Nice People Thread Part 9 - and so it continues

misskool

Nikkster wrote: »

I took my parents for their first look round the house I am currently trying to buy on Friday. It got the parental seal of approval, which somewhat surprised me (I've mentioned on here previously that during my brother's house hunt I was told that we (as a family) didn't do renovating houses).
We noticed a couple of blackberry bushes and possibly a plum tree in the garden as well as a large Buddleja which was covered in peacock butterflies.

Excellent, all the way to being a grown-up! When does it become more final?

Don't forget to cut back the blackberries as much as you can, they are a nightmare in my garden, the birds eat them and spread them around for me :rotfl:

My easy day today was 2 loads of washing, clearing out one bed and planting some sugar snap peas, allotment for 1.5 hours weeding and watering and harvesting, then 2 job applications.

I think some of you lot are right about expectation management in my case :rotfl:

Nikkster

misskool wrote: »

Excellent, all the way to being a grown-up! When does it become more final?

Don't forget to cut back the blackberries as much as you can, they are a nightmare in my garden, the birds eat them and spread them around for me :rotfl:

My easy day today was 2 loads of washing, clearing out one bed and planting some sugar snap peas, allotment for 1.5 hours weeding and watering and harvesting, then 2 job applications.

I think some of you lot are right about expectation management in my case :rotfl:

Seriously, missk, you need to look after yourself. No wonder you're not feeling back to 100% - you need to rest!

Valuation was Wed, was told on Thurs I'd be getting a formal mortgage offer - that arrived yesterday. I think the building survey is booked in for tomorrow.
That 'just' leaves the legal paperwork... have paid for searches, and I think the vendors initial paperwork is in the post to my conveyancer (after a bit of chasing via the estate agent).
So I guess it all depends what the survey and searches turn up. And how long it takes for the solicitors to talk to each other...

SingleSue

I'm currently trying to catch up with holiday washing, not a fun thing. This is after coming home to a house that resembled having had a skip full of rubbish dumped all over the front room floor, you couldn't even walk into the room, to say I was unimpressed would be an understatement!

1 and a half hours, 4 big bin bags full of rubbish and a few choice naughty words later and we could finally start unloading the car.....for some unknown reason, I had believed James when he said he could be the grown up and look after the house and cat while we were away. He managed the looking after the cat but the house was a bridge too far!

Tomorrow we have the school nurse for youngest. We are meeting at my parent's house as the younger two don't like people in the house (good thing too after James' inattention to the housework!). Youngest doesn't want to talk to her, middle son just wants to play the drums and my parent's would have been home approx an hour from their holiday...don't think she will find us at our best!

chewmylegoff

Second viewing on house this morning. We arrive at 9.30. Agent turns up with another couple at 9.35. We wait outside. 9.45 another couple turns up. We accost agent and point out we specifically asked for half an hour alone in the house. Agent mumbles something about having to double up viewings because the tenants were being difficult so only viewing slot all week was this morning. Whatever. We go in. Another couple turns up... I suppose they just don't care and want it to look like there is a desperate rush for the house to encourage an offer.

After looking around agent starts to mumble something about receiving an offer on Friday. Can't possibly tell us what it was but says the first number. So basically at asking price! Idiot. Start to wonder how offer can have been received if they haven't been able to do a viewing all week. Don't bother to point this out to the agent.

Instead spend time photographing cracks above extension. Went for dinner at parents' house this afternoon and their builder friend who helped me to renovate probate house back in 2004 happens to be there. He looks at photos of cracks and tells me not to risk it, extension appears to be sinking.

Nice lunch though!!

Nikkster

chewmylegoff wrote: »

He looks at photos of cracks and tells me not to risk it, extension appears to be sinking.

Nice lunch though!!

Sounds like money well not spent

The whole house-viewing thing hasn't really improved my opinion of estate agents. Despite my best efforts, I ended up registered with pretty much all the local agents. There are only two that I wouldn't resent knowing I'd helped to keep them in business (one of which is dealing with what will hopefully be my house).

Having said that, I'd go and see anything that looks even vaguely suitable. Its tedious, but helps to get to know the area and what you will compromise on.
Good luck.

Generali

PasturesNew wrote: »

It's usually a rip that takes you out to sea.... not waves.

Do you/your kids know what to do if you get caught by a rip?

Erm, I think you drown don't you?

Actually I do know. You swim across it rather than against it.

We're very lucky to have the Surf Lifesavers in Australia and they're generally at these suburban beaches keeping a pretty keen watch where there's a rip been reported.

michaels

Perhaps ths wouldn't be the moment to admit we have in the past been known to view houses for fun/nosiness/wanting to get ideas on design and layout.

I owe someone a PM response but it is late and my PM box is full so it will wait until tomorrow - sorry.

chewmylegoff

Nikkster wrote: »

Sounds like money well not spent

The whole house-viewing thing hasn't really improved my opinion of estate agents. Despite my best efforts, I ended up registered with pretty much all the local agents. There are only two that I wouldn't resent knowing I'd helped to keep them in business (one of which is dealing with what will hopefully be my house).

Having said that, I'd go and see anything that looks even vaguely suitable. Its tedious, but helps to get to know the area and what you will compromise on.
Good luck.

That's the trouble isn't it - in this sort of market you can't really choose which agents to deal with and which to avoid as you have to put up with whichever agent has houses to sell. When we looked fro rental properties we always avoided certain agents because we knew how carp they were - you could afford to do this because there were so many properties coming to market every week.

Thankfully foxtons do not cover the area we are looking in, not do the other rubbish London chains and so far I haven't seen a moron in a shiny suit simultaneously sporting three different haircuts, or any ridiculously posh blonde girls called arabella or penelope (apologies to any NPs called penelope-arabella) who can't even work a set of house keys let alone answer any questions about the property which is a relief.

Generali

michaels wrote: »

Perhaps ths wouldn't be the moment to admit we have in the past been known to view houses for fun/nosiness/wanting to get ideas on design and layout.

I owe someone a PM response but it is late and my PM box is full so it will wait until tomorrow - sorry.

Over here we have 'open houses' for viewings. It's accepted as completely normal to have a 'sticky beak' at one of these and the EAs don't care as it creates a feeling that there's plenty of interest in the house.

I've even been known to hang about for the auction to what what it sells for. It's funny when they get no bids.

Nikkster

chewmylegoff wrote: »

That's the trouble isn't it - in this sort of market you can't really choose which agents to deal with and which to avoid as you have to put up with whichever agent has houses to sell. When we looked fro rental properties we always avoided certain agents because we knew how carp they were - you could afford to do this because there were so many properties coming to market every week.

Thankfully foxtons do not cover the area we are looking in, not do the other rubbish London chains and so far I haven't seen a moron in a shiny suit simultaneously sporting three different haircuts, or any ridiculously posh blonde girls called arabella or penelope (apologies to any NPs called penelope-arabella) who can't even work a set of house keys let alone answer any questions about the property which is a relief.

There is one agent here that seems to be staffed solely by 17 year olds. Now I remember working at that age, but I could at least hold a conversation. And listen to what a customer said (they ring a LOT, and I said I prefer email; they are the only ones who try to get me looking at places in areas that are a complete no-no). I am really looking forward to the day I can hopefully tell them to remove my details (haven't done so yet, just in case).