Yes. If you want a bit more certainty regarding acceptance of an offer/bid you can look at similar properties through an auction. Sometimes though the vendor isn't in a rush to sell (or has misjudged the market or the property) and the property goes to auction several times without meeting the reserve. The best thing to do in these situations is to walk on and look at other properties if your bid/offer isn't accepted.

Generally speaking, a repossession will go on a local agents books for a short time, and then go to Auction if unsold.

The estate agent is bound in law to pass on all offers to the vendor, no matter how low. Because you discovered that this property is being marketed by an agent and made an offer through them, then the vendor would be breaking the terms of their contract with the agent, if they dealt with you directly, and cut the agent out.

A lender would not deal with you direct simply due to the fact that they do not have the resources. Imagine if every potential buyer called them up direct to negotiate, they would be overrun. You also have to consider that they have a duty of care to the ex-borrower and therefore have to achieve the highest price possible in the given market. Realistically this can only be done by using an estate agent. The other big point is your offer will have been rejected by the lender not the estate agent. Agents don't set the prices they just market at whatever they are told and obviously do not get paid until it is sold. If I was you I would work closer with the agents to find out how long it's been on, what price it started at and realistically what level of offer would they accept. If your not willing to pay what they want then leave it for now and come back to it if the property is still available in the future when they may take a lower price.

You can try but I doubt that you will be successful in doing any more than upsetting everyone to the extent that they don't want to deal with you.

Estate agents are employed to get the best price and the owner is likely to take advice from the estate agent. Solicitors tend to more for handling the transfer after the amount has been agreed. If you feel that the price has been set too high, one approach would be to ask the estate agent how many months without a sale before the price will be likely to be reduced. If the estate agent finds another buyer in a few weeks, then you can't have been offering enough. If it's still unsold after a few months, you can go back with your offer.

It is quite possible that the vendor is happy to hold out for the long term rather than accept a really low price.

hi everyone. this is my first post and could do with some help. i have seen a repossed house that i like very much. the house is advertised with an estate agent . i have put an offer in and its been refused. right ok not a problem .estate agent is pushing me for more money. i went on the webb last night and visited the land registry . and got details of there of the lender. it appears it whas northern rock . my question to all of you is . can i cut out the estate agent. hire a solicitor and let him deal with northern rock direct .has regarding my offer. in other words can i gazump the estate agent .who i think is playing me off . thanks