Would you call their bluff?

[claricebeansmum]

We are trying to buy a house due to job relocation. We have to have moved by the time the children start school. We have been very open about this - need to complete in August.

We found a house. No other serious interest and we are the only people to put in an offer. There has now been protracted and ongoing negotiations about every stage of the sale and every time something new comes up the vendors have changed their story.

They have now changed their story again about moving out date and want us to move basically 2 days before the children start new school in new city. All through the negotiations they have said they can move out at "any time" because they are going into a rental belonging to a family member.

I think we should pull out from purchase, rent for six months and take our chances that the house will still be there in six months. DH thinks we should proceed on their terms which for reasons that are so complicated is the most impossible day in August for us.
There is a rental house available in same part of town which would be fine.

So, would you call their bluff?

Call their bluff - say that you have to complete on x, or its off - get your solicitors to send a letter. Only way to deal with people like that.

When we were relocating this time we saw a lovely house but decided to not offer on it as we thought the people there would mess us about (lots of warning bells). I was talking to the lady who bought that house last week (it is actually the house opposite the one we did buy) - they offered in March, but didn't get to move in until October. Turns out the people had a fixed rate deal that didn't come out of penalty until October, so they strung them along..

For a moment there, lala, I though you were accusing us of stressful behaviour!

We have a similar thing - our sellers messing us around and refusing to budge on anything - even reasonable things. I keep getting cold feet but have decided to proceed. You would think they would be treating us like royalty in the present climate! We couldnt do enough for our buyer - paying for the boiler certificates, reducing the price abit for rotten window frames, letting her come and poke around the house whenever she wanted. We've had none of that from them and even been shouted at, refused access and had the door slammed in our faces

I really hope these houses are worth it because I would not be putting up with anything except grovelling sycophancy and unctious flattery at the moment. Why not just walk away? I genuinely don't understand why you would proceed unless they are homes of a lifetime at 1992 prices.

Oops, sorry, bikerides .

I know I was quite looking forward to the red carpet treatment as the buyer "down from London" with the money to spend in this market but ha how wrong was I!

House is lovely though and is the only spacious period one in the area we like that we can afford. Price was reduced by 60k in April putting it just within reach. Plus having second baby in autumn and cant prevail on my parents much longer..so some method in our madness but still.

I hear what you are all saying! I do!

I am prepared to walk away and was yesterday. It is a lovely house in a fantastic location but do not think it is worth the hassle. We are one of only a handful of serious buyers where we are moving to and I am not sure why the vendors are being so tricky.

DH on the otherhand is taking the long view and thinks this bit of hassle is worth it. He has now taken over negotations - hence him offering a holiday when I threatened to walk away.

Yeah but, as someone pointed out in another thread on here the other day, the price it's come down from, whilst relevant to the seller, is nothing to do with you. You offered on the price at the time, although you've since had it under-valued by the surveyor. So, actually, as we're nearly 4 months on from there, with prices in free-fall, you'd probably get it for much less now........

Well, DH might have taken over the negotiations, but its both your money he's busy negotiating away. STOP HIM!!!!!

Attagirl, ihatebikerides.

OK this has now got worse.

DH actually offered £700 for their holidays.

They have come back wanting £1500 cash before exchange. [anger][anger]

I think we have to walk away

I thought it was usually the sellers making offers like that!! seen loads in our property section - willing to pay legal fees etc. they're really taking the piss.

please walk away You will regret this they are wankers They should be paying you.I have just bought and the agent and seller VERY accomodating plus agent sayd the show is over for sellers and they aren't taking any on unless well reduced

As a DH and having been through similar, I can sympathise with your DH - he just wants to make you relaxed and happy in your new house and my (and probably his) view was that a small amount of extra money today is worth it to achieve that. Plus in ten years time, a few extra hundred pounds in neither here nor there. This is pretty much exactly the view I took when we bought our current place from an utter wanker of a seller and actually I don't regret it.

On the other hand, at the time we bought prices were rising and there were plenty of buyers and we both think ourselves lucky to have found a place we love. In your case, clearly you should have all the leverage in this. If you are really willing to call their bluff (which you should) I'd emphasise to your DH that you're happy to do so, you really don't mind losing the house if it happens and that you'll try not to be too stressed if it does happen otherwise he's just likely to act in what (he perceives to be) your best interests...!

I would walk away
They are messing you about

WHAT???????!!!!!!!!! Cheeky so-and-sos! WALK AWAY. I wouldn't buy it now on principle.

WALK AWAY! They sound like complete arses. I suspect, even if they agree to everything now, you will have more problems. Just move into the rented house you found.

Anyhow, with the way prices are going you will probably be able to get a lot more house for your money in six months' time.

They are asking for cash before exchange Dont even bother returning their calls. Keep them waiting on your answer for a week or two while you rent that other place, then just say you changed your mind.

Re: cestlavie's point about a few hundred pounds being neither here nor there.... that might be worth it in a rising market. But this is a falling market, and the OP's surveyor has already undervalued the house. So, if they pull out, they'll save a darn sight more than a few hundred in the long run.
And that's not counting the satisfaction of seeing those greedy b**s get their come-uppance.
I am so on your behalf! PLEASE PULL OUT! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!!

May many moons ago - when I was just starting on the housing ladder, the people I was buying from started to muck me aobut a bit like your lot. Very simialr sitation - they supposedly had some where to move to. I did threaten to pull out - told them that unless it was completed by x date I was just going to continue renting.

I moved in on the required date

I was serious about pulling out - even though I had no intention about doing so, IYSWIM. I could have continued to sleep on the floor of the shared house I was staying in, if I needed to (I'd already given up my room in anticipation of moving out) Sounds like you are in a similar position: you do have an option to rent - and the market is moving in your favour.

Oh, and you'll recoup any expenditure already made on surveys etc... by buying something much better for much less.
I've been mulling this one over while mowing the lawn - a true 'power-mow' as I am so cross about it!

what utter tossers, talk to DH fast!! He gives them cash/holiday then they pull out, you have lost even more money!!

It's winding me up just reading about them. Seriously, rent and buy in a year or two. I'm wishing now that we'd sold up and could be cash buyers when prices have come down further.