Previous owner asking to buy back property!

bouicca21

I’m not sure that changing things about the house will help the previous owners.  I love where I live now but still resent having had to sell the matrimonial home when I divorced.  I had all sorts of plans for renovation.  The new owners had very different plans.  I can’t bear driving past as they did the WRONG things, destroying the character of the house!

just stick the polite no thank you.  I have a small side bet on the sister having warned them about moving to the middle of nowhere, and now being in full ‘I told you so’ mood.

SusieT

Why not try a dear ex owners, thank you for your offfer, but we love the house and are hoping to stay here for many happy years. I/we are sorry that you are having settling in problems and hope that you are able to make new friends and enjoy your new house in a short time. 

Flugelhorn

Watch out for the "we were just visiting my sister and wondered if we could look round to see what you have done...."

"we are planning to come to my sisters for Xmas but she hasn't got room for us to stay, it'll be OK if we stay with you, won't it? we'll be no trouble - we know our way around"

Woolsery

bouicca21 said:

I’m not sure that changing things about the house will help the previous owners.  I love where I live now but still resent having had to sell the matrimonial home when I divorced.  I had all sorts of plans for renovation.  The new owners had very different plans.  I can’t bear driving past as they did the WRONG things, destroying the character of the house.

Believe me, it's even worse when they do the right things!

A close friend and I both have houses we won't drive past. Life goes on though. That's what these guys have to realise.

Spreadsheetman

SusieT said:

Why not try a dear ex owners, thank you for your offfer, but we love the house and are hoping to stay here for many happy years. I/we are sorry that you are having settling in problems and hope that you are able to make new friends and enjoy your new house in a short time. 

This is the sensible response given the OP has to live next door to the Sister. Make sure the Sister only gets that story too as anything said will undoubtedly get passed on.

The ex-owners are all kinds of delusional thinking that their ridiculous offer would be considered, but there is no point telling them that, or even opening the possibility of a negotiation.

RobM99

I haven't read the whole thread but if something is left on your property for 6 months, doesn't it legally become yours?

GDB2222

Maybe the sellers are not so delusional, and the op should check for a horse’s head in his bed?



(The Godfather, 1972)

newsgroupmonkey_

I can't believe they'r offering you less.

This would take at least £50k for me to even consider it.

Stamp duty could well be thousands. At least a couple of grand in conveyancing fees. Actual moving costs.

And house prices are still rising, so I don't know where they get that idea that it's worth less.

Section62

Ath_Wat said:

Section62 said:

Ath_Wat said:

Section62 said:

Ath_Wat said:

Seriously.  I'd ask them "How could you possibly think anyone could accept this?  That I should put myself through so much hassle and effort and take a financial loss just for your benefit?  While you get to be put back in the position you were with no losses at all?  Genuinely, tell me what was going through your head."

Do you really think that is constructive?  Either as something you might do yourself, or as advice to the OP.

No wonder there is so much hate in the World if people feel the need to respond like this.

Just 'Let it go'.

That's a factual statement of the offer they put to  the OP.  Why do you think it's a problem to actually repeat their offer back to them?  

Nowhere in the OP were the words "Genuinely, tell me what was going through your head." used.

Therefore, not "factual".

Additions like that are the gratuitous part.

That's a question; they don't have to answer it. I would like them to, though  I'd like to know what would make anyone think anyone would accept such a ridiculous proposal.  What did they think I would think?

If you wouldn't want to ask them that question, that's your prerogative.

Sure.  I don't mind what you might do yourself.

My only complaint is when people respond in threads like this one with 'advice' that the only thing that works is being offensive/hostile to other human beings - especially where so little is known about the people involved that it is impossible to be definitive about the reasons why they are acting in the way they are.

E.g. the couple may have a hidden disability such as ASD and simply not understand/appreciate how inappropriate their offer is.  This is where the 'humanity' aspect comes in - trying to understand what the issue is, rather going Full Rambo at the least provocation.

The OP said "We’ve had a several odd things happen"... I wondered whether that indicates there is a pattern of behaviour that might suggest some form of MH issues.  If it were me then I might have a word with the sister and ask if everything is Ok with the couple.  And you are right, that is my prerogative.  I've found generally in life it is better to try and understand why people do the things they do rather than spend your entire life on a hair-trigger.  I've seen the consequences of the latter too many times.

Norman_Castle

Ath_Wat said:

GDB2222 said:

Ath_Wat said:

Section62 said:

Ath_Wat said:

Seriously.  I'd ask them "How could you possibly think anyone could accept this?  That I should put myself through so much hassle and effort and take a financial loss just for your benefit?  While you get to be put back in the position you were with no losses at all?  Genuinely, tell me what was going through your head."

Do you really think that is constructive?  Either as something you might do yourself, or as advice to the OP.

No wonder there is so much hate in the World if people feel the need to respond like this.

Just 'Let it go'.

That's a factual statement of the offer they put to  the OP.  Why do you think it's a problem to actually repeat their offer back to them?  

I can answer that! The previous owners are clearly grieving about losing their old home. There’s nothing to be gained by rubbing it in that they are being irrational 

Grieving so much that they "have to consider their fees" in making the offer.

Their offer may be all they can afford. Its wishful thinking, no reason not to decline it politely.