Ops-Normal.org

We were lucky when buying our current place - first day we were in a position to do serious house hunting it was on the market but had an offer before we could get to see it. We submitted a back-up offer anyway, but saw it proceed through and disappear off the market listings. Then Christmas intervened and things went quiet. We saw another one we liked, slightly further up the hill, and arranged to go see it post-holiday. Then there was contact from the agent from the pre-Christmas house who said that the sellers had cancelled the contract due to non-performance of the buyer and that if we wanted to re-submit our offer they'd accept it. We arranged to re-visit the property after seeing the one up the hill so we could compare them. The one up the hill was a tribute to the photographer and real life wasn't as good, and coming back to the initial house we confirmed that yes, it was what we wanted, so we sat in the kitchen (house was vacant) and filled in the offer paperwork.

Although I have lived in several locations, our 'luck' has been with selling houses - in every case we have had 'informed' people keen to buy at the asking price - usually for personal reasons such as "always wanted that house" or needed to move quickly or be close to friends.
On one occasion the agents rejected the buyer (claiming that the house was 'already sold' even though they hadn't put it on their books) - we didn't pay the agents as they agreed that they had screwed up.
On another occasion the buyer insisted on lodging a non-refundable 10% deposit before surveys.

G-CPTN, we sold like that, having been let down, as they wanted to be nearer their sons.

We were moving for the same reason. We were moving to near their sons (and our daughters) as the we found the journey of about an hour each way was getting tedious even though it was only 20 odd miles. I had to bite my tongue.

G-CPTN "On another occasion the buyer insisted on lodging a non-refundable 10% deposit before surveys."

You mean you paid them?

Mind you, when we bought this house our solicitor managed to get the seller to pay for the survey. This was because the LABC was defective. It was based on a land price 5 years before the house was built. As it happens the insurance company went belly up 6 months later.

I find that a couple of filters help the agent situation.
Since room sizes in Britain are completely and utterly ridiculously small, I always look at the total square meterage of the accommodation. I deduce that, what with room for a decent library, sauce room or whatever, one needs between 160-180 sq mtr for two to live amicably and that a solo person needs between 120-140sq mtr.
I also frequently pustulate at agents for their vile and unhealthy . habit of calling a shower hole a bathroom. A room with a shower is not a bathroom and agents deserve thorough kickings for falsely describing it as such.
Now as to the move with the memsahib, in the matter of downsizing specifically, I have found it helpful to adopt the following line of suggestion. That is to say, dearest ducky doo, pray find for yourself the ideal house you would like to live in once I am dead and departed. We shall then buy it for you, in your name only and then will extend the existing bedroom to incorporate a dressing room and full bathroom which I shall use while I live. After my death, you will be able to use the same for your doll collection and keep fish in the glass bath tub.
I find that such generosity of spirit is met with dumbfounded adoration and humility. We are still in our old rambling mansion that costs a Communist Commissar's salary to heat but at least, that's not my fault.

OFSO wrote: ↑

Thu May 09, 2019 3:22 pm

How did you cope ?

We always built new houses.

TF, we found a mutually acceptable house that ticked all the boxes and I was prepared to accept that the drive to the garages was not flat. We were let down but buyers and lost it.

I was then dragged around a succession of unsuitable houses in undesirable locations. Finally I found a new house, ticked all the boxes except for access but we have an insurance policy for that and it's frontage is not ideal.

She loves the house and its privacy. Excellent neighbours etc and 29 minutes from one daughter. Also her need for proximity is greater than the other daughter.

But there is one thing wrong. It was not her that chose it, therefore anything wrong is my fault.