So gutted we have lost our dream home!

[Mrsfromwales]

Not even sure why I'm posting really, just need to vent.
Some horrible property developer has gazumpted sp? Us on our dream home!
We were due to view it again today (our 2nd wedding anniversary) but estate agent called yesterday to say someone has made a higher offer.
It needs completely renovating so although we could probably just about stretch to match their price, we'd be left with nothing to so it up with.

I know I'm being silly really, it was never officially ours but I have spent the last few months dreaming about our life and future there and everything we were planning to do to it and I feel that a part of my future has been taken away.
I kept crying about it yesterday.
And if one more person says you'll find a better/ another house I may punch them.

This was literally the only Victorian cottage left in the village and there is nothing even remotely similar, never mind on the market or in our price range.
Worst thing is, it's a builder who is planning to turn it into flats. I couldnt bear to see this beautiful home ruined by turning it into horrible flats.
It makes me so mad, the builder has another investment property he was willing to offer on and didn't seem bothered which one he got as he's just out to make a quick buck. This was my dream home where I was going to raise my children and spend the rest of my life.
I'm so upset and just feel so down about it.
I know i sound ridiculous and somewhat ungrateful but... I don't know it's just how I feel and its horrible to feel like this on our anniversary. :-(

Mrs, I feel your pain.

Our situation wasn't like yours but I fell in love with a property. Did the searches, paid for the surveys, had a good relationship with vendors and they even organised a meet up with their neighbours for us. At the last moment, they got cold feet about moving and pulled out. We were devastated. I thought I was going to murder someone for quite a while.

The thing is, I truly believe these things happen for a reason. We ended up buying a doer-upper and sold it on to buy a lovely house in the end.

You will feel really upset but things will get better. Believe me. Another thought is to make sure that you still show interest in the lost house because the people that put the higher offer in might change their minds. It can happen.

So sorry. Developers offered on the house we wanted, more than we could pay. We found something else but got called about eight week later to be told their purchase had fallen through and were we still interested. So Jalopy is right that you should keep the communication open.

Have the vendors definitely accepted the developers higher offer?

Its just that near us a beautiful old house came up for sale when an old couple both died within a year of each other. The house needed a fair bit doing to it but also had planning permission for another house in the garden.

When it came to selling it the couples children opted to sell it to another family rather than a developer as it had been their family home so they wanted it to remain a family home.

I suspect that they may have got less from the family than the developer and the sale process certainly took longer but, to them, it was important it 'went to a good home'.

I know this doesn't help you but it just goes to show that sometimes, if things are meant to be, then something will happen.

Thanks Jalopy.
You have made me feel a little better already.
I am going to call the estate agents later and ask if they will pass our number on to the developer that has bought it. ( or if hes happy for them to give us his number)
Maybe see if he is willing to negotiate
Something with us where he does the work and sells it on to us at a higher price (obviously keeping it as a house not turning it into flats) if he is only out to make a profit maybe he'll be interested in knowing he has a buyer lined up at the end.
Thanks for your post. x

This happened to us when we bought our second house. Offer was accepted, so we sold ours to someone who offered near what we wanted for ours (Could have got more but took the offer as we had bought ) Got survey etc. done. Just 1 week before we got keys they pulled out, no proper explaination. Their solicitor told ours that he wouldn't be having them as clients because of this. We live in a small town and no other solicitor in it would deal with them.

Someone offered more on the side for the house.. Later We discovered that the neighbour next door was a prostitute and across the road was her pimp and dealer ! So we had a lucky escape really !
Also the house didn't actually sell as the people who offered on the side didn't follow through.

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.
Went back to the agent this morning and said we are willing to better the offer that has already been put on.
They rang the vendor and he said hes happy to consider any better offers before contracts are signed. he is looking when he is available and will try and organise to see us at the house again this week. Only thing is, the builder has organised a survey for Thursday. So time is a bit tight!
Croissant, that's what I am hoping and praying for.
The vendor has accepted the other offer, but last time we viewed we had a long chat with him about our long term plans for the house ie family home and how he raised his family in this house and was really sentimental about it.
Clutching at straws really bit I'm hoping he would rather see it restored to it's former glory as a family home.
We could just about squeeze another £10k on top of the offer he's accepted, bit that would literally be us to the limit. Would just have enough to put in kitchen, bathroom and decorate rooms as they are but anything that is non essential would have to wait until probably a years time once we've saved up a good chunk of £££.
thanks for reading everyone- it's good to know people understand and I'm
Not just being silly!

Wow catpark, that was a narrow escape!
Although it is soooo frustrating having sales fall through. I can't imagine what state I'd be in if that was our situation here- a week before getting the keys! Bit like u say your situation worked out better for you in the end. I just hope I can see my situation that way.

Do you really want to enter a bidding war? Just be careful someone who accepts an offer on their property and then says they're open to other offers is hardly playing the game fairly or honestly.

Don't mean to sound negative but say he accepts your increased offer and 2 weeks further down the line and the developer ups his... You're back in the same boat. He's already shown he's open to offers until contracts are exchanged, what if it's the day before you exchange with him, can you imagine how you'd feel then?

house prices are falling at 5% a year and you are upping your offer ????