What do you reckon to this? <<raging and (I think) gazundered>>

[WomanInTheMoon]

A bit of back story..we found the perfect house, put ours on the market asap had 4 viewers & 2 offers within 5 days. We took it off the market as soon as we got the asking price (v quickly) & sale agreed on our dream house. Going all too swimmingly...
That was eight weeks ago.

We have been waiting and waiting for our purchasers (ftb - no chain, cash buyers ...perfect you'd think ) to sign the contracts which have been ready with their solicitor, ready, for almost 2 weeks.
The ea and our solicitor has been trying to get in touch with them & their elusive solicitor all this past fortnight with not much luck, they finally did (rang the ea) last Tuesday saying they had been away on holiday. The ea stressed we need to sort out schools & kitchens need to be booked 8 weeks in advance so the completion dates would be set once they had signed.
They have over the past few days become quite difficult to get hold of but stated they were waiting for a completion date from their solicitor but stated there was no problem and they would make an appointment to sign but it has always been 'tomorrow'.
We and the EA decided to contact the underbidder on the off chance they may still be interested, and yes, keen is an understatement but we let them know the sale agreed couple were still going to sign.
Today an appointment was made for tomorrow 10am for the original couple to sign. Since then they rang the EA with some convoluted excuse they need £5k off the asking price (something to do with money - how come now?) Swinging the lead, somewhat. We immediately went back and said 'No'. We feel we have been strung on long enough to be not messed around any longer. They have acted in my opinion naively throughout, eg, no survey carried out (said they didnt want one), no second viewing, and when they were bidding they said they 'needed to know asap as they were bidding on another property' . There are other examples.

gaaaaa i am raging! Why do people do this? I'm so cross at having feeling like I have wasted the last 2 months on these idiots who think nothing of messing our and the ones up the chain around, without a second thought, not to mention the 2 surveys we have had done on the property we are still hoping to buy.

As an aside the purchaser is a solicitor (although didnt do any of the conveyancing), can I put a complaint in to the Law Society? Trying to think karma instead of wrecking revenge....

Why would they make an appointment with their solicitor and then decide to ask for 5 grand off?

What do you think they'll do in the morning? The EA told them we said no. we genuinely cannot afford to take any off the price of our house.

And what would you do?

Thanks for reading this rant! Sorry its a long 'un

[LovingTheSunshine]

Yay congrats

[ilovemydogandmrobama]

I wouldn't bother cleaning if i were you

[GeneHunt]

Delighted for you!

[WomanInTheMoon]

It's all good - we have signed the contracts this afternoon!

They had signed their contract for our house for the asking price, which is a total relief all round. My husband picked up the contract and brought it to our solicitors at 4.30pm where we signed and exchanged. Now it goes to the vendor of the house we are purchasing but I am sure that will go well - they had been trying to sell their house for 2 years, so they are keen to get it all done.

I am so relieved and still a little annoyed at the purchasers of ours chancing their arm so close to the deadline. Whatever the market it feels like such a mean thing to do, we had priced our house to sell so it really felt like they were/are getting a bargain.

Its a small thing but I think I want to leave them the squashed fly thats on the kitchen window.

Thank you everyone for your support today, it really has meant a lot and given me/us the confidence to stick to our guns.

There's a large glass of wine with my name on it, chin chin & thanks again x

[GeneHunt]

I hope all is well.

[stressed2007]

I am sure all will be ok.... just make sure you know what's what by ths evening so you can sleep.

[hullygully]

Good luck! (It sounds fine...)

[stressed2007]

mmmm...this sounds odd. An exchange is done by one solicitor calling the other and literally saying "we are exchanged" - they will also confirm address, price and any other important details such as completion date. It has nothing to do with contracts being signed (which they need to be before exchange) or being sent. The solicitors need to agree an "exchange" has taken place. Your solicitor exchanges without being in receipt of the buyers contract - this follows later.

[WomanInTheMoon]

update!

i still am unsure but their solicitor has emailed ours claiming the contracts are signed and on their way over to our solicitor. i'll believe it when i see it, but it is looking better. i'm worried they will sign the contracts for the 5 k less though.

we will see, when it arrives, our solicitor is going to phone & we will go down..

my head is exploding...I can't wait

[Fruitysunshine]

I am such a dippy cow at times - when I say that I can't remember the term for what I was describing, perhaps I should have read OP's thread title!

What a twit I am! Any news yet?!

[stressed2007]

any update?

"The reason they hadn't been in to sign the contract then was they were 'waiting for their solicitor to contact them with a completion date first'. make of that what you will" I make it rubbish - this isn't the reason they have n't signed the contract. They sign so the solicitor has authority to exchange when the other side is ready and they then say they are ready - they can sign and agree the date and then say they are happy to exchange - it would n't hold them up going to solicitors office to sign.

[jeanjeannie]

Blimey - it's a cliffhanger!

Good luck - stick to your guns! If you got the asking price so quickly it's obviously a fab property and will go again just as quickly.

[WomanInTheMoon]

thank you everyone, i really do appreciate your kind words!

Stressed2007 - we agreed the completion date for the end of August with the purchasers 2 days ago. The reason they hadn't been in to sign the contract then was they were 'waiting for their solicitor to contact them with a completion date first'. make of that what you will

I know, even though there will be a delay with the underbidder, she seemed so keen (& genuine, I suppose but can never tell..) and I would like to give her a second chance if they dont sign.

VoodoNotdoit - Fingers crossed, I really hope it goes well for you...I know, for some reason I didn't think I would still be at the nail biting stage

I'll let you know

[stressed2007]

Make sure you get the completion date agreed at this stage for soon! When do you want to move? 2 weeks/4 weeks?

If nothinh happens by 12 get straight on the phone to your other bidders - no more messing around.

[WomanInTheMoon]

spoke to our solicitor who is going to give their solicitor till 12 and then get in touch. waaa!

[VoodoNotdoit]

eek
any news?
we are offering on one we love today, it is nail biting.

I am ignoring my kids to just sit near the phone...............

so .. are you sold????

[Fimbo]

I am married to a solicitor (albeit not a conveyancing one) and used to work in solicitors offices, imvho, they are the worst type of people to try to sell to. The know every trick of the trade - unfortunately.

I am keeping everything crossed for you.

[WomanInTheMoon]

nothing yet...?

[Fimbo]

WITM any news? Fingers crossed.

[hullygully]

And? and? and? (It's gone 10.)

[Fruitysunshine]

I think there is a particular term for what you describe but I can't recall. What buyers occasionally do is get right upto exchange of contracts and then try to renegotiate the price on the premise that you don't want to lose them as a buyer so you will accept the drop in price.

I think it is wholly unethical but it is a practise that is done by buyers. I am dreading it happening to us when we sell ours in a few weeks time BUT we have already decided that we don't want to do business with somebody like that so if it happens we will walk away from them.

stick to your guns. Fingers crossed it all goes through!

[nowwearefour]

all the best with it. our buyers tried to gazunder us too. we held our nerve said no and they did a bit of faffing but now we have exchanged contracts. trying to give you some positive news. and we didnt have a 'spare' buyer waiting in the wings. you'll be fine...

[wildfig]

Stick to your guns! The karma will be that you'll sell to the other possible buyer, and whichever half of the couple suggested pulling that cheap trick will be forever reminded about it by their spouse as 'how you lost us the home of our dreams, you tight cretin'.

if you had 4 viewings and 2 offers in the space of 5 days, I'd risk having to put it back on the market. But fingers crossed you don't have to.

[WomanInTheMoon]

I love OWS's idea too, that would really call their bluff! I wouldn't dare though. On the other hand I would resent taking any money off the asking price as it will be extremely tight for us anyway - they have messed us around enough, it would feel like paying them for wasting our time..or something...
They mustn't want the house too much if they are going to pull this one in the dying minutes anyway.
my palms are all sweaty - how lovely!

[hullygully]

Altho I like OWS's idea v much, I'd be tempted, if a lot is riding on the sale, to say you'll give them 2.5K off IF the deal is signed at 10.00am, because there's no guarantee the other buyers won't try the same trick, or indeed worse. But then I'm a hardened old pessimist.