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Listing, viewings and offers thread 3!

997 replies

Fortheloveofscience · 06/06/2017 10:17

We filled up our old one, hoping I'm not posting out of turn by starting the next, it's the only thing keeping me from going nuts with the endless cycle of no viewings - viewings - feedback - no offer - no viewings - viewings etc!

Hope this is the thread where we all sell and get our dream houses. I'm working from home and doing 'backseat cleaning' - nagging my poor OH who has the day off to do everything for our second viewing this afternoon from the only couple to have shown serious interest.

OP posts:
AnnPerkins · 14/08/2017 12:47

Hi KitKat, we did what your neighbours are doing. When our next door but one neighbour put theirs on the market we were pleasantly surprised at what they had listed it for. And when it sold in three weeks we made our minds up to go for it too. Our poor neighbour in the middle must look quite unpopular, having sold signs on either side of him Grin

And yes, LinaBo, ours is a newbuild estate. We've all been here for 7 years.

AnnPerkins · 14/08/2017 13:02

And an update from me, the gazumping vendors' EA called again while we were away at the seaside last week. Apparently the vendors felt terrible about gazumping us Hmm their family had got involved and persuaded them to take the higher offer, they needed all the money they could get for their retirement etc. I do know that he is quite ill and they are very keen to move to a bungalow because of this.

Anyway, after a long chat and a few drinks, we decided to go for it again. It is a good house for the price in this location, and who knows when anything else would come up. I'm pretty sure we could end up paying £50-100k more in the end. This way we will have some disposable income and I can hire a cleaner Grin

Sooo, we're officially in a chain of 6 Hmm I'm off to the in a chain thread. Wish me luck!

And lots of luck to all of you, too. I hope to see you on the in a chain thread very soon Flowers

Gizlotsmum · 14/08/2017 13:04

Ooh fx Ann

LinaBo · 14/08/2017 13:08

Ooh good luck Flowers

KitKat1985 · 14/08/2017 14:52

Hmm, maybe I am just over-thinking it then re: the neighbours going on the market too.

Best of luck to you Ann. I hope all goes smoothly now. Flowers

AnnPerkins · 14/08/2017 15:05

Thanks everyone Smile

LinaBo · 14/08/2017 17:20

And our offer has been accepted! Wine Owner has another property to go to, so we're in a tiny chain of 3. Fingers crossed this goes smoothly!

Gizlotsmum · 14/08/2017 18:06

Yay congrats Linabo

KitKat1985 · 14/08/2017 18:06

Congratulations LinaBo! I hope it all goes smoothly for you! Smile

Gizlotsmum · 14/08/2017 18:07

Broker has just said our valuation has been instructed and all proofs have been verified by mortgage company so we are a step closer...

KitKat1985 · 14/08/2017 18:10

Excellent news too Gizlotsmum! All sounds promising. Smile

fialor · 14/08/2017 19:34

Congratulations LinaBo!
Gizlot, keeping fx crossed and wishing you all the best.

LinaBo · 14/08/2017 19:38

Thanks everyone! Hope everything goes well for everyone too. Smile

YogaDrone · 14/08/2017 20:25

Good news for you all LinaBo, Gizlotsmum and AnnPerkins May your chains be hassle free Grin

We had a viewing on Friday evening which we've had positive feedback for and we had another this afternoon and one is booked for Friday. Fingers crossed something comes of these. It does seem to be picking up a little now. Perhaps families are back from their summer holidays?!

BananaFrenchToast · 14/08/2017 20:57

Hope you all don't mind me jumping in. I have a question. Situation: we have sold our house stc and had our offer accepted on a house - only 3 parties in the chain. So far so good. BUT the people we are buying from have not appointed solicitors and it's now a week since accepting our offer. Is this an unusually long time? Can there be an innocent explanation? In my head it can only mean they are still holding out for an offer from other viewers, but it is now listed as sstc. Our move is time critical and everyone is v aware of that (or should be!). Any thoughts? I've tried following up with the EA but no news yet.

Gizlotsmum · 14/08/2017 21:18

we didn't instruct our solicitors until we had found the place we were buying ( for our sale side) still not instructed our purchase until mortgage valuation comes back

Gizlotsmum · 14/08/2017 21:19

Fx yogadrone

BananaFrenchToast · 14/08/2017 22:15

Ah interesting. We got solicitors within a day or two of the sale. And I don't think the people we are buying from are buying anything (though that may have changed). Let's see what happens.

fialor · 14/08/2017 23:53

I think I have only just calmed down enough to write this down. And I am doing this now just so I can moan and bitch about it (yes - do it with me!)

So, we were in the market for 3 months with a really crappy EA who in all that time got one viewing! Yes - uno - for a property in a really sought after area; good schools, links to London, etc etc.
Anyway, got out of the contract, went with new agent, got three viewings in week one and one offered - so with second EA time to offer was just over two weeks from listing.

But here is the kicker that has had me fired up so badly! We accepted the offer and ended up in long chain with our lovely house in a lovely location of the town we live in, closer to the school that DD will be starting in September.
After exactly 4 weeks of searches, draft contract and lawyers fees, get this, the buyers decide that they want a fixer upper and put a bid in on another house (different part of same town) (sealed bid). They advised that if they got the house then they would pull out of ours, if they didn't then they would continue with the purchase of our house. They were not successful with the bid but have decided to go into rental until such a time that a fixer upper was available.
It transpired (after pulling teeth from the EA) that the wife really liked our house but the husband wanted a fixer upper to make his hobby and add value! So it essentially booked down to them being unable to agree.

They are within their rights to change their minds, and as often as they like. But FFS why dick me around when they knew the husband was not interested in the house? We lost potential buyers because we took the house off the market around the high market interest time. And now we are in the holiday season where viewings are non existent because people around here go on holidays almost all of august!

There is a little light at the end of the tunnel though, a couple viewed (they have had their 3rd viewing) and like it but their house has not sold so they cannot offer, which I would not be able to accept anyway as they have not sold yet.
But they maintain they are very interested (to the extent of asking if we would consider selling them key pieces of furniture around the house).
So fingers crossed for them, and for us.

That is it - moan/bitching over. I feel better now.

PickAChew · 15/08/2017 00:43

In my case it became apparent that both sets of vendors had been on the market for so long because they were completely unwilling to negotiate or be even a tiny bit flexible.

Definitely the case for the absolute fixer upper up the road from us. It's supposed to be up for auction but they clearly don't have the legal pack sorted because it's been listed ut not auctioned for 3 months, after 9 previous months on the market. They've had base price (plus extortionate fees) offers but turned them down.

And the number of houses actually on the market is small. We only have a shortlist of 4 houses to view and only 3 of them really tick enough boxes

PickAChew · 15/08/2017 00:43

2 of them.

Gizlotsmum · 15/08/2017 06:57

Fialor that is shit. I felt bad after viewing a house which my husband said he had been asking about the area and never would agree to move there, didn't even get to the offering stage. That really sucks!

KitKat1985 · 15/08/2017 07:56

BananaFrenchToast I hope you get some answers soon as to why your vendors haven't appointed a solicitor.

Fialor that is crap. Nothing gets my back up about this whole shitty process more than flaky buyers / sellers. I wish in many ways the English / Welsh system was more like the Scottish system and accepted offers were legally binding, so people could only make offers if they were completely certain that it was what they wanted to do.

PartyintheKitchen · 15/08/2017 11:30

Fialor that is totally shit, sorry you've been lumped with a flaky buyer. They are bloody everywhere aren't they. I totally agree that they should not be allowed to offer unless it is a serious offer. The only advice I would give fialor is not to let the EA bully you into anything (not that they are but I think their advice is sometimes total pants and should be taken with a fistful of salt), ask questions constantly of the buyer and listen to your gut.

LinaBo, Gizlotsmum and AnnPerkins - well done to you all, FX for smooth processes for you all.

I have no news, which is good. My flakey buyers have not dumped us again but I'm not going to hold my breath. FX though.

BananaFrenchToast · 15/08/2017 14:52

....aaaand they have a solicitor. Phew. Full steam ahead. Good luck everyone.

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