House Sale

[IggysPop]

Need a bit of perspective (long time user and name change for this).

Sold house pretty quickly back mid-February. I only put it on the market to buy a specific house - sadly they went back to market as sale wasn't progressing very fast. I have found another house - right area and no onward chain (latter very important).

Anyway sale delayed as survey revealed issues that buyers wanted resolving. I have sorted these post-lockdown. Pretty expensive and all savings gone on this. Perhaps could have gone through insurance for one of the jobs but that would have meant further delays for them and us and loss of second house so decided to suck it up.

Lots of people don't think my buyers are very committed to the sale and that I should put the house back on the market pronto. My estate agent is a bit none-comital on the issue. I asked for an update on how the sale is progressing and they won't do anything else until they've view the house again in 9 days time (e.g. full application). I just don't know what to think really.

I don't want to seem too pushy but maybe I am being a bit naive taking them at their word. What do you all think?

Actually the viewing is not 9 days - it's 13 days!

Weirdly I’m in exactly the same situation. Accepted offer in February, the delays due to Covid and then eventually the buyers came back with a really long list of things they wanted us to do (relating to the survey results but way after they had come back in) including what we think are really unreasonable requests. We have said we think they are unreasoned (unlike you we haven’t done them) but are will to negotiate reducing the price a small amount. They totally overestimated the cost of the things they want fixing at £18k and we have come back with a counter off that was first rejected and now we have offered £8k off and are waiting for their response. I would go to £10k but after that really feel like telling them where to go.

Unfortunately that would mean putting it back on the market and all that entails so it’s a bloody pain. We have some difficult personal circumstances too and it’s making things worse and more prolonged.

No advice but I’m in the same position. Maybe wait until they have cone round and see what they say? Pretty annoying though.

God I'm pleased it's not just me. I offered a price reduction but they said no - wanted the work done. It's meant workers in during Covid (just me in house and no contact has been easy).

I don't know. I know it's just business but I would just hope they would be honest if they had doubts.

I will update after the next viewing (I will have spent £7500!)

It’s so frustrating! Yes we would rather avoid getting quotes in and doing the work even though we know they’ve seriously overestimated how much said work would cost. For eg they’ve said they want a new boiler when the boiler is working perfectly! They’ve asked for a radon test when there’s no issue with radon in the area and it’s a throwaway comment on the survey that everyone else would ignore. They are first time buyers though and from a country where they said people wouldn’t normally buy a house over 30 years old and they’re buying a very standard London Victorian terrace that is 120 years old.

Not FTB here but a big step-up from first home according to them. Pretty standard 1930s semi - ”it is what it is”, to quote their surveyors. It's not a new build - the floors and doors are not 100% straight....but it really isn't falling down! There isn't much of it left though - from electrics to plaster (not just skimmed - back to brick) - it's had a lot of work in the last 10 years! I bought it for £135,000 and selling for £165,00 (spent £75,000 on it over 15 years). In the northwest but it's still a good buy - nice area too.

Our boiler was installed 2012 (eek) which reminds me. Need to get it serviced for them.

Oh well - perhaps it will come together for both of us!

Yes let’s hope so! It’s awful living in limbo.