"Mike Mitchell" wrote | If a vendor puts a property on the market with a requirement | being that only a cash buyer will be acceptable, should the | vendor be permitted to require written evidence of the would- | be purchaser's cash buying bona fides?
The vendor is at liberty to put his property on the market with a stipulation that potential buyers demonstrate their ability to afford the property before even allowing them in to view. This is quite common with very expensive or celebrity property, to weed out those who treat viewing houses for sale as weekend recreation.
The vendor is also at liberty to stipulate that all offers must be accompanied by a deposit that will be forfeited if the purchaser subsequently withdraws. It would be fair in this case for the vendor to place an equal amount in escrow with a similar condition.
Whether prospective purchasers will consider a property with these conditions is another matter, of course.
Owain