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

[Momniscient]

Just spotted the first one is full 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

Thinking nothing would ever come on the market.. saw two properties today.

Do you ever just get a 'vibe' about a place, whether good or bad?

First house was ok.. prob ex council, but needed new flooring throughout, bath out and walk-in shower in; months of redecoration and possibly a downstairs loo. Doesn't read much but it's enough! Good corner plot so decent size garden all around house. Area - meh. (And we're looking at the bottom end of the market.)

Second house - 1910 townhouse, some improvements needed - no downstairs loo which really would be useful, but for a small row of semis it was spacious inside. Smaller garden but probably enough and some lovely views of hills and town in the distance. Best part, the dining room in the middle of the house, big fireplace, sunshine coming through. Worst part - we spotted damp about a foot above the skirting board in the dining room. It's not currently being lived in but still .. you wouldn't get that much damp. But the vibe about the house on the whole felt good.. even the hubby liked it.

Now I'm not put off by damp as it should be easily remedied so we put in an offer of £118k - asking price was £120k. (Yes houses that cheap do exist!) Vendor hasn't received any other offers yet despite plenty of interest. Perhaps the damp put others off?

I'm a bit nervous because I've been out of the property market since 2004 and haven't had that much experience. I guess we'll see what happens with our offer, if it's accepted and then take it from there.

We don't have much money to play with unfortunately and need to find something suitable (if this one is no good) before the end of this year. It's been a tough search so far. We had said that a downstairs loo is a deal breaker but we've had to compromise on that. We simply don't have enough money to get everything we 'need'. As we plan on Dad living with us though in the future, we at least need 2 receptions and this one has.. but Dad probably wouldn't like anything about the house because it's old. We simply can't afford to buy a house at the 'standard' that he's used to.. sorry Dad!!

I'm not sure to say 'Fingers crossed' with our offer tomorrow... I'm the sort to say 'what's meant to be' etc. but let's see what vendors come back with. What a nightmare this property malarkey is!

Sorry for the long msg!

GoinSouth no need to apologise.

That's a really good offer you've put in! It sounds lovely and I like the sound of those views.

A fireplace sounds brilliant, especially right now!

So we placed offer yesterday (the first vendor has received despite having had other viewings). We provided all the various documentation for funds as requested by EA. Now we're waiting to see if offer will be accepted. I've called for an update today and they are 'just waiting to get hold of vendor' but I'm wondering if they're playing for time especially if there are other viewings booked for this week. When is it appropriate to ask them again for an update?

Vendor could be holding out for a better offer despite the damp, as if anotther buyer offers say £130k which vendor accepts and then buyer gets survey saying there's damp or other issues, buyer could ask vendor to drop say £5k, and vendor will still be quids in rather than accepting our offer of £118k.

I felt that we were in with a chance yesterday but today not so sure. I was hoping EA would have got back to us pretty much straight away.

What I hate is when you make an offer, takes days for EA to return and when they do it's with 'Oh sorry for delay, vendor has gone with a higher offer..' Grrr! My thoughts would be 'Well at least you could have advised me so that we could have considered a counter offer/best offer, rather than just going ahead with someone else!'

How does one remain positive? It's such a busy market at the bottom.. I'm sure these problems don't exist if you've got millions to spend as fewer buyers with that sort of capital.

Good luck with the offer. It's never possible to know what the real truth is at times like this, and it would be good if you could have more clarity. Hopefully you'll hear back - it would be in a vendor's best interest to offer you another chance at offering if they do get another one.

It's difficult to know the context - I know when we received our offer I got a missed call from the EA first thing, which I couldn't return until lunchtime. Once we'd got the offer details, I said then we'd try and respond to offer by following day but that was in the context that I was then in 4 solid hours of meetings at work so would have had no chance to discuss with DH whether to accept or not!

So, it's entirely possible that they're dealing with a lot of other stuff and will get back to you as soon as they can. If you haven't heard within 48 hours though I'd chase as surely that's enough time to think about it even if they've been working long night shifts or something?!

Yes absolutely appreciate people's busy-ness and can't assume vendor is sitting next to their phone 24/7. I need to chill-out and let whatever happen, do its stuff! (EA did call me earlier saying they now had all my proof of funds papework and were submitting an offer form.. 24 hours later ;-)

GoinSouth you'd think they'd just say they'd like time to think it over.

I suppose the EA i was talking to yesterday was very honest saying "they've got other viewings and want to see how others respond"

I have had an offer accepted on the probate place! I feel really tired now. I'm not sure if it's just winter, or the sort of internal emotional rollercoaster!

I have had my se

Oops cut myself off there

I have had my second lie down of the day, I mean only about ten minutes but it's just a bit overwhelming, lol.

@EmmaH2022

Oops cut myself off there

I have had my second lie down of the day, I mean only about ten minutes but it's just a bit overwhelming, lol.

Congratulations on your offer acceptance!!! That was the easy part now starts the real work hehe. But I know what you mean, I've just started popping betablockers, for work issues, but hope they'll help with the property stress too.. it is absolutely overwhelming! Plus I have a husband who is not English so unfamiliar with various processes here, and uses a really bloody annoying excuse 'I can't call people.. my English isn't fluent... you're much better!' So it's falling crashing to me to sort out everything (mind you, gave him a bit of a pep talk today which may have made his understand how it's not reasonable to expect me to work 5 days a week and potentially buy a house!) Seem to have lost much of my fortitude since getting that much older and menopausal.

Congratulations Emma! It seems as if the emotion of it all has taken it its toll so rest up

Best of luck GoinSouth. I agree it is frustrating when you are outbid but the EA just delivers the bad news and without giving you the opportunity to increase your offer. This happened to me although there's such a lack of transparency, I was never sure the higher bid actually existed.

I've been biting my tongue and trying not to get annoyed with everyone involved in my house purchase. My solicitor apparently sent out enquiries at the beginning of January (I don't really know as she refused to answer my questions about when they were sent). Last week I asked if she'd heard back from the vendor's solicitor. She responded with a single line saying no and advised me to chase the EA. No mention as to whether she had been chasing the other solicitor.

Today the EA responds that the vendor's solicitor e-mailed the vendor with the enquiries she has to answer 2 weeks ago. However, as the vendor is "not good with technology" she didn't realise she had to open the e-mail so the enquiries have not been dealt with.

Almost 3 weeks into the month and practically nothing has been done.

Oh Eastie... that's so frustrating for you... gahhhh! But hope from here onwards things will start to improve and speed up.

Just had offer accepted. Now I'm totally stressed.

Congrats @GoinSouth!!!! So lovely to see some movement

@Eastie77Returns commiserations for slow people at the other end. I guess keep chasing and hope they get so sick of you they respond to get you out their hair?

GoinSouth

Congratulations!

Btw when I said "lie down" I just meant flop on the sofa!

It is weird though.

No one knows except you guys. I don't want to tell mum for a while as it will take ages and she will be so disappointed if it goes wrong.

I will get the solicitor sorted before I tell anyone else. Frankly I am very short on friends atm so that's another reason I'm glad to be moving.

Eastie ermagerd, that is worrying. Does that person open post? Maybe better if everyone deals with it that way?

@EmmaH2022 I fully endorse the use of naps for stress management! Unless you're stressed because you're running late...

[quote Momniscient]@EmmaH2022 I fully endorse the use of naps for stress management! Unless you're stressed because you're running late...[/quote]
Lol! No, it was more "lie on couch to try to calm racing brain" if you know what I mean.

I must stop mentally redecorating that flat....! 😂

Sorry to hear your update @Eastie77Returns, having elderly vendors does make the whole thing much more challenging.

P.S. Having read the latest updates on this thread, I realise I posted on the wrong one asking how your purchase is going, so ignore that one!

I'm under the impression that Eastie's vendor is working age but I might have got in a muddle there.

@Eastie77Returns

Thanks for the new thread *@Momniscient*

It’s sadly comforting to know there are others in the same boat but obviously I hope we all climb our way out and find our homes!

@Starseeking I didn’t realise our situations are quite similar. I also have an elderly vendor who has changed her mind about selling over the years (EA told me she has put the house up for sale several times). She actually pulled out after initially accepting my offer because she decided she wanted £100k more(!) as a neighbouring house went up for sale at that higher price. She threw a tantrum when her EA explained her property was not worth £100k more, listed with another EA and then eventually came back with to the original EA as she had zero offers and re-accepted mine.

It has been stressful to say the least but it’s all the lap of the gods and I’m just accepting what happens now! The latest updates have been encouraging. She has found a chain free onward purchase. The EA has hired a skip for her and this weekend she will apparently be packing and throwing old furniture out.

Still waiting for enquiries to be sorted and just keeping my fingers crossed…

Good luck to everyone on this crazy journey!

This is Easties post from earlier in the thread @EmmaH2022.

Can I join please? I was planning on moving from a very large town to the same village as some family in the summer before my son starts school in September.
Ea persuades me to list now and they will explain that I have an epc and long move timelines. I had already decided to move into rented to cut the chain. Then the next morning before any photos have been taken a viewing gets arranged. She makes an offer above asking price plus will pay my epc as long as we complete quickly as she is as the point of exchange with her ftb
I accepted and am just going with the flow. There was only one property for rent but the estate agent would only let me look round once I exchange and it's now been let. A probate house comes to the market in the perfect place and I managed to get a viewing. I made an offer (planning on staying with family in between) hear nothing and then they ring yesterday to say although my offer was the highest I hadn't got it as they chose a couple who were already in rented and as I had a chain it's risky.
As everyone has said there is nothing out there, one rental I can't afford at 4k a month and one way over priced smaller than I have now house for sale and that's it so I am hoping the market picks up in February.
I have completed all the paperwork for my solicitors and they are sending draft contracts to my buyer today.
I am now looking for storage options and am considering leafleting once i exchange asking if anyone is considering selling.

Morning all. Had a detailed scroll through RM last night. There seem to be a few back on that went SSTC in October. Assuming chains have broken down. I did see a news report saying that mortgage providers are valuing houses below the offer price, so if those buyers can't get extra cash to proceed the sales are falling through. Can't find the article now though.

Hey guys, god I have missed a lot of updates. Congrats to those who have had offers accepted.
I had a viewing yesterday, was okay, needs a lot of work, big rooms and high ceilings though. But it backs onto the playground of a primary school which I am not sure about, and I don't think the location is right for me. It is on for £525k, and I told the EA my budget is "only £600k". I asked him what places for £525k are going for, i.e. do they go for £100k over asking. He looked at me like I was mental, and said "no, that would be ridiculous, it is not worth that much", ha ha ha. I think I am just so disillusioned at the moment I just don't know.
It was a nice house, but like I said not sure about location. I also have a viewing tomorrow afternoon, and one on Saturday (which was a house I tried to see last Spring, but clearly the Sale has fallen through). Trying to remain optimistic

@EmmaH2022, huge congrats, and I get why you want to keep it quiet. Fingers crossed and wishing you all the best!

Hi all
Can I join?!
House on market last week, had several viewings and one offer, open day this Saturday so are hopeful.

Can't decide what area we want to go to though... have 4 to look at over weekend, yalding, Maidstone, would prefer hadlow, Sevenoaks or otford, there is nothing that I really like though! Everything has something not right, beautiful house in yalding but backs onto pub garden.

Anyone know of any hidden gems near to Sevenoaks/hadlow?

I haven't sold/bought for 20 years and it seems so much more stressful!

Good luck all!

@areyouhavingagiraffe
I rented a house next door to a primary school many years ago. The playground noise was generally quite cheery and didn't really notice it.

The house had a 20 foot wall running the length of the huge garden, separating the school premises from the property I rented. It was absolutely lovely, but unfortunately the school closed down when the education authority changed phased out middle schools.

Suddenly, we started getting random children walking along the wall. (Never happened whilst the school was open because they had a caretaker). Had to contact the local police and education authority because we were so worried about them tumbling off the wall and landing in the garden (much of that side was paved as it had lots of seating areas and a couple of sheds).

I would consider a house by a school again, so long as there was a) Only the tiniest chance it was ever likely to close down; b) There wasn't a boundary that could be walked along. But I'd still want something solid, not like a chain link fence because of privacy.

Friend had a house right by a primary school and really liked it. A lot depends on your circumstances though. Yes, there's kid noise at break times etc and traffic build up at either end of the school day but it's really quiet for the time during the summer and in the evenings when they're at home and have open windows. The traffic/parking thing is only really a problem if you need to be getting a car out at those times. It did mean nice view over school playing fields so wasn't overlooked as there weren't houses that way.
There were a few issues with the boundary which was a hedge and the school budget meant they didn't cut it as often as they should.