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Property/DIY

I'm an idiot

109 replies

AnuvvaMuvva · 18/12/2013 22:47

Split from XH a few years ago and have been living in the marital home with the DC. When it was time to apply for DS1's secondary school, decided to make the move back to my family's town so we'd be there "for good".

Put house on market - 40 viewings, 7 offers, accepted the second highest at 50k over asking price. Unbelievably surprised and happy.

That extra money gave me the real possibility of buying a place, rather than moving back in with parents and saving up. All good.

Found a 3-bed place just 2 minutes' walk from my parents' house. Ugly from the front, on a busy main road near a garage and a speed camera (!) but quite nice inside. TINY garden overlooked on all sides. Walking distance to the schools. Put in 3 offers until they finally accepted one at £5.5k under asking price.

Paid £300 for mortgage broker to get me a mortgage. Paid £640 for a full structural survey. Paid £300 to solicitors for search fees.

Am now having second thoughts. :( The house has been on and off the market since Nov 2011. Rented out when not on market. They've had previous offers which have dropped out, often days before completion.

Everyone I meet in that town (via a Facebook group) seems to have viewed that house at some point and disregarded it. It's a nice town, but the house is in a row of about 10, all 70s built, that just seem a bit... rough. Which is the only reason I can afford it, tbh. It's about £50k less than other 3-beds.

I've spent SO MUCH MONEY because I got all excited and just HAD to secure the house... And now I'm not sure. It's £235k FFS! Cheap for the town but in all other senses it's ALMOST A QUARTER OF A MILLION.

Survey came back fine, except he advised that the double-glazing was shot (misting), and to get vendors to give a legal declaration of any previous noise problems - the houses have no sound-protection and he said a "large unaccompanied dog next door barked throughout the viewing".

What do I do? If I pull out of this, I can move into my parents' house and be a cash buyer with a mortgage AIP when my house completes. That's not progressing as fast as I liked either -- they had a mortgage valuation and a couple of things on that have led them to book a buildings survey next Monday.

I've never done this before and feel I've been too impulsive and rushed into things. And I'm worried my solicitor is going to think I'm a time-wasting idiot if I back out.

I'd be walking away from a cheap bird in the hand for a prettier, nicer two in the bush that May or may not come on the market next year at my price.

Don't know what to do. Sick of thinking about it all, tbh. And spent ALL my money on a house I'm not sure about! Only have £350 left till I get paid. :(

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AnuvvaMuvva · 19/12/2013 09:59

£430!

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NotJustACigar · 19/12/2013 19:04

Walk away. You know in your heart of hearts that you don't want this house. Plus a constantly barking dog next door will quickly drive you insane. The money you've spent on this house so far is a drop in the bucket compared to what you've made on your previous house. Chalk it up to an expensive lesson and move on with your life.

Once you've moved into your parents you'll be chain free and flexible with timings so very attractive to vendors and should be able to snap up the next attractive property that comes on the market.

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BitOfFunWithSanta · 19/12/2013 21:20

Yes, Cigar is absolutely right.

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 09:49

OMG! ANOTHER house has JUST come up. Again it's 2 mins walk from my parents, but in a quiet cul-de-sac with trees, all well-kept - smashing for kids. Only £10k more and my mortgage offer is bigger than I expected, so I can afford this.

3 beds, A GARDEN!!!!!!!!, end of terrace so only neighbours on one side not two -- perfect. One snag: it's with the same estate agent that the other one (that I'm supposedly buying) is with. WHAT DO I DO?! Will they think I'm a real time-waster if I drop out of the old one and try to buy this instead?

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 09:51

This is IDEAL. It really is. Even has a cat flap for my cat!

Bedrooms are all bigger. Lovely large sitting/dining room. The smallest bedroom is still 8x9.

I MUST HAVE THIS HOUSE.

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Preciousbane · 20/12/2013 09:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ChippingInLovesChristmasLights · 20/12/2013 11:17

Excellent Xmas Grin

Phone them now and tell them you want to see it today - find a way to do it, they wont last where you are looking and for only £10k more than the other one.

They will be fine with it - more commission for them and they know why that other house isn't selling and aren't telling you - so don't worry about what they think anyway!

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orangepudding · 20/12/2013 11:23

Go and see the other house. Buying a house you don't really like would be a huge mistake, you would be the one living with the regret no one else.

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ChippingInLovesChristmasLights · 20/12/2013 11:28

I've just had a look - nice garden. Strange place for a cat flap - they must really love their cat Xmas Grin

I'd put a lower offer in for it though - I think it's worth more like what they were asking for the other one myself - maybe £240, I think £250 is a bit steep - but if it ticks all your boxes and is near your parents etc, it might be worth you paying the extra if you need to, to get it, but I'd start with a much lower offer.

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 11:38

The owners aren't do viewings today but I have an apt to see it tomorrow first thing.

I was honest and knocked the other house on the head. (I was polite and also included the bad bits from the buildings survey so they could fix those and get a sale.)

I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS PLACE TOMORROW. I've already converted the downstairs loo/cupboard into a home office.

I'll start at £250k. I am too scared to go lower!!

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 11:40

They bought it in 2010 for £185k. The neighbour (next door) sold this August for £240k. Apparently the owners are looking for a new place in the local area.

Will they accept my asking-price offer now but then want to raise it in the spring when they've found a new place??

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 11:42

Just offering the asking-price seems risky to me... What if someone comes over the top? There are NO houses in this town at the moment. If they get floods of offers, would they want to wait till after Jan to get help-to-buy buyers in too and start a massive bidding war??

[breathes into paper bag]

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orangepudding · 20/12/2013 11:42

I don't think it's likely they will expect to get over 250k due to the stamp duty threshold.

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 11:43

I want them to sell it to me, then get the heck out of it so I can start cooking in that sparkly beautiful kitchen.

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 11:44

Does the stamp duty rise START at £250k, or at anything OVER £250k? I was thinking of offering £250k but saying an I give you £1 in cash and we'll call it £249,999 if it avoids the stamp duty hike...

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 11:45

I've got to calm down. Getting over-excited about houses is what is what cost me £1200 on that one I wasn't even that keen on. Hmm

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orangepudding · 20/12/2013 11:45

It starts at 250, 001.

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karron · 20/12/2013 11:47

We bought at 250,000 and it was 1% stamp duty. It goes up overt so if you paid 250,001. They will know this hence price.

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 11:48

Ah, OK -- thank you.

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noddyholder · 20/12/2013 11:50

Pull out of this you can recoup the loss further down teh line. Rent somewhere for now with the extra money and get a feel for teh place.

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MmeCinqAnneauxDor · 20/12/2013 12:00

Calm down and don't go mad with the price.

Get it out of your head that you have to take THIS house (or that one) because another won't come up again in the same area.

We walked away from a house that we had already agreed on, because the neighbours garden was messy and they gave off a 'vibe'. We walked past several times over the course of a weekend, and they still had the same washing out - for days. I know this sounds like a weird thing to fixate on, but it made me nervous.

We bought the exact same house across the road for £20k less a couple of months later.

Take the time to think it through and trust your instincts, but don't get panicked about missing out. You will find the right house, just give yourself that time.

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 12:02

Ah, OK -- thank you.

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 12:05

THANK YOU. I know what you mean about "vibes" and I think they're important. Did you ever get to know those neighbours (with the washing)? Were they OK or as odd as you thought?

I've pulled out of the first house - it's over. The new one really does look spot-on. I can't bear the stress and uncertainty of this process -- I wish it was just like a shop, where you walk in, pay the price and walk out with the house!

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 12:06

I do believe that we get the house that's meant for us. I DO believe that. But the length of time it takes, with chains, and offers, and surveys and solicitors... It's amazing that anyone ever moves house.

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AnuvvaMuvva · 20/12/2013 12:07

noddy - I'm lucky that I can stay at my parents' lovely big hose with the kids while I look. They're charging rent, but only smallish.

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