Nasty disagreement over house purchase

[Alittlebyte]

We are negotiating a house purchase and found a house we both like. We have been going back and forth with the seller over the past few weeks.

Our last offer was £555k which was rejected but the seller has said they will accept £558k. My husband wants to offer £556k and not a penny more. I think we should offer the full amount but my husband has refused and is adamant he won't offer more than £556k.

Am I being thick, it's £2k more and we get the house? My husband isn't moving and has called me a clown for saying "it's only £2k more."

prices have been amended to avoid outting

It’s a poker game - are you prepared to lose the house over 2k if your bluff is called? In the big picture, what is 2k if the house is the one you really want?

2k might be a deal breaker or might be not. If your DH feels that he’s overpaying already 2k will be significant for him especially if the house requires some work.
Buying is a very stressful time and all parties get emotional. But calling you “clown” was still not good but if it’s one off and he genuinely said sorry afterwards I would move from it.

P.S. DH refused to increase our offer for one of houses and we didn’t get it. For nearly a year until we bought this current house I regularly reminded him about it. He didn’t like it. 😉

They have what YOU want, so theres nothing to negotiate. They have told you their minimum price, if you don't pay it you DON'T get the house. It really is that simple.

There is no option, right or entitlement anywhere in the world to demand someone sells you their belongings/property/skills for less than the price they state.

Does he 'haggle' the listed price in asda? 'barter' the amount the gas company state? 'negotiate' at the petrol station etc...

I honestly don’t get these threads posted by buyers getting their pants in a twist over sellers not accepting their offers. The house belongs to the seller. They put a price on the house that they want to sell it for. They have every right to decline any offer given, without giving a reason. Just like the potential buyer can offer whatever they want too, but need to learn that it’s not compulsory for the seller to accept. The self entitlement……

It is wise to find a compromise. Instead of arguing money, find something about the house that needs repair, and make that a condition of purchase. Something you would repair or replace after moving in.
🙂

Depends how much you like the house. And how likely they are to get an asking price offer. Sounds like your DH believes you can get it if you hold your nerve and I guess he’s paying the extra. Plus, £2k is a lot of money towards renovations. If they accept, get them to take it off the market, for sure.

But there’s a risk they could get an asking price offer, either soon or even after they’ve accepted a lower offer from you and when you’ve already paid for surveys etc. So, really depends how much you want to risk losing it. An asking price offer reduces the risk of being gazumped after shelling out money on it.

Sounds like your husband has been spending too much time on Vinted.

Depends how desperate you are. I was in a similar situation, house been on a while, knew not much interest buy they were insistent on asking price despite needing extensive work. We offered about 10% less than asking (which was reasonable and what others around in same condition had sold for). They said asking price minimum. We said no thanks, that offer is there until we find another house but that's it. Estate agents seemed very much sick of having this house sat there.

So we continued looking. Got a call about 2 weeks later asking if we'd reconsidered putting in asking price offer, we said absolutely not, it's what we offered or no deal. A couple days later I booked a couple other viewings with the estate agent for other properties the same guy was working. Day before those viewings got a call that they'd like to accept our offer.

If you are keen and can afford it I would pay it personally. It's probably about £8 a month for the next 25 years of a mortgage. You likely wouldn't blink at spending that on a Netflix subscription, or a takeaway coffee a week.

When we bought our house we agreed to pay the asking price and then the owners lumped £2.5k on top citing they had a higher offer. As we desperately wanted the house we agreed to pay it without hesitation. These are the tricks that owners ( and agents) play to try and eek out a few more pounds.

Up to you to decide do you really want the house or are you prepared to lose it over a couple of grand.

BTW our house was half the price at the time so their increase was a lot more than what your sellers are asking, percentage wise.

I'd be more bothered about having to live with someone who called me a clown!

If you can afford it. Then go for it

If you are willing to spend 556 on a house, I don’t understand what the big deal with spending an extra 2k is, that actually boggles my head why your husband is being awkward about such a small amount.

There has to be a point where enough is enough and there’s a line in the sand

this will be the 3rd increase and the danger is you’ll keep going and going

you have to set a limit
that’s sensible or it runs away with you

regardless of the house issue if my husband dared call me ‘a clown’ for any reason whatsoever (he wouldn’t) I would be furious and there would be consequences. Don’t allow yourself to be spoken to in such a disparaging way. He clearly holds you in contempt.

I don’t agree with the way he spoke to her either. But the fact remains OP has made offers without consulting him - and it’s his money. I’d be furious. They’re both at fault.

A bit late for doing that, as they’ve already offered several times and the seller could easily counter if they’ve already taken something like that into account in the asking price. I’d be offering the asking price and waiting for the survey report - that’s the time to look for something to re-negotiate on.

And I'd be more bothered about living with someone who would put in an offer on a house as their unilateral decision!

If my DH did that I'd be furious! In fact, I'd be furious if he bought a car with family money without consultation, let alone a house!

When you say it's his money, does this mean he will have only his name on the deeds? Or you will both be on the deeds?

Is this is money he saved before you got together because if it is and he's gone without to save up I can totally understand him not wanting to spend a penny more than necessary to purchase a property, especially one which is going to need more money spent on it.

How are things, @Alittlebyte ? Has your husband come around?

I’ve been told it’s a good negotiation tactic to say how much you love the house/car/whatever. Shows them you are serious.

Youre right. Hope you get the house!

My attitude would always be. Take the all in cost, solicitor, tax and improvements and ask yourself what else can I get with that money. If your current target is worth it the 2k is not worth haggling over. If you don't want the house at 558k then you are not that into it. Surely at that budget £2k can be saved somewhere else.

You are not a clown! If the estate agent hears that and thinks that they can play you they do not want to sell the house.

Are your anxieties regarding missing the house clouding your judgement perhaps (only hearing one side)? Perhaps more a relationship challenge, rather than about the house? I'm sure we've ALL called someone something like that! The seller can only say no and so you pay full asking!
I would suggest sellers would expect you to meet half way. £2,000 really helps pay towards stamp duty! Can't harm to try. Good luck

The point is that the sellers have something that could be turned into what the buyer wants. If I see something at Asda I do have the choice to put in the legwork and buy it from Currys that is not an option here. The buyer could buy something elsewhere which would need too much pulling about to be as good as this property, in which case asking price is reasonable.

It sounds like your agreeing with me but your opening statement doesn't. Also many supermarkets sell exclusive items that can't be bought from other places.