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Selling house questions (first timer)

So the buyers are asking me to reduce the price by 30K because the back of the house needs rendering and some electrical repairs and a new boiler is needed. Also a whinge about them only having 48 hours to meet the asking price and not having time to price up work properly ( I certainly did not impose any time limits) Also I initially reduced the house price by 75K to gain more interest and secure an offer.

I was going to get the gas and electric work done, but it is easier to reduce the price to reflect that.

I'm thinking of agreeing to reduce by 15K (I've really got to get this done - it's been almost 3 years and it's effecting me and my sons mental health tbh)

Advice appreciated

Cheers
 
kalidarkone said:
So the buyers are asking me to reduce the price by 30K because the back of the house needs rendering and some electrical repairs and a new boiler is needed. Also a whinge about them only having 48 hours to meet the asking price and not having time to price up work properly ( I certainly did not impose any time limits) Also I initially reduced the house price by 75K to gain more interest and secure an offer.

I was going to get the gas and electric work done, but it is easier to reduce the price to reflect that.

I'm thinking of agreeing to reduce by 15K (I've really got to get this done - it's been almost 3 years and it's effecting me and my sons mental health tbh)

Advice appreciated

Cheers
Click to expand...

It's all a big game of chicken at this stage I think. You don't have any obligation to get the rendering sorted out or whatever but they can withdraw if they want to. On the other hand you can also back out and they'll have plenty of costs invested in this by now I imagine - not many people are really ready to walk away from everything they've put in and go back to the start.

So depends how keen each party is and it does sound like the answer for you is 'very' which unfortunately doesn't put you in the stronger position.

Definitely don't give them anything like they're asking for or they'll be back with another request though.
 
I certainly wouldn't cut the price by £30K, the work they've said needs doing won't cost remotely near that maybe £10K tops if that. And as other posters have said it's not your problem to sort it out.
Depends on how desperate you are to get rid, I'd offer them £10K off take it or leave it at the most.
 
MickiQ said:
I certainly wouldn't cut the price by £30K, the work they've said needs doing won't cost remotely near that maybe £10K tops if that. And as other posters have said it's not your problem to sort it out.
Depends on how desperate you are to get rid, I'd offer them £10K off take it or leave it at the most.
Click to expand...
Yes this was my thinking.
 
Monkeygrinder's Organ said:
It's all a big game of chicken at this stage I think. You don't have any obligation to get the rendering sorted out or whatever but they can withdraw if they want to. On the other hand you can also back out and they'll have plenty of costs invested in this by now I imagine - not many people are really ready to walk away from everything they've put in and go back to the start.

So depends how keen each party is and it does sound like the answer for you is 'very' which unfortunately doesn't put you in the stronger position.

Definitely don't give them anything like they're asking for or they'll be back with another request though.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice. I was thinking along similar lines. It's helpful to hear from people not involved.
 
This is where the estate agent needs to earn that ridiculous sum of money you are paying him.

I would play a hint of the chicken, say you are seriously considering pulling out but might consider a small drop in price, just for it to be over with.

Then reluctantly agree to the £10k as long as it is done and dusted within 4 weeks. Or whatever time period seems reasonable.
 
Are these questions/demands coming from them or their lawyer? When we sold I ended up cutting the lawyers out as theirs was being a dick right at the end and making loads of ridiculous demands. I said unless we had a direct line of comma and got everything finalised by the end of the month we’d pull out. Cue fairly hysterical email from the buyer cancelling all the demands and everything was resolved within a week
 
I have emailed the estate agents and said absolutely not regarding the request to drop the price by 30K.

I have said I will reduce the price by 10K to reflect the need for a new boiler and electrical repairs. This is my bottom line an if they are not committed to house and the price then I have no problem pulling out!

My main concern is that mdk1 who is the main beneficiary (55%) is so keen to get it sold that we argued, when the buyers initially suggested we reduce the price by 100K. Foolishly he seems to have his life on hold waiting for the money as he believes it will be the answer rather then a generous enhancement. He is also understandably keen to move from his dad's into his own place.

I really warned him that these things can take an age and things can change at the last minute.
He will be really angry with me for making the decision I have , but he has had no involvement in any of the admin or tasks involved with late ma's estate, because he explicitly did not want that.

So I really hope that this can all be done and dusted.
 
kalidarkone said:
I have emailed the estate agents and said absolutely not regarding the request to drop the price by 30K.

I have said I will reduce the price by 10K to reflect the need for a new boiler and electrical repairs. This is my bottom line an if they are not committed to house and the price then I have no problem pulling out!

My main concern is that mdk1 who is the main beneficiary (55%) is so keen to get it sold that we argued, when the buyers initially suggested we reduce the price by 100K. Foolishly he seems to have his life on hold waiting for the money as he believes it will be the answer rather then a generous enhancement. He is also understandably keen to move from his dad's into his own place.

I really warned him that these things can take an age and things can change at the last minute.
He will be really angry with me for making the decision I have , but he has had no involvement in any of the admin or tasks involved with late ma's estate, because he explicitly did not want that.

So I really hope that this can all be done and dusted.
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You should point out that a little bit of patience will result in an extra £11K in his pocket. Mrs Q has a standard response whenever one of the kids disagrees with one of her decisions. "I Am Your Mother!"
 
My solicitor is being super crap, holding everything up by not responding to the buyers solicitors despite the fact that I submitted my answers twice, before Christmas!

So about to email them now and then will follow up with a phone call. If no joy then I have an alternative solicitor who will get it sorted within the week.

I feel like I have had a massive moment of clarity in realising how incredibly shit my solicitor is.....I had nothing to compare it to and no way of knowing....but its really biting me in the arse.
 
Last edited:
kalidarkone said:
My solicitor is being super crap, holding everything up by not responding to the buyers solicitors despite the fact that I submitted my answers twice, before Christmas!

So about to email them now and then will follow up with a phone call. If no joy then I have an alternative solicitor who will get it sorted within the week.

I feel like I have had a massive moment of clarity in realising how incredibly shit my solicitor is.....I had nothing to compare it to and no way of knowing....but its really biting me in the arse.
Click to expand...
Incredibly shit solicitors are in the majority, I'm afraid. I don't really understand why they go so slowly.
 
kalidarkone said:
My solicitor is being super crap, holding everything up by not responding to the buyers solicitors despite the fact that I submitted my answers twice, before Christmas!

So about to email them now and then will follow up with a phone call. If no joy then I have an alternative solicitor who will get it sorted within the week.

I feel like I have had a massive moment of clarity in realising how incredibly shit my solicitor is.....I had nothing to compare it to and no way of knowing....but its really biting me in the arse.
Click to expand...


For reasons, after spending 28 years not buying or selling houses I have done six transactions in the last three years ( fuck my life). The first two were with a big conveyancing mill and were shiter than they had to be . The last four were with an excellent local solicitor and were much better than they could have been.
 
So had my phone call.

I don't know where to start. I've been really direct, he seemed pretty clueless and defensive regarding his lack of action. Every time he asked me a conveyancing question, something technical, Land registry stuff I just put it back to him and said that is your job....I've said I want it all done by Friday and that he is holding up the whole process.

I was calm but direct and I got the sense of his gradual acquiescence and acceptance that the best easiest way out was to just do the fucking work.
 
Do they still insist on communicating with each other and with public authorities by letter and fax and telex? Infuriating people. Well done for putting the frighteners on kalidarkone
 
kalidarkone said:
My solicitor is being super crap, holding everything up by not responding to the buyers solicitors despite the fact that I submitted my answers twice, before Christmas!

So about to email them now and then will follow up with a phone call. If no joy then I have an alternative solicitor who will get it sorted within the week.

I feel like I have had a massive moment of clarity in realising how incredibly shit my solicitor is.....I had nothing to compare it to and no way of knowing....but its really biting me in the arse.
Click to expand...
I worked as a mortgage underwriter years ago and a large part of the job was chasing solicitors for local searches, insurance policies, etc. The best way I found to kick them up the arse was to phone them everyday (sometimes every hour if they were trying to avoid me) until they were sick of me. That was 30 years ago when all things financial moved at a snail’s pace so I imagine, in this digital age, things can be done much quicker. Good luck 🙂
 
There is a thread on here which I think miss direct started. We were all telling her that she needed to make a nuisance of herself to drive the process, but initially she was waiting for the 'professionals' to do their jobs. As the thread progressed she gradually came round to our way of thinking.

seeformiles said:
I worked as a mortgage underwriter years ago and a large part of the job was chasing solicitors for local searches, insurance policies, etc. The best way I found to kick them up the arse was to phone them everyday (sometimes every hour if they were trying to avoid me) until they were sick of me. That was 30 years ago when all things financial moved at a snail’s pace so I imagine, in this digital age, things can be done much quicker. Good luck 🙂
Click to expand...

I mean why not just have a google doc which buyer, seller, estate agent and solicitors have access to, which shows who is waiting for what?
 
Boudicca said:
There is a thread on here which I think miss direct started. We were all telling her that she needed to make a nuisance of herself to drive the process, but initially she was waiting for the 'professionals' to do their jobs. As the thread progressed she gradually came round to our way of thinking.



I mean why not just have a google doc which buyer, seller, estate agent and solicitors have access to, which shows who is waiting for what?
Click to expand...
What a logical suggestion! Our solicitor was great first time we used him, this (and last) time shit! I don’t get their incentive for dragging it out. Ours was on a fixed fee so none of his extra time going backwards and forwards was covered…
 
Recently sold my wife's mother's house, took a discount to get rid of it. Depends how much you can afford to give away.
 
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