Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Our Dream House - best and final today!

131 replies

ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 10:24

As the title suggests.....out dream house goes to best and final offers today. We will be putting in an offer but I'm finding the whole thing a little stressful as I know there are a LOT of people interested.

The house went on the market a year ago and had lots of offers (including ours, which wasn't accepted) but fell through 6 months later. The second time it went on we offered again but someone went big and we weren't prepared to match it as it was a ridiculous offer! Surprise, surprise that fell through and it's back on the market again.

It feels like this is our last chance to get this house. Not really sure why I'm posting, just for a handhold i guess!

OP posts:
BG2015 · 16/02/2024 14:02

When will you find out?

Rosesanddaisies1 · 16/02/2024 14:11

Newbutoldfather · 16/02/2024 11:03

I hate the term ‘Dream House’. There are lots of houses around and you will find they all have their pluses and minuses.

You often don’t really know how good a house is for you until a year or so after you have moved in.

The idea of a Dream House before you have lived there makes people overpay and often leads to disappointment.

This. Don't let the concept of a dream house blindsight you into making excessive offers or ignoring issues. Get a full survey and pay attention to it. And go in expecting there to be issues and downsides,

Original poster
ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 14:27

This. Don't let the concept of a dream house blindsight you into making excessive offers or ignoring issues. Get a full survey and pay attention to it. And go in expecting there to be issues and downsides,

Don't worry, we're both long enough in the tooth not to make daft decisions. It's not our first rodeo!
Both of our Dad's are builders and have assured us the house is solid and we're fully aware of issues and work that needs doing. We've been looking at this house for a long time - quite literally as i can see it from my current property!

When I say 'dream house' I don't mean that it is flawless, just that it's exactly what we are looking for....mainly due to location and size.

OP posts:
Original poster
ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 14:28

BG2015 · 16/02/2024 14:02

When will you find out?

They've said it will probably be next week due to the high number of offers.
The vendors move very slowly! They've had our original offer for 3 weeks and only emailed yesterday to say they were going to best and final.

OP posts:
PlacidPenelope · 16/02/2024 14:32

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, OP.

Original poster
ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 14:35

PlacidPenelope · 16/02/2024 14:32

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, OP.

Thank you! Our offer has been emailed so it's just a waiting game now!

OP posts:
BreathingDeep · 16/02/2024 14:41

Oh good luck - waiting can feel torturous!

Ireolu · 16/02/2024 14:51

You have now offered 3 times...surely that confirms to the vendors that you are serious and you want the house. Irrespective of getting top dollar, one would assume an actual sale is important?? And one that won't fall through as the financing is actually there. Let's hope they see beyond the pound signs and accept your offer. Goodluck OP! Let us know how you get along

Original poster
ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 14:59

BreathingDeep · 16/02/2024 14:41

Oh good luck - waiting can feel torturous!

Thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 15:05

Ireolu · 16/02/2024 14:51

You have now offered 3 times...surely that confirms to the vendors that you are serious and you want the house. Irrespective of getting top dollar, one would assume an actual sale is important?? And one that won't fall through as the financing is actually there. Let's hope they see beyond the pound signs and accept your offer. Goodluck OP! Let us know how you get along

Thank you :)
I'm hoping this is the case.
This is the only house we have made an offer on as we specifically want a house in this location so we're pretty serious and I've made that clear in our offer email.

Either way I'm hoping this is end of it all as it feels like it been haunting us for a year!

OP posts:
mfhtoeh · 16/02/2024 15:06

When we did sealed bids we added an accompanying letter explaining why we would be a good choice of buyer and why we loved the house.
I still don’t know if we were the highest bidder but I’m fairly sure several people put in the same bid figure as us (back when stamp duty was within boundaries not incremental) and that the letter swayed the vendor in our favour. We were perfect buyers tbh and stuck to our word. We still love the house.

Original poster
ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 15:14

mfhtoeh · 16/02/2024 15:06

When we did sealed bids we added an accompanying letter explaining why we would be a good choice of buyer and why we loved the house.
I still don’t know if we were the highest bidder but I’m fairly sure several people put in the same bid figure as us (back when stamp duty was within boundaries not incremental) and that the letter swayed the vendor in our favour. We were perfect buyers tbh and stuck to our word. We still love the house.

That's great to hear!

OP posts:
determinedtomakethiswork · 16/02/2024 15:19

Best of luck!

caringcarer · 16/02/2024 15:22

ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 10:41

Thank you!

No, it's in England but we live in an area with a very hot housing market. Houses regularly sell within days and almost always over asking.

If a potential buyer offers more than a house is valued at for a mortgage. Building society will only lend on the amount they believe the house is worth. Don't bid more than the house is worth.

BlondeAmbition21 · 16/02/2024 15:30

We lost out on DHs our dream house 3 times before securing it; think variations on flaky vendors - one wanted to sell, one didn’t (divorce), inflated offers (including bogus bids on behalf of one vendor), EA in cahoots with vendor & determined to delay. After walking away because we’d had enough, 12 months later MIL spotted it back on the market. Put in lower offer just to keep DH happy with no expectation it would be accepted. All the other would be purchasers had melted away so we were the last ones standing.
Oh, and try the old trick of pushing a silver coin into the plot to secure it; DH discreetly pushed a silver sixpence under the front hedge before we made that last offer. It’s still in the same spot and we’ve been very happy here for the last 10 years. Lots of work but it’s proved to be a great family home & investment.
Good luck!

hanahsaunt · 16/02/2024 15:34

Just to note that the CoE won't be having heads turned etc by large offers. They are legally bound under charity commission regulations to get the best price possible. There is some wriggle room in terms of being able to choose the most proceedable but they will find it endlessly frustrating having to try, fail and try again.

Original poster
ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 15:39

If a potential buyer offers more than a house is valued at for a mortgage. Building society will only lend on the amount they believe the house is worth. Don't bid more than the house is worth

Yep, we know this but we also happen to live in an area where there are a lot of cash buyers so this skews things somewhat.

OP posts:
Original poster
ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 15:39

BlondeAmbition21 · 16/02/2024 15:30

We lost out on DHs our dream house 3 times before securing it; think variations on flaky vendors - one wanted to sell, one didn’t (divorce), inflated offers (including bogus bids on behalf of one vendor), EA in cahoots with vendor & determined to delay. After walking away because we’d had enough, 12 months later MIL spotted it back on the market. Put in lower offer just to keep DH happy with no expectation it would be accepted. All the other would be purchasers had melted away so we were the last ones standing.
Oh, and try the old trick of pushing a silver coin into the plot to secure it; DH discreetly pushed a silver sixpence under the front hedge before we made that last offer. It’s still in the same spot and we’ve been very happy here for the last 10 years. Lots of work but it’s proved to be a great family home & investment.
Good luck!

Edited

I love this!!

OP posts:
Original poster
ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 15:43

hanahsaunt · 16/02/2024 15:34

Just to note that the CoE won't be having heads turned etc by large offers. They are legally bound under charity commission regulations to get the best price possible. There is some wriggle room in terms of being able to choose the most proceedable but they will find it endlessly frustrating having to try, fail and try again.

That's interesting to know.

OP posts:
KCSIE · 16/02/2024 15:44

ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 14:28

They've said it will probably be next week due to the high number of offers.
The vendors move very slowly! They've had our original offer for 3 weeks and only emailed yesterday to say they were going to best and final.

Show quote history

Oh I bet that's frustrating for you. But in the grand scheme, what's another week eh?

Good luck 🤞 Please let us know how you get on!

JollyHostess101 · 16/02/2024 15:48

Wishing you lots of luck 🤞

RokaandRoll · 16/02/2024 15:52

Good luck, OP, fingers crossed for you!

DaBlackCatsAreDaBestCats · 16/02/2024 15:55

Think yourself lucky. Some families are facing eviction by private landlords and you are stressing over a particular house?

TeenLifeMum · 16/02/2024 15:55

Our local vicarage actually matches the timings… is the house in Somerset?

Original poster
ElaineMBenes · 16/02/2024 15:57

Thanks all!!
I'll update as soon as we hear

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread