Caz counts it down

DebtFree2012 · 5 May 2015 at 8:46AM

I kind of already looked......

cazmanian_minx · 5 May 2015 at 8:52AM

debtfree2012 wrote: »

i kind of already looked......

:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d

That was supposed to be a row of green grins, but MSE isn't wanting to play!

cazmanian_minx · 5 May 2015 at 9:04AM

Oh, I should add - the thing about Scotland is that properties are sold via solicitors and not estate agents, so a lot of them don't use RightMove, Zoopla etc. etc. If you haven't checked them out already, add these to your watch list:

http://www.hspc.co.uk/
http://www.caithnessproperty.co.uk/
http://www.dandhlaw.co.uk/property
http://www.pollardmortgageshop.co.uk/index_desktop.html

The main horsey area in Caithness is Halkirk where the indoor school and the equestrian college are. Dunnet area is amazing for hacking (beach and forest) but stay clear of Brough for the moment, as there's one equestrian resident there who's a bit loopy - she asked to take a friend's mini-Shetland on loan as a companion for a youngster and when my friend asked for him back, sent a huge livery bill for him complete with a farrier visit that never took place. Not the first time she's done it either.

DebtFree2012 · 5 May 2015 at 3:04PM

Ooooooh now that's just mean.....but ever so lovely

That's my coffee break taken care of. The rules are different in Scotland re selling/buying though are they not? Do you put in an immediate sealed bid, no negotiation?

cazmanian_minx · 5 May 2015 at 3:34PM

It's changing, slowly. It depends on the property, if there's a lot of interest, the seller's solicitor will set a closing date and you have to have your best and final offer with them by midday on that date. That doesn't tend to happen very often up here

The solicitors will often be quite helpful, for example our house was on the market at offers over £160,000, Mr Minx asked the guy showing him round what sort of price the buyer was accepting and was told, 'Well, he rejected £165,000 a few months ago, but I reckon if you offered him £167,500 he'd go for it' - and he did

So once you've decided you want to buy a place and you've got your finance in place (we still have the home buyer report system, so most lenders go off that and just do a drive-by survey to make sure it hasn't fallen down in the interim), your solicitor sends what's called a missive to the buyer's solicitor which has the amount you're offering, proposed exchange and completion dates and any other caveats you want to put in (e.g. subject to seller agreeing to replace missing gate before completion). The solicitors whack it back and forwards for a bit altering clauses and once everyone's happy with the price and the details, missives are concluded and that's effectively when you've bought it. It's possible to back out, but at best you'll lose your 10% deposit and at worst you'll have to compensate the seller for any additional expenses incurred until the property's re-sold - which if they've agreed to buy another property on the grounds that missives were concluded on theirs, could be extremely expensive.

It's actually not a bad system, it means you can't be gazumped at the last minute, at least not without getting some serious compensation from the seller!

cazmanian_minx · 5 May 2015 at 8:58PM

Just finished some late-night work for Mr RPC, who I'm helping put together some very long and rather complicated reports. He started this evening's dictation by saying, in his sternest voice, 'I've just seen your latest invoice and I'm afraid I have an issue with it.'

Long pause, during which I cack myself and wrack my brains trying to think what I've got wrong on it.

'I'm not paying you enough for the quality of work you do for me, please put your rate up by 20% effective from 1st May.'

dawnybabes · 5 May 2015 at 10:52PM

That's the sort of message you like to get !

gallygirl · 6 May 2015 at 6:41AM

Nice one Caz :T.

DebtFree2012 · 6 May 2015 at 7:51AM

Fabulous!!!! Sounds like he has a decent sense of humour too, even more fabulous!

cazmanian_minx · 6 May 2015 at 8:15AM

And that's the third! After the truck sump and the oven (didn't mention that, but it's not heating up properly and isn't repairable), we got up this morning to find there was a leak on the landing. Not a major one, just a dribble down the wall where the Velux is and a towel is taking care of it, but the call has gone in to Pete the Roofer to come and have a look when he has a moment. I think he'll just be pleased that it's not the kitchen roof again!