Anyone not being picky - and STILL can't find anything?

[PessimisticOptimist]

We've been on the hunt for 18 months. In that time, we've expanded our search area and budget. We've offered on four houses - three times we were outbid by developers and one time they decided not to sell. But nothing has come on for us to view in the last couple of months.

I guess I'm looking for a support group on here to commiserate with me 😂

Everyone we talk to says:

• The market is crazy right now
• It will settle down
• More will become available eventually
• Just be patient

But I worry about getting priced out of the market if we wait too long. How long do we wait for the "right" house?

@areyouhavingagiraffe also if like me you often a) open the bathroom window after a shower, and b) forget it's open and then go off to work all day... if the bathrooms at the front you can see it more easily from outside meaning you can quickly check if it's open and go close it if it is.

A house popped up on OnTheMarket this morning (anyone else hate their interface?).

It's probably not for us - storage heaters/wood burner rather than central heating and the fourth bedroom/second upstairs bedroom is tiny and a really strange shape - but it's £200k below our max budget, which means we could afford to do some things to make it what we want (not the bedroom size/shape!) so I've arranged a viewing on Sat.

EA has done the whole 'we've had lots of interest, it may have gone by Sat' line. Which I doubt as it needs some work and I'm not convinced the market is that hot here. But we have to start somewhere and I want to get a feel for this area, and compare reality with EA pictures.

I've just spotted the house we're hoping to view on Saturday has no fireplace in the living room, but they've put in a woodburner in the small extension room at the back (???). Ngl that's the first thing I'd want to change. @areyouhavingagiraffe I thought of you and your fireplace woes

Fantastic news on my end, mortgage valuation came down valued property by a whopping 60k. We offered 5k under asking initially. Asked vendors to meet in the middle but thinking we will pull out as its far too much. On to the next one i guess?

@Momniscient, honestly the fireplace situ (or lack of) is concerning me.
Right, well I have offered at asking. The property was not advertised as "offers in region of, excess off", it just had a price. I went in at that price, put it in writing to the EA yesterday, also reiterating I am chain-free and in a great position. Haven't heard anything. I won't offer more (I have the money to do this, but the property needs a lot of work). I am trying to look past the renovation, could be quite fun, but am conscious it will be tough and stressful, and expensive!! Just focussing on the location, floorplan and space. Looking past the horrendous carpets....
IF my offer is accepted, I will see the property again (EA suggested this would be fine as the viewings were done in the evening and it was hard to see the garden properly). Then I will decide.
However, I have a feeling people may go in over the asking.

@Momniscient, these guys have taken out the chimney breast so I don't know what I would do, although few people here mentioned some alternatives which don't require a route through to the chimney

@areyouhavingagiraffe @DaisyNGO @beguilingeyes she said she was being contacted too frequently by the EA which made her feel pressured and mentioned that the surveyor had said something about the electrics in the bathroom (I sent her solicitor a certificate confirming all the electrics are to code). Ultimately I think she just got cold feet. She's a FTB in her 50s so maybe that's to be expected.

We've now closed that chapter and will look to re-list. Annoyingly there is a 28day period that if I secure a sale with another agent I'd have to pay my current EA. Add to that if anyone saw the property with them at any point if I sell to them in 6 months id also have to pay.

Our onward sale is hopefully progressing. We've secured a mortgage but still waiting to here if the £3k reduction we've asked for will be honoured ahead of doing the survey and instructing our solicitor.

wanna yes, that does sound like cold feet. I'd be surprised if the EA was contacting for no reason.

Once again, I find myself surprised by people saying you can find out so much from Strretview. Something has come up that might be too close to a hospital but unless I actually stand in the flat, I have no idea how tucked away it is from the road noise.

We are looking far, and this is the furthest point of where we are looking.
At this stage, I'm thinking not to see it. We've got a good idea of which developments we like in the area we're looking at and there's an argument for just sticking with those. If we get to Feb, then I'll think again.

I mentioned upthread about the place with the GIGANTIC kitchen island. Apparently before the owner did it up, it had a hallway etc and was generally normal....he basically turned it into a kitchen. However, it's good news because the other flats in the development are nothing like that.

@BerryTiredMama

Fantastic news on my end, mortgage valuation came down valued property by a whopping 60k. We offered 5k under asking initially. Asked vendors to meet in the middle but thinking we will pull out as its far too much. On to the next one i guess?

That's interesting. Can you share what area you are in and what percentage of the price 60k is?

No worries if not 😀

@DaisyNGO I love a good streetview sneaking. About distance to the road and noise, I sympathise. I particularly find the google maps measuring tool useful in figuring out distances. Is there any info in the particulars about double glazing etc? Can you work out which way the flat faces?

@areyouhavingagiraffe I suppose the complexity depends on whether you would want to put in a burning fire or a fake electric one.... but I understand your reticence to take one on without an entire chimney breast. That seems extreme! My parents recently removed their fireplace (I did try to dissuade them...) but I think the chimney is still in there, behind the plasterwork . I don't get it... I love a fireplace... especially this time of year!

Oh I didn't think of that. Chimney still there so maybe it's all behind the plaster.
Anyway, first world problems and the EA hasn't even responded to my email acknowledging my offer.

And of course that may be because things have slowed down, they still doing viewings etc unlike the summer when it was all fast paced

I don't know if this thread is quite right for me as I definitely am being picky but I am also demoralised by the whole process. Sold last year, nothing much that I want to purchase and have had to massively adjust expectations. Interesting to see Leeds mentioned as we are looking here and it just seems crazy. Things going for 30 -60k over asking that we are putting in best and finals for but with no hope of competing with that. Have also been told that lots of Hong Kong purchasers are coming in and buying houses in the areas we are looking at and they are all cash buyers. Can't see the madness ending round here as it is too popular. Relative is buying in another part of the country a decent 3 bed detached with good sized south facing garden and for that we can't even buy a 3 bed semi that is in need of everything doing to it. I get a bit down if I think about it too much and I go through phases of obsessive right move viewing and then not bothering for ages because I can't handle it anymore. Anyway sorry that was a bit of a moan. So nice to read some positives amongst the issues we all face though and very nice to know I'm not alone!

@NC2010, you are in the right place. Welcome. We all have a moan here and we all feel demoralised. Are you in rental now??
I am also obsessively looking at RM one day, then fed up the next. Then I have an emotional meltdown and think I will never achieve anything. Yes, I know I am a drama queen but the housing market and EA have made me this way?!

@areyouhavingagiraffe yes but for a nominal amount as it is the empty home of another relative. Very fortunate in that regard as can save as we keep searching but still hard as the house a bit small for all of us and can't make changes we would make if it were our own. However, every day I am grateful we aren't paying market rate rental prices and watching house prices continuously rise because I think I might have actually had a break down by now otherwise. And if you're a drama queen about it then I'm right there too. I do think it's just so stressful and how can we not be emotional about the biggest purchase of our lives, being pushed and hurried because of the pace of the market and EAs never being straight about anything. I just keep hoping that surely at some point everyone bidding silly money will have their homes and then we will stand a chance?! Probably very naive of me..!

[quote Momniscient]@DaisyNGO I love a good streetview sneaking. About distance to the road and noise, I sympathise. I particularly find the google maps measuring tool useful in figuring out distances. Is there any info in the particulars about double glazing etc? Can you work out which way the flat faces?[/quote]
There is double glazing but IME modern flats are very hot and you need to assume the windows will be open at least April to Oct.

I never like to rely on directions from plans.

I've been sent a few emails from Rightmove today saying "reduced"....they then turn out not to be reduced? Very confusing, maybe the algorithm has gone mad.

@NC2010, empty home of a relative sounds good. And good you are managing to save. I am staying with my folks, so also saving.
I just hate EA's. We need to be less emotional but it's easier said than done. I have started being demanding on certain viewing dates and times, and if their suggested date/ time doesn't work with me, I tell them I am chock a block with other veiwings. A few have them managed to accommodate me; tends to be on the houses which have been around for a few weeks.
Hang in there and welcome to the club. Let's be positive and manifest those positive thoughts (I usually hate all that clappy trappy stuff, but we gotta do it to keep sane!)

BTW- anyone else just got the e-mail from RM saying "house prices have fallen this month - here's why".... Talks about a Boxing Day surge. I don't need another surge. But if they are trying to encourage people to list that could be a good thing. No more surges though, am over the surges

@areyouhavingagiraffe

BTW- anyone else just got the e-mail from RM saying "house prices have fallen this month - here's why".... Talks about a Boxing Day surge. I don't need another surge. But if they are trying to encourage people to list that could be a good thing. No more surges though, am over the surges

That sounds like they're trying to drum up business

I haven't noticed a reduction in prices!

I've got TWO emails from RM saying that! I must have registered two email addresses at some point!

Some agents are knocking off the vat on their seller fees. All trying to encourage people to list, as there is not much on their books I guess.

@RidingMyBike, two emails must mean prices defo dropping

Yep my user name is from an agents write up.

Errrr... built in wardrobe ya melon!

Ive just read the whole thread! Not sure how I missed it up until now.

Congratulations & considerations as appropriate!!

Look forward to the various updates.

I'm currently looking, but not much coming on the market (central south east). And EA driving me demented!

I think all the local EAs are desperately short of stock. It seems like the same message from them all.
They even complain that they’re being teased by buyers who just want them to go out and value their houses but make no commitment.

Oh my heart bleeds 😁