I'm an idiot

[AnuvvaMuvva]

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. :(

not hose - house, obviously!

We live opposite. I can't say that I have noticed them being anti-social but their garden is always a mess.

Spoke to the new owner of one of the other houses that we didn't get, and she said that they'd only moved in a few months when they discovered the boiler needed replacing.

Awful for her but GREAT for you! Did you commiserate but inside feel a bit guiltily relieved?

Have only read first page but I think you should probably go for it (especially as it's near your parents so in right location) and you're probably mainly just feeling nervous - as buying a house is always a massive expenditure.
Good luck!

I've just done a Street View of the new house (I'm in love) and saw a NO BALL GAMES sign on the wall... Does that mean it's a council estate? If so it's the prettiest little council estate evah and might explain why it's affordable..?

Thanks, Juggling, but I pulled out! I saw a better house again in the right location (only in the other direction) and I loved it sooo much, I knew I just wasn't that into the first place. Am seeing new one tomorrow.

I did feel very relieved.

Don't diss council estates - they are often very well built and have larger rooms than privately built houses.

Sorry, I should have read more of the thread
But had to go out for bits for the stockings (Santa asked if I'd help him out !) and a XMas week food shop.
Glad you've found something else nearby that you like even more -
Good luck with it all!

You can have a boiler and an electrical survey after they have accepted your offer (as well as a normal survey). Each of those two should cost £100 or so. I would also have your own survey done, either a Homebuyers Survey or if you have any concerns e.g. it's next to a river, then have a full structural survey done.

The Building Society only need the property to be worth what they are lending you. They don't care how much deposit you are putting in.

A relative of mine had a heating survey (boiler) and found that the boiler was not safe to use. The vendor went halves with the purchaser on the cost of installing a new boiler.

We bought a house that had been on and off the market since 2011 too. As it had been on for a few years we did get it for a better price than it was originally on for but I often wonder why no one else liked it enough and were we missing something!

I also meet lots of people who know it and many have viewed it. I like to think that they lacked our vision rather than it being blighted in some mystery way that we missed.

Anyway, people will soon forget it as THAT house when you have been in a few months. If you love it just go for it but equally if you really really do not want to go through with it just put a stop to it all.

Thank you spotty! Let's decide that it was just fate, and that your house was waiting for YOU. Not that there was something wrong with it! :)

I did pull out - I feel so relieved. More relieved than I expected.

The estate agent is now asking if I'd accept a discount off the price bit is asking me to say how much I'd buy it for. I can't name a price!

Seeing another place today that looks much nicer. But if that doesn't work out, I'm quite looking forward to moving back with parents, having all the stress of this put aside for a while, and looking in relative peace. :)

So glad you've made a decision muvva, if you're feeling relived it's a sign. Your. House is out there, just wait until spring. Merry Christmas.

Thank you! I actually walked past the first house today and it looked HIDEOUS. I have no idea what I was thinking!

Viewed a house today that was 10x nicer. Beautiful kitchen, garden, 3 really big bedrooms and a lovely sitting/dining room with gas fire and French doors. I made an offer. NOT asking price but a bit lower. Feeling quite calm either way.

Sounds like you definitely made the right decision. Phew!

Good for you. Crossing fingers that they'll accept offer

Report back!

Sorry I missed your replies yesterday :(

The house you are in love with, is that house number 2... or has a third one crept in quietly?

I was over there today doing some Christmas visiting - we could have had coffee and driven slowly past your new house

You're all so lovely! Chipping, that would've been awesome! :)

I'll let you all know when the housewarming is. Thanks for being so sweet!! Xxx

Housewarming, coffee in town, opening of an envelope - let me know and I'll be there

Good luck Anuvva have just caught up on your thread. I don't live far from Wokingham, I know the area very well and were looking for a BTL in that area over the past couple of months. The market is currently red hot, some agents have no three bed house for sale, so I am thinking you may need to up your offer to asking price (if it is on for 250k). We have now found a house in Aborfield, a bit further out but it is lovely.
Please let us know how you get on

Oh and having been divorced myself, the feeling of having your own home that no one can take away from you is amazing, so do it on your own if you can.

OP I just had a nosey about (sorry property is a passion of mine) If its the house I am thinking of it is lovely. Really nice area with great schools, I have a friend who live nearby. Lovely cat flap

I had to go to the asking price, but she's accepted and it's officially off the market! All viewings cancelled, no further marketing. I'm really excited!

I actually went round to meet her after my viewing, I dropped in a Christmas card and told her how much I liked her house. And that I have an old cat who'll love the cat flap! She's a really lovely woman. She has my phone number too (it's on the card) and we ended up chatting for ages.

Oh pray for me that it all goes ahead! If she's scceoted my offer, that's it now - isn't it? I will go ahead and book the mortgage survey, and tell my solicitor. What else should I do?

Oh I love it. I might take her some flowers. Too much?!

I'm scared to get too excited until I actually have the keys in my hand.

She sounds lovely OP and it is nice to sell your home to someone who loves it. I thought you might have to offer the asking price. We got into a bidding war on one house, it was on for 235k it went up to 250k which is when we dropped out as we were not willing to go over the stamp duty threshold. As much as we loved it it wasn't for us to live in and we withdrew from the madness.
The vendor sound a genuine vendor so hopefully it will all go smoothly.