How to tell if EA is bluffing?

You can't tell if he is bluffing, you can get wrapped up in the belief that all EA's are out to get buyers or you can do what all buyers should really do and stick with the program. You have a budget, the max you were willing to bid was €250k that should remain the same for now. If you don't get this one or any others in the area for the 250k then your prices are out. Why not tell the EA that you have a max budget of 250k and will put that forward as your bid. If the other falls through he can come back to you. The higher bidder may pull out, or stall and you may be seen as the better option even though you have a lower bid.
Remember its not about who is right or wrong, it's just about you getting the house you want for the price you are happy to pay.
 
WaterSprite said:
Yes, it does. But you don't need a BER cert merely to put a house up for sale. It just needs to be done before it's sold - so I reckon people are waiting until there are firm offers before having it done.
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You need a BER when your house is advertised, not being enforced however.
 
It's the law that the BER will have to be done. furthermore if the seller wanted to sell it they would have had done BER so as to give buyers more information instead of more questions. This would lead me to think the property is on the market a long time. You can put the address in the below website and if it's on daft it will tell how long and if/how many times, the price has been reduced in price.
http://irishpropertywatch.com/index.php

I think the EA is full of it, and is trying an underhand pressure tactic. The very same happened to a friend of mine and he called his bluff on it. That house is still on the market in that case. EA said buyer then pulled out...
You have to ask, in a market of few buyers, why come the BER is not done to accomodate what few buyers are out there.
If it's an old house the BER rating will be poor. If interested in the house go in with a very low offer and remind EA of their legal obligation to pass on offer. If he tells you more fairy tales tell him thats your price, see what he comes back with.
 
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There is nobody rushing out there to get the BER done, people are slow enough to pay expenses as it is. It definitely has no consequence to the sale of the house.
 
MrMan said:
There is nobody rushing out there to get the BER done, people are slow enough to pay expenses as it is. It definitely has no consequence to the sale of the house.
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And if I were a purchaser I'd rather pay for the BER myself rather than trust one from a vendor.
 
MrMan said:
It definitely has no consequence to the sale of the house.
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How can you say this ? It might be of huge consequence if the buyer wants a house that is efficient to some degree.

Bronte - Why wouldnt you trust a vendor's BER ? Surely there would be some sort of legality surrounding a BER ? If not, why have they bothered making it law ?
 
dtwhaler, why would you trust anything a vendor gives you? Get your own comprehensive survey done on the property by the best engineer/surveyer you can find. BER's like many things can be manipulated. (So far I've avoided this unnecessary purchase myself, I'm waiting until they fine me or catch me).

Vendor's and Estate agents are there to sell a property to you the purchaser, they are not there for you, nor are they on your side. It's called caveat emptor.

Bid on a property that you want and go no higher than your limit. And don't be worrying about if their is another bidder or not. If you get it at a price you're happy with, be happy with that and if you don't, there will always be another dream home.
 
"How can you say this ? It might be of huge consequence if the buyer wants a house that is efficient to some degree."

I think the reality is that older houses, unless they have had work done ( which a vendor will be only too happy to show off), will have rubbish BER Certs. Newer houses should be better. Really energy efficient houses will stand head and shoulders over old ones.

I've seen a few Certs and what they are saying is reasonably obvious to anyone who has ever lived in an old draughty house - does anyone over 45 have any idea what chilblains are!!!

mf
 
In practice what is happening is that BER certs are being ordered AFTER a sale is agreed.
 

The amount of people that enquire about ber certs is minimal and there is little public awareness of it imo. People already have a fair idea about what they are getting involved with and I would imagine it would not make it into the top 5 things that people consider when looking at property.
 
I'm in the process of purchasing my first home, and, while the BER was in my mind, the house is only 2001 so I wasn't overly concerned. The solicitor is sorting it all out now with contracts and it's a prerequisite before I sign. Make sure your solicitor follows u.
 
that should be 'follows up' obviously - not follows u
 
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