AIBU to walk away from this house purchase?

[Quandaries]

Will try to keep this short.

Viewed a house and loved it 6 weeks ago. Ticked all the right boxes and was very good value for what it was. Offered asking price and it was accepted. Survey done, solicitor engaged etc so at the stage where it’s cost us some money.
Booking deposit has been paid but is refundable (not in Scotland).

We have a large deposit and mortgage is ready to draw down. We’re not in a chain.

Our solicitor was chasing theirs for contracts.

On Thursday I got a call from their agent to say they’ve allowed another viewing from a very insistent couple who are cash buyers and offered £8k more.

Agent now wants us to reoffer and increase on the new buyers’ offer so we’ll be paying £12k above what was agreed. He insists that the house will go for even more if it goes back on the market and says that houses are being snapped up before they go on the market as more people are working from home and this village is very popular for those with just an occasional commute.

I’ve had a look at Right Move and can’t see any evidence of anything other than price drops in the area. I accept that there may be houses selling before hitting the market and I don’t have this data.

My heart loves the house. It’s in a stunning village and really ticks all the boxes in terms of schools etc.

My head is saying we’re actually in a better position than the cash buyer as we’re 100% ready to go and can sign this week whereas they will need to have survey done etc.

Head is also telling me that if the sellers are going to screw us for £8k (for context, that’s a bit over 1% of the purchase price we had agreed), they’ll be a nightmare to deal with and it’s only a matter of time until they come back to us either with a new offer from the other bidders, or pushing to put it back on the market.

I’m also guessing that house purchases slow down a bit in winter, and it’s an area where more Covid lockdown measures are likely so putting it back on the market may mean there aren’t many viewings.

For additional context, we can afford to increase our offer. I’m just loathe to get into a bidding war due to how the vendor has sprung this on us.

But I love the house.

YABU- up my offer
YANBU- walk away

Placemarking to see what they come up with.

Caramac used to be food of the gods. Likewise Creamola Foam.

OP, your vendors are the equivalent of the new imposters. Look like the lovely real thing - but are shite once you have a little taste of them.

I miss Caramac but I miss Creamila Foam more.

I'm going to make a Caramac cheesecake this week hope I'm not disappointed!

I think the sellers will come back to you.

@Quandaries

I kind of hope I don’t get a call to say the house is available. I really did love it but just couldn’t go through all of this again. I could never trust these sellers.

I’m going to ask the EA not to call me if the house comes back up again.

You are a much better person than me. I would want all the updates just so as I could tell them to poke it!!

I'm sorry you've been through all this, so much wasted money and energy but for what it's worth I definitely think you've done the right thing. You swallowed your pride, came up a bit and they were still CFers. As for them going awol, something's up so you're best off out of it. So so tedious for you, I'm so sorry.

@Quandaries

If anyone feels sorry for me and wants to send me some Dairy Milk to cheer me up, I’d be up for that.

Or I can give you the address of the house and you can send shitty Caramac bars to the vendors. Totally fine.

I'm was fully on your side until this comment.

They’re stalling for time to see if the other offer is solid.

I disagree with most pp sorry. The deal isn’t done until contracts are exchanged.

Our buyer asked for £40k off at exchange because prices had fallen due to Brexit. We agreed £25k. It’s CF and annoying but we took a hard nosed decision about what we’d get if we put the property back on the market and put our feelings about the buyer’s behaviour aside.

A property is worth what the market will pay at any point in time.

MN needs a chocolate emoji!

It does

You need to type chocolate with square brackets on either side

I love Caramac. How mean to you do I have to be to get some sent to me?

What’s that about ?

It’s not in the emoticon list!

@nibdedibble

I don’t know why I’m so invested in this 😂 but I am.

I hope they come grovelling back. I wonder if you can send them a bill for survey and solicitor fees to date.

No. I checked with my solicitor. I figured that would be the case, but she confirmed it.

Feels weird to be ghosted by someone you tried to give almost £800k to in exchange for a lovely house.
When I was 16 a boy I fancied once ghosted me because I refused to give him a handjob behind the bins of our local Tesco, but somehow this feels more personal.

@Quandaries 🤣 What a lovely picture you paint 🤣

It's not on the app but it is there is you type as I instructed

[ chocolate ] minus the spaces =

In the same way that [ bike ] minus the spaces =

I've been on MN a long time, when we used to have create all the emojis the long way

Others that I know are . Not all the available emoticons are on the list! Can't remember how to get the Scottish bonnet one

[wave]

Well that didn’t work. Sorry

[ penis ] [ beaker ]

Didn’t work for me either

Not everything MNy has an emoticon

Looks like the Scottish bonnet emoticon no longer works - maybe they only switch it on at relevant times - but the Christmas ones are currently working

I miss Caramac but I miss Creamila Foam more.

@stillsomewhatsheldonesque

www.scottishretrosweets.com/sweet/krakatoa-creamola-foam/raspberry-creamoal-foam-krakatoa/

@Chocolatedeficitdisorder

I love you. 💓

When I was 16 a boy I fancied once ghosted me because I refused to give him a handjob behind the bins of our local Tesco, but somehow this feels more personal.

Enjoy the school run with these people. Now you have linked that memory with them