What would you do?

[sanityisamyth]

Put house on market on 10th March. Several viewings that week. Had offer at full asking price 15th March. Said he was a cash buyer and wanted to be completing by 29th March. I knew this was totally impossible (2 weeks!) but estate agent said he was very keen and was in rented accommodation so there was no chain.

Survey done on 16th April. All came back fine except for slight damp (old cottage and was pouring with rain). He asked me (directly by text) to stain and paint house. I said no, as it had recently been done and I'm a single mum.

He has sent me several messages directly (not via solicitor).

He only asked for searches to be done late May. He asked me some queries that should have gone directly to his solicitor. I tried to answer them as best as I could. Essentially everything came back clear.

He sent me a very unexpected message on Tuesday reducing his offer by £7.5k to £122,500. This didn't go between solicitors so it's not "official". My solicitor said he doesn't have legitimate reason to drop offer.

Which offer still stands?

My solicitor hasn't heard anything for ages. My estate agent can't contact him. He's not responding to my messages.

He keeps pushing back dates to exchange and complete and there's been no deposit paid.

What would you do? It's been 13 weeks already for a no-chain sale.

The survey was a basic mortgage survey so turns out he isn't a cash buyer.

He's also had utility bills in his name delivered to my house already.

I'd be tempted to give him a date to stick to or if he declines tell him to do one.

Thanks @HumptyNumptyNooNoo I've tried that :(

"Exchange by 14th with 10% paid or it's going back on the market" has promoted a sudden radio silence with no deposit paid

Put it back on the market then. He's downright rude .

The utility bill thing is very odd and sounds like he's up to no good. I'd put it back on the market on Monday and see if that gets him moving. The 14th has been and gone, you've got to follow through.

Thank you both. I didn't know if actually doing that was wrong as I've accepted his offer, but he's not paid anything to me.

I just really want to know one way or the other if he's buying my house at the original asking price by the 1st July as we'd agreed!!

I suspect he reached the end of a tenancy at the end of March, and is in another 6 month tenancy and doesn't want to pay for two places at once.

Putting it back on the market will either make him get his act together or will find you a new buyer. Pretty cheeky of him to be getting mail to your house already!

@PlanBea my estate agent told me that he's handed in his notice at the house he's renting and the owner of that house has asked her to value it to sell it. She said he can't afford it.

There's a good reason he wants mine as it's in a very particular area and nothing else is for sale in the vicinity at a price he can afford.

You accepted his offer based on easy, quick sale- he changed that by introducing conditions, you don’t have to accept them.

@Cyberworrier I like that way of thinking. Thank you.

I’ve been counselled through difficult sales by clear thinking relatives! I think it’s easy to feel guilty/obligated because of god knows what social conditioning many people feel (particularly women from my family experience?), but literally you owe this person nothing. Keep cool, keep logical. Good luck!

Thanks @Cyberworrier will remember that!! Friends in RL are trying to advise me too and they've said what everyone here has said. It just takes a lot of guts to actually do it!!

You have not accepted his reduced offer.

I agree, back on the market on Monday definitely at full price, and if that prompts action from him, set a new deadline to exchange or you will withdraw from the sale. He has already tried to gazunder, he has shown he is not trustworthy and I would not get sucked in to waiting around for him any more.

Is there anything he could conceivably be waiting on you on? A response to his gazunder? Is your solicitor completely ready to exchange? Get your solicitor to confirm what they are waiting on from his solicitor. My worry would be that he is having trouble getting a mortgage. Don't get sucked in to hanging about while he sorts one.

...and people wonder why sellers don't bend over backwards to take low offers from "cash buyers"...

Tell him to go fuck himself, put it back on the market

@Attache I didn't reply to his text to me reducing his offer I made it abundantly clear to my solicitor that he'd sent me a text and I was not going to drop a single penny. I also wanted to hear by Thursday 13th what his position was. I got a reply from him by text saying

"We will not be exchanging by the 14th June.

Thank you"

I have told my solicitor that I'm still happy to complete on1st July (which was his schedule) with exchange 7 days prior to this. I haven't had any confirmation that this is going to happen as he's now not speaking to me, solicitor or estate agent.

Apparently the EA has seen his mortgage in principle, despite originally saying he was a cash buyer.

There's nothing from me that he could need. As far as I'm aware all the paperwork my end has been done. I've signed the contract etc.

Got a lot to do tomorrow I think!!

@Greenkit that is going to be next text to him I think!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Straight back on the market!

He’s pissing you around, my next move would be to reject his offer and tell him to do one!

sanityisamyth

Currently going through it and its boiling my piss somewhat.

@Greenkit sorry to hear that 😢 it's really really shit. Hopefully you get yours sorted soon 🤞

Yeah, I think Greenkit has it

@WBWIFE @Winenotttea I think I'm going to have to, aren't I? Need to be brave tomorrow.

It's not an easy house to sell and finally thought I was going to get rid of it. Another try again then!!

Get your EA to put it back on the market.You cannot trust this Man if he goes radio silent when you ask difficult questions.
When I bought my house my mortgage was held up as they kept loosing my details and right up to the last day they tried to delay the release of funds asking for a document needed for new builds which of course no one had as the house was 20 years old.We managed it but it cost me a lot in extra, unnecessary solicitors fees.And I kept the person I was buying from informed every step of the way and she had faith in me.