The FTB club

dottiepeas

Msconfused- Sorry to hear of what happened! The EA really should have mentioned the freehold/leasehold situation either on the website/marketing materials or verbally at the viewing. I do always ask when I go to viewings whether the property is freehold or leasehold- but anyone would naturally assume a house would be freehold?...(as leaseholds are usually with flats I think?)

Silly question probably- but why is the house on leasehold?...I can understand with flats, there are service charges of cleaning/maintaining communal areas/gardens etc?.....but what are you paying the extra for with the house?...

Have they said how much to convert to a freehold would cost? If this is going to be an issue for other buyers, then I think the seller should either cough up and pay for it to become a freehold, or you could research the costs and take the amount off the house price? This should make your offer open for re-negotiation?...Maybe look into how much it will cost you to change over to freehold, then take it off your offer?.....

MsConfused

That's whats so particularly annoying - I usually always ask too, but because I was never told anything different we just wrongly presumed. Will call the EA tomorrow to get all the details you've mentioned. I was just fobbed off earlier and told not to worry as the solicitors will give me details about it. I'm just feeling so down after this mornings hype. Will keep you posted.

Yay WickedKitten - hope everything goes as planned

SelenaLouise

pawpurrs wrote: »

Maybe thats what irked him?

Lol possibly, I'm gonna hold off for a while and look at the other one round the corner again tonight. Then if I still want the first property I'm going to take your advice and go back to him with a final offer of £125,000 tomorrow. Will give him until the end of the day or the next morning to give me an answer?

Thanks for your help

Well done Wickedkitten, I cant wait to be in your position.

dottiepeas

Msconfused- might be worth reading the other thread which is currently about buying the freehold. "Freehold. To buy or not to buy, that is....." thread.
Says something about the costs depending on the amount of years left on the lease...the longer the lease remaining, the more you have to pay?...I think you said the lease on your house only had afew years remaining?...so might be cheaper than expected!?....

Hope you get those keys soon Wickedkitten!...then you can really celebrate!!!:T

Wickedkitten

Estate agent just phoned andwe are picking up the keys after lunch :j

MsConfused

Yay again Wickedkitten - so pleased for you!

Thank you dottiepeas for the thread link - really helpful! Well today our case has mysteriously been reffered to someone else, who has confirmed that there's much more left on the lease so the mortgage won't be a problem. However, we still want a freehold house as that's what we believed we were getting for our money. I feel terrible for the vendors as they probably think we're messing them around, but we can't help feeling we've been misled by the EA, despite the fact that yes we should have asked ourselves. They've asked the vendor to sort out all the details of how much it will cost for the freehold and so we'll take it from there - although I've got a feeling we're going to have to end up reducing our offer price to compensate for it or dropping out. In either case, I'll be speaking to the vendor personally so that they know we were never trying to mess them around and make sure the EA hasn't been 'playing them' too.

wsharp

Hi all,

We are FLB, living in the North East of England. Started viewing properties about a month ago. We really liked one estate in particular which is quite near to the city centre and on bus route (we both drive as well),some shops nearby. The estate was built about 4-5years ago. There was a property for sale and asking price is 195k (they bought it of the plot in 2003 for 150k , and built conservtory themselves, moved in 2005). After 1st viewing we both liked it, so rang the estate agent next morning to say we like it and any discount, which the agent told us they would look for offers over 190k, and we told them cant afford for that price and just left like that. But next morning first thing the agent rang and told us that the seller would accept offer between 185-180k, which we thought great, lets do 2nd viewing and put the offer down. So went to the house again with family, next day put offer down for 175k to try with, no suprise they turned it down, so in the afternoon we put up to 180k, turned down again...so we thought we'll leave for couple of days to see if they would get back to us to accept our offer of 180k, if not then we'll offer for 185k,which in the end we did offer 185k but the greedy people they even turned this offer down! I was so annoyed, been all the way lead to believe that 185k is the bottom line and we'll get it for that price...Yesterday, one of my friends rang and pretend she was interested in that house and asked if they would offer any discount, which they told her that someone already put an offer down for 185k and was turend down cos the seller is looking for extra 2k to cover their legal costs, etc... I am now even more annoyinged! why didnt they just tell us the truth? So personally, I dont want to deal with them anymore, but my husband seems quite tempt to put the extra 2k down to give another offer...

While the same time, we viewed some new developments, and personally I would like to buy a brand new house. So we saw this one is a bit further out than the one above (by about 5-10mins in car), and its near a country park. The developer said if we like it they would release the plot for us and altho they advertised for a 3beds det is 190k they will give us a 10% discount so its around 170k (for this price we dont have to pay 1% stamp duty), and I'm sure if we do go ahead there must be room for further discounts.

So my question is if you are in our situation, which one would you choose?

Sorry for the long story...

HockeyDuo8083

WOOOO WICKED KITTEN!!CONGRATS, I cannot wait to be doing that!

mbynwa

Wickedkitten wrote: »

Estate agent just phoned andwe are picking up the keys after lunch :j

You must be really excited, congrats :T

wsharp

any advices on my case please??