Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

How can we secure our dream home!

110 replies

SaltySeaAir · 24/06/2021 10:17

I'm a nervous wreck right now. We have been in rented for 12 months now, trying desperately to buy our forever family home. In that time barely anything has come on the market. Easter time a house came on, we were first through the door, offered asking price, and we still didn't get it 🙁 We are chain free cash buyers.

On Saturday estate agent phoned us, house coming on they thought we would love - we are booked in to see it a week on Friday. Yesterday it went on Right Move, I'm completely in love 🥰 Immediately phoned agent to see if we can see sooner, we can't - but are first in the door next week. I know it's going to have so much interest 😭 Do we offer asking price as soon as we have seen it? So tempting to offer right now 😂 Any other tips to help them pick us???!!!

This is going to be the longest week!!!

OP posts:
ineedaholidayandwine · 24/06/2021 12:34

Beautiful house!! Best of luck OP 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

Original poster
SaltySeaAir · 24/06/2021 12:38

@Thatswhathappens

When we were selling ours the second viewers said, look we won’t mess you about, if we offer you 3k above asking price will you take it off the market and not see any more people, it was a risky strategy for us but we did it and it paid off!
This sounds like a reasonable strategy. They have left it so long between hitting right move, and starting viewing that I think they are trying to get loads of viewings and a bidding war going on 🙁
OP posts:
ZooeyS · 24/06/2021 12:38

I told the vendor's agent within five minutes of walking through the doors that we wanted the house and made an good offer there and then. I made it clear it was all I was willing to pay (it was) and I was not at all interested in messing about. She accepted the offer that day.

Ilikewinter · 24/06/2021 12:39

Wow its stunning, i wonder why they arent taking viewings for another week though?

Original poster
SaltySeaAir · 24/06/2021 12:39

First flat was a great investment, business has done well - always maxed out ISA's.

We have been very lucky - lot of hard work with the business though 🥴

OP posts:
NeverFull · 24/06/2021 12:41

@SaltySeaAir

I'm a nervous wreck right now. We have been in rented for 12 months now, trying desperately to buy our forever family home. In that time barely anything has come on the market. Easter time a house came on, we were first through the door, offered asking price, and we still didn't get it 🙁 We are chain free cash buyers.

On Saturday estate agent phoned us, house coming on they thought we would love - we are booked in to see it a week on Friday. Yesterday it went on Right Move, I'm completely in love 🥰 Immediately phoned agent to see if we can see sooner, we can't - but are first in the door next week. I know it's going to have so much interest 😭 Do we offer asking price as soon as we have seen it? So tempting to offer right now 😂 Any other tips to help them pick us???!!!

This is going to be the longest week!!!

I would go and knock on the door right now and ask if you could look round. Next Friday will be far too late!
PurBal · 24/06/2021 12:48

We actually put an offer in and had it accepted before viewing our house (with a bit of back and forth). We had only seen it online and from the outside. The condition was that 1. No one else would be allowed to see it but 2. They wouldn't issue the memorandum of sale until we were happy with the house. No negotiation took place after our viewing but we loved the house and the memorandum was issued soon afterwards.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 24/06/2021 12:48

Is anyone seeing it sooner than next Friday? That feels like so far away! Around here when the EA phones with a “almost on the market”, they’re trying to book same day viewings.

I wouldn’t offer now, but I’d offer at the viewing or just afterwards, and go in with a 2/3/5% above asking price on the stipulation that nobody else sees it style deal.. but I’ve always found that they aren’t keen to cancel booked viewings, so if they’re calling now for viewings starting next Friday, there might be a fair few viewing already booked.

Original poster
SaltySeaAir · 24/06/2021 12:50

😭😭

I did ask the agent yesterday when I saw it go on right move if we could see it sooner - she said no.

I was pondering a note through the door before the viewing 🤔 I think my DH would think I was mad 😆

OP posts:
Dizzycow79 · 24/06/2021 12:51

Not sure if this is any help - a house came on to the market recently that we went to view. I thought I'd love it.

We walked in and the agent doing the viewing day told us they had already had a cash over asking price offer - they ended up getting the house.

It put us off from the start of the viewing (and tbh as much as I wanted to love the house, I didn't more so because it didn't compare to another we'd lost out on)

My point - if you are serious and love it when you see it, out the offer in.

As an aside - we had someone who wanted to offer on our house who hadn't views and tbh I was reluctant to take an offer like that in case when they did view they pulled out and we'd have lost viewers in the mean time.

Original poster
SaltySeaAir · 24/06/2021 12:56

@TakeYourFinalPosition

Is anyone seeing it sooner than next Friday? That feels like so far away! Around here when the EA phones with a “almost on the market”, they’re trying to book same day viewings.

I wouldn’t offer now, but I’d offer at the viewing or just afterwards, and go in with a 2/3/5% above asking price on the stipulation that nobody else sees it style deal.. but I’ve always found that they aren’t keen to cancel booked viewings, so if they’re calling now for viewings starting next Friday, there might be a fair few viewing already booked.

I think this is the plan, give it plenty of time to get lots of viewings booked in.

I think an immediate, over asking price offer. 910 maybe? For a quick chain free sale.

OP posts:
Magstermay · 24/06/2021 12:57

Lovely house although the garden would put me off personally.
I agree I would l let them know how keen you are (if you still are when you get there) as ultimately people want a good offer and buyers that are going to proceed.

You might want to remove the link though in case the vendor or other potential purchasers see.

Panda368 · 24/06/2021 12:57

after viewing go in with 10% over asking. If it gets to best and final go to 12-15% if you can afford it.

Our area is crazy offering asking price + 3 or anything like that on a desirable property gets you laughed out the door round here.

If you really want it. Be prepared to go high for it.

MiniCooperLover · 24/06/2021 12:59

It's a lovely house, a bit overlooked and tiny side garden. Do you have kids?

Original poster
SaltySeaAir · 24/06/2021 13:06

@Magstermay

Lovely house although the garden would put me off personally. I agree I would l let them know how keen you are (if you still are when you get there) as ultimately people want a good offer and buyers that are going to proceed.

You might want to remove the link though in case the vendor or other potential purchasers see.

Good point - how do I edit my post to delete? 🤔
OP posts:
fruitbrewhaha · 24/06/2021 13:15

Report your post op, hq will delete it.

Original poster
SaltySeaAir · 24/06/2021 13:17

@fruitbrewhaha

Report your post op, hq will delete it.
Thank you 🙂
OP posts:
Waspie · 24/06/2021 13:23

Have you been to see the other house on the market locally OP? It's just been reduced which suggests that either there is something wrong with it or the market isn't super hot or it would have been snapped up - Lake Road

I'd wonder if you do need to go in with an over asking price offer immediately?

ZooeyS · 24/06/2021 13:25

Also when did Portishead get so expensive?!!

Original poster
SaltySeaAir · 24/06/2021 13:40

@Waspie

Have you been to see the other house on the market locally OP? It's just been reduced which suggests that either there is something wrong with it or the market isn't super hot or it would have been snapped up - Lake Road

I'd wonder if you do need to go in with an over asking price offer immediately?

I don't like this one - I think they have over priced it. To me it needs to much work. We have been looking carefully at the market here for 12 months, prices have gone crazy though.

It's so hard to know what we need to pay, I think it's worth asking price for sure.

OP posts:
Original poster
SaltySeaAir · 24/06/2021 13:41

@ZooeyS

Also when did Portishead get so expensive?!!
I know, crazy!!!
OP posts:
idontlikealdi · 24/06/2021 13:43

Three of my mates have moved to portishead I from London in the last six months, that's why!

lastqueenofscotland · 24/06/2021 13:50

I wouldn’t knock on and ask to view personally, it might put the vendors nose out of joint, they may have asked to wait till next Friday for a clean/granny’s staying/someone is sorting a few bits. I’ve known of people taking properties off the market as they felt intimidated/annoyed by pushy buyers.

You’ve got the soonest available appointment.

soooooooG · 24/06/2021 13:57

If it's so good put in an offer before you see it? Do a drive past, if you like the setting put in the offer now, get the ball rolling and then view it.

RitaTheGreeter · 24/06/2021 13:59

We've secured a house recently in a mad market. What worked for us was being completely ruthless. Offered over the asking price, but said we would withdraw the offer if viewings continued and/or if the house went to a closing date or any other competitive situation. We were also cash buyers, with no property to sell.

We made a real effort to build a good rapport with the vendors at viewing, and with the estate agent. Apparently that did help as the vendors liked us, and wanted to sell to us Smile