Help calm me, house buying and selling stress. Part 3

Sue- re your intermediaries. So many people crowding in to make money out of other people's house sales! Last time we bought a house there was only a matter of dealing with our solicitor. He dealt directly with the other party's solicitor and that was it. No estate agents and associated sharks involved. All very straightforward even with our 'offers over' system here in Scotland. The property was listed in the solicitors property centre, we went to view it, the owner showed it so could answer question etc. It wasn't all that long ago either.

Elliane, it is not new. Any good EA has the sellers priorities as his/hers. My one would not even consider any offer from a would-be purchaser unless they actually had their own property (if they were selling one), actually Under Offer, most definitely not if it was yet even on the market. Obviously, if they had a would be purchaser without property for sale, (first time buyer), then they always checked out their finances and mortgage potential.
Buying at present, is much easier than selling property in England, so it does make sense.
I am the opposite to you on car usage, also. Since moving here, except for my one journey up to London after Xmas, I use my car each week to go to Sainsburys' AND there is a bus stop outside the flats that go there, so will eventually use that. I also use it once a month to go ten miles to a nearby village for Gransnet Meet-up. At present am also using it very occasionally to go to places like B&Q, The Range, Dunelms (all very close together). So my car usage is very much lower than it was when I was in London. Except for going to London, my petrol usage is so very little that it hardly counts. All the shops and the meetings I go to are very nearby and as I have problem with walking I just use my little mobility scooter.

Interesting re your driving habits Franbern. We have a large dog and quite often take him to a beach, or a river or even the moors for a long walk. He likes variety so we travel a fair distance. In London he had to make do with the pavements most of the time!
I'm guessing there are currently lots of people in renting ready to jump when houses come onto the market, so EAs probably can't be bothered with those who haven't listed their own.

Hello everyone, I hope you've had a nice Saturday.

The free chair collecting man texted whilst I was on the beach, and came earlier, which was great. He proffered a £5 and I did take it, even though I'd said have it for free, I'm learning!

Took dog out for second walk and couldn't believe it when I came back - the garage have delivered my daughter's car. As I was out he couldn't leave the keys, so I will have to do some nifty reversing until Monday when I go into see him for my MOT. Luckily it's temporarily under his insurance. As my daughter didn't have the car when she viewed the rental she didn't think about it. I'll be keeping it here for her and she'll be coming home to practise locally, she needs to perfect her parking technique. Unfortunately where she's moved to has a permit system, only 2 allowed per household! I look forward to not driving as much when I find my forever home - I have to drive my dog to his walks three times a day, it is just too dangerous to walk these dark country lanes, even in full reflective gear. So many visitors at the moment in dark colours - and they aren't walking facing the traffic.

I'd just recovered from the car arrival when my husband's friend turned up to get the clocks. One is 1830 and english, one 1875 and foreign, but he repairs and restores clocks and was delighted with the 'pendulum'. Initial disappointment the lead weights were missing from the foreign clock but I managed to find them before he left. He carried the cases down on his own, I just gave him a hand lifting them up onto the roof wrack.

House looks very odd!

It's all progress though Shandy!

If anyone is looking for a way to get their hair cut, washed even coloured, etc. at very little cost, I would thoroughly recommend that they look for their nearest College which runs Hair & Beauty Courses. It will take a good amount of time, allow a good 2-3 hours for wash, cut and blow dry. The students are all carefully supervised by the lecturers and there is nothing that can go wrong. I used to go to one in my London borough and they charged £6 for this, I would also give the student a further pound - so much cheaper than any salon.
I never had my hair coloured, but they did this for a lot of the people attending, and again well supervised and very cheap.
I used them for many years, and was always happy with the results - and delighted with the cost!!!

I have visions of tripping over my hair if I don't go to the hairdresser's soon Franbern! Great recommendation, one of our local hairdressers trained at the local college and actively encouraged people to go and see her there, I went once for highlights but could have cried, it was 'cap practise' and it hurt a lot. I'm white now at the front, dark grey on the ends, free 'lowlights'! I must go soon and have a relaxing afternoon with a hairdresser, I'm 58 years too old for this pony tail.

I used to work with her Mum who was administrator at the college I taught at - she retired and now deep cleans her daughter's hairdressing salon. Did you know Windowlene works well on chrome!

Just coming on for a break, I thought I'd sorted my paperwork out, but it's a huge mess. I can't find all our 'neighbourhood' dispute papers when our neighbour broke out soakaway pipe and wouldn't let us investigate. Our septic tank had to be emptied about three times in eighteen months and we knew he'd had work done on his drive - when we asked to investigate he accused me of blocking the tank by putting fat down the sink! I was 45 at the time and not amused, well past the age of doing that! I was dreading asking the septic tank drainage company here late last year as I'd found the man very unpleasant - but it was a much younger man. Very sadly the owner had died following gastric band surgery, he had paid to have it done privately and his poor wife received the bill shortly after he'd passed.

Back to the paperwork. I did try and buy some ink at Argos, but none of the photos looked like my printer and I couldn't remember it's number. Why do they make so many similar versions I wonder?

Your printer number should be quite clearly displayed in front, occasionally somewhere at the back. Not worth risking purchasing ink unless you know exactly printer it is for.

Sue - I've not heard of a Vendor Advocate but my Estate Agent employed a Sales Progressor once the offer was accepted. She was very helpful constantly chasing everything and keeping the complex sale with a long chain going. This was new to me since I last moved.

Shandy - I think your buyer is just typical of the way buying and selling works nowadays. My experience is that most buyers now just want to do anything to reduce the price. Mine did all sorts to get the price down and it was so stressful trying to prove that no, the house did not need a new boiler or a new roof. Their buyer and my vendor were also difficult.

I found my going out niche at last, could not physically cope with rock band music on my ears. I went to a most beautiful concert last night, utterly gorgeous music and the lovely couple behind me last night were chatting to me, both widowed and now married to each other and they asked if I would like an ice cream. The next but one to me was a single lady and we shared the seat in between for our coats. Lovely evening in many ways. So I have decided that I like concerts and films

Its been a quiet week, cannot do anything much in the garden, still have not sorted paperwork. Will be going to clarkes village next week, need some exercise bands, strength is going, albeit slowly and I have to nip that in the bud. Shandy I will be so glad when you no longer have to use those (slippery) steps outside

Browsing RM, the very same houses are still for sale in my old village, over 2 years for some, must be overpriced as it is an attractive village

The reason for me switching stand by lights off is
www.environment.admin.cam.ac.uk/facts-figures

I will not go vegan or vetarian but I can cut my carbon emissions by switching off the stand -bys. Every little helps. So far so good, it has been easy

My next rant - local authority rates.. I think I explained before that DP’s mother’s property was shared between the three siblings but was in a life trust allowing BiL to remain there. The land registry notes that the Trust set up (2 local solicitors) ‘own’ the property until the trust is dissolved. Now the local authority has advised that DP and his sister have to pay full rates as their brother did not own the property but they do (albeit they are dependent on the solicitors dissolving the Trust before it can be sold). Apparently (and I don’t know if this is down to individual LAs) if the deceased had owned it, there would have been 6 months when no rates were payable. I find this so frustrating as the place is still empty.

Fascinating article Craftyone -thanks for sharing.

Mythbirtthedragon sorry for all your problems. So glad all the the legal things I 've dealt with 're deaths and buying and selling were relatively simple.

Glad you enjoyed the concert Craftyone. I love classical music and listen to classic fm daily. Hoping to see a concert by the Liverpool Phil in the near future.

Like you Franbern I only have the normal telly programmes. My children and spouses clubbed together 6 Christmas's ago and brought my a Samsung smart tv. I love it. I fine BBC I player and all four very good. ITV hub and five I don't bother with.

Shandy57 taken a leaf out of your book and are going try selling some clothes , old cameras and my husband's old train set on e bay. My daughter is going to do it for me when it is free listings. Only ever brought new things off ebay.

Have a good day everyone.

I empathise with you GrandmaMoira, it is a distressing experience defending your property. My sales progressor whom I have not met, really got my back up when she tried to justify my buyer's very low offer. It seems the buyer had sent her a short precis of the 17 'red traffic light' 'emergency' repairs, and I didn't like her tone when she quoted from the list - 'the beetles', 'very old boiler', finding a joiner to 'salvage the loft' etc. As I had my own survey before going on the market I was sure I did not have woodworm here, and was glad the damp/timber specialist report confirmed this. Just ugly 'negotiating' tools to chip my price down to rock bottom. I hate the whole procedure.

Mythbirtththedragon I am sorry your DP's family are going through this. I let the council know my daughter was home for six months, and got a £700 bill, payable in two chunks. They also asked me where she was going, so she's now going to be tracked.

Craftyone that is a fantastic article. I do feel guilty I leave my low energy bulb landing night on if I need the bathroom in the night, but I'm at the very end of the house, it's a long way.

I'm glad to read you had an enjoyable Saturday night, I still feel guilty leaving my dog alone so do avoid going out at night.

Morning Whiff we crossed posts. I do recommend always sending ebay goods by signed for - it is more expensive, but there is a new 'scam' where people pretend not have received them by normal post. They complain to ebay, and ebay refund them without investigating. I was caught once by someone saying the Portmeirion ladle I'd sent was broken - I refunded them without a photo, or asking for it back.

Franbern I'm spending far too much on utilities and phone. I must have a serious think. Thanks for your spending breakdown We are probably not charging our tenants enough either. They pay us £100 pm for gas, elec and council tax. I drew the line at free wifi and made them get their own.

We leave lights on too much but they are the very low energy type and if they stop us falling down stairs it's money well spent!

I wish you had a much more satisfactory buyer, Shandy but at least your house will sell and you can move on with your life. It's hard at first for our DC when they realise the family home is only memories but by now they are grown up and entering a new stage .

Morning Whiff, can I ask whether the M &S at Clarkes Village is old stock or do they have current lines too?
I'm keen to check out Barbour too. How my wardrobe is changing from London workwear!
Shandy what boots do you wear for dog walking on the beach and in the mud? I can't seem to get my fat calves into normal wellies.

Yes, I also have a Samsung Smart Tv. Purchased last year ready for my move to a flat, replacing a wonderful,but incredibly heavy (very unsmart) old, pre-digital Toshiba TV. This gave a wonderful picture and sound quality - and was played using my Humax as its set top box. But, it was so very heavy - came with its own stand. Felt quite tearful when it went away......
The only 'smart' bit of the new tv I use (occasionally) is the Catch-up. Always have so much recorded on my Humax - never seem to catch up - still have the whole of the last series of Poldark on there waiting for me to watch them!!!
Grammaretto - one hundred pounds a month!!!! Wow! Bet your tenants never want to leave. Surely, Council Tax must be at least (if not more than) that? And, then leccie and gas and water also - they have a real bargain. Think you need to check the costs of all of these.
Have spent much of this morning cleaning insides of my windows using my lovely Karstein window cleaner. It is annoying these days, as I have to sit down to relax after I do each window - so a job which should take me half an hour to do the whole lot is actually needing to be spread out of a few days. But, never mind - they do look lovely and gleaming as I finish each one.
Been trying to telephone both my twin daughters this morning - both land lines are engaged.....bet they are gossiping to each other.
Shandy -do think that your EA should be chasing up your purchaser for his replies re. the woodwork report you sent. Do lean on the EA to do their job more efficiently.

Craftyone
We lived off grid for 20 years ( including water).
All our power was generated by wind turbines (2) and solar panels. We had inline converter for when I used the Hoover/iron/microwave etc.
We left that life in 1998 but still live by being very aware of electricity and water usage.
Living on the east coast there were often times in the winter when we were generating so much through the wind turbines we had to 'run off' electricity to stop the batteries boiling.
In the big storm of 87 our whole village had no electricity for some time, we stood out like a lighthouse ?
When we are in Spain with the motohome we still live by solar panels alone.

I loved all your posts, than you for the chat, very interesting, particularly how trusts can complicate matters when solicitors are involved as trustees

I am just back from a marvellous 2 hours at clarkes village, I treated myself to several half price books and the stretching bands, all from the works. I also stocked up on birthday cards, very nice and at least a £1 cheaper than locally. I looked around tefal, barbour, sports direct and yankee candles and I wondrered around the enclosed pavillion

I don`t like the MnS outlet there, quality is not so good and they are not genuine sales items but it is ok if needing something in a hurry. I may well go to Taunton next week on the bus, need to return a top to bon marche and will look at lakeland and tk max and maybe MnS if I am killing time between buses

Marylstreep, it took me quite a while to realise that I could use electricity anytime and not just on sunny says . When very young with 2 small children, around 1976, there was a terrible drought and our hilltop water tank ran dry, was so hard to manage but I collected drips off the hill into a bucket. I never abuse water from the tap, its ingrained.

I should say the arrangement for our tenants, who actually share the house is that the flat is within the house so they included in our council tax and we charge a proportion of our own bills for the gas and elec because we don't have a separate meter.
Still we should put up the rent because the CT has gone up.
Now DD is looking for a place we are realising how expensive it is to rent.

You are correct though, Franbern, they aren't in a hurry to leave and infact she's expecting a baby and still doesn't want to leave. whereas I feel the wee flat is really a granny flat for a single person or couple at most.
We like them and they pay their rent promptly.

Muck Boots are great for warmth, grip and waterproofness.
www.muckbootcompany.co.uk/collections/sale

If anyone here is with Hastings for their car insurance, they do offer multi car insurance if you phone them.

Apparently their system cannot offer it on line. After being quoted £800 for my daughter's car insurance because I was unable to use my NCB on this second car, I've just added her as a named driver for £141.00 until May when I'm due for renewal. As the car is small, I'll be able to drive it round the back of the cottage easily, no need for a wheelbarrow now

I hadn't realised you'd all posted such interesting news when I posted, so self involved today .

I've just had a text from my husband's friend, he's got our 1820 clock up and running, and is delighted, he said he's going to look after it for the next fifty years My husband would be pleased I've made his friend so happy.

Ellianne, I recommend the Toggi or Dubarry boots. Very ugly, but easy to get on and off. They are warm, completely waterproof, good grippy sole, I've worn them in mud/snow/rain and sea water. I had my last pair for five years, so worth the money. They were just wearing out when my husband died and I was taking my daughter to NY the following winter, so I researched 'all round' boots I could wear and ended up with the Sorel Tofino. I wear them all day, really warm and comfortable. The only wellies I'd recommend are Aigle, really warm and comfortable, but I find them too heavy.

I know what you mean about your tv Franbern. I have a huge silver dinosaur, also attached to its stand, which won't be coming with me. Apparently my daughter's boyfriends' parents have a smart tv, and they have Neflix on their remote! Can't wait for a tv I can watch Netflix on.

Grammaretto, I've already had to sign up for £50 per month electricity at the rental, plus £20 house insurance. I will be more careful with electricity, I do wonder if the zeal with which energy companies are promoting smart meters is because of a fear of shortages in the future.
It is different for me though as I am renting the whole house. Having nice tenants is worth its weight in gold, I am on the forum on moneysavingexpert and people there are having horrible problems with tenants. One person found the tenant had repapered a wall, in different paper to the rest!

Central heating has just come on, the noises scare me, I hope the pipes last till I've gone!

Thanks crafty for answering the questions. I think I called you Whiff by mistake, sorry!
Taunton is nice. My dil bought her beautiful wedding dress there down a quaint alley.