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Original poster

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

999 replies

PessimisticOptimist · 11/09/2021 12:03

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?

OP posts:
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6
BennyBean · 05/12/2021 19:44

We are only 2 weeks into it if this is what they are like now don't know what they are going to be like further on just wondering why they are asking these questions now and not at the time of viewing theres something not quite right

Momniscient · 05/12/2021 19:56

@BennyBean are they FTB or very keen? Maybe they haven't twigged it's a ted flag to ask so many questions

Momniscient · 05/12/2021 19:56

Red!*

BennyBean · 05/12/2021 20:05

@Momniscient

Red!*
Hi no they are experienced buyers i'm trying to keep calm answering all the questions but it is concerning as to why they are asking them our property is sought after and they were pleased to get it but it's stressing me out we think we need to be subtle and think of something to say to them regarding this
wannabeamummysobad · 05/12/2021 20:12

Advise them to please go via their solicitor so that all questions can be answered in one go.

Also tell the EA they are bombarding you with questions and you'd rather relist than deal with their questions.

BennyBean · 05/12/2021 21:05

@wannabeamummysobad

Advise them to please go via their solicitor so that all questions can be answered in one go.

Also tell the EA they are bombarding you with questions and you'd rather relist than deal with their questions.

thanks I think your right we will see what tomorrow brings and if it carries on we will have to have a word with the EA or the buyers them selves my Anxiety levels keep going up and down so either way they need to stop it's bad enough buying and selling without these silly questions
ByeByeMissAmericanPie · 06/12/2021 07:19

I saw one house on Saturday which was in a bad way. Needs a complete remodel internally (dining room with no windows anyone?) and the whole of the rear needed some serious looking at.

Theres obviously been a damp problem there for years, so windows need to be replaced, ceilings, too. And a VERY odd arrangement with a soil stack.

So, asking price £550k. House needs £100k spending on it. It’s only worth £625 MAX when it’s completed. It’s an ex council semi.

I’m not going to engage in any offers on this, but I’m intrigued to know what some mug will pay for it.

Like @areyouhavingagiraffe, I’m taking a break for Christmas, unless an EA gets on his knees and begs me to go and view my fairytale castle 🤣

DaisyNGO · 06/12/2021 10:41

Bye I don't it will be a mug. Houses are going to go up and up.

We were told about a house and said "what house is in our budget?"

It barely has an upstairs floor 😂

It was wonderful though - amazing location in AONB, no neighbours.

I was tempted to view even with the 4 hour round trip - the EA wasn't fussed as he said "all you can do is see the outside anyway". The owner had some pictures.

We know a builder, he guessed about £150k to fix it. That would mean a great home for someone, I reckon.

Paddingtonthebear · 06/12/2021 15:30

Lol, this property needs renovation, is on a busy road with no parking, has been for sale with 3 different agents, was reduced and now the price has gone back up. One of the agents called me today and seemed surprised I wasn’t interested.

Anyone not being picky - and STILL can't find anything?
Starseeking · 06/12/2021 20:43

What site do you use to see price movements like that @Paddingtonthebear?

Paddingtonthebear · 06/12/2021 20:47

Zoopla listing history

Starseeking · 06/12/2021 20:47

I was so busy at work and with DV today that I forgot to put in my (low) offer on the property £100k over budget today, despite the agent calling me for feedback, and reminding me to do so.

I guess it's a sign of how interested I am in purchasing it, and maybe I shouldn't actually bother putting in an offer at all!

Starseeking · 06/12/2021 20:48

*with DC, not DV!

Starseeking · 06/12/2021 20:49

@Paddingtonthebear

Zoopla listing history

Thanks @Paddingtonthebear. I don't think I've seen it presented like that on there before, which is why I was asking.

Paddingtonthebear · 06/12/2021 21:25

Is anyone else waiting for land registry sold prices to update? It says up to 3 months but I’m wondering if it’s all delayed. I want to see what some of the houses we viewed at the start of our search (April) sold for but not one of them is showing as updated on the sold land registry list

Siouxtse1 · 06/12/2021 22:15

Have you tried Right Move's property prices listings? I checked earlier, some houses up to 30th September have already been updated, but don't forget there were a few exceptionally busy months because of the stamp duty holiday, so they aren't all filtering through yet.

I cross checked the estate agent websites on the properties I most liked, including SSTC. Apparently only two are in chain hell and still haven't gone through to completion!

Siouxtse1 · 06/12/2021 22:22

Saying that, I've just checked the sale of my own property (nearly 6 months since completion) and it's not been updated yet...

Paddingtonthebear · 06/12/2021 22:27

Yes I’ve checked Rightmove as well as the land registry index. Guess it’s just all very delayed. I can see purchases completed up to end of around end of September but that’s it. Kind of wanting to know what those houses we saw “really” did sell for as feel it would give me an idea of what stuff is worth now coming on to the market

Eastie77Returns · 07/12/2021 13:32

Sorry your viewings were so underwhelming starseeking and giraffe. It's really slim pickings out there at the moment.

giraffe I find open houses can be like bun fights and the ones I've attended sound similar to your experience.

I did go to one that I found quite amusing. The EA seemed completely disinterested and was sitting at a desk in the front room, eating crisps(!) and looking at her phone. She was just waving everyone in saying yeah, look around and let me know if you have questions . There were swarms of people bumping into each other in all the rooms as she wasn't managing the flow of people arriving and didn't move from the front room once!

So my vendor's solicitor's finally sent across a draft contract to my solicitor last Friday. This was after weeks of delays on the vendor's part. My solicitor said they were ready to start Searches and I gave the go ahead immediately.

Unbelievably, the EA chased this morning to find out if I've paid for Searches (yes months ago!) and how is it going, the vendor is enquiring. Is this a f*king joke? She's dicked me around for months (this is the same vendor who accepted my offer then withdrew after demanding £100k more only to eventually come crawling back) and is chasing me 2 days after sending the contract. Why isn't the EA managing her expectations anyway and explaining searches will not be back within 48 hours. Ridiculous.

And breatheGrin

MiracleBaby2022 · 07/12/2021 13:45

Me too to everything that's been said. I'm losing hope...

Veeveeoxox · 07/12/2021 14:25

We have given up going to reserve a new build there's loads of them in our area slightly above budget but no other options .

Lwizzer · 07/12/2021 15:01

Can I please join as a buyer waiting for my seller to find something? We sold our house and had an offer accepted on a larger house in August 2021, fast forward 4 months and our vendors STILL have not found anything they like let alone put any offers in.

From what I'm reading on this post it seems everyone is struggling to find something. I don't know what is a reasonable time to wait? We are now getting pressure from our buyers who are FTBs saying they will pull out if the chain isn't closed by January.

No one in the chain is prepared to move into rental. I'm getting so impatient and just want the chain closed so we can move forward.

Please share any stories or advice 🙏

beguilingeyes · 07/12/2021 17:52

I've kept schtum as I didn't want to jinx it, but we finally exchanged today. I can't quite believe it.
We found, incredibly,a three bedroomed detached in Walthamstow. Detached houses are hens teeth round here. We're in a mid terrace at the moment.It's about five hundred yards from where we are now. It has a tiny kitchen, which is why, I think, we had no competition, but there's room to make it a kitchen diner and we have the budget. The garden is chefs kiss.
I'm so happy to be staying in Walthamstow. We love it here and I thought our budget would make us end up in Chingford.
Good luck everyone. If this had collapsed I think we'd have given up.. certainly for a long time. The whole process is barbaric.

Anyone not being picky - and STILL can't find anything?
wannabeamummysobad · 07/12/2021 18:10

Congratulations @beguilingeyes! A detached in Walthamstow?!

MiracleBaby2022 · 07/12/2021 18:12

@beguilingeyes that looks lovely! Nice garden !!