Help from house buying/selling experts

lianne1978

Doozergirl wrote:

It does sound like there are roof issues though and even if it doesn't need doing this minute, it does sound like it's going to need doing soon. Does your guttering leak at all?
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Yes the guttering at front leaks in heavy rain. My question is should I go to 98k basically what the value of the house is? Should I let him get the quotes (for his own piece of mind) but let him know there's no point getting them to come back and try and haggle with me when I'm not prepared to drop. At the end of the day the surveyor has said its worth near enough what he has offered. I wonder if he is a very cautious buyer and not shrewd like I originally thought? Help I'm so confused!

Poppy9

How does the surveyor know the roof timbers need replacing if he didn't access the loft?

I bought a 1900 house 20 years ago and my survey report said pretty much what your buyers did. Pointing, roof, electrics and damp. The roof was fine and apart from having a few tiles replaced we did nothing else to it over 7 years. We sold it the house again no problem and the surveyor even said it was nice to see a well maintained original slate roof in place. The house didn't need full repointing, just in a few parts but the electrics did need work and we had the house rewired. We also had the chimney repaired. The major problem for us though was damp. We had a damp course as recommended to all the downstairs external walls and installed central heating but it didn't cure the damp. Luckily we had a 25 year guarantee which was transferrable when we sold on. It was one of the main reasons we moved, we were fed up with replastering and damp continously coming through.

If your guttering is leaking this could be causing the damp in your house. Guttering is not expensive so consider replacing now yourself.

mrsc_4

Personally I'd drop the 1K and leave it at that if he won't accept it then find another buyer it'll be his loss. Like everyone said a house of that age will have some kind of "issues" but personally I think you're buyer is taking the P.

MJMum

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Sootzer

Theres not a lot you can do at the minnute until you find out exactly what your purchaser is after, let him get the quotes if he wants, judging by the selected (probably taken out of context) list he has given you there would be many thousands of pounds worth of work to remedy...the reason i say out of context is the cost to put right his list and the difference in the valuation would be much greater. He is a fickle buyer (most buyers want the best deal unless they have fallen madly in love with a property, i which case heart rules head) and all will depend on his demands (which he is priming you for with the survey details) and whether you will be able to find an acceptable compromise...ie how much you want to sell, how much you can buy your next house at, can you get a balance between the two. If you can find this balance, go for it and get back to be able to sleep at night. If he is playing silly games you will soon know if he comes back with a revised silly offer. If house prices have risen as much as you say in your area, you should have nothing to worry about for ( compare and take an proper comparison with your own property..like for like.condition etc) maybe even get another estate agent in to give you an updated market valuation. Hope all works out for you.

Doozergirl

If you decide to drop the price, you have to explain to them that it is purely so that you can get this specific house and that you have had to knock them down also to try and get to a point where you can afford their house.

So, you will not be negotiating any further because you simply cannot afford to. As MJ Mum says, they can "take it or leave it"

lianne1978

I'm waiting to hear back from EA and will let you know what's happening.

One point I haven't mentioned my EA put house back on the market Tuesday, it was in local paper today and its on rightmove and we have a viewer tonight at 6pm. I feel guilty about this, but at the end of the day he did pull out of the sale, I don't suppose we can call the deal on at the moment can we, its all up in the air.

Doozergirl

It is up in the air; I think it's okay to accept viewings but you should make sure that your buyer knows. If anything it will focus their attention as to whether they want this house.

lianne1978

UPDATE!

Buyer has rung EA and said he wants the property but is really concerned about the damp and still wanted quotes on the other work. EA explained that I was fine with him having further quotes (obviously to make sure that the house is going to cost him a fortune to repair that he hasn't got) but that the damp is the only issue I would be prepared to negotiate on. Basically she stressed I would not drop below the valuation he'd received and that we were all wasting each others time if he wanted more off when the quotes come back. He said he is fine with that.

He stressed he want's the damp resolving before he moves. Thats rather depressing as its such a messy job and I've two children and a dog!!! Anyway I've commissioned by own damp proof specialist to come round (free of charge!) and then we can obviously compare quotes. Ideally I'd rather negotiate on the cost of the damp course and him have it done.

Anyway a sort of satisfactory end to a very stressful weekend.

What do you guys think of the whole fiasco, is this normal? I can't believe people would put theirselves through it!

Doozergirl

Do you think you have damp?

It's pretty normal. I don't know how many Homebuyers reports I've seen mentioned on here with exactly the same list but I've always been lucky with FTBs, mainly because we fix eveything even if it doesn't need doing!

No one chooses to put themselves through this. That's why I though that the survey that goes with the HIPs pack I thought would be a good idea, so that everyone, vendors included know what might need addressing, then there are no surprises for anyone.