Mtg offer rcv'd!| Prop Rsv'd | ukmonkey (a FTB)'s house buying help thread...

ukmonkey

Well, we went, and we are VERY impressed with it.

The mortgage broker is going to get back to us by Wed or Thu with what he's found out, the reason being that my partner has started a new job today, and, as with most jobs, has to serve a six month "probationary period". He is therefore going to speak with some lenders directly.


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Would we be better asking for 5% deposit paid, or 5% cashback?

I already asked (prior to viewing) what sort of incentives would be available for FTB's, and was told that they're not offering any as the plots are selling well, but i "might get a £3000 carpet allowance". We went to view it on Saturday and the saleswoamn asked if we had a house to sell, we said no, and that we're FTB's, and her face kinda "lit up", and she mentioned that there might be some sort of offer available for us.

The house is stamp duty exempt (it is less than £150k) so I'm hoping for my fees paid (no idea what fees and how much they'd be, but "fees" nonetheless! Can anyone help here...?) and either a discount on the house by way of a deposit being paid, or cashback upon completion.

How do you rate my chances and how should I broach the subject?

Should I just go in with all guns blazing and say "we'll offer you the asking price if you pay 5% cashback on completion and our fees", and then negotiate from there, or should I ask them first what is on offer?

Lady_Lea

Approx 50 new build deals - If there’s a pitfall….. I've had it.

over 90% of all newbuilds have defects - some of the things to watch:

Access & Parking

Spec Check (check the appliances etc are what they say - it makes a difference to vlaue)

Plumbing & Appliances (makes sure your loo is attached to cold water, and your hots and colds are allt he right way around)

Paintwork & Finish - there will always be a few defects - nothing they cant fix.

Brickwork / Cracks - You will always get settling cracks. Industry standard last I heard was if you could fit the edge of a 2p coin in the gap then it needs fixing - if not they can leave it.
also - you can get damp patches that have dried on the outside (from dabbind / plastering) - that dry in , then dry out, so come wet again ... nothing to worry about.

Compensation - if you have quite a few snags after you move in, and they disrupt your living (like hot flushing loo), you can ask for compensation (do it nicely and you get more) - I had a whole bathroom mirrored and my patio extended by triple on one property!

I did have a proper checklist, but cant find it. I will have a dig for you tho.

ukmonkey

What would be the problem with the loo flushing hot water (aside from it obviously being more expensive to run are you'd be heating up the water, only to waste it...)....?

Taps - what actually IS the right way around? At home (Mum & Dad's) the hot is on the left, cold on the right, but at my OH's [rented] flat, the cold is on the left, hot on the right (from the view of as you use them), so I'm puzzled. Obviously having lived with my mum and dad, in the same house for 22years, I'm used to hot left, cold right...

Argh, I'm confused! lol

lynzpower

What would be the problem with the loo flushing hot water (aside from it obviously being more expensive to run are you'd be heating up the water, only to waste it...)....?

I believe that over time it can make cracks in the enamel although not 100%

ukmonkey

Oh, a workmate just pointed out the thing with the taps! I thought you meant physically the right way around, but I think you meant it saying "hot" on the hot tap and "cold" on the cold tap.

I'm so dense at times!

BobProperty

ukmonkey wrote:

Oh, a workmate just pointed out the thing with the taps! I thought you meant physically the right way around, but I think you meant it saying "hot" on the hot tap and "cold" on the cold tap.

I'm so dense at times!

They should be "physically" the "right way round". It is a convention if not a law that hot is on the left and cold on the right.

ukmonkey

BobProperty wrote:

They should be "physically" the "right way round". It is a convention if not a law that hot is on the left and cold on the right.

Oh right, that is what I thought, but then a collegue suggested that maybe what she meant was that the taps were labelled correctly!

So, after me causing a HUGE debate in the office, the general consensus is hot on the left, cold on the right then?

Any reason for this...?

danielle21_2

On the subject of snagging, I am in the process of buying a 3yr old house - its a semi and both of them have a window bricked up at the front. You can tell that there was meant to be a window there due to it having the opening etc & the original plans have it on, however, the en suite shower backs onto that wall - thats the reason there's no window.

Can I get the builders to re-do it??!

Thanks

Jorgan_2

Danielle, have the plans been amended in anyway? I don't think the builder would be interested, many builders own warranty's, not NHBC, become invalid after two years and aren't transferable if the original owner sells within that timescale.

Ukmonkey, one of my clients got a plumber into sought out his hot & cold taps as they were the 'wrong way round'. Turns out the actual taps had been put on the wrong way round.

ukmonkey

Jorgan wrote:

Ukmonkey, one of my clients got a plumber into sought out his hot & cold taps as they were the 'wrong way round'. Turns out the actual taps had been put on the wrong way round.

Rofl, now THAT is stupid! hahahaha!