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Thread 2: "Anyone not being picky - and STILL can't find anything?"

998 replies

Momniscient · 10/01/2022 18:38

Just spotted the first one is full Shock so have set up thread two so we can keep talking with minimal delay. Hoping that tagging works regardless ...

RightMove addicts, and serial refreshers of other property websites, share your troubles!

Posters from last two pages in the thread and OP:
@PessimisticOptimist
@Eastie77Returns
@RidingMyBike
@beguilingeyes
@DanisEndo
@EmmaH2022
@dubyalass
@BennyBean
@ByeByeMissAmericanPie
@areyouhavingagiraffe
@CheltenhamLady
@doubleraspberry
@YukoandHiro
@TulipsfromAmsterdam
@MummyJ12
@starseeking
@GoinSouth
@MiracleBaby2022

Original thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/4346330-Anyone-not-being-picky-and-STILL-cant-find-anything

OP posts:
EmmaH2022 · 21/02/2022 12:53

Eastie "She ended the e-mail by asking the EA to chase the vendor's solicitor for an update, with a smiley emoticon to add insult to injury. Why isn't she chasing??"

I would telephone and email and ask her why she isn't asking the vendor's solicitor, and point out that is literally part of why you are paying her. But that's me.

She is probably trying to offload work on to other people, hence the smiley.

Starseeking · 21/02/2022 13:02

Oh gosh Eastie, your solicitor and the whole process sounds like a nightmare, I really feel for you. Fingers crossed everything is resolved shortly so you can get on with living in your new home!

Hopefully the vendors will provide you with quick feedback on your offer Giraffe, so at least you will know where you stand.

Doubleraspberry · 21/02/2022 13:37

A smiley would kill me at your stage, Eastie. I really hope this is just poor communication and it all gets sorted today.

Our tenants have just sent us photos of the ancient wooden pergola thing at the end of the garden in pieces after the storms. We need to get someone to remove it in the next week or so before it goes on the market!

areyouhavingagiraffe · 21/02/2022 13:50

Have to have a chat with the EA's mortgage broker, standard procedure, been here six million times before, and now realise it means fuck all

In other news, who has seen the no. 2 top story on the bbc news website. That is all I need to add my general anxiety about being a failure

Eastie77Returns · 21/02/2022 14:35

The stories about house prices are so depressing, I look at the headlines and cannot read any further.

giraffe it used to infuriate me when one particular local EA always insisted I had to speak with their in-house advisor who then tried to sell me mortgage broker services. They always used the exact same line "the vendor has asked us to check the finances of all interested parties so you have to speak with our advisor". Literally word for word same line for every property!

emma I replied to my solicitor and more or less said that to her. She replied ok she'll chase the vendor's solicitor later this afternoon....

CheltenhamLady · 21/02/2022 16:20

My buyers have now broken cover and asked for 5k reduction to cover their 'risk' of not being able to buy the freehold....if they get it they will exchange on Friday. If they don't......

There is no risk about buying the freehold, the sale has been agreed and we have offered to pay for it. We have actually already paid the 1k legal costs for the freeholder to sell to us.

Really fed up.

Eastie77Returns · 21/02/2022 18:25

cheltenhamlady that is ridiculous. If the risk is non existent how can justify that reduction..

Doubleraspberry · 21/02/2022 21:29

A hearty ‘not happening’ is needed there I think. Unless you are in one of the areas where prices aren’t going insane, good luck to them finding a new place to buy at the agreed price on yours. Are they nervous FTBs or trying it on do you think?

J417 · 21/02/2022 21:53

@areyouhavingagiraffe

Have to have a chat with the EA's mortgage broker, standard procedure, been here six million times before, and now realise it means fuck all

In other news, who has seen the no. 2 top story on the bbc news website. That is all I need to add my general anxiety about being a failure

what is the no 2 top story?
RidingMyBike · 22/02/2022 08:38

Although a lot of it seems to be content from a survey done by Savills - think I filled it in a couple of weeks ago.

areyouhavingagiraffe · 22/02/2022 09:22

@RidingMyBike, thanks, yup that's the article.
Have to have the interview with the Mortgage Gestapo today re: offer I made. I also realise that every 3 bed house which is coming on sale is over £600K, which makes me think the offer I have made is too low, even though I exceeded the "top range" by a fair bit. Oh well. Have to wait and see.
I haven't properly looked at the article but I think it suggests asking prices have exceed, I don't think it is saying actual values have increased (i.e. are people actually paying this much). Anyway, trying not to worry.
A house I saw a few weeks ago which was overpriced (in my humble opinion) has now been reduced by £25K. Wasn't overly keen on the location and road so not sure it changes my view on it.

dubyalass · 22/02/2022 10:05

The house I offered on went for "well over" what I offered, but the agent wouldn't tell me what or the position of the buyers, so yet again I'm left completely in the dark until it appears on RM sold prices. It's so bloody frustrating. I wouldn't have attempted a gazumping, but how am I supposed to know how to pitch an offer in the future?

I loathe estate agents.

areyouhavingagiraffe · 22/02/2022 10:13

@dubyalass, I feel your hate towards them. Exactly, we need an idea for the next offer we make, it gives us a feel. We cannot base it on rumours that everything is going for £100k+ over

dubyalass · 22/02/2022 11:18

It's doubly irritating because this bunch seem to have a monopoly on sales locally, so I will probably have to deal with them again in the future. I am of course being polite and cheerful in my dealings with them but I'd quite like to have a proper rant at them, but ultimately it's not their fault if individual buyers are offering tens of thousands over asking. That's just market forces.

areyouhavingagiraffe · 22/02/2022 11:44

I know what you mean. The EA on the house I just offered on, they were the same EA for the house I pulled out of. So am sure they will probably tell the vendor this....fuckwits

Eastie77Returns · 22/02/2022 13:07

dubyalass sorry to hear that and agree the lack of transparency is totally shit. You may have been just under the agreed amount or miles away but not knowing is incredibly annoying.

giraffe I'd hope they have more professionalism than to discuss a buyers past with a vendor but then again, they are EAs so anything is possible.

Guys I'm totally despondent today. Vendors solicitor is now unable to commit to any timeline for exchange (days after suggesting March 2nd for completion).

Apparently the signed contract from the vendor for both this sale and her onward purchase have not turned up. EA said he sent it all on the vendor's behalf via first class post last week ThursdayHmm. And there is a missing indemnity policy on the onward purchase.

I've decided to stop chasing now as I'm exhausted and defeated by it all and just feel like crying. I also stupidly listened to the EA late yesterday evening who said he had just spoken to the solicitor, all was now fine and exchange was imminent. So I messaged my landlady to give notice as yesterday was the deadline to do so or have to pay additional rent. It is a 2 month notice period so not the end of the world but I feel like such an idiot for believing the EA. The solicitor cannot have told him exchange was imminent yesterday evening as she sent the e-mail this morning explaining all the outstanding issues. He is of course just telling me what I want to hear to keep the sale on track.

He also previously said the vendor absolutely had to move this Saturday as it was the only day her family member could move her and she cannot afford a removal company. I think this was to keep me 'reassured' exchange would happen this month. Yesterday I asked him if Saturday was still a deadline and he said no, they have found her a removal company that can take her later if needed. I thought she couldn't afford one? He tells so many lies he forgets the shit he's already told me. Arggh.

Eastie77Returns · 22/02/2022 13:08

And sorry that was so long. This is the only place I can vent. All of my friends who put their properties up for sale last year moved in a few short months and are busy putting renovation pictures on Insta.

CheltenhamLady · 22/02/2022 13:19

We have sent an email saying we will agree to a price reduction to cover the cost of the freehold (if they buy it after completion) to facilitate the exchange.

We will not reduce the price beyond that (which we had already agreed to pay) so, effectively, no further reduction due to the perceived risk, which absolutely does not exist.

Our solicitor says we need to just play hard ball.

parkrunner1977 · 22/02/2022 14:24

Afternoon all, long time lurker here! We had an offer accepted on a property yesterday, went to best & final and there were 4 other bids on the table so we're very pleased.

It's a vacant house being sold by the daughter of the lady who lived there who sadly passed away. We're not sure if probate has been granted yet or not, EA thinks it has been empty since October last year so it may all be complete by now. We're not in a massive rush as we don't have to sell in order to buy but we also don't want it to take forever!

dubyalass · 22/02/2022 15:24

He, I wonder if any of us who went to best and final were bidding against each other 😁

Eastie what a nightmare. I'm not surprised you feel like crying - perhaps a good sob might be cathartic even if it doesn't solve anything? I want to throttle everyone on your behalf!

Eastie77Returns · 22/02/2022 16:01

Thanks Dubya. I have another thread open at the moment because in the midst of all this I have a new manager who is forcing everyone in the team to talk about how ‘grateful’ they are each week and she told me I should feel positive about this housing nightmare. Urggh.

EA is now saying he has it on good authority that the indemnity issue is solved(sure) and the vendor currently is sitting in her empty house, crying and desperate to move. The only remaining issue is a missing contract she hasn’t signed and returned after all. So sign and post the damn thing instead of sitting crying?!

J417 · 22/02/2022 17:23

@Eastie77Returns

And sorry that was so long. This is the only place I can vent. All of my friends who put their properties up for sale last year moved in a few short months and are busy putting renovation pictures on Insta.
I am in the same boat

They are discussing renovations and moving company while I am stuck with nothing yet

I am sorry but hope they found the missing contracts soon

areyouhavingagiraffe · 22/02/2022 17:25

@Eastie77Returns, I have no words except that I really hope it is resolved soon. You vendor and EA both sound like absolute idiots.

dubyalass · 22/02/2022 17:57

in the midst of all this I have a new manager who is forcing everyone in the team to talk about how ‘grateful’ they are each week and she told me I should feel positive about this housing nightmare

AngryAngryAngry

I'd not be able to hold back, I'd probably tell her to shove her gratitude up her arse but I am not known for being reasonable under stress.