FTB i n Manchester - What to offer?

dkps_2000

An update..... my second offer of £203K was rejected

The EA has told me that it will take an offer of at least £207K to get the flat - the owner has said he will sell, with ALL furniture and TV's for £210K. I.E Sofas (don't like), dining room table, microwave, 32 inch flat screen tv, tv cabinet, 2 beds, wardrobes, various chest of drawers etc.

Some of the furniture appeals but some doesn't - is £3K a decent price for the included furniture? I'm thinking that half the fun is finding all my own furniture etc!

missk_ensington

If you end up going for it, make sure you check the Lease and make sure a proper management company is set up etc. Often in buildings like these there are a million and one terms of lease, no laminate floor, no music after Xpm, no dogs..... Check it with a fine toothcomb

EDIT- The reason I say this, my Mum has just had to go to court to Forfeit someones lease because they contravened the terms of their lease and their prerogative was 'Its my house, I've got a mortgage on it so I can do whatver I want to it, inside and out' Errrr,no you can't.

You;re also responsible for a proportion of maintainance, if the Freeholder is responsible for this rather than a management company you could have disputes on the horizon as some Freeholders are crooked and have work done in their own flats and their own garden and then bill everyone else for it.

MortgageMamma

Good advice Miss K. DKPS - just another point to consider, the seller doesn't want the furniture so you are saving them on removal costs. why not try to specify which bits you do an do not want and renegotiate further? If you decide to proceed and take the furniture, you need to get it in writing whats included and whats excluded from the sale. If there's anything you don't want insist they have it removed. I've known sellers to even remove lightbulbs and curtain rails before now!

sexyboy

did u get the apartment? ?

hillbilly_4

I don't know the area but I'd make my next offer £205 and tell them you aren't interested in the furniture. If they've already moved out they certainly don't want it, won't want the hassle of having to move it themselves and so could end up leaving some of it for you anyway As you say half the fun of your first home is choosing your furniture to go in it and if you save yourself a bit on the purchase of the apartment you'll have more to spend on furniture of YOUR choice, not someone else's.

dkps_2000

Oops sorry the late reply to this, thank you so much for your advice MissK, MortgageMamma and Hillbilly.

The good news is that I have had an offer accepted, £206K with blinds, carpets, light fittings and a few other things

Have just applied for the mortgage, got the AIP so touch wood that shouldn't be a problem. Solicitors are chosen so it looks like full steam ahead! Mortgage is 2 year fixed with C&G over 30 years but can pay upto 10% of the mortgage value extra per year.

Need to hand my notice in on my current flat too - 2 months

Couple of quick questions - for an extra £62.50 would you suggest getting an environmental search done? Also, my mortgage advisor is suggesting heavily that I get salary insurance in case I am made redundant, illness etc. £40 / month for £27,500 tax free cover. I'm hesitating on this though.....

PS Thanks again for all your help and apologies it has taken me so long to get back with an update!

dkps_2000

Just a quickie update - C&G sent the valuers yesterday so pretty quickly (only sent the form off last Thursday!)

dkps_2000

Just had a call from C&G, mortgage offer should be with me in a couple of days!

They did send the valuers on the 18th but only found out on the 20th that the valuers couldn't get in as EA had lost the keys!! lol!

Valuers went in yesterday and mortgage was approved today so if you discount the week where they couldn't get into the flat it's gone from filling in the form on Weds and the mortgage been approved 6 days later! Seems pretty quick to me!

Manchester_Lucy

Hey dkps_2000 why don't you put where you're up to as part of your signature and join one of the house buying threads.

I'm always interested to see where other people are up to and even more so when they're from my neck of the woods!