Flat buying - seller turning nasty

macaque_2

macaque wrote: »

If it was me, I would revert to my original offer price. That is not gazundering, it is just un-gazumping. If she turns you down, she will be in a complete tangle. This is not a market to mess buyers around in. There is an aweful lot of property coming on the market at the moment and some sellers are accepting big price reductions.

In fact ghekkomanic I'm not recommending you do this, I'm pleading with you to do it. You have been far too decent with this B****h from hell and she desperately needs putting in her place. It is clear many others on this thread feel the same way.

ghekkomanic

Thanks again everyone for the advice - am glad I posted here.

Am going to discuss this with my GF, but as previously advised I do want to leave it as late as is safe to respond to seller so they're forced to decide their position quickly. As proposed completion date isn't until 2nd week of December I may wait until next week to let them know.

Will update with any developments.

pinkshoes

ghekkomanic wrote: »

Anyway the seller started off very friendly saying how they wanted first time buyers in the flat, not investors.

Or maybe they were thinking "ha ha ha, first time buyers, what suckers, we'll just make them think the property is theirs, then invent an investor to get to them to pay more.... TWICE"!!!

Sorry, that was my first impression, that this vendor has played you.

Housing market is at a standstill at the moment, so firstly I doubt this 'investor' actually existed, and secondly, the vendor is probably desparate to sell, especially if moving abroad.

You have a very strong hand here. Put yourself in the shoes of the vendor, and see how p*ssed off she'd be if you pulled out now... She'd have to start again from the beginning...

So go back, tell her you're going back to your original offer, and you DON'T want the furniture.

I'm quite sure she'll accept, and if she doesn't, put it down to fate, and this wasn't the flat for you!

lynzpower

Or maybe they were thinking "ha ha ha, first time buyers, what suckers, we'll just make them think the property is theirs, then invent an investor to get to them to pay more.... TWICE"!!!

Sorry, that was my first impression, that this vendor has played you.

That was my original thought too. I think the vendor is making a total mug of you two and given the fact that your GF is the conveyancer I think they must be p*ssing themselves.

Pull out is my advice. you have lost nothing.

I say house buying is a BUSINESS transaction - if your vendor acted like this in the boardroom theyd be laffed out of the place, why do you and your GF accept any different.

I would however, leave it til the last minute to pull out. At the end of the day, theres nothing lost only a bit more of your GFs time.

mrs_deadline

ghekkomanic wrote: »

Am going to discuss this with my GF, but as previously advised I do want to leave it as late as is safe to respond to seller so they're forced to decide their position quickly.

Over the phone, your solicitor to their solicitor, moments before you're due to sign contracts is the customary method I believe.

And I really would urge you to let your GF handle negotiations from here, playing hardball just isn't for everyone...

mystic_trev

I hate these kind of people, if 'the boot was on the other foot' they'd be screaming blue murder!

Obviously they can't be trusted and on past performance you might find they leave the flat with more than a few proplems for you. Offer the original price and a small amount for the furniture. They're lucky they've still got you as a buyer - pay back time!

Reminds me of a friend of mine. Bought a house and on the afternoon of completion found the seller still in the House trying to remove the light fittings! She told him to leave as she 'still had things to do' He told her to p off or he'd call the Police and get her charged with bugulary! Some people!

notatroll

Would it do you any good to live in a place knowing that its vendor had taken you for a ride? Broken Christmas mood? But then you may not be that type of person – it may be upsetting for you to take them for a ride. You decide.

If it is your first home it is easy to get attached in advance, especially for a young family. See some better places and get yourself detached. And i cannot see why you cannot negotiate with your current landlord - offer him/her a dinner or just pay double for a couple of days - saves a lot of hassle and costs of moving things twice

jonewer

I'd offer £4 LESS than the original agreed price and say you dont want the furniture. Suck it, vendor!

LuciferTDark

First be nice to her, smile while you talk to her, then tell her you've found a better property at a lower price than what you originally agreed (£5,000 less sound good to you?) but you'd be willing to take hers for that lower price if she throws in the furniture as well.

Don't forget if you pull out she'll be out of pocket, possibly losing her plane ride as well so it's in her best interests to keep you happy, NOT the other way round.

JohnInDebt

ghekkomanic, you hold ALL the cards.

How much over the original agreed price are they trying to get out of you? I would go back to the original price and take this amount off! Don't buy the furniture, you can buy it for much cheaper from Ikea/Argos and it'll be brand new and you can choose exactly what you want.

This is what I'd do:

1. Start looking for somewhere else (possibly rent fully furnished for 6 months)
2. Leave it until the last minute to let the vendor know your position, the less notice they get the better
3. Be prepared to walk away from this, they could also pull out at the last minute which would mess you about anyway

You must be prepared to pull out otherswise they will sense your bluff a mile off.

The way the market is at the moment you have the upper hand, use it to save yourself a lot of money, otherwise you will regret it later on.