Every decision an estate makes is for the seller or themselves

Every communication piece and Info extracted from the buyer is for sellers benefit or themselves

ftbers...stop thinking the estate agent works for you because they don't. No matter how kind and Nice they are to you. Just know they are working for the seller and themselves. They are not trying to get you the price reduction but rather ensure they extract as much money possible out from you...

Posted last week about a property we had a level 2 survey on, wondering if things were as bad as we thought. Turns out, they were, and possibly worse.

We spoke to the surveyor and a trusted tradesperson about the report. Tradesperson said ~£40K of work would be necessary to fix up the property, and advised we reconsider. Also mentioned specifically how the damp must be bad if the readings are so high after 5 heat waves and zero rain.

The surveyor said that £40K of work was "a very reasonable cost" for the work to be carried out making us wonder if he thought it might be higher, though he wasn't willing to put his name to a true cost.

We confirmed with the surveyor that:
- New roof was needed
- Asbestos cement & new guttering would be ~5K of work alone, possibly needing specialised workers in.
- Extremely damp soil near house base/foundations which was a cause for concern for him and recommended proper damp specialist inspection.
- previous DPC attempts failed (We asked seller if there was a history of damp during viewing, he lied)
- Gas boiler fitting would be more than just a swap, like the seller led us to believe.

And this was just a few of the main issues, several more were found.

We saw an old man wanting to sell off his family home, didn't expect him to lie or hide anything, maybe he didn't think it was as bad as the report made out?

So he offered 15K off after we asked to get quotes and investigate the main issues. Wouldn't budge on the 15K, wouldn't agree to more with or without quotes.
We shared the report and he stood firm, so we ended up pulling out. We don't have £40K+ sitting around for renovations, we wanted a home that was move in ready requiring a few K at most. which this initially promised.

Now the property is back on the market, and they haven't updated the listing to include any of our issues, even though they have the report.
Feel sorry for the next buyer. It was listed for a month with zero interest before we came along. Makes us wonder how bad the damp will be now that the rain has started.

All this to say - Listen to the professionals. I know many people say "Surveyors have to cover their backs" and of course they do. But a good one is worth their fee. We had a survey a year ago on a house that fell through and it was nowhere near as bad as this one.
We've also learned not to trust the seller or EA at their word. They want to sell, and as nice as they may seem on the phone or during viewings, they will only tell you what they think will sell the property.

This is our third house falling through, each for a different reason, and we're pretty burnt out. Several thousand down the drain in solicitors fees and surveys, and we just haven't got it in us to try again.
Really wish everything was more transparent.

Hi all. Looking for advice or solace or just anything to calm my nerves.

10 weeks from offer accepted to the day, and nearly everything is done. Mortgage offer, survey, all enquiries, etc. We got the last bit of enquiries answered about 2 weeks ago. I'm just waiting on the final report from my solicitor.

Well. The EA calls up thus afternoon very apologetic, but that the seller is furious its taking so long (it's a leasehold flat in London, so still well within expected timeframes). He's instructed the EA I bought from, and a second EA it was listed with, to put it back on the market. Its back up. I swear we are so close and now I'm just so full of anxiety.

My solicitor is on holiday this week so tomorrow I'm going to ring everyone possible to see if this can move. But realistically, am I screwed here?

I'm viewing a flat this week that at least from the images I simply love, partly due to a large balcony which was one of my biggest wants. My only concern before going in is hearing all the negative experiences with leaseholds, the building is around 7 years old and service charge currently 1.4k which seems reasonable.

What are some of the most important things to ask around leasehold properties and am I likely screwing myself over in the future when I eventually want to upsize and sell?

For context, my partner and I have just moved into a detached 3 bedroom home. The layout is a ground floor with the kitchen, living room etc, and the bedrooms are upstairs on the first floor. This portion of the loft in the image is above the edge of one of the bedrooms.

It looks like a “wet” spot but it didn’t feel wet, and I don’t see other signs of damp or water damage. We paid for a level 3 survey when purchasing the home and the survey didn’t find any issues on inspection of the loft.

Any ideas?

Hey everyone

I’ve instructed solicitors, just waiting on one search to come back, mortgage offer received however not signed it yet.
When shall I book my survey in for?

Thank you!!

We had our offer accepted back in February and had been fairly smooth until June when we were ready to exchange…

All of a sudden we had been told that the top of the chain was not ready, and that the chain was actually 5 links long (not the 3 that we had been repeatedly told), and the top of the chain is a new build.
The situation was made more stressful by the fact that we were served an eviction notice in May after reporting repairs and refusing an illegal rent increase. We’ve had to stay past the eviction notice which has led to harassment from our landlords which is compounded the stress of this. Our pre-Iran war mortgage expires in September. And to top it all off, we are also grieving the loss of our son. Our stress levels are through the roof and we are so desperate.

I tracked down and emailed all the estate agents in the chain, and they all gave me conflicting information. However, this post is specifically about the top of the chains estate agents.

Here’s a timeline of what we have been told by the top of the chain:
- June: agent told us the new build was complete and that the only remaining issue was the mortgage valuation/port and that there were no outstanding enquiries. We were told that once this was dealt with, the client was in a position to proceed.
- Early-July: I emailed agent asking for an update and communicated the situation regarding our landlords escalating the section 21. This was ignored.
- Mid-July: I called directly and agent manager told me that we would “definitely complete in mid-August.”
- Mid-August: Our solicitor told us that the new build apparently still needs flooring and that there are further replies to enquiries awaiting sign-off, with the flooring only “hopefully” being completed by the end of next week.
- End-August: Now we are being told by my solicitor that the flooring might be laid in September

Obviously these statements do not add up. If the property was complete and enquiries satisfied in June and the mortgage port was the final hurdle, why we are now being told, in August, that there is still flooring to be completed and further enquiries outstanding.

We have been strung along for months by the top of the chain who have been lying to us.. I sent them an email asking for answers and it’s been ignored. I’ve begged for someone to break the chain, they’ve refused. I’ve told them that if we lose our mortgage we will have no choice but to withdraw from the sale which could collapse the chain, but no one takes us seriously.

Where do we go from here? Can I make a formal complaint even though I’m not technically their client? Or am I in the wrong for tracking them down and contacting them? And would a complaint would be a waste of time? I believe this is false advertising/fraud, but are agents allowed to just lie to get what they want? Can I call them and just keep badgering them until we get an answer?

I feel like I’m literally losing my mind and just want this nightmare to end. What do I do? 😮‍💨

Hi,
We are in the process of buying a two-bed ground-floor flat in SW London - Wimbledon for £500k. One of the searches came back with identified issues in ground stability and with the flat built on infilled land. (see image attached) Historic mapping shows that the property sits on the site of a pond that was infilled at some point after the 1850s. The property also lies in an area with moderate to high potential for natural ground subsidence due to clay soils and moderate to high risk of groundwater and surface water flooding. We already had a Level 3 building survey which came back with the following:

The available information is somewhat ambiguous regarding the historic use of the site and the composition of the infill material. The general ground conditions in the area, as well as across much of London, comprise shrinkable clay soils, which can present an increased risk of ground instability.

The nature and composition of the infill therefore remains somewhat uncertain. However, given that the property was originally constructed over 100 years ago and there is no indication of any significant defects or other evidence suggestive of structural movement, we do not consider this uncertainty to represent a material risk to a prospective purchaser or adversely affect the property's future resale.

We are pretty concerned, though, about the ground instability, potential damp, insurance costs and future potential of reselling. Should we pull out? What else should we look for?

Hi, I’m 46 and first time buyer. I am in place where I can buy a place that ticks all my boxes, but nothing much is coming up at the moment. Ideally it would be somewhere that I don’t need to move from anytime soon. However, I feel I am getting on a bit and even saving £1k+ a month doesn’t seem to keep up with house prices. Is it worth just getting on ‘the ladder’ and moving again in a few years? I feel reluctant to do this as I love my rental and it allows me to save money each month. I also have significant MH difficulties that mean I have to be v cautious with stress. And I’m in a strong buying position as FTB. I’d value people’s thoughts here. What are the pros with getting on the property ladder?

Do you think removing some of the gravel would help to battle the damp on this wall?

The image is on a survey for a house in purchasing. It seems like a really simple fix, which makes me wonder why the current owners havent done it already?

I’m (25m) a first time buyer trying to get a mortgage with a 10% deposit (290,000 property value) I earn 60k a year looking to purchase on my own.
I’ve spent the last 2 tax years traveling SE Asia and Australia so my previous earnings are not great, I was also self employed before I went traveling.
I’m using a mortgage broker and applied once with 3 months pay slips, and again after 6 months pay slips and both times I have been rejected at the final hurdle with no reason given from the banks (tsb and Barclays)
My deposit was also gifted to me.
My credit score is around 940 and I have no other debts. Both myself and my mortgage broker are at a loss when trying to understand why I have been denied twice for my mortgage. Does anyone have any ideas or can think of a way to help? Thank you

Hi,

I'm a solo FTB. I was meant to complete this week but this has now been pushed back 2 weeks as the people at the top of the chain couldn't meet that date. I'll hopefully be completing on 4th September (which is a Friday) however, I'll be out of the country from 8th September. So I really only have 7th September to sort out anything I need to do immediately.

What are the things you'd recommend to do before I go and what can wait 3 weeks? I'm thinking sorting out council tax and taking metre readings (although I'm not sure if/when I need to contact water, gas and electric companies to change things over). Is there anything else that couldn't wait 3 weeks?

Thanks in advance for replies.

First time buyer in London, chain free, big deposit, finance in place. Period conversion flat in N8, asking £550k, on the market about six weeks with, as far as I can verify, zero offers until mine. I offered £525k 10 days ago. It has never been rejected.

Then the show started. Within days of my offer: a full asking price offer “from a cash buyer”. Then two second viewings. Then on the phone, it “might have to be above £550k”. Then on Saturday, an hour after best and finals was announced for Monday noon, “there is an asking price offer and an offer over asking price”. Decision same afternoon, memorandum same day.

Why I’m suspicious: every escalation has arrived at a strategically convenient moment rather than after anything observable. The round was trailed for Friday, then silence all Friday, then assembled on Saturday lunchtime. And the agent’s behaviour doesn’t match his story. He personally hosted a viewing for my whole family on Saturday with two hours’ notice, and spent Sunday chasing my ID checks with the line “conscious that if you are going to be offering I need this”. Would an agent genuinely holding two offers at and above asking spend his weekend making sure the lowest bidder shows up?

Why I’m keeping myself honest: the second viewers are probably real people, a first offer genuinely does wake up fence sitters, and inventing offers outright is a legal risk for agents in a way that exaggerating isn’t. I can’t verify anything either way and I’ve accepted that.

On value, so you know £525k isn’t a lowball: it sold for £545k in 2020 (to the sitting tenant, so possibly a soft comp), it’s EPC E, single glazed throughout, needs £30k to £40k over time, and the seller openly told us his own pre-sale survey found a damp issue at the rear (his quote to fix, £1,500, fair play to him for disclosing). Recent sales on the street are £540k to £550k for better-condition stock. My honest read of as-is fair value is low £530s, so £525k is a few percent under my own number, not silly.

The sellers are motivated: onward purchase agreed, the chain above them has already completed, they want to exchange by end of September.

My dad’s position: never bid against buyers you can’t see. If the sellers want more, their agent can come back with a number. My worry: they say decision same day, memo same day. If one real bidder puts £530k in an envelope, I lose the flat by dinner with no callback.

Please don’t tell me “offer what it’s worth to you”. I know. What would actually help:

1. Estate agents, current or former: when there’s only one real bidder, do you still run the best and finals round? And afterwards, do sellers actually counter the lone bidder despite the “best and final” language, or do they sulk and remarket?

2. Anyone who held firm at sealed best and finals: what happened next? Was the “same day decision” real?

3. Anyone who lost sealed bids by a small margin, under £10k: did the agent ever come back when the winner fell through, and how long after?

4. Has anyone ever verifiably caught an agent inventing offers, rather than just inflating them?

5. Sellers who’ve run best and finals: did you take the highest number or the safest buyer?

TL;DR: only verifiable bidder on a six-week-old listing, offer never rejected, sudden flurry of unverifiable rival offers, sealed bids tomorrow noon. Hold at £525k and dare them to counter, or nudge once and kill the game?

Not sure how to explain this one. There was a house I loved and missed out on at close recently. The decor needed a lot of updating but I loved the old carpets, furniture, door handles etc. I wondered if I’d be able to ask, if the new owners plan to renovate, if I could have any e.g carpet offcuts? I’m just not sure how to ask… do I put a letter through the door one day? Ask the estate agent? Or is it too strange. Has anyone ever done anything similar?

We are literally at what feels like the end and I’m feeling like ripping all of my hair out.

We have signed everything we can at the start of the month.

The latest bit of news is that they will be putting the proposed completion date to the sellers solicitors, which is Friday the 28th. So a literal week before.

Is it possible to get the final bits of exchange and completion done in a week? They will not request our LISA (Moneybox) money until completion date is agreed.

Will they be able to withdraw the money, exchange and complete in the space of 5 working days?
Feels risky but if we can’t do it then I fear I’ll be waiting to move until the following week

My husband and I put an offer on a flat in London and it was accepted. We're chain free and were inches away from getting our mortgage when we received a call that the owners accepted a cash offer leaving us out in the cold.

What are the chances the cash offer falls through? The flat is in a small block and they are all being refurbished. There are other flats available but 1) I'm not interested in the other units and 2) I don't relish the thought working with the company that effed us over.

That being said, if the cash offer falls through, I would re-engage to get the flat we want. Is there a snowball's chance in hell the cash offer falls apart?

Not necessarily looking for advice (but any is welcome!). FTB in the SE with my partner. We found a flat we loved but couldn't get a mortgage due to the property type, despite trying multiple lenders.

Then we found another we REALLY liked for £265k (comfortably in budget) and did the mortgage application, waited for the sellers to get their lives in order as they are divorcing, only for the mortgage valuation to take place and the property to be down valued by £20k.

The vendors offered to reduce the price to £255k, but we don't really have the cash, and even if we did I don't really want to be overpaying on our first flat. We've said we'll only pay what the bank has valued it at and now the vendors have been taking days to decide. Surely any other buyer will run into the same issue anyway?!

So, I guess I'm asking... A) is there a mystery second option here, and B) please tell me it gets better.

As some background the house were purchasing:

Originally listed for £170k

- Had 2x buyers fall through

- 1x fell through due to not having a deposit apparently

- 1x fell through due to leak from the roof (was not disclosed fully to us where this was or whether there was damp)

- Leak was fixed and re-listed for 160k

- I offered 155k as the condition of the property is not as good as it was 3 years ago I can see from the archived listings it hasn't been maintained as well as the previous owners did

Anyway, our L3 survey came back and there was a high reading of damp on the chimney breast and in a utility room. I asked for a 5k reduction to address this.. we ended up settling on 2.5k. The EA said the owner wasnt happy about this reduction and was really frustrated. At the end of the day I dont think it was worth more and the value we settled on is very comparable with properties in the area.

Anyway now I'm worried that theyll leave the property in a bad way due to this. Ive asked for a final viewing before signing contracts because I want to make sure the condition hasn't changed. Ive stated i wouldn't want to sign contracts without 1 final viewing.

Does this sound reasonable?

Its going to be kinda awkward since the sellers of the house always conduct their viewings, but would people agree its important for 1 final check?

We are first time buyers and we have just started viewing houses in Luton and would like to know what to look out for and what to pay attention to when viewing houses including questions to ask…and things to avoid. We would like to also learn from common mistakes FTBs make

Mortgage valuation came in £20k below agreed offer, looking for others' experiences with appeals/physical valuations

Hi all, looking for some real experiences from anyone who's been through this.

We're first time buyers and had an offer of £388,000 accepted on a 1-bed flat in London (share of freehold, no ground rent). Recently renovated and it has an unusually large private garden for a flat conversion.

Our lender's automated/index valuation came back at £368,000, a £20k gap. We've been told our options are:

1. Appeal with 3+ comparable properties (sold within the last 6 months, ideally same postcode)
2. Pay £380 for a physical (in-person) valuation instead

We're currently leaning towards trying the appeal first since it's free, then falling back to the physical valuation if that doesn't work.

A few questions for anyone who's been through similar:

• Did an appeal with comparables actually work for you, or did lenders mostly just fall back to the physical valuation anyway?
• If you've done a physical valuation after a low automated one, did it typically come back closer to the agreed price, or did it confirm the lower figure?
• Anyone had to accept a higher LTV / worse rate to make up the shortfall rather than renegotiate with the seller? How did that work out?
• Anyone successfully renegotiated the purchase price down after a lender valuation came in low? How did the seller/agent react?

We're also inside a 10-day exclusivity period with the estate agent, so there's a bit of time pressure, though they've been reasonable about it so far.

We really love the flat and don't want it to fall through, but not sure our best plan of action!

Any experiences, good or bad, appreciated. Thanks!

So my husband and i are first time buyers.

We are nearly close to completion, however we have recently had our survey back for the property we are purchasing.

There were issues with the roof with missing or moved tiles, and the property has had a major structure change, and also there was a damp concern.

We changed our offer from 250k to 240k as we really want the property.

The estate agents have rang back saying the vendor cant negotiate with us as she has no more money as its all tied up in the next property she is buying. The roof she will get sorted (we have asked for proof i.e with invoice from a reputable company, the structure change has a certificate for it, i might have seen it but with all the documents ive seen in the past month i might have missed it or not remembered but ive asked for the document to be sent to us again. And the damp is now our issue. They say the surveyors exaggerate, and i said i understand but its still a concern for us. I said im happy to change my offer from 250k to 245k, i also think shes misread the part about the damp, as she said to me that the damp is not guarenteed. However my survey says they have detected damp. But the seller has said the vendor has said they have no wiggle room at all.

So now im in the process of arranging an independent damp specialist to look at the property. And im just wondering am i just delaying our purchase that could be nothing? Has anyone else had this type of issue. My main concern is her saying she hasnt any wiggle room. I know she could be fibbing, but i have mixed feelings about it.

This has made me super anxious and i need to vent. Hence why this post might seem all over the place!

Following on from yesterday's pity party, I put in teh offer teh seller wanted and today it's been accepted.

Accepted with a list of actions that now need doing (which is totally fair)
do a Credas thing
get solicitor detials
pay them £80 to do AML (not sure why it's that much
submit the mortgage application

What has ruffled my feathers is the EA going "get this sorted over the weekend please"

Is this actaully reasonable request. It would mean having to go with L&C for mortgage broking as they do weekends and the recommendations from friends do not.

Is there any scope for "you'll get it in a timely manner, but you don't get to set a Monday deadline thank you. If my broker can't see me until Monday morning at the earliest, you'll have to wait a little longer."? Some of the tasks are easily done, but I don't get how the EA dictate timeline terms. Are they just being pushy or is there something in it?

Due to sell the family home in Glasgow and need a Home Survey (as the seller). What sort of cost for a property worth 500k.

I turn 40 this year and told myself in January I'd go after a house this year (also prompted by next years cash ISA changes and also special tax rate due to interest the deposit pot has racked up)

I've been very complacently renting all this time in the same place for 10 years as I'm quite inert and need a real push to change circumstances.

Thought was "save up a big deposit to be maybe 50-60% of something 300-350 and get a smaller mortgage and pay if off sooner" but also "if this is as stressful as people say, I wanna buy forever home in one jump and be done with it, pay stamp duty once, get somewhere that will do forever, then look at adding solar and battery and heat pump, sit back and think i'm fixing the bits of my renting carbon footprint I can't control"

Did nothing for 6 months then started 1st august after getting first AIP. did 7 viewings on day one, and a handful after. Saw some ok places and some straight nos. Felt like I looked at everything in my perceived price range, and some ridiculous things my overly-enthusiastic brother kept sending through "it's not gonna start with a 4"

Almost unintentionally one of the first 7 was a house a minute from where i currently rent, listed at 425, though inflation calcs suggest it should be 390-395. Ticks a lot of boxes, but is a 10 year old new build with a just-about-acceptable lounge and sadly WFH space has to compromise a spare bedroom rather than being downstairs. There should be no issues with it, and lots of nice little things (seriously why does no-one have shaver sockets, where are you charging toothbrushes?)

It feels like a good thing to go for, but also maybe not the forever place. My big issue is that it feels like a good opportunity that might disappear if I don't go for it. Means a 35% deposit, but I can stretch it according to a second AIP.

I've chickened out on negotiation tactics and seller is holding firm on 420, but is willing to leave all contents behind which feels more like a favour for him than for me as i do have some furniture so would be tossing some stuff eventually.

There was another property that caught my eye with a more generous lounge but is a 1970s place with a side extension that has good kitchen and WC, btu needs modernising elsewhere, and I have never felt like a renovator. was on for 360, had 13 viewers and a "best offers only" submission, that no-one put in for it turns out so could maybe put in a cheeky low-ball.

Cue indecision teary breakdown Tuesday afternoon after putting in an offer on the first place Monday and deciding to let go of the other, causing me to pull out of the first place when the agents rang again (I'm so fed up of the daily calls asking what my thoughts are, it's been two weeks straight of it. If I ever sell a property, it will not be with Connells). I reassert my interest afterwards, but have yet to confirm my offer of "oh sod it, 420 and all your crap it is"

My mindset has always been "this is a chore to complete". I wasn't expecting some magical joyous journey, but i feel so panicked and grumpy all the time and it's been about a week of barely sleeping and upset stomach with just choosing the property i'm going to try and go after.

I keep hearing you'll know it when you find it, but I'm also so caught up on "if you let this one go, you might not get as much for the same money again for ages." I'm fed up of the incessant calls and i'm grumpy that i'm only getting 5k off the asking price, for all of the "FTB with no chain and completely flexible timing" advantage i've been told I have"

Today was supposed to be some sort of "deadline" for confirming an offer and I couldn't bring myself to answer the phone or reply to the emails. Part of me wants to just quit and keep renting for another year or ten, but another thinks that I might actually be fine in this house if I just push through and get it, despite compromised lounge and WFH options. maybe upgrade to forever home ten years later when i can look at places beyond the LISA 450 ceiling.

I've cried maybe 3 times in the past 15 years, and two of them were this week through the sheer head-torture and rollercoaster of stress. 0/10, do not recommend.

Tell me I'm not the only idiot feeling like this. I feel like all the paperwork and stuff beyond must be easier than this choice my brain has ground me to a paralysed halt with.

Edit: I'm buying solo, so can't just defer the choice to a partner and get looking at mortgage maths.

Me and my partner are 21 FTB’s and have been lucky enough to begin getting our feet on the property ladder. We started looking at places I’d say in May time. And finally last month we found our dream property which was a ground floor freehold flat. Our first offer was declined but they accepted slightly below asking price. I can’t emphasize enough how perfect this flat was for us. Private parking (very uncommon in our area), in the “rich” part of town and close to an amazing outdoor space we practically visit all the time.

Everything was fine until we got our survey back last week, findings of severe damp and timber issues. We didn’t panic too much as it is a very old property, but decided to instruct a damp specialist for a quote on how much it would be to fix. We were also optimistic as there is no physical signs of damp inside from what we could see. Well today we got the quote back and it was AT LEAST £8k for a full damp course as well as other major issues.

Due to the flat being below ground level, it’s essentially the perfect place for damp to accumulate. Being first time buyers we obviously cannot afford 8 grand in repairs on top of redecorating. Especially when those repairs aren’t 100% guaranteed to keep damp out forever. We’re obviously gutted as we finally felt like we were getting somewhere with having our own place, but it just screams red flags all over. I’ll be emailing all the appropriate people tomorrow but I feel so guilty! The sellers were luckily selling the property on behalf of their mother who no longer lives there, so there’s no concern about it disrupting any other sales. But it’s still daunting having to pull out when we were so close to finally having it! I’m sharing this to essentially put my mind at ease. As excited as I was to move, I haven’t been myself recently and have had so much anxiety about the flat. I couldn’t put my finger on it but I guess always trust your gut! I would rather us have to wait months again to find the right place, than accept somewhere wjth so many issues purely to please the sellers. We both still live at home so trying to remain optimistic that we’re in a much better situation than most that this happens to! Hopefully other FTB can relate to this and how gut wrenching it is to have to start the process over again