Owning your own home

I spoke to the agent again and raised our offer from £300k to £310k (versus sale price in November 2012 of £200k). The agent intimated that there have been offers over £325k (it was marketed in the range £300-325k), and told me that he thought it was 'a bit ridiculous'. The most anything comparable has sold for in the area is £290k, and there are other similar layout being marketed at £250k (albeit without period features).

We could get and comfortably afford a mortgage well beyond £325k, but I don't want to get burned, as the price is a big outlier at the moment.

Don't get involved in a bidding war - agents love this. Playing one off against another is their way of getting the money that their client wants. Generally there isn't another offer - more a case of "what an applicant thinks it's worth etc" but nothing firm. The agent is clearly doing a decent job if he's convincing you enough to pay 20k over the nearest comparable.

Besides, the figures achieved a year ago were achieved a year ago and don't really have any place in your conversations with him/her/it.