Property experts - how up front should I be about our pricing expectations?

[fishnet]

We sold our house last year and are in rented accomodation. We have a good deposit sitting waiting and a mortgage offer. My job is very secure and DH's should be too unless we faced complete economic meltdown.

A gorgeous property came on the market at the end of last week for 895. From the details it looks perfect. But we don't want to pay anywhere near that. My maximum for our dream property is 800. DH's maximum (he is far more cautious) is 700.

I want to go and view the house. DH says no unless we know they would take 700 (20 percent off asking price). If we bought for 700 this would mean 2.5 times salary on a mortgage (with the stamp duty etc included)

I don't think any agent is going to say up front that their client would take 20 per cent off. Do you think its worth asking them?

Noddy - no we could pay the mortgage without renting stables.

Zippi - please find me a house. I trawl rightmove night and day.

10 mile radius of nottingham. any direction. Must have a playroom and a decent sized kitchen and gardens.

I still like it even with the dodgy layout but you could prob get a big discount as its not everyone sup of tea

How much do pools cost to run anyone know?

It depends my parents have an outdoor pool and its not mega but they NEVER heat it so only useable in good weather.That one looks fab,but heating them and the chemicals etc are costly.

How about this ?

Ooh, lovely fishnet

Or this ?

This one has nine bedrooms...

Dont worry about upsetting the estate agent. They've been on the gravy train long enough and are the shiftiest bastards folk you'll ever meet. They are downsizing left right and centre round us. It gives me such pleasure to see a particular collosas beginning with F have a 3/4 empty office that used to be heaving.

House photos look fab. Offer way less then you play to pay and bargain and as was said earlier go see it and it the market nose dives you are in a position to swoop in if you still like it.

Buying property is cut throat, you'll need to rid yourself of any empaty for agents or other buyers if you want to secure the house of your dreams.

You also have a great deposit which should work well as a bargaining tool.

Good luck

lalalegs - I like the last one, thing is what do you do with 9 bedrooms?! The kitchen is fab, can you find me a house lalalegs about half the price in devon or somerset?? with a kitchen like that and at least three bedrooms.......

I would (not that I have this amont of money to move) wait for 12 months, hard but you are far more likely to get a bargin in 12 months time when property is very slow to move and people find you are in rented with out a chain and have the money to buy there house - you will be stardust.

lala

first one Alverton is nice but too far out. That journey takes ages in the morning since the road is bad. The fiskerton one we were going to buy but survey said £200k for the work.

The otherone is in the middle of one of the largest council estates in Europe.

I really do trawl rightmove night and day

Aaah, the internet is no substitute for local knowledge . Have you considered Kirstie and Phil?

One of my friends suggested that actually!

I think they've gone into hiding haven't they. Most of the country seem to be holding them personally responsible for the state of the housing market.

Did a drive by of the house in the country park today. Lovely location with amazing views but the property is absolutely enormous and will send DH into a panic about maintenance and running costs.

Just looked on Ch 4 website and no sign of LLL looking for volunteers (although Place in Sun Home or Away is after people so you might find somewhere you like through them plus get a nice break away in the Med too). Worryingly, there is also a programme called The Perfect Vagina - eek .

Now, I really must get on with my work - hope you find something, somehow.