In England and Wales, a practice known as gazundering — where buyers slash their agreed offer at the eleventh hour before contracts are signed — is quietly expanding as the property market tilts in buyers' favour. The legal architecture of home-buying, which renders offers non-binding until the moment of exchange, creates a window of vulnerability that some exploit deliberately, forcing sellers into a choice between financial loss and the collapse of their entire moving chain. What was once a rare manoeuvre is becoming a structural feature of a market where inventory outpaces demand, costing s
Gazundering grows as buyers slash offers days before closing
Families face financial stress and disrupted moving plans when buyers exploit the legal loophole, forcing sellers to choose between accepting lower prices or losing their home purchase chain.