Seller hasn't instructed solicitor but wants me to pay for mortgage valuation

[Eastie77Returns]

Long story short: have had a couple of house purchases fall through due to vendors changing their mind or not finding an onward purchase so I'm proceeding warily this time.

My offer was accepted 2 weeks ago but my solicitor hasn't been able to get contract documentation from the seller's solicitor.

Today the seller's solicitor advised that he hasn't actually been instructed yet by the seller to start work on the sale.

I contacted the EA who said the seller wants to see my mortgage offer, which I have provided, and the mortgage valuation. The issue is I have to pay almost £400 for my lender to carry out a valuation (they only do one for free and this is my third one) and I'm a bit reluctant to pay out when my seller seems less than committed. Does anyone else think it's a red flag that she still hasn't instructed her solicitor after 2 weeks?? According to the EA she is preparing to instruct the solicitor but is "working through some paperwork". She previously accepted an offer at the end of August which fell through so I'm not clear on what else she needs to do other than tell the solicitor to proceed with a new buyer (me).

So far I've spent £££ on failed purchases with nothing to show for it and I'm worried about being given the run around again. Vendor is an elderly lady looking to downsize but she hasn't found anywhere yet despite apparently looking for two months.

I'm so exhausted with it all I can't work out if I'm being unreasonable or not.

Can I ask honestly what you think (outing myself if seller is on here but I don’t care). New EA now selling this at £100k more. The pictures don’t show the work that is needed:-

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/112911455

It needs some updating doesn't it? I looked on right move and found the next door house. It's much nicer, doesn't need updating and has been extended hasn't it? I can't see that it should be worth 100k more than the one you listed so I can see why your vendor wanted to up her price, although a) it's naughty when she had accepted your offer and b) it does sound like next door won't go for as much as they are asking.

The one you like would make a lovely home and you can redecorate easily.

You’ve already had some major red flags that this process is going to be a nightmare. I’d walk away, now! Chingford is a great area to buy and there will be a lot of other suitable properties on the market (families upsizing etc) with normal, reasonable vendors!

I say this from bitter experience having needed to pull out of a purchase 3 months after having an offer accepted last year due to no progress (they weren’t even viewing properties!)

@MyOtherProfile

It needs some updating doesn't it? I looked on right move and found the next door house. It's much nicer, doesn't need updating and has been extended hasn't it? I can't see that it should be worth 100k more than the one you listed so I can see why your vendor wanted to up her price, although a) it's naughty when she had accepted your offer and b) it does sound like next door won't go for as much as they are asking.

The one you like would make a lovely home and you can redecorate easily.

Yep, the other house is definitely worth more as it’s been extended but agree - not £100k more! I have the budget for the other house but would not pay what they are asking.

Just a shame because my (ex) vendor’s house needs work but would make a lovely home for our family and in the midst of all the chaos yesterday my mortgage was approved which was a sad reminder of what could have been!

That's hard. Maybe in a couple of weeks the new house will drop to a more sensible price and you can get in there.

@Eastie77Returns

I could potentially afford the house next door but at the moment it is really over-priced. Almost every single house EA2 lists in this area is inevitably reduced after a couple of months so I'll keep an eye on it. Viewing it in plain sight of her is a good idea though, didn't think of that.

Her EA called me again to say both he and his director have been trying to make her see sense all morning and he is tearing his hair out as she just doesn't understand. She sounds less than stable and informed the EA that her Priest told her that they were trying to rip her off .

It's infuriating but when I viewed the property she revealed a lot about herself to me and I do really feel for her (she lost a child in the most awful circumstances and she is quite unwell) so I'm trying to be understanding about this and just accept this house was sadly not meant to be.

This whole situation seems quite dysfunctional and emotion-driven.

The EA's client is your vendor, not you, so he is extremely unprofessional talking about her to you as he is doing. It's probably a ploy to make you think he's on your side so you'll swallow any bullshit he comes up with.

I'd run from this one

[quote Eastie77Returns]Can I ask honestly what you think (outing myself if seller is on here but I don’t care). New EA now selling this at £100k more. The pictures don’t show the work that is needed:-

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/112911455[/quote]
I'm surprised this is the old lady's house! Looks like a young person lives there

She is downsizing and moving. But since she makes decisions based on advice from her priest rather than experienced sales professionals who knows if she will ever manage to sell

Well quite. God knows how many months/years of that shit and her hating you because you dared to buy next door instead of paying her £££££ more than her house is worth.

@GreenLunchBox agree I’m surprised at how ‘candid’ the EA is about her but also taking everything he says with a pinch of salt as honestly do not trust EA’s to ever be truthful.

I do believe the Priest stuff as she was certainly came across as a bit eccentric when I viewed (told me she wanted to sell to me as she sensed my good Karma) but equally doubt all this stuff about the neighbours house only blew up yesterday as the EA claims. I noticed warning signs over a week ago as her solicitor was dragging his feet and the EA assured me all was fine and she was sorting out paperwork. I think he was just pacifying me whilst dealing with her drama but he could have just told me then what was happening and saved me rushing through my mortgage application (at his urging).

Yeah I agree with you, it can't have suddenly all happened if she's already listed with the new EA. She would be tied into a contract with the first EA for starters, and the new ones managed to get pictures etc taken PDQ 🤔 (unless I've read this incorrectly)

The previous sale may have fallen through due to issues with valuation and she would have incurred costs , I think it’s reasonable for her to ask you to get the valuation done before she starts the process again - a lot of houses are failing mortgage valuation by lenders

Would it worth having a builder give you a quote for how much it would be to do the work to make her house the same size as next doors? It might give you an idea just how much next door is overpriced, or not as the case may be.

@longtompot

Would it worth having a builder give you a quote for how much it would be to do the work to make her house the same size as next doors? It might give you an idea just how much next door is overpriced, or not as the case may be.

DP has renovated several houses and is a kitchen fitter by trade. He estimated it would cost around £50-£60k to bring it up to scratch. This is in line with first EA who said they would have listed it for £550k if it was in better condition.

I don’t even understand how the second EA are able to market it on their site for £600k when it is still on RM as Sold for £90k less.

I don’t even understand how the second EA are able to market it on their site for £600k when it is still on RM as Sold for £90k less

I think EA1 is demonstrating that they have fulfilled their end of the contract. Advertised, showed the property. Found a purchaser. Offer made and accepted. They are entitled to be paid.

That property is not visible to me on RM

@JosephineDeBeauharnais

We bought from an elderly lady who was moving in with her daughter and we were cash buyers so no chain, no mortgage. Boy did she give us the runaround. Turned out she didn’t want to move, she’d been stringing the DD along for a year by turning down any offers that came in (including ours). Only when the DD put her foot down because she was selling her own house to move to a bigger place with accommodation for mum did the sale get going. It still took four months to complete. She tried all sorts of tricks, including saying on the pre-contract enquiries that the property had no mains water or sewage. She came round after she moved to give me a piece of her mind for “forcing her onto the street”. There’s more, but you get my drift.

@JosephineDeBeauharnais - that sounds absolutely batshit, well done on seeing it through to completion!

I once waited for EIGHT MONTHS for a vendor to find a new house - what an absolute mug I was but it was my first house, I was in love with it and I'd been searching for ages. I eventually pulled out - the only good thing was the delay meant I could buy a nice little new build. Good on you for not taking their shit.

So today I went to view the neighbour’s house. It is being sold by the second EA who are also selling my old vendor’s house. When I pulled up I noticed EA 1 still have a Sold STC sign up outside her property.

Whilst I was viewing the neighbour’s house the EA said we are also selling the house next door if you’d like to view it? I casually asked why it had a Sold sign up and he said “oh she sold it a few weeks back but the seller pulled out so she decided to leave that old Estate Agent and sell with us”. I asked about the vendor and was informed she is a “lovely lady” who is downsizing and moving soon. As the EA was insistent about taking me there I ‘revealed’ my identity and the fact I obviously knew I hadn’t pulled out of the sale! EA looked a bit embarrassed then went on to say the ‘lovely’ vendor is actually a complete nightmare, she is showing no signs of moving and she has been putting the property up for sale and then changing her mind for the past 3 years! They have dealt with her before apparently.

So obviously I dodged a huge bullet but am aghast at how dishonest and full of shit Estate Agents are

The neighbour’s house was also massively over-priced, as I already knew.

That should have read “she sold it a few weeks back but buyer the pulled out

Between a lady who’s grasp on reality is questionable and dodgy Estate agent, you are better off out of it. How frustrating and annoying though. Hope you find the right house with realistic sellers soon. 💐

I have 6 viewings this weekend. Praying one of them works out. I was so naive and truly believed I’d find and complete on a purchase in 3-4 months when I sold earlier this year. This whole process has just been shambolic so far. You live and learn!