Thursday 26 May 2011

Muddled

Hot off the press:

The seller (and partner) have emailed to inform me of their lowest-acceptable sum for their house, which tallies exactly with what I was happy to offer.

Hurrah*.

But the email was couched in slightly confusing terms:

....I spent all evening talking to (partner) regarding the sale of (house) and want to be fair to you but we also need every penny that can get due to the fact that we are upsizing.  Due to the fact that we love it here I feel that the lowest we would accept is £xxxxxx (my stated limit unless extremely pushed!).  This is also due to the fact that we haven’t really been marketed yet.


Boo*. 


*Does anyone remember that silly thing that went 
"We are building a house. Boo! 
A public house. Hurrah! 
It has only one bar. Boo! 
A mile long! Hurrah!" 
No? Pity.


So while part of me wants to be elated, and will have enough money spare to do something with the horrid bathroom, another part of me is aware that she isn't saying yes, we will sell it to you, lovely first viewer/cash buyer, for that sum, and take it off the market at once.


I know she's out viewing (upsized! it means land and stables in her case) properties for herself and partner this afternoon, so I have time to consider my response. 


And to gather myself, as it were. It has been 31 years since I bought a house, and I've never sold one before. Perhaps I never shall again; it's been horrible. The surveyor has been round my house today, giving nothing away, and the buyer and his mum are coming to look round again after 6 p.m. so gathering of myself and my jangly nerves is going to be essential.


A cup of tea is called for. (If I wasn't so allergic, I would drink something stronger!) You have one too, go on. This is very stressful, so maybe you should have a biscuit too.


I'll be back!


But as Lizzie said to me, I may have bought a house without being aware of it.....

14 comments:

Dartford Warbler said...

How frustrating Rachel. It`s hard to tell if they are serious or just "testing the market".

Fingers crossed that they find their perfect house this weekend and need to sell to you ASAP!

Anonymous said...

I will most definitely have a (very large) cup of tea for you (swiftly followed by one for myself). Some people seem unable to recognize a good thing when it's staring them squarely in the face.

mountainear said...

Gulp.

What to say? I'd say it was a buyer's market - except you are in the position of selling as well...

I'd say stand your ground - you know what you can afford. At the end of the day you're not there to fund their prospective equestrian life-style are you.

Best wishes.

Anonymous said...

Still in awe and keeping fingers crossed. And agree with the other posts.

Jan x

Cara said...

Well, I've bought/sold two houses since my husband died five years ago. And it has been harrowing at times, but I've survived. You will too, but as for the house you're looking at now -- don't appear too eager, and don't go up with your first offer. The owners actually might think if you are generous, they can get MORE on the market than your offer. This is how sellers sometimes think when the first, easy offer comes in. If you are not pressed for TIME, let them try to sell it for a bit, and realize your offer is actually a good offer. Difficult to do, but usually works.

Mary Ann Tate said...

I would restate what you are offering them for the house. Force them to give you a yes or no answer to your offer because it sounds to me that they are hoping you'll up your offer because you really want the house. You might throw in that you will need to do some renovations...$$$... to upgrade the bathroom blah blah etc.

flwrjane said...

God I hate this time difference. What have I missed?

Anxious in Virginia

xoxo

Hazel said...

Honestly - I get hideously unclear emails like this at work far too often, and end up crying 'what do you mean??' at the screen in frustration.

It drives me crackers - and yet the emails that I get with this lack of clarity are generally in the mundane spectrum of 'is the meeting on X or Y', for example, rather than on the this-will-change-the-entire-course-of-your-life scale.

Deep breaths.

Hazel x
(blogger playing funny beggars again - I can't log in to comment as me!)

dinahmow said...

A tad early for me to imbibe;I shall make some toast and coffee.
Oh! and I still want that clock!

Kathie said...

oh, the nasty ups and downs of buying/selling... when they finally are over it's going to be a while before you believe it. But over they will be... one way or another. Have that cup of tea and the biscuit... maybe two? and know that so many of us are rooting for you, the good guy!
best wishes from Kathie

A Heron's View said...

You could of course get someone to view the house and offer them less that what your offer was- that might make their minds up !
Sometimes one has to be a bit sneaky you know :)

Good luck & fingers crossed etc

Hazel said...

Hang tough! I have everything crossed for you...except for the hand with the cup of tea...MUG of tea.

Gretel said...

Don't give in! The cheek of some people, hang on while I find my littlest violin. They must be very tempted just to let you have it, or they would not be pushing you, hang in there and remember, it's not the only house in the world though it may seem like it right now.

Anonymous said...

I have never been in your position so am, in no way able to advise. But I can wish you luck and fortitude.

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