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AIBU?

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to pull out of house purchase?

13 replies

housepurchaseanger · 17/03/2020 10:29

Hi lovely MNers, I really need some advice.

DP and I are upsizing. We are at exchange and our purchase just can't agree to exchange.

Background: they have to move to another county 200 miles away so are selling their home. It was on the market for 1 year with no interest as price too high. They lowered it twice before it got our interest and they accepted our offer which was the lower number of their guide price and also our maximum. This was November.

We have struggled with buyers due to our property (it's got issues!) and had two people drop out previously, so we have a buyer who is good to go and ready to exchange. We don't want to lose him.

The reason he won't agree to exchange is because he wants to get a good price quote for a removals van! Exchange came up a few days ago with us waiting for him (there's 3 of us in the chain) so he has until today until we are at the deadline for exchange. This is because our mortgage needs 6 working days to release the funds.
Our completion date is next week which he agreed to but he won't exchange.

He's told his estate agent to no longer contact him. All solicitors think his behaviour is weird.

FWIW this house isn't a bargain in any way, so we could easily find another house eventually in our budget in the same area with the same condition, we just really liked this one.
If we don't meet the completion date we lose our buyer which we can't risk.

So do we call their bluff and pull out?

We can't go to family, one set doesn't live near, my dad is terminally ill so is isolating. So we would probably put things in storage (we don't own much) and rent / air BNB.

OP posts:
Hereward1332 · 17/03/2020 10:43

You know the answer really. You tell him to exchange today or you are pulling out. If you are so minded, you could say if not today the offer is 10k lower (more than the price of a removal van), if not by Friday you pull out.

Clearly they don't really want to move and are putting up unreasonable obstacles. Tbh I would walk away.

housepurchaseanger · 17/03/2020 11:24

@hereward1332

Thanks, I think you're right. Everyone is saying the same thing. He doesn't make any sense.

OP posts:
hellsbellsmelons · 17/03/2020 13:52

Time to walk away.
Don't call their bluff as such.
Just tell them that you are no longer interested. You cannot lose your buyer so you will be pulling out and air B&B-ing until you find what you want.
You will be in a stronger position when buying as well.
So win/win
Tell them now and see what happens.

Wynston · 17/03/2020 13:53

Did you get any sense from anyone today??

Doyoumind · 17/03/2020 13:55

I wouldn't pay over the odds for a house with the potential downturn ahead.

housepurchaseanger · 17/03/2020 14:32

@Wynston Nope just everyone shouting different things at me. The solicitor has told them that they have to exchange tomorrow or it's game over.

OP posts:
londonrach · 17/03/2020 14:49

I wouldnt buy a house at the moment. Things are so uncertain. Pull out

Travis1 · 17/03/2020 14:52

Think I'd pull out if I was you

BubblyBarbara · 17/03/2020 14:54

On the plus side airbnbing at late notice now is going to be extremely easy availability wise so you might lose a nice house but you will have money in your pocket which could be essential this year

justasking111 · 17/03/2020 15:00

pull out, we had a vendor like this, put us through hell and a lot of money. Three months later he panicked and phoned us to buy, too late we had found somewhere else. There are some nuts out there.

LukeSkywalkingOnTheseHaters · 17/03/2020 15:03

I doubt your buyer will proceed.

Very uncertain times, especially if you work in some of the key affected industries (travel, high street retail, leisure)

They are not legally obliged to exchange, good on them for making what may very well be the best decision for them and not to feel forced into it.

Waterandlemonjuice · 17/03/2020 15:05

Call his bluff. Keep your buyer though!

WhatTiggersDoBest · 17/03/2020 15:18

Don't ditch your buyer if at all possible but definitely call this idiot seller's bluff. We're in the same position and it's REALLY frustrating. They're wasting everyone's time and should just take their houses off the market if they don't want to sell so we can buy from someone who actually wants to move house, because ours is sold now and we still have to live somewhere!

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