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Original poster

Negotiating on a property -help/advice pls

23 replies

MrsM787 · 02/12/2023 22:22

Hi I am a new member here so please bear with my long thread!

We viewed a property that's been on the market since dec 22. (Live up north 25 minutes from near Hull) over priced at £380 according to my local agents. They have had not viewings and we were the only ones in September to view it. No viewings till now and they have knocked a further 10k off the property this week. It's a 5 bed 4 sitting room detached and will need basic updating including redoing the main bathroom and an en suite. We offered 335k just over 10% asking price which got refused. Left it since October. This week their EA sent. A message to me to say they would accept £365k. I called and said we may be able to negotiate but it will be no where near what they are wanting.

As they have had no viewings since putting it on the market this worries me a little plus should we up the offer in the new year? We won't be going more than £340k as don't think it will be worth more than that with markets being so uncertain at this present time.

The property is opposite a caravan park as well and a large plot of land which we do not know what may happen there in the near future (I'm sure some development or something will be built there!)
The sellers situation is that they must sell in the best few months as their business is in trouble and they have no alternative. (Surprised the EA told me this too!)

Advice pls

OP posts:

JustWimpy · 02/12/2023 23:23

I don't see what your question is? You're offered 335 and say the maximum you'll increase it to is 340. Are you asking if you'll get it for that? Impossible to say.

Twiglets1 · 03/12/2023 09:22

All a bit odd. They took ages to come up with a counter offer didn’t they? After so long on the market I’m surprised they weren’t more motivated to try to get a deal done.

Anyway… You have stated that your top price is 340k, only 5k more than your previous offer, so the logical thing to do would be to communicate that to the EA dealing with the sale.

Don’t know why you would want to live opposite a caravan park or with the worry of that large plot of land. That will be putting most people off the property. But I expect it’s a lot of house for the money, which is presumably the main attraction.

Original poster

MrsM787 · 03/12/2023 09:31

Yea they defo took ages to come up with a counter offer. They have reduced the property to £370k on Rightmove too. But doubt that would attract any interest.

I am starting to get concerned if we should go ahead with the offer we put of £335k if he does agree eventually.

Big red flag for me is the fact that no one has even viewed it apart form us! Surely the price can't be the off putting thing!

OP posts:

Twiglets1 · 03/12/2023 09:39

MrsM787 · 03/12/2023 09:31

Yea they defo took ages to come up with a counter offer. They have reduced the property to £370k on Rightmove too. But doubt that would attract any interest.

I am starting to get concerned if we should go ahead with the offer we put of £335k if he does agree eventually.

Big red flag for me is the fact that no one has even viewed it apart form us! Surely the price can't be the off putting thing!

They seem unrealistic sellers so will be hard to deal with.

The thing putting people off won’t be the price as such as it’s a big house for the money. Though they definitely should have reduced the price by more than 10k as it wasn’t selling at 380k. A reduction of 30k would have been more appropriate.

The main thing putting people off will be the location opposite a caravan park plus the empty land which developers could build on in future.

SpringingJoy · 03/12/2023 09:44

The main thing putting people off will be the location opposite a caravan park plus the empty land which developers could build on in future

Agree with this. I can't judge the price in that area but I do know that both of those things would massively put me off. Even a 'nice' caravan park would put me off...but how well do you know the area/this park op? Maybe it's well known for being rough/trouble etc hence people have run a mile.

Sundaefraise · 03/12/2023 09:46

I don’t think they sound motivated despite what the estate agent says. Anyone would know that if they hadn’t sold in a year the price was way off. It all sounds a bit odd, having been messed around by vendors in the past I think I would give it a swerve.

Original poster

MrsM787 · 03/12/2023 10:01

I don't know the caravan park well at all! In all honesty I didn't realise it was opposite till a few weeks ago when an EA told me. It's not obvious as you drive past but there is a board that is quite small on the top of the narrow road that says it's a caravan park!

Think we need to do a bit more research before we take next steps.

Property is nice and ticks our boxes
But we are restricted as would like to stay in local area due to schools, private tuition and being close to my family whom I rely on for short time childcare when I have to run errands or attend appts. It's really hard finding a bed bed in this area. But at the same time don't want to go into an area that's problematic for my kids.

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsM787 · 03/12/2023 10:03

Plus similar properties in That area have been reduced by 30/40k over the past few weeks

The vendors are very unrealistic to be honest

I am a bit stuck on this one will have to wait and see and do a bit more digging

OP posts:

Janieforever · 03/12/2023 10:03

I’m also not sure what you wish. Maybe you just want to talk about it, you’ve made your offer, set your max, so stick to it, and if they say no, move on.

Hollyhead · 03/12/2023 10:05

I would call the agent, reduce your offer to £330 to account for any further market reduction and say it’s on the table until you find something else and just keep looking. They may or may not come back to you but you keep up your momentum anyway by continuing to look.

JeezWhatNext · 03/12/2023 10:06

Drop your offer by 2k

sweetpickle23 · 03/12/2023 10:10

It’s been on the market for almost a year and you’re the only viewing in that time? I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole, either there’s something wrong with the property or the vendors are a nightmare (or at the very least not motivated). Or both!

Twiglets1 · 03/12/2023 10:13

MrsM787 · 03/12/2023 10:01

Think we need to do a bit more research before we take next steps.

Did you mean to say it’s hard to find a 5 bed in this area?

Do you need so many bedrooms? If not I would prefer to buy a 4 bed smaller house in a better location.

If you need 5 beds then your options will be more limited. Maybe this house does represent a good purchase for you despite its drawbacks. But you still shouldn’t offer more than you’re comfortable paying and also need to take into account it will probably be hard to sell when it’s your turn to sell it. This makes it doubly important to get a good price to compensate for the location.

Original poster

MrsM787 · 03/12/2023 10:13

Charnwood park estate - Scunthorpe

This is the name of the caravan park

Trying to do some digging on it!

OP posts:

bluepencilstoo · 03/12/2023 10:36

It's not a caravan park
It's a private park home estate for over 55s. People live there permanently for most of the year. Unlike a caravan park whereby you have people and caravans coming and going

Janieforever · 03/12/2023 10:44

MrsM787 · 03/12/2023 10:13

Charnwood park estate - Scunthorpe

This is the name of the caravan park

Trying to do some digging on it!

That’s not a caravan park. It’s a park home estate for over 55s and just like any other homes basically, other than construction, age. It’s likely one of the safest places to live next to and the quietest.

Original poster

MrsM787 · 03/12/2023 10:45

Oh my ignorance I didn't know that
Thanks for checking and clarifying

That makes sense

OP posts:

Runninghappy · 03/12/2023 11:37

Haven't you done any research? I would never view a house without checking out Google Earth etc and you’d clearly be able to see the caravans. A quick google would show you what that site is also. You do have to take some responsibility to do due diligence before making the most important purchase of your life.

Caffeineislife · 03/12/2023 13:18

I'm from near scunthorpe originally but have since moved away but still have family and friends in the area.

Scunthorpe has a ceiling price (due to employment opportunities and general economic make up of the town) and that property is in excess to it. The price they are wanting for it is a pipe dream and even the estate agents know it.

It is at the back end of Crosby which has a bit of a reputation but where the house is situated there are quite a few new builds. It might be worth checking schools and catchment as some schools in scunthorpe in general are a dive and the school that I think you would be in catchment for is a bit of a dive, so is the second nearest. You would probably be ok with the Catholic school. The same goes for the secondary. It is known locally as a dive. It may be that as the house is on the edge you are out of catchment for other schools. Good schools in scunthorpe are oversubscribed and so you would be looking for an out of catchment place. The location you are in puts you a long way out for our of catchment schools.

You are very close to the phoenix parkway which is a very fast and busy road - especially with the popularity of both industrial estates.

It could be worth looking at the local plan for the next few years as well as current planning applications as the green space you are referencing looks prime building land. It could be that the over 55 park home park has got it and is looking to expand in which case you would be ok.

Caffeineislife · 03/12/2023 13:20

In short. Anyone with the budget you have would not be offering in scunthorpe unless they really had to. They would be looking at the nicer villages with nicer smaller schools.

BlueMongoose · 03/12/2023 14:27

Offer what it's worth to you, no more. And I'd say the same with any house. What they want for it is irrelevant. If they can agree with you, they have a sale, if not, not.
It sounds simplistic, but I find it's the only way. Offer significantly less than its worth to you, you may lose it unnecessarily, offer more and you're ripping yourself off.

Original poster

MrsM787 · 03/12/2023 15:16

Absolutely true but I am a little limited as need to be local for kids and my family whom I rely on plus my elderly mum I don’t want to move away from too much due to her declining health. I am also looking at properties in burton upon stather Which is a 8-10 minute drive from my mums so I don’t personally think that’s bad too. Think we need to review all options and go from there. Defo need 5 bed as I have small children (4). We not in a rush to buy as can stay in current house But ideally would like to move in the next 12 months - all depends on finding the right property.

all your comments have been great - thank you all so much. I defo need to do more research and fact finding when looking at properties! Just didn’t know how to go about doing so x

OP posts:

Caffeineislife · 03/12/2023 15:27

Burton upon Stather sounds a good shout. Not sure where your parents are but what about Winterton or Broughton? They are slightly larger villages. I know Broughton is very small child friendly - there are loads of small children in the village and I believe a brownie/ scout group, playgroup and stuff on in the village hall.

It's always a matter of browsing local FB pages, checking council sites re planning and longer term local plan - especially if you are buying something opposite a field or green space as everywhere is currently building like crazy. Check the schools - not just the ofsted but also search local FB pages for the schools and see what the local feel is. For example one school round us is notorious for bullying and lots of pupils attacking each other outside of school and cyber bullying but have an outstanding ofsted. The schools attitude is that it's not happening inside school walls.

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