Sellers/Buyers Roll Call No 6

[Violetroselily]

New thread

@nutellaontoast19 it's a leasehold property with less than 80 years left on the lease which seems to be an issue, to be honest my understanding on leasehold/freehold is very limited. We found out how much it would be to buy the lease (approx 7k) but they were already at their max budget (first time buyers).

So sorry @Tillypea, did they give a reason

Everyone is pissed with our seller’s solicitor (Us, our sol, seller, EA!). Seems he is the hold up. My sol sends him requests, I chase through EA who then speaks to seller and invariably he responded to the request or enquiry ages ago but that hasn’t been communicated.

Our (so far v nice and helpful EA) is now on hols but he’s handed over to someone else who will hopefully be able to keep up the momentum!

@ranoutofquinoaandprosecco I feel your pain. Our buyers thought we were selfish as I mentioned dates not working because of childcare and work etc. Had they mentioned dates I would have worked with those too but they just put us off constantly rather than ever tell us anything that was going on. Just keep your buyers in the loop and get on at your EA and solicitors.

@RogerTheGoff I hope something even better comes along for you.

@Nutellaontoast19 our offer was rejected today as well. I think it was reasonable. Rather than come back with something in between the builders (it's a part exchange) just came back with their final price and have said they won't be budged 

@Violetroselily Good luck. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

@Blobby10 The house we are in was our first house. So we came out of a rental. We had buyers going into a new build at the end of the chain that had said from the get go that they would break the chain and go into rental should their build be delayed. Well they didn't stick to their word and in the end we moved in 5 weeks later than we should. So not too bad. This time around we lost our last buyer just before exchange and they had originally said 1st June to move which would have been super quick, then 28th June, then 2nd July. It was a different date constantly. This time around I'm just going to try and go with the flow as I got so stressed out last time.

@sandybayley I do hope Karma comes back around to our original buyers. I feel much happier about the new buyers as I met them and they seem like a lovely couple. I'm also a bit peed off at our original seller as he has dropped the house to a lot more than we were paying after only 2 weeks so I feel like he was being a CF charging us over the odds.

@Tillypea All is not lost. It is a pain cleaning for viewings but I'm so much happier with our new buyers. We almost stayed here but before we had chance to fully decide we ended up selling again.

So going well here. We sign the contract with other agent tomorrow as they trusted us and let our new buyer look around out of contract. The house we love is with them as well. We made an offer today that was rejected and rather than let us try and meet them anywhere in the middle the builders ( part exchange property) said their final price is £10,000 more than what we offered. We haven't given an answer yet and were hoping that they might come back to us but I'm scared of losing the house so when they come around tomorrow I think we will just accept it. So we start the journey for the second time around. Hoping we get the mortgage now as DH and I have both recently changed jobs. Wasn't planned but we needed to change our family/work balance.

Buying house. Cash buyer, no chain. Offer accepted seven and a half weeks ago. Our solicitor told theirs last Friday we are ready to discuss dates for completion as all searches etc done. Since then, nothing. Aargh, the waiting is maddening. What are we waiting FOR exactly?!

@BeauticianNotMagician81 glad things are picking up for you, other agents seem to be on it, having a good agent is key and solicitor come to think of it!

Our solicitor still waiting for buyers to raise enquires, I just don't know what else to do as I'm phoning agent every other day to chase buyers solicitor but still nothing. I'm told enquires can take 2-3 weeks so at this rate it's not looking likely to exchange in 2 weeks.

@ravenshope exactly! Waiting for.... it's driving me crazy, I was awake at 4am this morning stressing myself. Our buyer is also a FTB and chain free, been almost 10 weeks since offer accepted and still waiting.

@Tillypea so sorry, it's absolutely awful when this happens, I've been there twice and know how you feel. It's not just the emotional stress but financially we lose too.

@Tillypea have you considered extending the lease yourselves ahead of selling?

@Tillypea yes @Violetroselily that's a good idea! Could you afford to knock the cost of the lease off the asking? As the lease it's low it's likely to be an issue if you re market anyway. Also for mortgage purposes they like to have a certain amount of years on the lease anyway.

@violetroselily @ellieboolou27 we're enquiring on the cost to extend the lease today, currently we only have the price on buying as they said it would be cheaper to buy than extend, not sure if that's correct or if they were just seeing £ signs in their eyes!

We'd definitely be willing to knock some off the price, or go halves to pay towards either extending/buying however with the buyers we had we'd already accepted an offer £10k under asking and it would have really stretched us in terms of what we want to buy. We're definitely negotiable though!

Slept on our offer / buying situation and think that we will just leave it. The house really isn’t worth what the seller has said is his minimum based on most recent sales and others currently for sale. It means us going into rented but that will just have to be okay.

EA came back to me last night to say our reoffer has been declined so I'm just going to get over it now and at least there's some closure. Also sending some bad vibes their way 

Viewing a freehold no chain house this weekend in an ok location, it's a 60s terrace with a lot of potential but at top of our budget so I'm hoping that if we like it we can negotiate a good price. Spoke to the solicitor today too (whilst toddler DS was having a meltdown ) who was really helpful regarding next steps and I feel a new sense of positivity and excitement. I texted our buyer and he was sympathetic and didn't say sayonara so FX we like this house and he doesn't get cold feet. We're pretty much ready to exchange with him now anyway.

So sorry @Tillypea that must be gutting. Deffo find out the cost of extending the lease and going halves sounds like a good idea. What's the market like where you are?

@Nutellaontoast19 sounds like you've made a good decision, got to follow your gut sometimes. Will you be renting in the area you want to buy?

@MrBobLobLaw yes we will rent in the same area.

@MrBobLobLaw sorry to hear that. Onwards and upwards - there will be others (fingers crossed for the one you're viewing this weekend). Are you registered with all your local agencies so that you can be contacted when new houses come up?

No word from my vendor yet re my reduced offer - just acknowledgment from the EA that they will pass it on and they've said they didnt know about the works either

Ellieboolou27 it's horribly stressful, isn't it? Living in total limbo, half my stuff packed, can't plan anything.

MrBobLobLaw I really hope the viewing goes well this weekend. New sense of excitement sounds great!

Violetroselily hope you hear back soon.
Tillypea do hope something works out with extending the lease etc.

Hang in there everyone...

@MrBobLobLaw our offer was rejected. We too are unsure what to do. Builder has stated they want £295,000. The house was only built 3 years ago and usually newer builds go for a fair bit less than the original price as obviously it's now a second hand home. But at the same time I really like it and don't want to miss out. We were going to try another offer at £290,000 to meet halfway.

Please help me decide which house to go for. It's giving me sleepless nights. First floor plan I think will I look up at the other house and think why didn't I go for that huge drive, garage and garden. Second floor plan I think will I look over at the first house and wish I'd gone for the huge kitchen/diner , patio doors out into my garden and bigger lounge.

The lounge in house 2 is teeny and the kitchen/diner isn't very big but the kitchen area is bigger than house 1 as house 1 has the huge dining area in the kitchen. House 1 is a lot smaller upstairs as obviously all on one floor but bedroom five is still 9ft 8 by 7ft 9 so not too small. House 1 has a single garage and long driveway for two cars although quite narrow.

I think we have the worst buyer ever. The flat was on the market for a few days, no hot leads at all. Then the buyer came back with another offer, we refused. Admittedly I started ģetting cold feet about paying both mortgage and rent, and convinced OH we should renogiate with the buyer. So we agreed to a reduction as long as there are no more enquiries and we exchange as soon as the locals searches are in. All good and then yesterday, what does he Do? Comes back with more enquiries!!! I was so pissed off, as was the EA. They will do a proper relaunch on Monday if He's still messing us around.
I'm so fed up with this, would love to just tell him to bugger off for good but at the same time worried about our finances.

@BeauticianNotMagician81 can you go and see both this weekend and see what your gut says?

Personally bigger garden and garage would swing it for me and the upstairs of house 2 looks amazing (but can’t see house 1). It looks like both houses have ample space downstairs.

I imagine whatever you choose you might be slightly wistful for a while (I always seem to get buyers remorse) and then you’ll make it your own and fall in love with your home.

I have just realised second image is house 1. They are pretty similar houses, aren’t they?

The only thing I’d say against house 2 is that master bedroom in the loft can get very warm in summer.

Are there any other distinguishing features. Which garden is prettier/gets more sun? Which one would you have to do less to?

@PooWillyBumBum we've seen both. Thought we would prefer house 2 but loved house 1. I've always wanted a huge kitchen/diner. Upstairs space of house 1 is the second pic. I'm working today so might try get another viewing on Monday. It's such a hard decision. House 2 we need the carpets out and replaced before moving in but the EA has said this might be possible.

@PooWillyBumBum less work to house 1. It's move in ready. Garden has been landscaped, is smaller but flat. Has great understairs pull out drawers built in. Could convert lift eventually.

House 2 could park 6 cars on drive, has much bigger garden but very sloped. Bit of a long, sad story but all the flooring needs replacing as it's urine soaked. Obviously with little ones it needs doing before we could move in and we have nowhere to stay. Plus needs decorating throughout. A lot of the walls aren't even finished with paint. My only worry is that we would be cramped in the lounge if all in there as we have 4 dcs. It has wrought iron fencing outside and overlooks a little park. It's up on a slight hill so looks very pretty, obviously may not be fun in the winter if we get snow

Loft not lift

@PooWillyBumBum yes similar as on the same estate and almost opposite each other. Same builder.

It sounds like 1 to me then. I always get my head turned by a bigger garden but we LOVE gardening!

OMG I have a date for completion!! 21st August. will be just over 11 weeks from offer accepted. (if all goes well from here on in, obviously)

@Beautician House 1 sounds better to me, having not seen either...
I was torn between two houses on same estate, but when I went back, I instantly knew which I wanted, maybe that would work for you?
@dimmu- how frustrating!