Hi, has anybody out there been contacted by these companies offering to buy your house at a reduced rate? We have been inundated with companies doing a "laptop survey" and offering to buy our house for just over a half of what it is up for sale for. My husband is ready to strangle someone, these companies are preying on people who cannot sell their houses and trying to steal it from them. Had another one today who has checked out our house with the estate agents, found out that we have reduced it from 124950 to 119950, telling us that they think its worth 110000 and are willing to buy it off us for 70 - 74000. They even knew that we had had no viewings. They talked as if they were doing us a favour. My husband called him all the names under the sun and would have decked him if he were in front of him, he even asked my husband how much mortgage we had and that if we bought it for 50000 we would make 20000 so whats your problem, he was told in no uncertain terms that it was nothing to do with him but he didnt take the hint and went on arguing with my husband. These people must be in their elements at this time as a lot of people will be desperate to just get rid of the burden that they are going to sell to these predators. Has anyone else been approached or asked for a price from these people?

No more greedy than the people who were selling their homes for top wack six months ago.

Would you have sold it for less back then, knowing you could get more for it, because you didn't want to seem 'predatory'?

It's all about money, nothing more nothing less. No point taking it personally, the guy won't even remember you exist.

a house is worth what somebody will pay for it, no more or less.
houses are no different to anything else.

Was not selling my house for top wack, owing to my husbands illnessweve had to move into a property all on one level so had reduced it to the rock bottom to get a quick sale as we are now paying rent and mortgege bearing in mind the money which we would have made would have to be used to live on as not near retirement age and my wage doesnt cover all outgoings. Also only had the mortgage 4 years so would have to pay back more than what they were offering. Not evrybodyn is out to make a fast buck just a fair deal.

a house is worth what somebody will pay for it, no more or less.
houses are no different to anything else.

what a load of rubbish, if you were selling a house for say 150000 and someone offered you 70,000 youd think that is what your house is worth, I dont think so.

If your house was worth 125,000 then it would sell for that

And it would definitely sell when you reduced it to 119,000

But you havent had any viewing at 119000 so it must be too expensive

What its worth is what somebody actually wants to pay which is rarely what its on the market for

Hi, has anybody out there been contacted by these companies offering to buy your house at a reduced rate? We have been inundated with companies doing a "laptop survey" and offering to buy our house for just over a half of what it is up for sale for. My husband is ready to strangle someone, these companies are preying on people who cannot sell their houses and trying to steal it from them. Had another one today who has checked out our house with the estate agents, found out that we have reduced it from 124950 to 119950, telling us that they think its worth 110000 and are willing to buy it off us for 70 - 74000

unbelievable :(

the housing market will pick up again...probably fairly rapidly.

DON'T SELL YOUR HOUSES!!!!

(unless you really need to of course)

Have you though about renting it in the mean time? Do you think that the rent you would recieve on this house would cover the rent on your new house?

No more greedy than the people who were selling their homes for top wack six months ago.

Would you have sold it for less back then, knowing you could get more for it, because you didn't want to seem 'predatory'?

It's all about money, nothing more nothing less. No point taking it personally, the guy won't even remember you exist.

This is grossly unfair of you, selling a house in a 'normal' market for what it will acheive is not the same as cold calling trying to find people who are vunerable and making as much money out of them as you can. If you see the two as the same then I feel sorry for you.

I Would have a word with your estate agent. They seem to have given this company a lot of information about your house sale. Like how many viewings you have had etc. They shouldnt be giving such detail away. They are suposed to be working for you not a potentail buyer

agreee with Kankel - that is not on.....
I think I would have pointed out to the potential buyer that all offers should be made through the estate agents and to talk to them then politely put the phone down - best not to engage these people - let your estate agent earn their wonger !

This is grossly unfair of you, selling a house in a 'normal' market for what it will acheive is not the same as cold calling trying to find people who are vunerable and making as much money out of them as you can. If you see the two as the same then I feel sorry for you.

I never mentioned a 'normal' market - I said 6 months ago when house prices were vastly inflated, how many people were saying ' no, I know I could get £500,000 for it, but to be fair i'll take £250,000' not many I expect, that why so many people now have Mortgages they can't afford and houses they cannot sell.

The best way of dealing with cold callers is to put the phone down on them, not get into a debate in the hope of selling your house to them for anything near what the market value is.

They don't ring you up for your benefit.

These companies have been around offering low amounts for properties for some time now.

Don't be offended. They're just trying to make money. If you don't like the offer then just say no and put the phone down.

Good luck in selling. We have had our house on the market for 12 months and have slashed 40K off the asking price. Still no real viewings and with house prices falling so fast we have decided to stick where we are.

You could always try and sell at auction...

Am I the only person who automatically answers a question with a question when these kind of people call?

they wind up being grilled as to where they got the number from, who sold them that database, points pertaining to the data protection act they seem to know nothing about but are quoting at me, and when their ears are buzzing they still get to put the phone down none the wiser about a single thing :D (and I've probably wasted enough time for them to have dropped their sale rate and bonus too :D )

Don't answer any questions, and take up any breaches of data security with the relevant leaky vessels