Keeping house on or off the market

We have sale agreed (booking deposit paid) on our house in Maynooth for the past three weeks. The purchasers have yet to sell their own house but tell me that they have some interest. We saw a house we liked in Galway and agreed a price but the auctioneer for the vendor has just rang to say that the vendor is not prepared take his house off the market but that they would keep us informed of what happens.

I feel that I should keep mine off the market to give our purchasers a chance and there is no gurantee of us picking up another purchaser. It's getting late in the year so I would really welcome any thoughts you have on whether we are mad to keep our own house off the market while we wait for purchasers to complete their sale etc.

I think you are mad, yes. Nice, but mad.

Having some interest is a long way away from a signed contract...you need to keep your house on the market. If you don't get a sale then they still have a chance of getting the house.

I would keep it on the market until they go sale agreed at least, this would also put a push on them to sell there house. But i would instruct your EA to keep off the sale agreed untill there contracts are signed. We were in this situation last year and they had gone sale agreed, this fell through, so we waited as they asked and when they did sell there house, they had bought another house cheaper behind our backs while we were waiting for them...so be very careful, especially as they can pull out any time up to signing contracts so best of luck and hope it works out..
As an aside, i would also check if they have mortgage approval for the balance that might be needed to complete the sale on your house, incase the sale doesn't cover the full purchase price.

Thnaks a milion for the advice. It is much appreciated and you have helped me see sense!