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?

They are seeing you as suckers I'm afraid. I would be willing to bet that on the day of exchange they will up the price and ask for an extra 10 or 15 thousand. They think they have you over a barrel and your DH has confirmed your view.

You may have the hassle of moving twice if you rent but I guarantee you will have great pleasure at seeing their house still on the market for months ahead. Imagine how sweet it would be if you actually ended up buying it at 10% less in 6 months time.

I know that you fear that these sort of houses don't come up very often, but when you are actually there it will be easier. You could try leafletting the streets that you want to live in, in a falling market there are likely to be people who are considering moving but don't want the hassle of having the house sitting on the market for months.

Sorry "your DH has confirmed their view"

Oh God, oh God, PLEASE don't buy their house.

bran is right, bikerides is right.
Please don't do it!
They should be treating you like royalty for paying more than valuation in this market. They will never do the right thing by you and they will continue to mess you around.

They are TAKING THE PISS!! And I'm sorry but your husband is being STUPID, wtf is he doing?? They are not doing you a favour by allowing you to buy their house for crying out loud!

£700 holiday? Now they want £1500?

Don't DO IT! It is totally ridiculous. Totally and completely!

FFS. I mean, just F. F. S.

They must be laughing behind closed doors.Nothing is selling atm and the nationwide have today announced the fastest house falls since records began.

I know - if they called the sellers bluff - they would probably get some knocked off the price!

In the current climate it is the BUYER who has the power, not the seller.

AIBU to really want to shake the OP's hubby till his teeth rattle?

Our sellers had a full survey done before they put the house on the market as they thought it would help sell quicker and are giving it to our solicitor.Honestly this is the first time the ball has ever been in my court as a buyer and I have been buying and selling lots of houses for years.They have full electric and boiler services too and took a 26% drop in price.You really should rent it has paid off for us no end.When we first sold last summer with the money we had we could afford a flat then a flat in a good area then an ex council house then a house in a better atrea and finally we bought in the area we have always wanted but couldn't afford and have 4 beds and it is lovely.Listen to everyone and wait things are changing so fast.

And if the school term dates are looming, well, you could stay in a 5* hotel for a few weeks with a fraction of the money you'll be saving if you pull out.

As someone who moved to completely new area and rushed into a house buying purchase WALK AWAY WALK AWAY, how do you know that they will not want an increased offer before you exchange.

RENTING - will allow you to assess the area properly, local knowledge is a huge benefit. It would mean you could pass any house up for sale at different times of day and also see where the local yoof hang out and cause trouble.

We moved into a specific catchment area, we wanted a 4 bed but only a 3 bed was available so we took it. Ds1 got into the most fantastic school and we are looking to move to a 4 bed but knowing all about the area means that there are several roads we have ruled out due to problems with parking/teenagers/weird neighbours.

Please walk away, you generously offered a holiday, they are now asking for more money, they are taking the piss.

Echo everyone else who says PLEASE RENT. and walk away from these tossers.

For the first time in more than ten years it's a buyers market. Hang on, you will pay less for a house in a years time or six months time. 30% AT LEAST overvalued, this market, imo

Had a quick wave to claricebean on another thread and she says they are continuing with the purchase. It's become a challenge to see it through.

Oh no! She will get it at 20% reduction if she waits!

Oh well, up to them but gosh I wouldn't. I So wouldn't.

I so wouldn't too

I hope it works out for them. Not something that I would do though.

I know I know but we have - well we are!

The good news today is that the mortgage valuation has come in higher than the surveyor's valuation and the mortgage valuation is a teeny bit out from what we are paying

Moving date was just proving impossible so we have given up and are going with their date. We are going to have to be super organised so that children start school with all the right stuff 3 days later! I have had to shift and rearrange so much to pull this off but DH has said I can spend some of the money we were going to give them for a spa day when this is all over! Am going to need my body weight in gin.

Thanks for all your support on here - it's just brilliant to be able to come on here and rant wildly!

No doubt there will be some hiccup before we complete so stand by for the next installment.

I am now pleading with the solicitor to exchange the moment he can.

Good luck - hope it goes smoothly for you.

Well, at least you are no longer paying for them to have a holiday. Good luck

Yes. That part was really hurting me....

I really hope this works out and the house is perfect. Nothing less will do after all this!

Just make sure that you check that your removal company have the capacity to store your belongings and deliver them at a later date in case the sellers try to pull a fast one on exchange day. If that happens then you will may need to stay in a hotel for a couple of nights while you organise a rental property.

When we had to pull out of the property we were buying the removal company were absolute sweethearts and said they would do their best to rearrange things and if necessary they would collect our belongings and store them until we had found somewhere to rent. As it happened I did manage to find somewhere to rent in the fortnight between exchanging and completing the sale of our old house so we did the whole move in one day.

I should think removals companies are suffering at the moment, so may be a little more inclined to be accommodating.

so.... did you exchange on the agreed date?