u/Speedy-Jersey

I recently made an offer on a home that went to "best and final."
After the deadline passed, we heard... nothing.
Our agent called.
Texted.
Emailed.
For almost a week.
No response.
Then suddenly the listing agent reached out and said another buyer had been accepted with a higher offer—but asked if we wanted one last chance to beat it.
We loved the house, so after discussing it, we increased our offer within an hour.
Then another message came.
"Can you go even higher?"
At that point, it stopped feeling like a transparent negotiation and started feeling like an auction with no visible rules.
We decided not to keep chasing a number.
Later, once attorney review started, our attorney needed a little time to identify our file before responding. We were working, our agent was with other clients, and there was nothing unusual about a brief delay.
Instead of a little patience, we were told we were "unprofessional."
As buyers, here's what bothered us the most:
If you're asking for "best and final," communicate the outcome promptly.
If there are multiple offers, be transparent about the process without playing games.
Respect that buyers, attorneys, and agents all have jobs and other responsibilities.
Professionalism goes both ways.
Buying a home is already one of the biggest financial decisions most people ever make. It shouldn't feel like you're constantly wondering whether you're negotiating against another buyer—or against a tactic.
Has anyone else experienced something like this?

I recently made an offer on a home that went to "best and final."
After the deadline passed, we heard... nothing.
Our agent called.
Texted.
Emailed.
For almost a week.
No response.
Then suddenly the listing agent reached out and said another buyer had been accepted with a higher offer—but asked if we wanted one last chance to beat it.
We loved the house, so after discussing it, we increased our offer within an hour.
Then another message came.
"Can you go even higher?"
At that point, it stopped feeling like a transparent negotiation and started feeling like an auction with no visible rules.
We decided not to keep chasing a number.
Later, once attorney review started, our attorney needed a little time to identify our file before responding. We were working, our agent was with other clients, and there was nothing unusual about a brief delay.
Instead of a little patience, we were told we were "unprofessional."
As buyers, here's what bothered us the most:
If you're asking for "best and final," communicate the outcome promptly.
If there are multiple offers, be transparent about the process without playing games.
Respect that buyers, attorneys, and agents all have jobs and other responsibilities.
Professionalism goes both ways.
Buying a home is already one of the biggest financial decisions most people ever make. It shouldn't feel like you're constantly wondering whether you're negotiating against another buyer—or against a tactic.
Has anyone else experienced something like this?

I recently made an offer on a home that went to "best and final."
After the deadline passed, we heard... nothing.
Our agent called.
Texted.
Emailed.
For almost a week.
No response.
Then suddenly the listing agent (her first name Mxxxi) reached out and said another buyer had been accepted with a higher offer—but asked if we wanted one last chance to beat it.
We loved the house, so after discussing it, we increased our offer within an hour.
Then another message came.
"Can you go even higher?" (It turned out that she was bluffing)
At that point, it stopped feeling like a transparent negotiation and started feeling like an auction with no visible rules.
We decided not to keep chasing a number.
Later, once attorney review started, our attorney needed a little time to identify our file before responding. We were working, our agent was with other clients, and there was nothing unusual about a brief delay.
Instead of a little patience, we were told we were "unprofessional."
As buyers, here's what bothered us the most:
If you're asking for "best and final," communicate the outcome promptly.
If there are multiple offers, be transparent about the process without playing games.
Respect that buyers, attorneys, and agents all have jobs and other responsibilities.
Professionalism goes both ways.
Buying a home is already one of the biggest financial decisions most people ever make. It shouldn't feel like you're constantly wondering whether you're negotiating against another buyer—or against a tactic.
Has anyone else experienced something like this?