How would you approach this property?

[Pantone363]

Top of our budget, lovely area. House is on with four agents (not sure if that means anything?). First listed at the beginning of March, property bee has no info other than small description changes.

would you bother offering below asking?

[Happynow]

Was that a typo then? How can you possibly have viewed 2342 homes??

[NoSquirrels]

The listing description is odd - it sounds very personally invested ("the vendor fell in love.." etc.) so perhaps even though they are on with 4 agents they are not willing to compromise on price.

This does not mean that you should compromise on what you are willing to pay.

I would view, put in the offer I thought it was worth i.e. £230K, and let the agents know I'd leave the offer open whilst I looked if it wasn't accepted straightaway. So don't offer more, and see if they come back to you in a month, or whatever. If they do, knock a bit more off the price you will pay . . .

I don't know the area or the local housing stock so can't comment on that, but it's always about location. It's not a bad house, although there are things that other posters have commented on that you might want to think about.

[mathanxiety]

Happynow, are you familiar with the concept of literary devices?

[momb]

The 'study room' is just a landing though isn't it (from the photo): it has a banister rail and everything so couldn't be used as a bedroom.

[Pantone363]

Yes I don't think the study could be used as a room (although it could be fine just for a cot?)

[momb]

...but when baby gets springy enough to jump out of the cot they'll go straight over the banister down into the lounge!

[momb]

If I needed a 4-bed and couldn't get anything but that house, I'd make the 1st floor bathroom into a bed/cot room, extend the floor across on the study corridor on the 2nd floor, and make another shower room next to the existing bathroom.
There's a cloakroom on the ground floor, an ensuite on the first, so a bathroom and a shower room on the second should prevent teenage arguments in years to come.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

I would argue that it's not a study and it is therefore a 3 bedroom house and should be priced accordingly. Then make a cheeky offer. It will have to be more than they paid for it originally though or they'll be in negative equity.

If you really need 4 beds, I wouldn't buy that house.

[Pantone363]

It was bought for £260000 in 2007.....

Momb that sounds like a plan. We do need a 4 bed long term but youngest is only 9 weeks and co-sleeping so she's fine in with us for a year or so

[Pantone363]

Agents have said the house is empty as owners and have moved on

[EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard]

Interested to see what you make of it OP. The landing picture is just that isn't it? a landing, not the study room?

Usually when a house is empty and the owners have moved on they expect below asking price offers to get rid of the place. They don't have to accept of course, it will all depend on their person situation.

[momb]

Enrique the photo that looks like a landing is the study room. In the details it specifies the balcony over the living room (which is first floor over the carport) and based on the floorplan it can't be the landing.
I suspect this is because it is the only natural light onto the landing.

[mathanxiety]

The study is shown in the floorplan as a room with solid walls with the stairs perpendicular to the walls that have a door and a window in them.

[mathanxiety]

I think that is a landing, with the roof window shown in the photo of the front of the house. I would guess that the door off the landing into the study is the one shown in the photo. You can see the balcony in the photo of the lounge, up in the RH corner of the photo. The natural light on the balcony comes from the lounge below that has windows overlooking both front and back of the house.

[Sitdownandshutup]

It's vile.

The back garden looks like it's overlooked by about five prison blocks.

[Guirado]

It's too near the military prison for me. I don't like that area at all, too much building and too near a grotty old estate. If you can hang on for a bit the new Persimmon ones at Stanway are going to be fab and in such a convenient location.

[HayFeverHell]

I much prefer momtothree's choice. But, I hear you when you say it isn't in the location that you want.

If this house is right for you then go for it. But do put in a cheeky offer; you have nothing to lose.

[momb]

The written description mentions the study balcony over the lounge. Bizarre but true.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

So what do you want? so we can house hunt instead of doing a days work

4 beds,
decent garden
in catchment area of a partic school or just a good/outstanding one?
within a mile of the station?

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

What about this one? You'd have to make a cheeky offer but there's no harm in asking.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49983109.html?premiumA=true

or this
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52610699.html

or you could knock it all on teh head and move to Ipswich
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-51054317.html

[BrockAuLit]

Sellers massively overpaid. That's why it's still on the market and with four agents.

They won't accept a cheeky offer until it becomes too expensive for them to continue rejecting them. The house isn't practical or attractive enough for a buyer to take a punt.

Don't pay the price for the seller's mistake of buying too high. Move on and find a better fit for your needs and/or budget.

[HayFeverHell]

Brock's advice is spot on.

[purplecloud123]

I'll take that Ipswich one.

[Pantone363]

I haven't looked at the links yet but thought I would update. We didn't even bother going to view the vendor won't offer a viewing until next week and refuses to give the agents a set of keys. Agent also said they won't take under asking.

Moving on, the search continues!

Within 5 miles of Colchester. Non-negotiable as ex lives in Colchester and we've agreed to stay within a 15/20 minute drive of each other for the kids sake and access.

Ideally we need 4 beds (but could work with 3 if there is a biggish living space), not bothered if it needs some work. Not bothered about a garage but it would be nice (there must be parking though as we have two vehicles and DP drives a truck so needs to be able to park off street really). Equally a big garden would be nice but if its Wivenhoe/Brightlingsea side of town its not important as the beach/creek is close by.

Budget is £250000. That is the top end, not a penny over!

No commute so doesn't need to be near the A12 or trains. I drive so it doesn't matter if its outlying villages. At the moment we are in Wivenhoe area, renting on a long term basis and don't really need to move except that we need more space!

Ideal house would be Wivenhoe/Alresford/Brightlingsea - 4 bed, semi detached with decent living space (a pipe dream for £250000!)

[Pantone363]

DP reminded me to mention he really doesn't want a terraced property and we won't move to Greenstead/White City/Monkwick area.