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

I really can't see the harm in saying you love a property, surely if you didn't you wouldn't put in an offer; are you supposed to stroke your chin, say 'I don't really know' then make a low offer as if you're taking it off their hands and doing them a favour 😆

Your dh sounds like he wants to win an argument and has an ego issue.

The majority of houses go @2% below asking normally.
If the sellers want a certain price you either agree to it or lose it.

Think your dh is cutting his nose off to spite his face.

Sounds like you want the house more than he does. No use upping and upping your offer if you're not both on board. It's not "just" £2, it's £2k+ the £10/15/20k you've already upped to.

I actually disagree, I think it’s useful in case the estate agent has to persuade a buyer to take your offer over others. Plus it obviously doesn’t signify you’ll pay more than it’s worth.

Is there anyone else interested in the house? If there is, you both need to be prepared to lose the house over this.

Yeah, are you really sure you want to buy a house with this nasty bloke?

It goes the other way too.

The Buyer might offer £558k, then after the survey revise it down to £550k after the Seller has become invested in their onward purchase and would have concerns about the chain breaking if they refuse.

If you really want the house and are going to live in it for 5+ years then I'd agree the extra £2k and secure it. Over the lifetime you live in the property it likely won't make much difference.
There's a balance between getting a good price and alienating the vendor you then have to get to cooperate with you through legals.....
Our buyer of last house chose to be an absolute dick over £400....sale went through but I did absolutely zero cleaning before we left and all further favours like access for measurements were denied......

Why don't you say to the Estate Agent that you'll agree to meet the sellers half-way, split the difference, and offer £556,500? See what your DH says about that.

If he refuses to budge, then tell Estate Agents you'll leave the offer on the table for "x" amount of time,but you will be pursuing other properties in the meantime. There is always another house out there.

You’ve offered twice already and assuming they were reasonable offers, I wouldn’t feel inclined to meet their price. I’d just leave £555K on the table and look elsewhere.

Your husband called you a clown bc you disagreed with him?

Is he usually so nasty?

@Alittlebyte

The British system is silly! "Making an offer indeed" - we have always when selling priced it fairly and indicated "fixed price - no offers". When buying we simply go at the asking price. All parties then know that they are professional about it. If my maths is correct I certainly would not fuss for 1%!

My husband was like this with house buying and it drove me INSANE. We had so many massive arguments about it.

I know I'm missing the point but your husband needs to stop with the insults.

Did you not ask him who the fuck he was calling a clown?

If the seller will accept 558k why won't they accept 556?

Bizarre. I wonder how much they'll make on the sale? Probably hundreds of thousands.

Part of me sees your husband's pow

Point of view

How much were they originally asking?

Yeah me too, how long is this sale going to take? Are they going to be like this with the onwards haggling over 2k? I'd say it's more of a risk to you.

This has been going on for a few weeks, so why are they risking everything for a better offer if they've not had one already?

It is not silly. It is a system for chancers, spivs and is a disgrace. It is the system in England and Wales only though, that in Scotland may not be perfect but is a lot better.

And what if the survey does turn up a load of things? It's just another 10k?

You have to draw a line somewhere

it took me 3 years and 10 offers for different properties before I managed to buy one (last time around). It was hell.. There may be someone else willing to pay £2000 the seller is seeking so the property could be lost to you. Is he prepared for that?

It's not silly, you would have gained more vs offering a fixed price, and saved more offering lower.

Whose paying for it?

An extra £2k on a house purchase for me would be a lot when you factor in stamp duty etc

Try a different technique. You say the house needs a lot of work doing, so list what that work is, come up with some basic quotes of what that work might be, and hit them with a couple of the improvement quotes. Don’t think about cosmetic stuff like redecorating, but stuff that really does need doing to make the house liveable. You can point this out, letting them know that you have a strict budget in mind and why you need to consider not increasing asking price. However, £2k on a half million house is chicken poo really, it does depend on if your OH is just being bloody minded, or thinking sensibly. If I got a hint as a seller of someone just trying it on I would just tell them to walk on by.