paulry

So it seems that their gamble didn't pay off

We've decided not to sell ours and will rent it out instead at least until the economic chaos has passed and exchange rates, etc have normalised . I know, we could be waiting a long time

Fly Away

Travel bug, why don't you get the work which showed up on the survey done? Then tell the buyers that you will accept the original offer. If they say no, then it means you know future sales won't be jeopardised by this.

travelbug

Hi Fly Away, we are planning to do some of the stuff. But to be honest some of it was pathetic - ie, "leaning fence post on chain link fence". My other half went straight out and straightened it after reading that! He is going to work through the report and do the minor things like that - there's some cracks he can fill that the surveyor commented on and a small hole (the size of the top of a pen) outside our patio door that needs a bit of filler! Two of the jobs were to do with a partition wall in the loft and the chimney stack - and we don't really have the inclination or time lately to get those done - hence agreeing to reduce the price to cover them doing those things another time... the surveyor also commented on a boundary wall - that belongs to our next door neighbour not us! I did point that out whilst he was inspecting it but he still wrote about it in the report!
We dont feel any future sales will be jeopardised because we know what will come up now and dont feel that an experienced house buyer would bat an eyelid at the report like these 1st time buyers did...
Most of what he wrote were recommendations - not things you definitely need in a house - for example he commented that our bathroom was new and modern, but that it lacked an extractor fan (we have two windows in the bathroom so like most people we open them to avoid condensation!), he said the same thing about the kitchen as we dont have an extractor hood on our cooker - but we have a kitchen door and windows! He also commented that the alarm system was dated - but it works fine - and to me it would be a bonus buying a house with an alarm anyway - not a negative thing!
I could go on.....after all the 32 pages had to justify the £700 the report cost! and there was me offering the surveyor a drink and letting him use my toilet before he left - i wouldnt have done either knowing the things he'd written! LOL

travelbug

If we hadn't needed some of our equity in the house to get to Oz we would have tried to do the same thing. Good idea i think to rent out your house if you can...

JAK

Good luck with the viewings. I can't believe how many you are getting. We haven't had anyone in the last few weeks, only had 4 viewings in the year it has been up for sale. I wish there were as many houses selling in our area.

travelbug

Thanks for that. Sorry to hear you've not had many viewings. I think the reason our area has a high turn around of sales is because we're only 25mins from London. We always have a lot of people viewing that are moving out to Romford from area's closer to London - as our properties are cheaper than those area's...We actually had 4 viewers booked in the weekend we accepted that couple's offer and could kick ourselves now that we didnt keep the house on the market and let them view. But what's done is done.
There's no guarantee's there's a buyer amongst any viewers anyway but we can hope!

Popsicals

Well done Cathy sticking to your guns . One thing I cannot tolerate is people behaving unfairly like they have with you. It really is awful, but I guess there are people like that everywhere unfortunately. I believe in karma so what goes around will eventually come around for them! It's not so much them reducing the price, more the house being off the market for the length of time it was that would annoy me . I like your spirit . Anyway, moving forward and hoping that something positive comes from your viewers this week and now you and your hubby will be much more savvy about it all learning from what has happened with those nasty old buyers. From what you have said, it seems to me like they may still come back and if they do a sale is a sale isn't it.

Lots of luck with your viewers - lord knows, after all of this, you deserve that sale

Pops xxx

Popsicals

Hi Janet, I know what you mean! The exchange rates are going lower by the day and we have decided that the money from the sale is to stay here in the UK and we have to start again! We have no choice due to the impact the exchange rate will have on the equity in the house. We wanted to rent initially anyway as we need to find out more about their market and areas where we want to live and mortgage capacity. As long as we both get jobs then we should be fine. I got a job offer yesterday pending references and registration with the WA nursing and midwifery board so that has reduced some of the stress, but obviously not all of it! I think the exchange rate was 1.65 yesterday and we need to move some money so will just have to go with it.

We have 'sold' the house, surveyors been in and just waiting now. I am hoping everything runs smoothly - the buyer seems keen as she comes to visit us for a brew about twice a week as she works near here and is measuring up and asking if she can start moving stuff in! You never know though.

I wish you lots of luck with your viewings and I guess it only takes one person to fall in love with the house, it's just finding that one person. Who knows, maybe the exchange rate will improve whilst you're waiting - I hope

Pops xxx

JAK

Hi Pops

Good luck with your sale, hope it goes through smoothly. I have just been in touch with a letting company, they are coming next week to go through our options regarding renting out our property. We are still not sure if this is what we want to do but it will be interesting to see what is involved as we have no idea. Congratulations on the job offer that must be such a relief to have a job to go to.

Janet

Popsicals

Thanks Janet

My parents are doing the same as you as they havn't sold their property so they are thinking of rental, which is a big decision but they have weighed up their options and they have made the decision. I think having all your options together will help you make a decision that will work for you and your situation. Good luck. Job offer definately take a bit of pressure off .

Pops xxx

travelbug

Hi Pops, and thanks for your message I know a lot of people disagree with what we're doing...but i think until you've been in a situation yourself and been annoyed by things it's hard to know what you're going to do. No further update from the buyers - they may be a lost cause now. I'll let you know how the viewings go later in the week...
It sounds like all's going well with your sale - so pleased for you and it's good news about the job too...
Wont be long now till you're where you want to be!
take care
Cathy

travelbug

Hi everyone How things can change in the course of a few days!
After a nightmare day yesterday of cancelled viewings and a couple that came last night who hadn't even started marketing their flat yet (despite us asking the agent not to send such people for viewings), me and the other half had a long serious chat and decided that as much as didn't want to accept those buyers offer - we cant keep putting our life on hold for the sake of £5000. So as much as it pained us today to do it - we decided to accept their offer and the sale is back on. This time we have requested exchange of contract within the next 7-10 days but that we dont complete until the end of April, which they have agreed to. This gives me time to start my notice period again at work (once we have exchanged this time), and as i'm celebrating my 40th in April - it means that we can get on with the large party we're having without stressing about the move. And it'll now be an early leaving party alongwith my 40th! As we no longer would be arriving in time to use the Apartment i had booked - we're going to delay our arrival in Tasmania till probably late May / early June by staying at a friends house here in the UK for 6 weeks or so. During that time we will probably be able to recoup some of the money we'd have lost anyway..
In order that timings with our container etc dont get messed up - when our stuff is packed up we're going to ask the shipping company to store it all for a few weeks before shipping. Hopefully thihgs will be ok this time as i really do not like the person i become when i'm stressing about viewers/dealing with agents etc. All we need now is that the GBP to AUD rate improves drastically by the time we might leave!
So wish we'd sold two years ago - because then we'd have been nearly £40,000 better off - but that can't be helped.

Good Luck to those still waiting....boy do i know how you all feel and i wouldnt wish this selling business onto anyone...but after 2 years of disappointment and being in limbo hopefully we can finally get on with our lives in Oz!

take care
Cathy

paulry

Hi Cathy,

How strange . At lunchtime I was thinking that given your circumstances, maybe you should consider their reduced offer after all. I was going to msg you this evening about it. It's a tough one I know to compromise on our principles but I think you're being realistic and brave. Sometimes when the choice is between putting your life on hold and gambing with an uncertain future or accepting the loss and moving forward we sometimes have no choice but to put realism over principle. Though it's not ideal circumstances, overall I think you and your hubby have made the right decision .

Just a thought about your shipping, you might be able to negotiate a deal which includes free storage. Take a look at some of the shipping threads for ideas on how to achieve that.

So alls well that ends well , your future is more certain and finally you can move ahead to your dream of living in Australia.

Good luck!

travelbug

Hi Paulry, thanks for your message. I do feel a bit hypocritical for having been so adamant that we wouldn't accept the offer, but it's amazing how your mood/attitude can change after 48 hours and the reality hits home again of having to deal with time wasters / no shows and just annoying viewers!
I think we've been guilty as are a lot of people generally of putting money before our own happiness. I know money is a fundamental part of everyone's lives, and obviously is a big decider in what people can do, but in our case, i think we'd forgotten that's it not the most important thing...

Funny you mention the shippers and storage as i EMailed the company we're going to use, and they offer 4 weeks free storage as part of their shipping package - which is a result for us as we'll definitely be using that now.

Anyhow, i'm starting off this weekend feeling much more relaxed, quite positive and looking forward to the next couple of months rather than dreading them (which is how i felt yesterday).

Thanks for your supportive attitude. It really does help.
take care
Cathy

JAK

Hi Cathy

I am so pleased for you, selling nowadays is certainly a nightmare and it does seem to be a buyers market. When we first put ours on the market we were told by the EA that had we had it on the market the previous summer it would have sold straightaway and for £30,000 more than we are asking for it, not the kind of news you want to hear. We have still had no new viewings, house sales still seem to be slow in our part of the country. Good luck to you and your family, I hope everything goes well for you all this time

Janet