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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to pull out of our house purchase?

35 replies

LaMariposa · 06/02/2021 09:50

We offered for a house last October, very quickly after selling ours. It was top of the budget but nothing else was on the market.

Since then, the vendors have been rubbish at communicating. The survey indicates the construction of the roof/loft extension might be poor. The couple selling are divorcing and no maintenance has been done.

Nothing insurmountable, but a house in my dream location has come to the market, it’s an end of chain property and going to offers over.

So, given we’ve paid out for the survey and mortgage application, and if we want to keep our buyers we’ll probably need to move into rented, AIBU to pull out of the purchase?

DH likes both houses and said he doesn’t want to move to either unless I’m completely happy, as he doesn’t want to move again.

OP posts:

PurpleFlower1983 · 06/02/2021 09:53

The English system means you’re entitled to pull out before exchange of contracts if you like so if you’re not happy with how things have gone do it.

TodaysFishIsTroutALaCreme · 06/02/2021 09:54

I would think that with the issues the survey has picked up you would be within your rights to ask for a reduction in price and if the vendors refuse you can pull out. That way you are not pulling out just because you prefer another property which is a bit shitty (But totally understandable)

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 06/02/2021 09:56

The survey indicates the construction of the roof/loft extension might be poor.

This would massively put me off regardless of the other house coming on the market.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 06/02/2021 09:57

I think with the survey results you'd be able to pull out morally... Esp as it's likely to be expensive to remedy...
Also is it an issue that you may well miss the stamp duty holiday, if they continue with their slow comms?

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 06/02/2021 09:58

Wouldn't it be crazy to go ahead with a house purchase you weren't happy with

Of course you don't have to go ahead if youve changed your mind for any reason.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 06/02/2021 09:59

I know it feels like a horrible thing to do, but I think you have to pull out. Never pass up on a dream house!

Doublefaced · 06/02/2021 10:00

Has your offer on the second house been accepted?

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 06/02/2021 10:00

DH doesn’t want to move to either unless I’m completely happy, as he doesn’t want to move again.

Only just seen this. YES PULL OUT!

DoubleTweenQueen · 06/02/2021 10:00

Have you viewed the other house? You are able to offer on it and see if you can secure it through an offer, if you want it that is, before you pull out of the first (before exchange). Don't be too polite about it all - buy the home you want, even if it's a bit of extra expense/renting at the outset. Good luck!

MythSpentYouth · 06/02/2021 10:01

It will be almost impossible to complete on the second property before the stamp duty deadline now.

Searches are taking forever, surveys delayed, mortgage approval on the new house...

Have you viewed the new house?

Dontjudgeme101 · 06/02/2021 10:01

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

I know it feels like a horrible thing to do, but I think you have to pull out. Never pass up on a dream house!

I agree with this.

DDiva · 06/02/2021 10:06

It's not good to pull out this far down the line but definitely dont carry on because you feel bad for the other vendors. This us far to big a decision, it has to be right.

Having said that it's easy to have your head turned by something else when you've heard the loft conversion is not great. You might not get the other house, how would you feel starting from scratch finding something?

MrsToadlike · 06/02/2021 10:12

Pull out OP. Your first post suggests there's a red flag, always trust your gut feeling. Buying a house is likely the most expensive purchase you will ever make, so it's got to be the right one for you and your family.

Good luck in getting the house you actually want

TitusPullo · 06/02/2021 11:11

I would pull out, from bitter experience of trying to buy a house from a divorcing couple, the wife kept putting roadblocks in the process. We live near it now and it’s only just sold two years later.

Original poster

LaMariposa · 06/02/2021 11:14

We are viewing the other house today. It’s end of chain and currently empty, but the estate agents say there has been a lot of interest (they would say that though)
We are thinking of going in with an above asking price offer if they take it off the market today.

OP posts:

chillied · 06/02/2021 12:07

We did do similar, had offered to buy from a divorcing couple but the house they wanted to buy had fallen through so everything slowed to nothing while they were looking. We were first time buyers, so no chain.

Suddenly a much nicer house came on the market, we viewed it and offered immediately, we went on to buy it. It was no contest the better house for us and still is.

It was awkward to withdraw our offer, but they did understand our reasons. I feel we weren't their only problem! We were very far from exchange and they were the ones creating delay. In the end that house didn't sell for 4-5 years more.

Good luck OP hope you get the house you want.

RuledbyASD · 06/02/2021 12:23

Best of luck OP! Please come back later today and update us how it went

SarahAndQuack · 06/02/2021 12:58

I don't think it's horrible at all - it would be totally different if the sellers had been eager for a quick sale and did everything on their side to make it happen, but you've been hanging around since October.

HintOfVintagePink · 06/02/2021 13:19

Pull out. You should have completed ages ago if your offer was accepted last October.

The roof is a huge expense.

Don’t lose the alternative, dream house over being polite

HumourReplacementTherapy · 06/02/2021 13:23

@HintOfVintagePink

Pull out. You should have completed ages ago if your offer was accepted last October.

The roof is a huge expense.

Don’t lose the alternative, dream house over being polite

Have a read of the property thread. Conveyancing is taking forever at the moment. Covid/stamp duty/Xmas in between. Loads of people have still not completed on houses from before October!

89redballoons · 06/02/2021 13:28

It feels horrible pulling out, but you're within your rights to and your current sellers will almost certainly find a new buyer. You can get your solicitor to tell theirs and the solicitors and estate agent should handle all the disappointment and anger etc - that's what they're paid to do.

We did this last year and I love the house that we did end up buying so much. I tell my husband pretty much every couple of days how glad I am that we pulled our original offer and moved here

Original poster

LaMariposa · 06/02/2021 14:27

Decision made. We've seen the new house and DH is calling up to offer on it now. We've gone in at 5.5% over asking price.

Location and plot size both hugely better.

If we don't get it, we will be in rented having sold already, which will put us in a much better position.

OP posts:

TronaldDrump · 06/02/2021 20:13

I'm looking forward to hearing if you got it OP

HintOfVintagePink · 06/02/2021 21:17

@HumourReplacementTherapy Not at my firm . Expectations of buyers have been blown too high by agents, and too many are banking on the SDLT relief rather than seeing it as a bonus. Thanks for the tip though.

SaltyTootsieToes · 07/02/2021 01:34

Hi OP

Was the offer accepted?

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