ok, if anyone's interested in this - remarkably theraputic writing things out though, isn't it? (note to self, must start blog) - spoke to estate agents today.
the house has been on the market since last june!
so he's desperate to sell, right?
no.
he's a local guy with a few high end properties, and it looks like he's in no rush to sell. there was one offer, which was poo pooed as it was way below asking price. she wouldn't say how much, but it sounded like someone put a cheeky 380 in or something like that, and he wasn't going to entertain even starting a negotiation.
dunno, perhaps he's so well off, he just doesn't need the cash, plus i think he lets it out as a holiday rental and probably makes 7/800 quid a week from it for some of the year.
she suggested that i have a think and determine a ball park figure we could potentially pay and then get back to her. she'd pass this on and he'd decide whether to deign to let us see view the house or not depending on what we were potentially willing to pay.
i'm guessing that when i tell him 400 max (assuming it lives up to its billing when viewed), he'll say neine danke. in welsh.
not to worry. there's another house nearby, right on the clifftops and my initial choice. again overpriced, but we'll see about that too. unless they're all in denial there.
in the meantime, we've had a plan. sell up here (house over the road, just gone through for 260 odd we think..but we'll get ten grand more cos ours is nicer and has a loft conv), and rent a nice cottage in the lleyn over the autumn/winter whilst we sort something out and watch the market tumble...perhaps.
then, we can see if we really like it there (i'm sure we will)...and i can really manage the twice weekly drive (i'm sure i can).
if not, money in the bank, we're determined to move from here - not sure why as we really like house/area/neighbours etc, but it just seems time - live on the interest, and head to bath/wilts area where we nearly moved 18months ago.
we're sure its a good plan.
however, please feel free to point out it's obvious flaws and ask why we're fucking around with our - until now -sound finances, and more importantly the children's education.
if anyone's stil reading, i await your wise words...