Previous owner asking to buy back property!

Norman_Castle

JuanBallOfWimbledon said:

 How do we say no nicely, and avoid upset with our new neighbours? 

Explain this to them.
"After pretty much 2 years of searching & multiple purchases falling through, we finally completed on our first house on 27/04/22."

trix-a-belle

Please keep us updated OP, especially when the sister returns from holiday. Perhaps a tea and cake introduction would be worthwhile when she returns.
I suspect there is a lot underlying here, to move from next door to family to 200 miles away is either for a specific reason that's taking them there or a specific reason to get away from & this 'offer' smacks of an instant reaction which doesn't take into account any of the factors that formed the basis of their move & will settle over time. Its not like they have upped and away in one day, they have had a long period of time during marketing and subsequent searches and contracts to change their mind.

Enjoy your new home and the updates you have planned sound great

Ath_Wat

Section62 said:

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.

There's nothing "offensive or hostile" in what I said.  I am not going to crawl all over myself being nice to someone who's behaving badly towards me, neither am I telling them to **** off.  It's simply straightforward.  
If you find that offensive and hostile I despair.  

And the idea that you have to be considerate of everyone who behaves selfishly and  rudely just because "they might have a hidden disability" is simply a free pass for selfish rude people everywhere.

sammyjammy

JuanBallOfWimbledon said:

secla said:

Laughable there actually offering less. + you would have to pay conveyancing again plus i dont think you can sell for 6 months if a mortgage is involved

I dont think there is anyway you can sugar coat it

We do have a small mortgage, so that’s good to know and I’ll likely add that into my reply. 

I drafted a reply basically saying ‘Thanks for the offer, but whilst we understand and sympathise, we don’t want to sell.’. However my wife thinks it’s too short and may be taken as unfeeling. We’ve had a nightmare neighbour situation before and she’s very worried about potentially dealing with that happening again - especially now we own. I think you’re right though, there’s little we can do to spin ‘no’ into a positive. Gah, what a pain this is!

Don't negate the fact that the sister might be glad to see the back of them 

Leggitte

JuanBallOfWimbledon said:

We’ve had a several odd things happen, which I won’t get into to save an essay, but now we’ve received a really weird request…

Their request is so weird that I would love to know what the several odd things that happened are. It reminds me so much of the movie The Intruder.

prowla

A polite and firm decline of the proposal would be in order.

It's not their home anymore and there's no need to add details such as below market value, costs, sorry for their situation, they're trying it on, they've had months to think about it leading up to completion, family matters, etc.

Don't fret about it; it's not your problem.

You can offer them the items they left behind, subject to itinerary/terms in the sale details; I lost a guitar in a house move many years ago and I still consider it mine, but have no idea what became of it.

youth_leader

I'm just glad for you that you exchanged and completed, sounds like one of the party didn't want to and is probably driving their partner mad with seller's remorse.   

Titus_Wadd

Folk are weird!  Some folk lack emotional intelligance.  If you try to explain why their offer is derisory they may think you're negotiating a price.  I'd just say thanks but no thanks, whilst keeping it light-hearted and friendly with the sister next door.

We live on an active building site with the NFH building a house per decade with 6 planned/part-built.  They want us out and have been absolute ****s.  They simply don't like living near people that aren't family (seems a mistake to build and sell houses in their back yard!).  They have told us we will leave  eventually but when I invited them to make us a decent offer they walked away.  They haven't encountered their stubborn and bloody-minded match before.

I find this scenario fascinating so OP please keep us posted and I'm keen to know what else odd they've done, but not if it would identify them...they might come on here and post a "vendors' remorse" thread!

Exodi

JuanBallOfWimbledon said:

They offered £5k less than we bought it for 9 days ago, because ‘it’s clear prices will fall given the economy and we have to consider our fees’. We actually got a ridiculously good deal on it, paying a fair bit under market value.

This is absolutely bananas, I cannot even begin to comprehend this offer.

They've offered less because it's 'clear' house prices will fall (if I had penny for each time someone predicted this, I'd be the richest man in the universe) and because they need to consider THEIR fees?!

user1977

Sell the house back to them, and then await the call a few months later: "we've changed our mind again, would you like to buy our house?"...