Macgirl's "Stop Procrastinating and Get on with it" Diary

macgirl

Good morning. No running today, as DH was up all night. He started with a very sore throat last week and was hoarse for most of the week. Now he has a tickly cough which kept him (and me :cool:) awake for most of the night.

I'm a bit worried about him, he's quite stressed at the moment with life in general. I keep pressing him to make sure we (well, I) am not moving too fast with the house thing. He insists not, just that "life is hard". I feel we should count our blessings, we have a lot to be thankful for, but it's all relative I guess. It will be good to get away this weekend.

So, talking of houses, I was up late reading the House Price/Crash Debate thread. I know there are a lot of scare-mongerers with hidden agendas, but there is still food for thought. Last night I also discovered that the house next door to D House, sold at the back end of last year for £50k less than the current asking price....... which is pretty significant. I suppose it depends on the state repair to each house (as D house is in perfect condition at first look, thought we will dig a bit more today)

Bleurgh, feel sick. Off to do more ironing - yes, the fun never stops!

Happy Bank Holiday to anyone reading!

hypno06

Your OH sounds as though he has got what I have got - the cough is driving me mad!

When are you going to look at the house? I think what you need to do is get all your info together, and when you have it, then you can sit together and discuss the options. So, once your house is valued for letting in its current state, once you have seen the dream house again, etc, then you can put together the practical issues as well as the emotional issues.

Otherwise, you are BOTH in danger of working yourselves up too much over it and that won't be any good for either of you!

Enjoy the bank holiday!

macgirl

Thanks, hope your cough's easing Hypno

Just been to see it again and I'm totally calm now. It's still a nice house and we would be happy there, but we left our emotions on the doorstep and looked at it practically.

We have discussed it and think we may put in a one-off offer which is on the low side, then walk away. If we get it - good, if not, it's not meant to be and there are others.

To stretch ourselves, we might as well stretch that bit further and buy something bigger, on a much nicer road. Although DH is adamant he does not want a project, equally he can see they have spent a lot of cash and is questioning it's resale value if we came to sell it.

I've been looking for years, so know the market and it's only recently that there are houses we would/could afford to buy. So although I'm gung-ho, I know if we waited longer, more will come along and maybe the market will be more settled....time for lunch

hypno06

That sounds a very sensible way of doing things. I too have been looking for years, so know exactly how you feel, and although part of me wants to sell up and move now, and start moving forward with it being "just me", the sensible part of me says that if I wait a couple of years I will have even more choice in my favoured location.

Def put in the low offer - you have nothing to lose!!

macgirl

Yes, we would be better waiting financially (as the sig testifies ) but unfortunately, family needs dictate otherwise....

Thank God for DH. He said, "Just because they have spent silly money doing up the house, doesn't mean we are going to pay for it. If someone else wants to pay over the odds - let them, because we are not." Needless to say, he is now chief negotiator!

The garden is on the small side and there is no downstairs loo (though there are 2 upstairs), but in terms of period, decor, catchment, usage of rooms (ie: playroom and kitchen diner) it ticks many boxes. Plus it feels like us - if not forever, then certainly for the next 5 or so years....... I guess we will have to wait and see.

Keeping_Motivated

Ooh its an exciting position to be in macgirl because you have choices, it may not be happening as fast as you would like and you will still get the stress that seems to ALWAYS come with moving but the main point is you seem to be in a fantastic position of not HAVING to sell you current property plus you can afford to move into a home that will meet all your needs as a growing family, isn't choice and freedom a lovely thing but remember patience is the very best thing we can have/learn as it means we can enjoy or choices SO much more...I am sure you are going to move to a beautiful home because you both work hard and you are in a good position financially and you are both doing your research.

Good luck with your offer x

macgirl

Thank you kind lady :A

I am in turmoil about it, but I guess that is par for the course. We have just looked at the figures, so just need to wait a bit and then be strategic in our offer and as you say - patience.

Thanks:)

taxi73

Nothing else to add really as you've had good advice.I'm also of the opinion of what will be will be.

Double_Trouble

A cheeky low offer is definitely the way to go and your OH is right you don't want to pay for somebody else's improvements.

I am definitely in the que sera sera camp seen it work out so many times whilst working and in my own moving too if this is your house it will be if not there is another better one just around the corner (in my sister's case literally :rotfl:}

DTxx

macgirl

Thanks DT, I've just finished my work and emailed it off, so can surf without guilt for a while

Yes, there are much nicer houses/ roads literally around the corner, but they will be much more $$$. Our initial cheeky offer was going to be less than they paid for it, but that would be rejected straight away. I am feeling stronger about it now though, so I'm going to visit the agent in person tomorrow and see if I can find out more info, then I'll come home and hit them with the offer over the phone (my poker face is better on the phone )

All this trauma already - just wait til I get an offer actually accepted! Think I'll need sedatives:rotfl: