Should we try renegotiate or stay quiet?

luis1988

Wow they are huge discrepencies.

Personally I never get too hung up on square footage/meterage but on this occassion I would definitely dig deeper.

I'd say it's worth comparing that new size to similar properties in the area to ensure you aren't being ripped off. If the prices are wildly out then it may be worth looking at a different offer - also depends on your plans for the property. Will you be there a long time and enjoy it for what it is or is it a way to get on the ladder and move up etc.? If the latter then you want to be sure you are paying the right amount obviously...

lookstraightahead

MysteryMe said:

in_my_wellies said:

The house I rent has a huge hall, described by the EA as 'dining hall' but in reality it's a waste of space, difficult to heat and awkward to furnish with so many doors. This space is included in the size whereas the house I own in Devon Is a Devon longhouse with no hall at all, every part is useful. On paper a smaller house but in reality much larger 

I think you've highlighted in one simple paragraph why trying to extrapolate meaningful information based purely on square footage calculations is largely a waste of time. That's assuming that an unqualified person is capable of producing an accurate set of measurements in the first place.

It's not a waste of time to lenders. One could argue that misinformation has an affect on the decision of the lender.

it might be a waste of time to the buyer, but usually it's not their risk.

MysteryMe

Always read what people actually post not what you think they've posted  You've even quoted what I actually said and still failed to read it properly.........

"trying to extrapolate meaningful information based purely on square footage calculations is largely a waste of time."

lookstraightahead

MysteryMe said:

Always read what people actually post not what you think they've posted  You've even quoted what I actually said and still failed to read it properly.........

"trying to extrapolate meaningful information based purely on square footage calculations is largely a waste of time."

If this is aimed at me (which isn't clear as you haven't specifically indicated this) I did read it properly and agree with you. I can't see anywhere that people think you should choose a property based purely on square footage (and I certainly haven't indicated that).

user1977

lookstraightahead said:

MysteryMe said:

in_my_wellies said:

The house I rent has a huge hall, described by the EA as 'dining hall' but in reality it's a waste of space, difficult to heat and awkward to furnish with so many doors. This space is included in the size whereas the house I own in Devon Is a Devon longhouse with no hall at all, every part is useful. On paper a smaller house but in reality much larger 

I think you've highlighted in one simple paragraph why trying to extrapolate meaningful information based purely on square footage calculations is largely a waste of time. That's assuming that an unqualified person is capable of producing an accurate set of measurements in the first place.

It's not a waste of time to lenders. One could argue that misinformation has an affect on the decision of the lender.

it might be a waste of time to the buyer, but usually it's not their risk.

In which part of the process do you think the lender pays attention to how the agents have described or measured the rooms?

BikingBud

Just demonstrates another part of the sham that is perpetuated by estate agents in England. 

Accurate details about the asset are fundamental to any sale transaction. 

Gross misrepresentation would attract the Trading Standards Officer in any other field yet for the largest purchase many of us make EAs continue to play fast and loose.  

It's OK to keep quoting caveat emptor but their really does need to be jeopardy for EAs that continually mislead by falsification or omission.

I wonder what surveyed v quoted size would prompt some posters to reconsider their offer; 20%, 40% enough for another large bedroom. 

Poorly used space is not the same as internal walls can be adjusted, however, if you asked for a quote for an extension of the same size how much would that cost.

And it is really easy to achieve but it seems we do not want to have such simple protections.

markin

MysteryMe said:

in_my_wellies said:

The house I rent has a huge hall, described by the EA as 'dining hall' but in reality it's a waste of space, difficult to heat and awkward to furnish with so many doors. This space is included in the size whereas the house I own in Devon Is a Devon longhouse with no hall at all, every part is useful. On paper a smaller house but in reality much larger 

I think you've highlighted in one simple paragraph why trying to extrapolate meaningful information based purely on square footage calculations is largely a waste of time. That's assuming that an unqualified person is capable of producing an accurate set of measurements in the first place.

They all use digital devices if they can't do a simple 3x3 = 9  They are not fit to do the job or it was a complete lie

warby68

Congratulations on buying at 20 and 21, no mean achievement these days

Individual room size versus your needs is probably what you need to sense check, and probably 4 visits have done that already. I'm not overly good with guesstimating meaurements so even after 6 or so houses, I still might not immediately spot a discrepancy to the particulars unless it was as big as the living room in our current home. The sales particulars had it at 12ft square but that was obviously wrong because it was a clear rectangle on the plans so we viewed anyways and discovered it was 22ft x14ft so a bonus. House had been for sale for 12m (around the big crash) - no idea how many potential viewers had beenput off as 12 ft square was too small for the house size and why vendors, who were very keen to get rid, hadn't noticed either I do not know.

Can you fit the bed and furniture of the sizes you want in? If so, and the price compares with other properties, I think you're good to go.

TheJP

lookstraightahead said:

SavingPennies_2 said:

lookstraightahead said:

Op excepted as they seem quite clued up, it is scary how many people don't see floor space as important. It makes me wonder how many people pay attention to their financial commitments. 

I'm not sure I measured any of the rooms in either of my properties to check the sizes. I might have measured to check where/ how a bed would fit as one was empty on viewing, but other than that no I didn't see it as that important.

Genuine question why is it so important? And what does that have to do with financial commitments?! I can very comfortably afford my home and know every detail of my finances without knowing how much square foot my home is! It looks and feels right for my needs, and that's good enough for me.

I suppose I personally see it as the same thing as shopping (obviously on a much bigger scale). I don't randomly buy anything without comparisons (say a car with fuel consumption etc) and it's one of the criteria I use. I'm not saying it is the only criteria, I understand buying things because they feel right / you want them etc, but like for like its good to know.
I used it for negotiation with my current property.
Also if I sell someone else might do the same as me, so it has financial implications. 
When you buy a house you have surveys for all kinds of things - no one really buys a house without checking other details like flooding, even neighbour disputes. So I just see it as part of the package. 

If you were to compare this scenario with buying a car you cant use fuel consumption, you  could if it was EPC we were talking about. This scenario is like an estate car being advertised but when you go to see it you are presented with a 3 door hatchback. The EA obviously messed up and have admitted to the OP the mistake but surely the OP in the various times they have viewed would notice the space and whether that works for what they want and what they need. In this case they were happy and made an offer based on what they saw. I find it a little odd that numbers on paper have now changed this outlook late on in the process

Another posted explained it well, unless the house was priced per sqm then its very hard to ask for a reduction on sqm. The only outcomes i see available are to complete or walk away.

YoungBlueEyes

A few things we took into consideration while house hunting had more of an effect on the desirability of a house for us than pure room sizes. Whilst important, if furniture fits then that’s all we needed to know. In some ways the more important aspects were things like - good road/area, proximity to shops, off street parking, garden facing the right way round, are the neighbours raging heathens etc etc. 

The cost of the house wasn’t purely about size to us.  We could’ve bought a bigger house in a worse area for kinda similar money. But we did not.