Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU or just unlucky - house buying

9 replies

Berimbolo · 20/11/2018 09:46

Genuinely conflicted here! Don't know if we are BU or plain unlucky. Been trying to move for years.

House 1, chain of 3. Top of chain cash buyers would find a property, have survey then pull out over stupid things. They were up to the 10th house! Spent 6 months in chain, our mortgage rate was going to expire. It was a rising market, same houses going for 80k - 100k more. We decided to walk away as was clear they didn't want to move (and they didn't, all 3 still in the same properties).

House 2, no chain. Spent couple of years saving to put back money lost from house 1 and needing a higher deposit due to ridiculous house price increase. Survey undervalued the house and pretty much every page was red. Took builders round, presented the quotes and shared survey as we were still interested. Son selling deceased parents house, wasn't prepared to budge on price even though we couldn't get the mortgage for the initial amount plus ton of work to do. We had to walk away. Sad as house sat empty for another year, eventually selling for way less than our revised offer.

House 3, no chain. Boundary issue, compromising on so many things but it has potential. Does need money spent on it.
Our dog has just been diagnosed with another tumour and just had surgery. Also had surgery 8 months ago and year before that. So conflicted now because we want to use the money for our dog (we have insurance, but he's old so won't cover it all or possibly none if same tumour as before). Means no money for the house as prices still over inflated here (smaller than house 1 and 225k more expensive). It would be long term and majority is habitable, but there are immediate works needed which we couldn't afford right now plus the boundary which is still being investigated. We feel best thing to do is walk away...

I know that was so long, but are we horrible people?! It's so hard to know what to do!

OP posts:
Berimbolo · 20/11/2018 11:44

No-one? I know it was an essay...

OP posts:
GimbleInTheWabe · 20/11/2018 11:47

That does sound like pretty bad luck @Berimbolo. You can't tell what the seller/chain will be like when initially looking around and I guess all you can do is keep at it.

Are you buying in a city?

I'm not a seasoned pro so can't give any advice, just sympathies because moving and selling etc is stressful when it's straight forward. Hope your luck turns around soon.

longwayoff · 20/11/2018 12:01

You've been saved. Boundary issue? Don't touch it. Run.

Berimbolo · 20/11/2018 12:39

Nope not in a city, but is a large and v popular commuter town

OP posts:
jellyfrizz · 20/11/2018 13:37

Might not be bad luck to walk away, house prices are heading downwards:

www.theguardian.com/money/2018/nov/19/uk-house-prices-fall-5000-brexit-south-november-rightmove

Trillis · 20/11/2018 13:49

I have every sympathy @Berimbolo. We lost nearly 5k on failed house purchases (surveys/solicitors fees for 2 properties) before it was third time lucky. But as the property we eventually moved to was better and cheaper than the first 2 we lost out on, we were glad in the end that they did fall through. I hope it will be 4th time lucky for you.

Berimbolo · 20/11/2018 13:58

That is v interesting jelly, thank you for sharing. We are concerned with how the market is heading

We would dearly love for it to be 4th time lucky. Bit worried about the EAs here, we do look like serial puller-outers!

OP posts:
seventhgonickname · 20/11/2018 14:09

House prices may drop with Brevity but you can only buy for what sellers are prepared to accept and if the drop means that there is negative equity around then less people will be able to sell.

jellyfrizz · 20/11/2018 14:44

but you can only buy for what sellers are prepared to accept and if the drop means that there is negative equity around then less people will be able to sell.

Possibly, but this article says that only 4.12% of properties would fall into negative equity if house prices fell by 18.72% (they are using this amount because it is the amount prices fell by during the financial crisis):www.propertyreporter.co.uk/finance/negative-equity-risk-for-half-a-million-homes.html.

That leaves a whole lots of properties.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page