What are you all up to

Pre surveys are priceless-We we’re very lucky to enjoy the benefits of a survey as it saved me having to replace a full roof due to bad woodworm. As it was the seller picked up the tab. We bought & moved into our current home & was in it 3months before the wormy one was back on the market👍🏻. One of our sons was going to pay for the cheapest survey of 3, we paid the difference to get the best. It didn’t need it in the end but we were happy with our decision, peace of mind is everything.

Yes a seller doing a survey would be great!

Wholeheartedly agree about the best full survey. When I said wasted I meant if the seller hadn't appeared so keen to sell we would have held back before paying out fir the survey. 

Can't win them all 🤣

When we moved south from Scotland, bungalow had been on the market for almost 12 months, one day a guy pulled up, said he would give us the asking price but we had 6 weeks to move, we moved in 5 and lived in our caravan on Rooksbury Park for 3 weeks, just moved to new site at Winchester when current bungalow came on the market, newly renovated by builder, we viewed, shook hands on his asking price and moved in 3 weeks later, on the proviso that he carried out some minor alterations, e.g. widen drive entrance so we could get the caravan onto piece of land alongside the bungalow.

All scary stuff trying to ensure the monies was were it was supposed to be and i was officially working from home and using the rear of caravan as an office, my only regret was leaving Scotland, but had to be done, OH suffers from Raynaud's so much too cold in Scotland, but loving it down here now, weather not bad for England, coast just 5 mins away, village centre 10 mins, most big supermarkets 20 minutes drive, Portsmouth ferries 30 mins, Poole ferries 1hr 30 mins, most of Gkids 15 mins away, whats not too like.

Cracking day again, although temperature not a lot above freezing but clear blue skies, even the birds are busy, saw a very nice woodpecker in the park this morning first siting for ages, get the bike out for an hour this afternoon going to look at the new Kia Sorento, but i told the sales guy that i had no intention of buying, OH would kill me if i did hence cycling there then it will not be so easy to give me a trade in price

Yes, "offers over" can be tricky, nobody wants to overpay, but now a little easier since the Home Report scheme started.    
This gives a valuation which the lender will accept and your mortgage offer will be based on, so you know that if you offer over that, you need to have the difference in cash, over and above whatever deposit you are putting down.

When the market is slow, houses will sell at or below the HR value,  but the last 2 years the market here has been buoyant, so houses are going at 10-25% above the valuation in quite a few areas.  Around here, there is not a lot on the market and you have to be organised, and act quickly.    In fact in some places houses are sold before you can even book a viewing!

You need your finances in order before looking, as missives can be concluded quite quickly, and once that is done, there is no going back.

DD was advised that they should just offer what they could afford, not to go mad, so they offered about 5% over.   This was 3 1/2 years back, the market was slow but the house in a very desirable area, so offering over valuation was essential.  Theirs was not the highest offer, but preferred as they could move quickly.  They were all set to move within 2 months, but a problem with coal mining in the area delayed things by 3 weeks.

The, relatively newish, Home Report system has cut out a lot of the wasted money getting a survey before offering, and then the offer not being accepted, as the report has a full list of any repairs that would be required, and how urgent they are, so quite comprehensive.  

You can of course get your own survey done too, wise if there could be possible problems or things that need to be investigated further.   Most people will offer subject to that being satisfactory if undertaken, and subject to the mortgage actually being granted, so things are a lot easier these days, with no need to spend any money until you have an offer accepted.

Then the 2 solicitors will spend a week or two firming up the details of the offer, such as what is included in the sale when it comes to kitchen equipment, blinds, curtains, carpets etc, and negotiating an entry date, searches are completed, which is pretty quick up here, and then the missives are exchanged and you are committed to the sale/purchase.

If you need time to sell a house first, you negotiate a long entry date, but you still have certainty that things will go ahead.  Nobody can pull out of the sale/purchase, or try to lower their offer, or ask for more money.   Trying to do so comes with huge financial penalties.

Kj. Sellers south of the border can prepare things in advance too but I think in the end people want to have their own surveys etc. 

Out in the garden today, nice when the sun was out but very cold when it disappeared, hard to work up much enthusiasm but got a few plants in that have been lingering around in pots. M/H goes in for it's two year service and MOT tomorrow, that will drain the bank balance.

Finally heard from a CL we wanted to book, so two CLs booked one north, one south and one more to go! 

Thought I'd share today's rollercoaster ride with you all 😲

Had a lovely reflexology treatment wiped out within minutes of walking in the door. Our buyer, us and our seller all about ready, our seller's seller buying new build - who originally said they'd not hold up the chain last October. December their builders wanted exchange mid January for completion end February, now hear their house not ready until end of March 😱😤🤐.  Our seller's agent on the case. At least I'll be here for my birthday, this made me decide we're not shifting until afterwards, it's early February, so that's on, one bit settled if rest of my equilibrium unsettled......

Of course this is a first world problem. We're not one of those poor folks fleeing with nothing in very dangerous circumstances 😪😪

It's good to share 🤣🤣🤣

Been a beautiful day here but very chilly. I admire the gardener's 

Well B2 you have my sympathy! 💐

Sorry to hear your news B2 hopefully it will sort itself out.

A much milder day here even some sunshine so a bit of deadheading and a few other chores and filling up bird feeders, OH done a few chores inside and the sky has cleared over so more frost tonight and looks like a few more nights of the same certainly been a cold month here so far.

Oh Bakers2 I am so sorry. I do feel for you. The only consolation might be that hopefully the weather will be better when you do move. 

Bitterly cold here today and although dry the sun was in short supply. We met up with some friends for lunch in the Museum cafe. Although we had a lovely catch up with our friends we didnt like the new decor of the cafe. It is a temporary change to reflect their 'Urban Exhibition'. Grunge is the word I would use so we will give the cafe a miss until the exibition ends in May. While we were in town we went to Fat Face to get our son's birthday present. Their internet was totally down so not only did we have to pay by cash but they also had to write out the receipt by hand using pen and paper. 'How quaint' was OH's comment.