A PRIORI ABANDONMENT ABATEMENT ABSENTEE LANDLORD ABSORPTION RATE ABSTRACT OF TITLE ABSTRACTION METHOD  ACCELERATION CLAUSE ACCELERATED DEPRECIATION ACCEPTANCE ACCESSORY BUILDING ACCRETION ACCRUED INTEREST ACQUISITION ACRE ADJUSTED COST BASE ADMINISTRATOR AD VALOREM ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ORDINANCE ADDITIONAL PRINCIPAL PAYMENT AMERICAN SOCIETY OF APPRAISERS  ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE (APR)

ACCEPTANCE

Once you have you made your offer you have the nerve-wracking experience of waiting to see for its acceptance.

Does the seller have to accept an offer?

• The seller may accept:
  • the highest offer, or
  • the most secure offer, or
  • the offer with the most convenient entry date.
  However, the seller doesn't have to accept any offers if they think they aren't suitable - they may reject them all and start the process again. This doesn't happen often, so don't bargain on it. Your solicitor will advise you on the level of offer to make, depending on circumstances such as how long the property has been on the market or whether a closing date has been fixed.

   

What happens once I have put in an offer?

• If there is a closing date, you will have to wait until then to hear if your offer has been accepted or not. Otherwise you should hear quite quickly.

  The seller could delay accepting your offer because:

  • they have received a higher offer and want to see if the conditions in this offer can be met before rejecting your offer
  • they have had notes of interest from other buyers and want to fix a closing date.
  If you need a quick response, you can ask your solicitor to make it a condition of your offer that it is accepted by a certain time.

   

What happens if my offer is rejected?

• Unfortunately, even if your offer is not accepted you will still have to pay for any valuations or surveys you have had carried out. You may also have to pay for the work your solicitor has carried out.

What happens if my offer is accepted?

• If your offer is accepted, the acceptance will be conditional or 'qualified'. This means that your offer will be accepted provided you meet certain conditions. For example, you may have to change your date of entry or change a condition of your offer.

What next?

• If your offer has been accepted, your solicitor will start finalizing the sale.

  At this point you will have to tell your mortgage lender that you have had an offer accepted and get your mortgage approved.

  You will be responsible for the property from the date of entry so you should start looking for buildings insurance. Your mortgage lenders will not release the mortgage unless you have buildings insurance in place on your date of entry.

Can I withdraw my offer?

• You can withdraw your offer without penalty at any stage before the conditions in the offer and acceptance have been formally agreed. However, once the sale has been finalized, you are legally bound to buy the property and you will face financial penalties if you do not proceed with the purchase. Ask your solicitor to explain this further to you.

 

 

Real Estate and Mortgage Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #