Yet another house thread from me... Starting offer!

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

We're still on the lookout for this mythical unicorn of a 4 bedroom within our budget house.

Yesterday we viewed this one:

www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/73648336

Pros:

Great for dog
Has character
Normal layout
Bathroom is upstairs

Cons

There's damp (but fairly normal for Cornwall)
Long commute (not much that can be done with out budget)
Ceilings have some sort of decorative gap (DH says these aren't an issue and he can fix them)
Staircase needs a balustrade
Needs new floors (eventually)
Smallish rooms which means the girls might have to end up in normal bunk beds rather than captain ones
Dining room will probably have to be used more as a guest room /cozy/study as the nursery is too small for a second bed.
Which means of have to have the dining table in the kitchen and I'm not a fan of that, but then again dining room might be big enough for it to be all things at once!

After the last fiasco (and everybody agrees it was an odd situation between the EA and the vendors not wanting to budge on price). DH is hesitant to start with a low offer. This is Purple Bricks so we're dealing with the owner directly and definitely doesn't want to annoy him.

Listed for £200k want to pay £193-195k. I think we should start at £187k, DH thinks it should be £190k.

All criticism about the house is welcome as it has been invaluable for other serious contenders.

www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/73648336

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73648336.html?utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=smspropertydetails&utm_source=url

Ultimately they will sell to someone they wish to deal with so staying on the right side is important.

I’m with your husband on this. If is listed and been valued at 200,000 then a first offer needs to be around the 190,000 mark. Good luck!

Agreed Busted. We also made great rapport because the DC loved their dog.

As a side note my DH and I have always said that if he were a dog he'd look just like that one, which to me is a good omen.

The first rule of negotiation is play your cards close to your chest.

The chances are the vendors are mumsnetters or someone who knows them are. In which case you've screwed yourself over in negotiation because they see exactly how much you're willing to pay.

I'd be pretty hesitant to enter into the sales process with someone who was willing to discuss finances on a public forum. Your previous thread overstepped into a breach of the vendors privacy and I would be reluctant to have dealings with you for that alone.

The chances are the vendors are mumsnetters or someone who knows them are. In which case you've screwed yourself over in negotiation because they see exactly how much you're willing to pay.

This. Although I'd be delighted at the free publicity you have provided them for their house.

Jeez op. At least 190. Did you not learn from the last negotiation.

Personally I'd go in at 195 and say best and final. Take it or leave it and it comes off the market immediately.

@Bluntness100 I don't know... I would say it's an old habit and it's very hard to get rid of. Culturally we haggle for absolutely everything we call it an "art".

I remember in my old days when we were into show dogs the breeder would even haggle with Saint Bernard puppies. Our dogs had a litter and the breeder would always come back with a price for the whole litter plus "one St Bernard".

In all three of my previous houses I've haggled. The only difference is my exH would let me do it and we had a much "couldn't care less if we don't get it attitude" whereas this time we don't have time/money on our side.

It's only been on the market 10 days. I doubt they will be willing to drop far at all at this stage. Just offer £193. If it is refused, go to £195.

Courtesy of your other thread though, we all know you can afford the full asking price, so if you really want it that much, offer full asking in exchange for no more viewings. If I was selling, I would not be inclined to stop viewings for less than full asking.

I would stop posting links to the houses you are looking at. You are giving the vendors far too much information about your own situation. You can ask advice in general terms without revealing the house itself, ie is an offer of 187k too low when it's been on at 200k for just a week.

Is that a plug next to dishwasher? Can you actually open the dishwasher door without taking out the plug?

I actually don't know about the dishwasher, that's not something we looked into much detail as I'm assuming they'd take it with them

I would one Best and final offer, or do 1 offer at £190 and then a second of £195k no more than 2 offers.
you might think your haggling is ingrained but you’re making yourself look flakey with all the messing around for a couple of grand

And don’t forget, they might want £200k and that’s that.

Meant to say it’s much nicer than the other one

Ive lived in Cornwall for 25 years. Dont have damp nor do I recall it being a topic of conversation. Maybe its the area we are in.

Also, commuting. Will you need to buy another car? Even if you dont do factor in the cost of time and fuel etc. We bought a better house but one where we saved on transport by only having one car and work was a 10 minute walk. Overall the slightly higher mortgage costs were outweighed by the saving on commuting

I agree that what you call normal cultural haggling I would see you as being flakey, unrealistic and to be frank - a total pain in the arse!

Op, you likely lost thr last house due to low balling them to start with, and then telling thr agent you didn't want to pay your final offer. No one thought it was weird as you say in your op, nearly everyone thought you'd handled it badly and that was why they wouldn't sell to you.

Now you want to do it again. Negotiating is an art. And I'm sorry but it doesn't seem to be one you've mastered. Continually low balling people and jerking them around is not an art.

A pp said go in at 193 then up to 195, but again expect to get a knock back.

You said you'd let your husband to the negotiating. I think you should.

If my house had been on 10 days and it wasn't exceptional circumstances (inheritance, empty, repossession etc) then a buyer can ask close to my asking price or Id say no. Or if I did agree a low offer Id only do it with agreement that I keep it on the market until exchange.

I might think very differently if it had been on ages and so was looking overpriced for that particular time in the market.

You will know what the current market is like. If this is a stand out house at that price point be careful of other buyers around.

I don't know the area, but the house is nicely presented so if you want it, don't hang around, put an offer in this morning. How about you and DH meet in the middle with your first offer?

Well if the vendor is sound and you LOVE the house I would go in with a full asking price offer, but off the market immediately.

Dealing with the vendor removes a layer of bullshit so don’t duck them about.

If I've loved a house and could afford it, I've offered full asking. To me haggling over 5k isn't worth it to me.

I saw your last thread. This house is much nicer, with a garden this time and under your budget. Your haggling last time pissed them off, and you offered more for the last house than the full asking price of this. Why are you insistent on offering less than full price when it's already cheaper and everything you need?

Well my offer got accepted and we're all happy!

It's Purple Bricks which is all online and it did work for us this time, happy vendors, happy buyers and one very happy DM.

Can't wait to move in!

Fantastic