Buying at ceiling price

[Mumteedum]

I've come out of horrendous divorce and need to buy modest property for me and ds.

Prices here are affordable but I'd say all properties I've looked at are at the max of what they'd achieve here even in longer term.

Obviously there is some movement on asking price but at the lower end of budget I'm competing with buy to let landlords, where as I want a nice home so would need to spend to bring to standard. I don't want to lose £ long term though.

At top end of budget, I'd have hardly any budget to make it my own and still don't see chance of adding value.

Am I looking at this the right way? Not sure what I'm doing.

You should be finding BTL have left the market now that the tax rules have taken affect. Now is the best time to bargain. Lots of buyers are dropping out, blaming Brexit, so hopefully you can find something.

Ignore asking prices - just offer what you can afford and what you think places are actually worth (look at sold prices). Try not to fall in love with any places you see - estate agents will try to push you past your comfort zone.

Thanks Adrienne. Sorry for slow reply.

The house I was/am interested in is also being advertised as to let as well as to buy. The agent hasn't rung me back so I'm thinking they want to re-let it.

In the meantime I've seen and made offer on another house but it's gone to best and final offers and I'm not offering £££ over asking price so I probably won't get it.

Seems to be a very weird market these days. Houses don't seem to have asking prices anymore. It's all offers over (which then sit unsold until they remove the offers over, then drop it 10k), guide price, offers in region of....I'm not good at this poker face nonsense