Selling my house - potential buyers saying there is water damage?

[dontpetthesweatythings]

First time I have ever sold a house! Novice here.

Back story, the people who have offered on my house know (because I told them for various reasons) that my roof is new as when I moved in it leaked, so replaced it (obviously). They are using 'water damage' as a reason to not up their offer on my house. There is no water damage! We didn't discuss water damage and they didn't even get in the loft to look.

Are they just using this as a bartering tool to not offer any higher hoping I will accept? I think this because, surely, if you thought there was water damage to a house, you wouldn't want to buy it in the first place and could find something very similar in an area where there lots of houses the same not 'water damaged'?*

*my house isn't a super-duper must-have property in an ideal location with good transport links and lovely schools etc. just a bog standard 1950's ex council mid terrace !

Help.......just don't know whether to stick to my guns or not.

Put aside the water damage stuff. Is the offer one you would be happy to accept? Do you think you could get more? How desperate are you to move?

Please remember to take into consideration that following survey this could just be the start of price dropping.

nooooo really?! I had no idea.

I'm not overly happy at the offer but moneywise it works. I just thought that the reason they won't offer more isn't a genuine one as - well - how can they see?! (there isn't damage btw, seen with my own eyes).

No desperate to move. 60% certain I could get what I want...

Thanks for the reply.

I think they are just casting around to find a reason to justify not offering more. As you say, their reason is rubbish if they have no evidence.

However the important thing is not whether their reason is any good. The important thing is that they don't want to pay more. Even if you go back and say their reason is rubbish, that doesn't mean they will up their offer. They will just say that is all they are willing to pay - they don't need a reason.

So really the important question is as only says, are you willing to take the offer. Sounds like not if you are not desperate to move and think you could get more.

If they are having a survey then that will show if there is any remaining damage - if not then that's not a bargaining tool for them. Did you have repair work done after the roof was replaced, and can you prove it with receipts or anything?

As others have said though, if you can disprove the water damage excuse, then they'll probably find another reason to drop the offer. Have a long hard think about how low you are prepared to go (don't forget to factor in your purchasing/moving costs), and find out what their position is (chain/mortgage ready/cash etc), and then take it from there. Don't be rushed, and don't always accept without question what your e/a says......

Why don't you get your EA to ask them what water damage they are referring to as you are unaware of anything? Although you do say the roof leaked previously? Where was the leaking water coming out - in your loft, upstairs rooms, somewhere else? Surely there must have actually been some damage or you wouldn't have replaced the roof?

Anyway, asking them what the damage is gives you a chance to think about their offer without actually rejecting it if they do come back with some details of what they believe the problem is.

Thanks all.

Spoke to EA this morning, the ladyhas now said it was because the roof was 'patched up' by an unqualified roofer :S

No idea where she has got that from either so I have just said a big fat no to their offer. It's just left let me with a bad feeling in my mouth. I know I shouldn't get 'emotional' about selling my house but that was just making stuff up ! If she said the decorating was bad (which it is) I wouldn't have got narky!

Some people are so rude, you end up having to put up with a lot of stuff when selling (and buying) a house. If you have the receipts from the roof work, dig them out, and anything else relating to it in case the question comes up again. Next time, just say you had the roof repaired shortly after you moved in (possibly don't even bring it up, only respond to a question) - nothing about damage or whatever. You are not lying, a decent surveyor woud spot any damage, but there's no point raising a question with a potential buyer unnecessarily.

I think you should always listen to your gut instinct. We accepted an offer of a guy we both felt was trouble. We spent our entire Christmas running around looking at houses so we could progress the sale. We eventually found somewhere, had a bit of a battle over offers and got that stress sorted. We then went back to the guy to say we are good to go and he pulled out of buying. He said his personal circumstances had changed and hadn't wanted to tell us before until he was sure he didn't want it. Git.

Only4 - oh my gosh how awful !! People...got to say this has been very stressful, BUT I am pleased to announce that I told the estate agent to just ditch them yesterday and I didn't want anymore offers from them after that excuse. Lo and behold, 5 hours later they offer exactly what I want.

Suckerrrrrrrz!!!

Sorry.....I'm just V happy!

That's great, but don't get too carried away! Are they having a survey do you know? If they are, be prepared for them to try and negotiate on something there - it's quite possible they will brief him on "water damage".

It's the next up/down bit of the house selling rollercoaster - good luck!

It's perfectly normal to have a try at getting a better price for a house you like, but if these people are keen to get your house (and the revised offer is a pretty good sign) you need to keep talking and negotiating. Once the survey is done, it might well throw up some extra jobs needed and the usual etiquette is to take something off the price - or make some other kind of deal. My Mums house sale indicated some minor damp problems - air bricks needed - but she was thinking of leaving a nice wardrobe so the buyer agreed to accept the wardrobe in lieu of a reduction.

oh ok - that's helpful information. So in fact IF there is any sort of 'issue with the roof or indeed damage I haven't seen I might have to bring the price down? Ok....I shall be prepared. Prepared to cry!! Only joking.

I'm pleased I know that now actually at least it won't be such a shock if something does come out of the survey. I'm not making any money on this house as it is and have to be v careful I don't go negative if they reduce the offer.