Seller taking a while with very niche requirement / value for money on property - thoughts?

GixerKate

The inflexibility of the seller (2 or 3 roads only, really?) would ring alarm bells for me, big time.

I would stop all solicitor work, searches etc that will cost you money until this seller confirms that she has found something.  In the meantime I would put this house on the backburner and look at other options.  If you find something else that you like as much then proceed with that one, if nothing else comes close then you still have this option if something comes up on one of these special roads.

peterhjohnson

GixerKate said:

The inflexibility of the seller (2 or 3 roads only, really?) would ring alarm bells for me, big time.

I would stop all solicitor work, searches etc that will cost you money until this seller confirms that she has found something.  In the meantime I would put this house on the backburner and look at other options.  If you find something else that you like as much then proceed with that one, if nothing else comes close then you still have this option if something comes up on one of these special roads.

Agree 110%!  The interesting question is whether you tell the vendor you're doing this :-:smile:

If you do tell them, they may well relist the property. It could even be that they are perpetually "selling" their house while waiting for the "right" place to magically appear on the market. You may be better off appearing to be patient but in fact quietly trying to find something else. A further twist would be where your alternative property happens to be listed by the same EA!

lookstraightahead

This thread reads to me

"My local car dealer wishes to sell a car. They have agreed to sell me the car (aren't I lucky) if they win the lottery within the next two years. Should I wait?"

to me when you sell a house you either want to actually sell it or you're not that bothered. They're not they bothered.

to be honest if they keep messing around they're going to lose money as it won't always be the sellers market they like to think they're in.

Don't tell them you're looking elsewhere, but look elsewhere. When you've found somewhere where else, then give them an ultimatum.

you're mortgage will run out and all for the benefit of someone who is sitting on their proverbial lording it. 

lookstraightahead

Thrugelmir said:

TripleH said:

Thrugelmir, because the seller is being very very specific in what they want (a house in only one of 2 roads) I think refusing to move out into rental whilst waiting for a property to come up for sale (might not happen for years) is unreasonable.

Would you offer to make a contribution towards their rental and storage costs? 

Honestly I would walk away. Too much pandering to vendors' needs at the moment. Hopefully with interest rate rises imminent and a slowing down of price hikes vendors will get a sense of normality where you either want to sell or you don't. Not "I want to sell with benefits"

lookstraightahead

F37A said:

TripleH said:

Thrugelmir said:

TripleH said:

Thrugelmir, because the seller is being very very specific in what they want (a house in only one of 2 roads) I think refusing to move out into rental whilst waiting for a property to come up for sale (might not happen for years) is unreasonable.

Would you offer to make a contribution towards their rental and storage costs? 

No, 'I would walk'. The vendor has shown little to no compromise (from the information presented) compared to the Op (flexibility over time).

But that is just my "opinion"

Also I even offered to have her as a lodger should I buy the property. But no.

She really doesn't want to move 😕

Ditzy_Mitzy

The house isn't really 'for sale', and the supposed vendor is wasting everyone's time by claiming that it is.  I'd leave it and look for something else, having encountered similar in the past.  There seem to be those who endlessly flirt with selling a property they do not wish to sell, so respond by putting it on the market to create the sense that it actually is on offer and then place endless obstacles before anyone who does actually want to buy it.  Baffling.  

michael1234

If it was me I'd try and speak to them. Very often the info you get via the EA or even the solicitor is wrong.

But if it turns out they do not have an onwards purchase then yes I think you'd be looking at pulling out.

lookstraightahead

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

The house isn't really 'for sale', and the supposed vendor is wasting everyone's time by claiming that it is.  I'd leave it and look for something else, having encountered similar in the past.  There seem to be those who endlessly flirt with selling a property they do not wish to sell, so respond by putting it on the market to create the sense that it actually is on offer and then place endless obstacles before anyone who does actually want to buy it.  Baffling.  

It is baffling. I don't see the point of it at all. Usually when you put your house on the market, you want to actually sell it. Unless maybe divorce cases and a few others. Maybe it's a confidence thing, or maybe the reality is just too much. But it is baffling. 

MaryNB

lookstraightahead said:

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

The house isn't really 'for sale', and the supposed vendor is wasting everyone's time by claiming that it is.  I'd leave it and look for something else, having encountered similar in the past.  There seem to be those who endlessly flirt with selling a property they do not wish to sell, so respond by putting it on the market to create the sense that it actually is on offer and then place endless obstacles before anyone who does actually want to buy it.  Baffling.  

It is baffling. I don't see the point of it at all. Usually when you put your house on the market, you want to actually sell it. Unless maybe divorce cases and a few others. Maybe it's a confidence thing, or maybe the reality is just too much. But it is baffling. 

To me it sounds like the seller wants to be ready to put down an offer as soon as a house in their desired area becomes available. To do so they'll more than likely need to have accepted an offer on their house. They don't mind stringing a buyer along, preferable to missing out because they can't find a buyer in time when something does come up. 

F37A

lookstraightahead said:

This thread reads to me

"My local car dealer wishes to sell a car. They have agreed to sell me the car (aren't I lucky) if they win the lottery within the next two years. Should I wait?"

to me when you sell a house you either want to actually sell it or you're not that bothered. They're not they bothered.

to be honest if they keep messing around they're going to lose money as it won't always be the sellers market they like to think they're in.

Don't tell them you're looking elsewhere, but look elsewhere. When you've found somewhere where else, then give them an ultimatum.

you're mortgage will run out and all for the benefit of someone who is sitting on their proverbial lording it. 

I think its a case of some sellers like this one have had the property for decades and are out of touch with reality and the current times!