeowners have lost an under offer property in the last decade due to being gazumped.
To prevent that from happening, you should speed up the process that leads to the exchange of contracts and completion. You can do that by:
- Hiring a conveyancer: Conveyancers are in charge of the entire process of transferring ownership of a property from one person to another, from start to finish. They know what needs to be done and how to do it quickly and efficiently.
- Organising your paperwork: The best way to avoid any delays is to have all the documents you need ready when your conveyancer asks for them.
- Getting a mortgage in principle: A mortgage in principle is essentially a loan that can help you put down the required amount of deposit (usually around 10% of the entire property’s value) when exchanging contracts with the seller.
- Requesting for the property to be taken off the market: You could ask the seller to take the property that is under offer off the market during the process to limit the number of buyers that could make a better offer.
- Establishing a relationship with the seller: Maintaining close communication with the seller will signal to them that you’re serious about your offer and eliminate any unnecessary delays in the process.
- Obtaining insurance: If the sale flops, you can protect yourself by getting home buyer insurance and claiming back a portion of your conveyancing and surveying fees. You may also consider purchasing indemnity insurance.
How Long From Under Offer To Sold?
There are different stages that buyers and sellers have to go through to get a house from under offer to an official sale.
On average, this lasts between 6-8 weeks.
However, if the buyer has to apply for a mortgage, it would take longer, as lenders require certain searches to be done and need time to transfer the funds to the borrower.
Cash buyers usually seal the deal faster since they don’t have to deal with any potential transaction hold-ups, and there are generally fewer issues when a no-chain property is involved, so the process should move quicker.
In some situations, the buyer and seller can reach ‘completion’ in as little as 4 weeks (or less), especially if the property is freehold.
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Under Offer Meaning In The UK: What Happens Next?
Once you, as a seller, officially accept a buyer’s offer, you can then:
Mark the property as sold
Sellers can take their property off the market to signal to buyers that they’re serious about the offer they’ve received. However, they should only move forward with this if they’re certain the sale won’t flop and that they won’t end up getting charged for issues that might occur with the house.
Inform your solicitor
After you land an offer, you should tell your solicitors about your intentions and plans regarding the property so they can start working on a deal.
House repayments application
If you’re looking to buy another property, once you’ve sold your current one, you’ll need to apply for house repayments as soon as possible so you have enough time to deal with any potential issues that may arise.
Surveyor
If you’re purchasing another property, you will need to find a surveyor who will start the surveys and help you determine the property’s worth. Once you have the results of the survey, you can start negotiations.
Book your removals
Once you set a moving-out date, you should book a removal company as soon as possible, as these can get booked up quickly.
Exchange contracts
The exchange of contracts happens when the buyer and seller’s solicitors send each other signed contracts to finalise the deal. This act is legally binding, and once it’s done, neither the seller nor buyer can back out of the deal without facing significant penalties.
Completion
Completion is the final step of the entire process, where the seller transfers the ownership of the property to the buyer.
You may be interested in: How to flip houses in the UK?
Bottom Line
When a house is ‘under offer’, it means that a buyer has made an offer that the current owner is considering – it is often used by real estate agents to generate higher biddings for the property they’re trying to sell.
Other potential buyers can still make their offers, and the seller has the right to opt for another deal.
Frequently Asked Questions And Their Answers
Can a seller accept another offer while under contract?
The seller cannot back out of the deal once they’ve exchanged contracts with the buyer. If they do, they’ll be subject to a hefty penalty.
Can you ask for proof of another offer on a house?
Buyers can ask an estate agent for proof that another potential buyer has put down an offer on the same house. If the estate agent provides proof in writing, then it’s unlikely to be a trick to get you to offer more money for the property.
Is under offer the same as sold?
When a property is marked as SSTC, it means that both parties are in the process of discussing the exchange of contracts, but the seller can still accept another deal. So, what does under offer mean? In this case, there is an offer that the seller is considering, but they still haven’t accepted it, meaning that the house is still on the market.
My name is Marija, and I'm a financial writer at DontDisappointMe. Although finance might not be everyone's cup of tea, my 10+ years of working in one of the biggest banks in my country, and my interest in extensive research on everything finance/investment-related, have made me somewhat of an expert in the field (if I do say so myself). No longer having the passion to work in a corporate setting, I decided that I couldn't let all of this knowledge go to waste so I started writing. And, here I am! Today I try to share my knowledge with my audience in the hopes of making this topic as simple and interesting as possible. In my leisure time, I like spending time with my family and travelling to new locations.