Sellers/Buyers roll call part 3. Who is still on this treadmill?

[MovingNextYearHopefully]

A slight name change for me, as I'm clearly not moving this year. Well, I am, but not into the house I'm buying.

Went to the development today, had a chat with the girls in the office & updated them. Hopefully we will be exchanging contracts next week should all go to plan. We found a nice house to rent, but its so bloody expensive I'm petrified! As long as we complete within our 6 month rental contract then all will be well, but if we don't then things will get ridiculously expensive!

Sorry to hear everyone is feeling down.

So our potential buyers offered quite close to what DH and I agreed would be our floor price but just not quite close enough. I'm frustrated but DH points out (quite rightly) that if we compromise at this stage it will limit our room for manoeuvre on what we can offer ourselves. Plus we think there are people who've viewed our house who may well come back in the New Year.

I was very tempted to secure the buyer but DH wants to wait until the New Year to see what else comes into the market for us. We have one house we like but he'd like us to have a couple of options to put us in a better negotiating position. Too rational.

Another viewing tomorrow but I've said no more after that until the New Year. Oh and our potential buyers have said their offer stands until Friday. Who'll blink first?

sorry to hear that sandybayley just be aware that if you don't snap them up they may disappear, I went back to some buyers who "only" went down by about 6% , a week or two later, and they had disappeared without trace. I think they lose the emotional connection if they're rebuffed. Good that you're still getting viewings though -it's dead as a dodo here.

we're all keeping everything crossed for a better start in January then!! Surely this time next year will look different and we'll all be sorted - surely....!

Can I join in please? We're buying and it seems to be taking forever!

We sold house 1 in January after being on the market for 1 week, all went really smoothly. The plan was to renovate house 2 with the money, so we duly move into rental. The cost to renovate turned out to be way more than we expected so we sold through auction, again really smoothly.

So after lots of viewings we found our dream home, which is absolutely immaculate. Put an offer in at the beginning of October,which was accepted. The sellers are moving into rental so we thought it would be pretty quickly.

All the searches are back, we're just waiting for the inventory as it was only half completed. I'm pretty sure the sellers wouldn't do the dirty but wanted to make sure.

I guess now it's going to be after Christmas, but it's still frustrating as I thought everything would be done and dusted by now!

@tootyfruitypickle - I hear you! We know they are keen to buy and have already tried their luck with a nearby house and that seller turned them down as well after a bit of to and fro-ing. We believe they offered low on another house yesterday so it will be interesting to see if someone does accept a low offer. I suspect they won't be back but who knows?

sandybayley They sound like the sort of buyers I'm getting through the door. Whatever happened to seeing a house and falling in love with it and negotiating properly rather than just trying to find the most desperate vendors!

@tootyfruitypickle - the thing is I'd really like to move but we're far from desperate. If they'd offered £5k more we'd probably have accepted but I feel like they (and others) have bought into the 'all is doom' narrative and are convinced there is a bargain to be had out there.

I get the feeling that they might be tricksy approaching exchange (likely to gazunder) so maybe we're best off without them.

All off here now until after Christmas. The solicitor for the leaseholder who will finalise the garage has finished for Christmas without telling us, brilliant.

Our buyer is selling and moving our of hers on Thursday and in with her Mum, goodness knows if our purchase will wait any longer, they accepted the offer in August! Who knows where we'll end up!

Told today that my buyers have pulled out. I've decided not to continue to try to sell right now. It's just too stressful

Agh, sorry it’s all doom and gloom folks. That’s not what we need this time of year

@tokyo: that is immensely frustrating behaviour from the solicitor. So sorry

@Christmasgone: oh no, so sorry. Agree there’s no point stressing just now. Perhaps think again in Jan?

Having said I wouldn’t look I’ve just been sent details of a similar flat to the one I’m trying to buy, but a bit smaller and shorter lease. Going to see it tomorrow but not enthused at all (as opposed to the agent who almost bit my hand off given that we have mortgage approval already and no chain). I don’t mean that to sound goady but you’re really only in that position once so may as well make the most of it!

Sandy honestly I'd be persuading DH to take the offer if I were you. As my old mum would say, he's being "penny wise but pound foolish". You have a place you like, why not negotiate onwards based on the offer you have? If your offer is 10% below why not offer 10% below on the house you like? It's worth at least trying that before you refuse an offer. If they're keen to move on then they should consider it. 5k is such a tiny amount when buying/selling. You'll kick yourselves if you throw this opportunity away. The market is only going to get worse in the new year & offers will be lower. Chances are there won't be an abundance of new buyers or houses in 2019.

Sounds like you are very close to the finishing line now Witch. 🤞 you exchange contracts at some point next month & likely complete February if nothing else comes up.

How infuriating Toyko. Surely someone else can act in their absence, or is it a one man band company?

So sorry to hear this Christmas. No reason given I'm guessing? So unfair that people can do this. Your best bet is to have a break from all this & try to enjoy Christmas, then pull out all the stops in the spring with a new agent.

It's a 3 man band Moving and it looks like they've all packed up & gone, fabulous!

Thanks Moving, fingers crossed you're right. The contract on the rental finishes February and I wanted an overlap between the two if possible.

What a nightmare you're having Tokyo. It a pretty poor show to just vanish! Let's hope 2019 is a better year.

Thanks fleabag and moving. I’ve shed a few tears and unpacked a couple of boxes! ( I’d be advised on here not to start packing but it was all going so well........) hey ho
Ive taken the house off the market today and honestly don’t have the emotional energy to even think about selling again next year.
I’ve shouted at the absolutely stupid Estate Agent who, had they done their job properly, could have completely avoided this happening.
And life goes on
Wishing you all continued luck with this house moving lark

@MovingNextYearHopefully - you speak sense! DH phoned me mid afternoon after having mulled it over and came to the same conclusion. We've said we'll accept the offer and am now waiting to have it confirmed.

In the meantime we have increased our offer on Property A and have a second viewing booked on Property B tomorrow. Also viewing Property C (too expensive but worth a look). So back in the game.

@Christmasgone2018 - that rubbish. Did they give a reason for pulling out? How far along were things?

@TokyoSushi - sending positive garage vibes your way. Who knew that a garage could cause so much trouble? Is it even a nice garage?

Well we've had a second viewing today and she's asked if the chandelier comes with the flat so I guess she's keen! I wonder if she will make an offer soon? We have 2 more viewing coming up today so fingers crossed we get a good price

@sandybayley good luck for your sale! Hope it goes smoothly!! 5k really is not a lot in the grand scheme of things, you could be waiting a few more months for another buyer!

Just spoke to my solicitor, we're still waiting on the fixtures and fittings form and then we'll have everything. She thinks we'll exchange mid January and compete by the end of January, which is what we wanted 😁

Our buyers have reconfirmed their offer and we've accepted. Phew! They're actually quite local to us so I suspect we know people in common - which may or may not be a good thing.

DH now deciding on solicitors and progressing with mortgage application. Mortgage should be pretty straightforward as he's already spoken to Nationwide and we're not asking for a huge amount given our income and outgoings.

No word back on House A offer but off to see House B for 2nd viewing tonight. Odd thing is that the DC don't seem very excited. I think they're sad about leaving the only home they've known and not yet knowing where we'll end up.

Ooh @sandybayley that's fabulous!

@sandybayley great news!! Really happy for you!
I'm keeping everything crossed our buyers don't pull out now. My friend has just had her third set of buyers chain break down ....nightmare

Long time lurker. FTB meant to be exchanging this wk but waiting to hear. Terrified something will go wrong at the last minute. Reading this thread, we've had nothing in comparison with some but still a very stressful (and long!) process.

Hello everyone,

I’ve just caught up with the thread. Great news on the offer @sandybayley 5k really is neither here nor there in the long term so I think you are doing the right thing.

Sorry there isn’t better news for others. It is crap here too. We’ve had 4 more viewings and although one apparently liked it, they have more properties to see.

DH keeps accepting viewings when I just want a break for Christmas. I know I should be grateful for viewings but we’ve had too many people who ‘really want a 4 bed’ - well why view a 3 bed!!

I hope the serious buyers materalise in January!

Great news Sandy. Hopefully you get some news on one of the houses soon. 🤞You could always make your offer time limited, like your buyers did. It tends to help focus the mind a bit I find. Which house us your preference now after seeing house B again?

Sounds very positive Happy. 🤞

As long as nothing else is outstanding then there's no reason why you can't Witch 🤞

Gutting for your friend alifelessordinary. It's such a shit market. Hopefully you will get through it unscathed. 🤞

It's one of the most stressful times isn't it goingonabearhunt? Those few days before you exchange. Especially if you're planning in completing on or soon after exchange. Not too much longer now for you hopefully. 🤞

Great you're still getting viewers Aladyofletters. I can see both points of view. You just never know when that magic buyer will come along & people out viewing just before Christmas are generally serious buyers rather than the time wasters you can get. No doubt the estate agents will be closing for a few days soon so you will have abreak until after Boxing day at least. 🤞

@ALadyofLetters and@MovingNextYearHopefully - the Memorandum of Sale has been issued and solicitors appointed so it's all feeling very real today.

Liked House B last night, more than I remembered. House A vendors haven't responded yet to our offer but we've just booked to view a house with the same agent (same contact) so I am sure he will be making them aware that we're serious and they risk us going elsewhere if they don't engage. I get the impression they may themselves not be serious about selling. You have to wonder 🤨

Off to see House C tonight / plus D and E tomorrow. After that I think it really is it until 2 January.

@sandybayley have fun with the viewings!!