House Buying Is More Stressful Than Divorce, Death or Bankruptcy

[Chicky]

You are welcome and yes, the SE is equally as bonkers. It's got to stop somehow surely, but it doesn't seem likely.

[Cerise]

Stopping somewhere between selling our house and buying a new one would be good! I had an agent send me details today of a property "that matches your search". It was £100K over budget and on the other side of town. Jog on, dick face.

[Derek Nimmo]

I get at least two of those per day Cerise - a one bedroom basement flat two miles away from my ideal area? A house 300K above my budget? Why, with these properties 'picked especially for me' you are spoiling me

Once you're registered with the sods, you're on their mailing list and nothing stops the spam come hell or high water.

[Luna]

When my mother sold her house and was looking she was constantly flabbergasted by the crap she got sent by EA just keen to flog anything. It was like they had looked at her requirements and chosen the exact opposite of what she wanted.

[Derek Nimmo]

I have had a full asking price offer from a cash buyer which I have accepted. We'll just see if it pans out shall we? :voice of bitter experience:

In the meantime! This means my offer has been accepted in turn, so I'm on the hunt for conveyancers. Rebs' ones are too busy to take on any clients, does anyone have any personal recommendations? I really don't mind where they are in the country - if they're good, they're good.

[absley]

Exciting Del! I'll get you the details of the conveyancer D used when Rebs' folks were too busy

[Ella]

Woohoo!

[Rebel Pebble]

Hurrah Del! No more daftness over the lease length now, hopefully.

That conveyancing firm really needs to take on some more people. I suspect it's partly because they specialise in work for overseas buyers/investors and as we know the London market is saturated with them at the moment.

[smalex]

Congratulations Del! Fingers crossed for a straight forward and speedy exchange . Well, fingers crossed anyway.

[Puss in Boots]

[Derek Nimmo]

Thanks chaps, but first hurdle hit!

Apparently the EA has taken a conversation we had several weeks ago (Me - My offer is Y Him - Could you go to X (full asking price) if you had to? Me - If I needed to, yes) and took it upon himself to offer full asking price to the vendors. When I found this out in a telephone conversation just now, he rushed to reassure me that they wouldn't accept less than full asking anyway but FUCK ME.

I also have found out that they've been told in no uncertain terms that the flat must be carpeted (currently tiled). And I hate carpet. They've offered to put in carpet - which I can chose, but nothing 'crazily expensive' - in the meanwhile, so I've gone back to the EA and told him to make my original offer clear, and in return I'll take care of the floors. I was planning to put in wooden floors on top of proper soundproofing anyway.

Have I mentioned how much I hate this process? Not on this page anyway

[Rosa]

That's shocking, Derek! I hope you get it all resolved.

[Tabitha]

God, what absolute shitheads they are Del. I suppose that's to their advantage, as their % is higher. It still seems so wrong to me that they're needed in this internet age, they add nothing to the process except stress.

[Ella]

How fucking dare he?

[Hendricks]

That's appalling Del. I'm horrified. Can you report him?

[Figaro]

Your EA sounds completey incompetent.

[Derek Nimmo]

When he told me over the phone, I was silent. Not lost for words, but just so angry I couldn't speak.

He's just sent me the following -

I don’t want this situation to escalate so I’m happy to talk to the vendor. However you and I were working on the basis that if you had to go to £X to secure the property you would.

Just so you know other offers are on the table for [Flat that I want] from people with no chain, the vendor has only accepted your offer because we have recommended you as a buyer and we are dealing with the sale.

I will obviously follow your instructions but please be mindful that the vendor does not have to sell.

I will be available to chat this through with you at around 2pm if that suits?

Unbelievable.

[baargain]

Urgh, Dick. Stab him in the eye.

[Lucy666]

NO. Honestly, enough is enough now. Report them. I'm clearly very naive but I can't believe EAs work this way, I've never come across something like that!

[smalex]

Oh. my. god. How passive aggressive is that.