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Original poster

Scottish buyers/sellers support

417 replies

Sleepybunny · 18/07/2016 13:49

Wondering if there are any Scottish MNers house buying/selling and looking for support?

I was going to join the other buyers/sellers support thread, but realise the Scottish system makes the issues encountered a bit different.

We've just put our home on the market (today!) Seems to be a very quiet market at the moment so it's making me nervous.

No viewings as yet, but I'm thinking (praying) its early days.

Anyone else out there in a similar situation?

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InformalRoman · 24/08/2016 11:49

We recently sold in Aberdeen - only had two viewings so we are counting ourselves very lucky. Just goes to show that you only need that one buyer to come through the door.

Original poster
Sleepybunny · 24/08/2016 13:27

We're having an interesting time buying too. We bid on one that went to a closing. Only one other bidder to compete against. The seller wanted time to think things over after and we haven't heard anything for weeks! I assume they have changed their mind, it's still on the market though!

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Original poster
Sleepybunny · 24/08/2016 13:34

We've since offered on another property. Still no response after a few days. The seller is again thinking about it.
Can't help but wonder what takes so long to think about! The offer is good and fair for the area etc

Good luck to everyone. It's a slow and stressful time.

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TrailingIvy · 24/08/2016 13:47

Sleepy lots of solidarity Brew with you and good luck on waiting to hear back from offers. Admittedly I've never sold a house, but I can't get my head around taking a week or more to think about an offer. Especially not one that was very close to the asking price.

As a buyer I'm starting to feel as if I have to coax people into giving up their house. But they're advertised it for sale so it must have occurred to them that someone might then like to buy it. What's to think about at that stage? Maybe it all suddenly becomes a bit too real?

ocelot41 · 24/08/2016 16:11

I had vendors like that in England Trailing. Even after exchanging contracts they were STILL humming and haaing about whether to "go through with it". They kept delaying a completion date for months even when I was very pregnant, saying things like " you are trying to push us out of our own home". No, we are buying it you fuckwits. Thats what happens when you SELL YOUR HOUSE.

The whole thing dragged on for nearly a year. Thank Christ the Scottish system is a bit more decisive!

TrailingIvy · 25/08/2016 15:03

ocelot that sounds absolutely infuriating.

The house we offered on is now going to a closing date. Our solicitor is annoyed and says they've clearly just strung us along to generate more interest. It's put me right off tbh.

Wondering now if you need to take some kind of Bastard Exam to become an estate agent.

ocelot41 · 25/08/2016 15:15

Oh how maddening Trailing!

I hope you manage to get sorted soon. I find the English system does lend itself to prolonging the madness. But it sounds like the Scottish system isn't perfect either.

Original poster
Sleepybunny · 25/08/2016 17:05

Good god, a year!!? I don't think I could cope with that.

We've been waiting almost a week and I'm going spare. I just want to know!!

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FinallyARainbow · 25/08/2016 17:12

Oh, can I join you all? We've already bought a new build and have a provisional move in date at the end of the year but struggling to sell our flat. We've not even had a viewer despite others on our street selling so feeling a bit down.

A year Shockwhat a nightmare. Did you ever consider pulling out?

Wine for those waiting to hear about offers. I'd gladly respond straight away if you want mine Grin

This is the most stressful experience, I am never moving again!!

Original poster
Sleepybunny · 25/08/2016 18:26

Does anyone have experience buying in a popular area in Glasgow? I'm so confused by the offers over amount.

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OOAOML · 25/08/2016 19:39

We move tomorrow - am shattered, surrounded by boxes and still have to finish cleaning.

sleepy do you have a solicitor? Ours helped with some guidance on what others had gone for, and how much over to offer depending on the level of interest.

Feefeefs · 25/08/2016 19:51

Can I join in?

Trying to buy in east Dumbartonshire everything in our range so far gone for over £10,000 over home report valuation all closing date etc.

We have no chain, mortgage agreed etc etc ideal buyers but stuck! So frustrating

Feefeefs · 25/08/2016 19:53

Ugh trailing that's happened to us too! Absolute fuckers. Next time we're saying offer on the table till 5pm if refused were out

Original poster
Sleepybunny · 25/08/2016 20:28

Feef, we're looking in the same area as you, as well as Glasgow west.

It's so tough! How long have you been looking? Are you looking at any specific schools? It's the catchments that are eating at me too.

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Original poster
Sleepybunny · 25/08/2016 20:34

trailing I wonder the same as you. How can sellers be so shocked that they actually need to accept an offer if they want to move.

We've come across one in Bearsden we liked. The owner showed us around. I can totally tell by her blasé chat about where she would move to that they won't be accepting an offer anytime soon unless mega money offered.
Turns out they've refused an offer already. We'd put off and have just walked away. It's not even about money anymore.

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FinallyARainbow · 25/08/2016 20:46

I'm originally from a popular Glasgow area and my DM is currently selling there. She would be expecting about £10 - £15k over the "offers over" price as it's in the catchment for all the best East Ren schools. A friend recently bought in the same area and she had to go £10k over home report to get the house.

Original poster
Sleepybunny · 25/08/2016 21:22

Thanks for the advice. Our estate agent is in another city, so is maybe not best placed to advise on the local market. Thing is it trust her so scared to jump ship!

10k over the valuation is doable for a couple of the properties we're looking at. I just don't get it when it's o/o a value that's 50k+ under the valuation on the home report.

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Original poster
Sleepybunny · 25/08/2016 21:24

Can I have your DM's house?

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TrailingIvy · 25/08/2016 21:40

It's not even about money anymore.

This is exactly how I feel sleepy. Like, we have access to money, and we want to buy somewhere with it. Simple. So why do estate agents and home reports turn it into a giant guessing game where you have no idea what you need to do to be allowed to buy a house short of casting a magic spell, and everyone lies about how much everything costs for some reason, and you get treated like crap the whole time by everybody?! Imagine if you had to buy your weekly food shop like this, it would be unacceptable!

TrailingIvy · 25/08/2016 21:43

Right Feefeefs we're going to do this too next time. It's so hard not to get attached to houses and to start trying to get a good deal but frankly it's ridiculous and I don't have the energy for it any more.

Original poster
Sleepybunny · 25/08/2016 22:50

Also! To really love a place and want to offer all you're hard earned cash on, you mentally move yourself in and imagine you're life there. The it goes to shit, you have to get over it and mentally move in again to something else you like the look of. Whilst keeping a sensible head on and going through the check lists of must haves for each one that comes on the market

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TrailingIvy · 25/08/2016 23:04

Sleepybunny

YES. A thousand times this. It's emotionally exhausting!

Feefeefs · 25/08/2016 23:31

Yep sleepy it's all about the schools!! Looking a couple of months offered on three. Beaten out on two and third issues with title deeds so can't actually be sold right now. One of them sold for £20,000 more then the guy bought it for 1 year ago and he did nothing to it Sad

Yeah finally the last two have sold for £10 and £8 over the home report valuations it's mad. I think a lot people put the "offers over" number low sleepy to get more viewings.

So true trailing, it's maddening! We have another three viewings on Saturday.

It's like constant rejection!!!

Rangirl · 26/08/2016 07:01

A few pointers,geared mainly to people looking in Bearsden, Clarkston etc,School catchment is key.People want to be in these areas,near to Glasgow but not in Glasgow schools.(always check house is in actual catchment)Forget about the asking price it is just to entice you in.Look at the Home report value.Get a local solicitor who will know the local market.
An estate agent in a different area will be no help.Remember the estate agent acts for the seller to sell the house ,not for the purchaser.
There are not enough houses coming on the market at present so as soon as anything decent comes on everyone piles in.If you want to buy in that market you need to go in with your best offer.

Not being in a chain does not give you too much extra clout here as there is not the same history of sales falling through
Good luck and beieve! I have never known anyone not get a house in the end

FinallyARainbow · 26/08/2016 07:10

She would love to sell it to you but I doubt it's big enough for what you need as this was the first 'downsize' house from our old family one. Right catchment area though and isn't trying to be greedy on price.

£50k over is wild! I've not heard of anything as bad as that.

Meantime, we reduced our o/o price yesterday to try and get people through the door. Whilst we have a good home report there's so many of the same house for sale in the area that you have to be realistic and I think the agent just went too high to start.