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

@Quandaries something very similar happened to me but we ended up with a house we love much more. You will find another one you love, I know it doesn't seem like it now, but you will.

I often feel there is something wrong with the English laws re buying a house, if you agree on a price, unless there is something hidden or not disclosed, it should be done and dusted at that price. All this 'blackmail' often at the last minute is abhorrent.
We are in the process of selling DM's house, after the initial price agreement, they offered £2K less which we agreed to. Then it's all been hurry hurry hurry, D Sis and I are fully expecting a request to drop the price further down the line; and have instructed EA to tell them to either put up or F Off, without even contacting us.

I’m wondering if the vendor is The very one who had the refused liaison behind the bins

Did you get your money back OP from estate agents?

Will you lose your money for the survey etc? What a shitty situation!! Really want to know the outcome now

Wait! Nobody buy that Creamola Foam!
It is SHITE now that it’s not got the right toxic chemicals in it

@stillsomewhatsheldonesque

I’m wondering if the vendor is The very one who had the refused liaison behind the bins

Oh god He’s had a sad willy all these years He’s seen his chance for revenge

@nibdedibble

Wait! Nobody buy that Creamola Foam! It is SHITE now that it’s not got the right toxic chemicals in it

This is why I’m never going to risk the new Creamola Foam. Bad enough that my taste memories of Caramac have been ruined.

No no no, sending them caramac is kids’ stuff. At the very least you need to subscribe them to the watchtower.

Oh please someone make a sad willy emojis!

[Sad willy] didn't work

Glitter bomb!!!

@stillsomewhatsheldonesque

I’m wondering if the vendor is The very one who had the refused liaison behind the bins

That would be the ultimate plot twist.

“And remember girls, never refuse a boy a shandy because he might just grow up to fuck you over”.

@DustyLoafer

Did you get your money back OP from estate agents?

I requested it yesterday and he said he’d process it today. I know when I did the online transfer to him, it took about two days to show up on his side, so I’d expect it’ll hit my account tomorrow or Friday. No sign of it yet, though.

Will you lose your money for the survey etc? What a shitty situation!! Really want to know the outcome now

Yes, that money is gone.
I don’t think there’s going to be an outcome other than what it is at this stage- I’ve walked away and will leave them and NB (if he exists) to have a happy life* together.

*Lies. I wish them nothing but badness. May the bathroom flood with sewage, may the marble countertops be stained forever with lousy red wine, may the fish in the garden pond turn to ugly lizards, may NB be plagued with male pattern baldness and pubic lice.

Quandaries

Re: Feeling it personally

I would say that because of the way you spoke about the house, your feelings were invested. You had seen and felt yourself living in this house. It was your future.

But the 16yr old lad? Well pardon the pun but I think you already knew back then that he was just some random tosser !

Although the way the house owners have treated you ? They could be classed in a similar vein!

It will all be water under the bridge in a few years especially when you’re living in your REAL dream home. Things have a way of working out - I really believe that.

As for the house owners/greedy wcf’s well that’s another matter !

Sorry to hear how this has panned out, @Quandaries
Something similar happened to us. Our (very odd) vendor accepted our offer, we did the survey and searches, we were several weeks in and just waiting on some answers from her but it all went quiet.
Then she said 'a neighbour' had approached her and loved the house so much he offered her cash at a higher price, would we like to match it? She told the EA this pile of bunkum, neither he nor we believed the neighbour existed. We said no, goodbye.
Ten days later she came back and said the neighbour couldn't access his funds (funnily enough) and would we like to proceed.
I really wanted to tell her to shove it. But OH wanted to go ahead, so we did, at the original price, although with gritted teeth.

I'm still not 100% sure we did the right thing tbh, it really took the shine off the whole thing and I've never really felt 'right' about this house.
Your vendors sound as strange and infuriating as ours!

[santa]

Oops @Quandries didn't mean to post those emojis - been reading and keeping up to date with your thread, and think you have absolutely done the correct thing not getting sucked into the Vendors gameplaying, and I hope you find another, lovelier, house soon.

I saw some of the PPs saying just use the square brackets and type bike etc, so tried it, thinking I was only doing a preview, and instead of deleting after the images showed in preview, I've hit post message instead.

Hope everyone else trying out different emojis doesn't derail your thread...... Though hope you can at lease enjoy the virtual chocolate lol

@EvilPea

I’d offer maybe 2-4K more So they feel a small win. But I’d point out your surveys done, you’ve not reduced as a result of that (which the new purchasers may) and your good to go.

But that would be it, I’d walk otherwise.

I agree with this. This house ticks all the boxes. You might regret it for a very long time if nothing similar comes along. And you can afford it. It would be completely different if you couldn't. I'm sure it will make you sick to the teeth to hand over a penny more than was originally agreed, especially as you don't know for definite if the other couple even exist, however, if you love it that much it'll be worth the bit extra. There's nothing to stop them upping it again but you've nothing much to lose by offering 2-4 grand extra and saying what the pp said. You can reassess it again if they refuse.

@Crafting1Queen

Oops *@Quandries* didn't mean to post those emojis - been reading and keeping up to date with your thread, and think you have absolutely done the correct thing not getting sucked into the Vendors gameplaying, and I hope you find another, lovelier, house soon.

I saw some of the PPs saying just use the square brackets and type bike etc, so tried it, thinking I was only doing a preview, and instead of deleting after the images showed in preview, I've hit post message instead.

Hope everyone else trying out different emojis doesn't derail your thread...... Though hope you can at lease enjoy the virtual chocolate lol

Go for it. I’m not getting a lovely house, so I might as well get a lesson on hidden emojis!

I’ve just checked and there isn’t a house emoji. Will have a Pom Bear for myself instead

Derailing further just to distract our lovely op, whom we all wish very well (and an update when you are head over heels with a new gaff).

Retro revivals are invariably disappointing. I would happily wear this BUT ITS NOT RASPBERRY. Mother of god what were they thinking, yak. ~Bad Lemon Error

@DrinkFeckArseGirls

[ penis ] [ beaker ]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

I love chocolate

Cue odd messages from me

One Pom Bear??ONE??!!
(Love how this thread has completed derailed)

One Pom Bear??ONE??!!
(Love how this thread has completed derailed)