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Reducing offer after survey

Just looking for some advice on how to word this.

We're cash buyers and have agreed a purchase price of 176k for a house - 175k was really what our maximum was but 176k was agreed as the vendors need this to clear their mortgage and fees (they paid 230k for this house in 2004 but have not maintained it and it needs quite a bit of work doing).

We've had a survey done and the surveyor thinks 176k is a reasonable price BUT values it at 175k. Obviously I don't want to pay more than its worth so going to go back to agent and say we want to reduce. I do wonder if the vendors will agree though, as they know we've already spent £800 on a survey and searches so seems silly to lose that over £1k.

To add as background, they apparently are close to repossession and have agreed a quick sale to try to avoid this. The property needs a fair bit of work, but has a lot of good features that come up rarely in its location and so had quite a bit of interest. The other offers though needed a mortgage though and were just slightly lower; I have already told the agent that given the work that needs doing on the house that they will struggle if they're at their full lending amount on their mortgage and he did agree.

Any tips for phrasing this please?

too many comps..not enough time!
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Comments

  • chickaroonee
    chickaroonee Posts: 14,678 Forumite
    Any words of wisdom?

    too many comps..not enough time!
  • Fire_Fox
    Fire_Fox Posts: 26,026 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    It's worth running an advanced search, this comes up several times a week. Three hours is a tad impatient!
    Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
  • chickaroonee
    chickaroonee Posts: 14,678 Forumite
    I'm sorry if you think I'm impatient; I wanted to return to the agent tomorrow to discuss so was hoping some advice before then.

    I have read several threads on lower values on surveys but not directly comparable circumstances i.e. £1k difference/buyers at risk of repossession.

    too many comps..not enough time!
  • hcb42
    hcb42 Posts: 5,962 Forumite
    at the end of the day, either you pay the £1K if you really want the house, and dont want to risk losing it, or tell the agent that you won't pay more than £175K and see what if they accept or walk away from your offer. No one can possibly know other than the sellers and their EA.
  • chickaroonee
    chickaroonee Posts: 14,678 Forumite
    hcb42 wrote: »
    at the end of the day, either you pay the £1K if you really want the house, and dont want to risk losing it, or tell the agent that you won't pay more than £175K and see what if they accept or walk away from your offer. No one can possibly know other than the sellers and their EA.

    You're right of course. My head says we should not pay more than it's worth, however I'm undecided because we would lose more than this if the sale falls through.

    too many comps..not enough time!
  • hcb42
    hcb42 Posts: 5,962 Forumite
    If it is your forever home, and it is £1K, and you love it, I would just pay it personally. Others would say no way.
  • Tell them you are reducing to £175k because of survey and if they don't accept pay up if you want the house. I don't see any other way of doing it, you either pay the agreed figure or you threaten not to. It entirely depends on how desperate they are to sell but more importantly, can they afford to lose the £1000 ?
  • chickaroonee
    chickaroonee Posts: 14,678 Forumite
    hcb42 wrote: »
    If it is your forever home, and it is £1K, and you love it, I would just pay it personally. Others would say no way.

    I'm thinking both of those things if that is possible!

    I'm fairly sure they're desperate to sell, they've nothing to gain by telling us they're at risk of repossession so I'm inclined to believe it. This is complicated by the fact that they're selling due to splitting up, the man has moved out and the woman is left. I get the impression he has a well paid job and can afford the difference, but people are not always rational are they?! Especially when splitting up.

    Perhaps they'll meet us half way.

    too many comps..not enough time!
  • Mickygg
    Mickygg Posts: 1,737 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    £1k is nothing for a house you want. I wouldn't bother.
  • Kynthia
    Kynthia Posts: 5,692 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I wouldn't risk upsetting the applecart for £1k.
    Don't listen to me, I'm no expert!
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