I've fallen in love with a house and they've just rejecetd my offer. How do I persuade DH to let me increase it?

[mummyjaguar]

We've been looking for months and months. A house came on the market on Friday and we went to look yesterday. It was love at first sight. I was having heart palpatations as we walked around. But its an expensive house and it needs £100k spending on it so we put in an offer ten percent below asking price which has been rejected. Went up by another £10k but that has also been rejecetd. I think the owner thinks she'll have offers flooding in given that its only been on the market for a couple of days.

I can't cope. I have to have that house. Now I know why phil and Kirsty always do their negotiations in the pub. I need a vodka.

How do I persuade DH that its a good idea to increase our offer?

Gawd, I think mummyjaguar is getting a bit of a tough time. Negotiating for a house you really, really want is pretty stressful IMO. Hard to just sit back and see what happens.

Obviously it's the right thing, the sensible to do at the moment. But doesn't stop it being hard.

It's a lovely, lovely house and I do wish you the best of luck with it. However, it needs loads and loads of work doing to it. Having had experience of this myself I would urge you to think seriously about it. You may be able to afford it but have you got the time and inclination to project manage all the things that will need doing. And, if you are doing things in stages, be ready for the unfinsihed parts of the house to drive you nuts.

Ah x post with soapbox (slow typing )and her eminently sensible advice.

I am shuddering to write this down but our renovations on our 3 bed house have so far cost nearly £18k [faints]and that is on hardcore stuff like a new heating system, boiler, bathrooms (before we start with the hideous decor)

i can GUARANTEE your renovations will cost much, much more that the £100k you have bugdeted for

I hope so.

Sorry everyone - very temperamental today - its the house love getting to me

Not being nosey at all MrsT - I've already spilled our financial beans!

The figures I'm talking about factor in all of the costs plus potential renovation costs of £100k. I've done a spreadsheet and everything of all costs and our outgoings. The last thing I want is for us to be struggling financially. But at the same time I feel that if it really is the right house then we should try hard to get it so that we don't look back and regret it.

I can't understand why every one is being so chippy!

The OP has posted with a good deal of self deprecation and admits that she is letting her heart rule her head.

Are people only entitled to house buying advice if the house is at the lower end of the price range!

Not at all, soapy, and its cost hasn't really been an issue on this thread so far that I can see.

It's that the husband is hesitating for some very valid reasons which the OP doesn't seem to consider as important as what she wants.

Because buying a house is a business transaction and getting emotional, while understandable, is the easiest way to get into financial difficulties. And mummyjaguar said that they couldn't afford any more, and we believed her. So we were just trying to play Devil's Advocate.

I think that anyone would understand that the house is gorgeous and no blame anyone for wanting to live there.

It's more than likely that, at the offer you put in, and with a word to the estate agent, as so many others have mentioned, the offer will be accepted.

But the husband's point of view does appear sensible in this market.

I truly sympathise over the angst of house-buying, and our hol of two sumers ago was blighted by fretting on beaches trying to get a mobile signal and desparately trying to hold onto the house we really wanted. It is agonising.

And it is a fab house. I hope you do get it (if you really can get it within a budget which you can afford).

you know that's right in the middle of a flood plain

I wouldn't be buying a house that could flood if you paid me .. think of the hassle, insurance premiums

it's lovely though

It is on that map Twiglett but its never flooded. The land at the other side of the river is lower and they have built flood defences in the village. Plus there's a garden wall and an old flood barrier and the house is elevated.

I'm more worried about when the DSs get a bit older and more adventurous and decide its fun to play at the edge of the river!!

oh ok

I'd hold off in the current market for a couple of weeks

OTH, even though it's never flooded, I'd still consider taking the information Twig posted to the estate agent. It could have use as a bargaining chip.

Maybe a few MN-ers could go and view the house and then say to the agent 'sorry - overpriced / on flood plain / needs SO much work doing' etc to encourage the vendors to accept your offer.

OOo good idea Blu!

No putting in real offers though!!!

Bear in mind the owners may get friends to put in "ghost offers" to bump it up. (Well, that always used to happen in a buoyant market - dunno if it would work these days.)

it is a lovely house but if you pay more than 90% you will be down by xmas.i am looking too but ith a much smaller budget and believe me 10% will be seen as generous soon.Listen to your dh if its meant to be it will Good luck

Also think seriously about how you would feel in 3 yrs time if it was worth 500.Would that put you in negative equity.The house price falls have only just started

Would you do all that gardening yourself?