Help calm me. House buying and selling stress. Part 6

Morning all, an autumn morning here and the robin is outside tweeting, always a sign.

Had a bit of a scare yesterday, I'd kept my old skechers just to wear on the beach as they were so worn out. Bobbles on the bottom were very worn and I was very shocked to do a huge slide down the big stones on the beach approach Managed to keep my balance and luckily nothing broken but they went straight in the bin when I got home.

Lenovo back up and running I'm pleased to say, I was nervous of resetting it all. After your 'address' book password keeping advice I am going out to buy one, I had to search all sorts of places for my 'Windows password' to set it up again.

Walking the dog then off to see a friend for coffee at the second hand book shop. She has been trying to sell for four years and fingers crossed, should be exchanging soon. She is viewing a house on a very popular estate later, priced at £275 for four beds plus one bed downstairs with a wetroom. I do feel for the young couple trying to sell their three bed with the imminent building happening behind it, I can't see who would buy it, I think they are stuck.

I am a bit worried about going to Devon now with so much talk of infection, but will be super careful. I can't decide what to wear on this trip and managed to declutter two bags of clothes yesterday. My Airbnb is a mile out of town this time - it's frustrating not to be able to get a better location when you book on there.

Have a good day whatever you are doing

Glad to hear your grandchildren and daughter are settled at schools Franbern . Wish your grandson all the best for his new life at uni.

Shandy57 there are quite a few houses in the areas around you said you were looking at. Noticed some new builds at £217+ don't know if they are in good areas. Lot of older properties but have oil central heating. Are you still looking or given up? Until after you come back from Exmouth.

Shandy the south west has a low infection rate, especially East Devon, so you should be ok. The journey itself is of course a different matter, so take as much care as you can.
Exmouth is quite sprawling in the residential parts. If you let me know the area I can tell you which bus route to get into town.
Enjoy your morning out. Happy weekend everyone.

Hello everyone, I've just come on to ask what the weather is like Ellianne, will I need a thicker coat? Thanks for the heads up that the infection rate is low, I am starting to feel a bit alarmed by the news, and worry for my son who is taxi driving in the Gateshead area. I will admit I'm not looking forwards to six and a half hours on the one train, but am looking forward to the Exeter-Exmouth connection, hoping to spot an avocet.

I am still looking locally Whiff, and there are quite a few coming onto the market aren't there. I think I will focus on Alnwick as it has the hospital, bus station, supermarkets etc within walking distance of the estate I'd want if I decide to stay. Oil bills scare me, I had to spend so much on it at the station, but I know it would be less in a smaller house.

Shower now and off to see my friend.

Shandy, do not think you will need a heavy coat for your trip to Devon. At present I am still totally in my summer skirts and t-shirt tops. At the most I would put on a cotton cardi when I go out. Still have not put my 4.5 tog duvet back on my bed, and the forecast for next week is getting pretty hot again. Ellianne will give you more detailed advice for Devon, but you do need to remember the difference in normal temperatures between areas 'down south' to Northumberland.

I am hoping that I can arrange to meet up with yourself and Ellianne, for a Devon tea whilst you are there. Will ask Ellianne to pm me with more details. Be so good to see people in person, after over a year in getting to know them so well on here. Still hope, next year, that a number of us may be able to have a weekend away somewhere together.

I have to admit I do love my bathroom, it is so white and bright. Yes, worth the money and the hassle. Found that towel ring when I looked properly.

Shandi the layered look is always a good idea.

A mac is essential in Devon. Although when I moved from Devon to the east of England I was astonished at the amount of rain that fell non-stop for weeks. I thought it was myth that the east was drier.

Yes, we're doing ok weatherwise here in Devon at the moment, and things look set good for the next two weeks.
When I moved from London I did away with a lot of my city clothes. Down here I like to wear tops and trousers, and put on an extra layer for the evenings or chilly dog walks. Nautical tops are good, anything with Breton stripes, and good footwear! I find people don't overdress. Smart casual is I think how one describes it. I agree a mac of some sort might be useful just in case.

Well I was going into the back garden today. But heavy rain all night . So will make some tomato chutney instead. Also need to make a batch of soup.

Decided on Thursday the frame on my garage door is getting worst. Part has rotted and broken off. The hinges are getting rather rusty. So texted my window guy yesterday to see if he knew someone who does garage doors. Gave me a name so phoned him and he is coming Monday to give me a price for a new one. Don't want anything fancy just an ordinary up and over door. Was going to do it next year but might as well do it now as it will only get worse during the winter.

Had 5 paint samples painted on my living room walls of a week now. Already chosen which one I like best. So that's another decision made already for next year . It's a Dulux colour called frosted steel. Goes well with carpets , curtains etc. Already knew I was having almond white in the hall same as I've got in the kitchen.

I do not make snap decisions and always weigh up the pros and cons of everything. Been the same way since my teens. Suppose it's the way I was brought up. Not much money but had everything mom and dad could afford. But the main thing lots of love and attention. Which are the most important things to give a child.

Have a good day whatever you do.

I've been awake since early hours. Why, because you were all right house buying/selling is stress.....ful. I suppose I'd set my heart on a move to a different area, near family, new places to see, clubs to join etc etc. We really wanted to benefit from the free stamp duty but having no luck at all. We have now dropped price because there is too much competition. Since had a very low offer under the reduced price which my OH refuses to accept. DD & DS think we should take it and move on, so do I, but he won't budge. No wonder I cant sleep.

Oh dear, but something will work out, Kissingate. Perhaps your DH is glad of the excuse not to move as it's so much effort.
Wishing you all the best.

Kissingate, I feel so much for you. We reduced our price and set a reserve at auction that was quite a bit less than we had been told we could get. At auction the bidding stalled at about $150,000 less than the reserve. I felt we should pass the place in and wait for a better time - aka sometime early this year. I'm so glad we decided to accept the offer and it still gave us plenty to buy a new place and goodness knows what would have happened had we waited. One of the things that made our decision was that the sale was non conditional so if the buyer did pull out he would have lost his $400,000 deposit.

I guess it is easy for me to say this as the amount we sold for gives us plenty for a very comfortable life even after buying a new place. May have been different if we had been selling a place that did not allow that.

Sometimes you are better to take what is on offer and move on. A bird in hand etc......BUT if you do that then you cannot spent the rest of your life saying "if only I had hang on for a better price"

Good luck

Kissngate can't remember but have you had an offer accepted on a house you want. What happened to me 2 buyers pulled out at the last minute. Each time I found an other buyer the bungalow I want was still for sale. Shortly after I found another buyer and they went through with the purchase. I accepted £3000 less from them than I really wanted but was promised a quick sale . Didn't happen because of their nightmare of a solicitor. The bungalow was still mine. Even though they had reduced the price by £10k I stuck to my original offer as I didn't want to lose it. So glad I did. I love my new home and my new life.

Has your husband given you a valid reason why he won't except the lower offer? If you have a house you want does he like it as much as you . If so you could point out you could lose it and does he really want to start trying to find a home all over again. Also it is going to cost you more money in solicitors bills etc.

Hope you can get this resolved soon.

kissngate, it is time to get an idea into that man head. So think of a very good reason to sell, just one or two at most eg
maintenance increasing
easier for you if something happens to him

I would use those two. Sow that seed by saying it just a couple of times and then say nothing. He is likely to retreat into a man cave. He is also likely to come out of there with your best interests at heart

In the meantime find an `urgent` maintenance job, rotten wood, painting anything. Start to do it yourself but `pretend` you have no idea how to get on with it, once you have started. He will take over. Then find another and another and wistfully say, this maintenance needs to be ongoing. Be crafty, these males will do nothing but retaliate if pushed into a corner

I watched a Kirsty programme yesterday, buy or sell and the house had had no maintenance. Kirsty said we should allow 1500 to 2000 per year to keep up with maintenance. She also said that it is generally males who cannot make the effort to move

Somehow too, your dh needs to understand that a house is only worth what someone will buy it for

Morning all, windy today.

I do feel for you Kissngate. I had to settle for a lot, lot, less in the end, and was encouraged by everyone on here to do so without regret. Out of interest how are they justifying their low offer?

Kissngate, the last sentence that Craftyone wrote is absolutely true.
Can you afford to accept the lower offer and still make the move to the property you want? If he answer to this is yes, then I would say you need to go for it. The longer you stay put, chances are that your property price will actually fall - particularly as we get nearer to the final date for the stamp duty holiday. Accepting that lower price now - would enable that all to take place within that period.
When I put my house on the market last year, at a much lower price than in the previous two attempts I had made to sell it, my eldest daughter was furious with me and said I was underselling it.
Yes, had I been willing to hold on, maybe even into this year I might have got more - but I was not - and by giving it a really competitive price against other similar properties it was very easy to get purchasers. What I may (and it still is MAY), have lost on pounds I more than made up for with time.
Interestingly, a lady that so much wanted to buy my house last April, but had her own to sell - a large house which had many very well done extensions, etc. still has that house on the market 16 months later. When I first saw it (on RM), I knew it was over-priced, but local EA's continue to go along with the price she demands.
Have a very serious talk with you hubbie, and do make the point that any property is only worth what people are willing to pay for it.
Seems that we, in the south, are in for another very hot spell over the next few days. Time for me to give my patio balcony a good clean and tidy up.
Tomorrow my daughter is helping me take a full box of tiles (bathroom walls) back to Topps Tiles. I cannot lift that box, so she is going to put it in my for me. Had a very small panic when I looked at their receipt as I had ordered these back in June and the receipt stated that returns had to be done by end of August. Rang them, explained and pointed out that they had only been collected ten days previously, and they assured me it was no problem at all. They allow 4-6 weeks from collection for returns.
Think anywhere in UK some sort of rain coat or cover is always important. Have not yet closed all the windows in my bedroom or living room at all. Open day and night (on security catches).

You can't put a price on living where you will be happy kissngate. I would listen to Shandy's words, she had to make an agonising decision.
Do you think the prospective buyer might come back with a raised offer? Sometimes they try it on and then start to see sense. This is where your agent should be working hard to get the offer increased for you a bit.

Thanks everyone for kind words. IF our house had not been valued so high around 3 months ago I think he would consider offer. The trouble is he cant get original valuation out of his head. This offer is over 60k less than original valuation and that's what irks him. I've tried my best to get him to see sense but he doesn't want to negotiate. No we haven't found a property as we were going to do a short term let and take time to look round a new area.

Kissngate - how much lower than your asking price is the offer? It's quite standard to offer 90-95% of your asking price. I had two offers of around 75% which was offensive, especially as I had it priced lower than others.

Craftyone didn't realise you can be so devious. Love it.

haha, that worked lots of times and I mean not when we were selling. The idea for whatever always `came from him`

I blame the EAs for putting too high a price on houses. Mine was set at 450k and I sold at 400k, that is 11.11 % less than asking price and believe me I would have gone lower than that. The stress was such that I would have almost given it away, just to draw that line across, so I could start again

Kissngate my valuation fully renovated was £600K, and like your husband, I had this figure in my head when I had to accept less than half of that. It's all pie in the sky, in the end it is sheer luck finding a buyer who is willing to pay your price and more often than not, they won't.

Thanks again everyone for wise words, I'm working on him. Offer is 16% below original valuation. Cash buyers no chain.

Good luck *kissngate, fingers crossed!

Kissngate are they genuine cash buyers ? Some say they are but aren't really. Hopefully they are and you can get your husband to accept it.

Work on dh to counter with 8% below and then meet somewhere in the middle.

In the meantime get all the paperwork ready, every single certificate for any job you have had done. Getting those certificates together was very stressful for me. Samples of energy and water and council tax bills, your chimney sweeping cert, boiler service, any electrical and plumbing and building you have had done. I was asked for planning permission given 2 years before we moved in. If you had windows replaced then you need fensa cert. Build a file with instruction books etc There is plenty to do in the meantime as well as the inevitable de-cluttering