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

Kirsty and Phil ring a bell?!

Well I didn't realise these agents still existed. I can see the point and it may be very useful to have someone as a go between especially when your DH is recovering and you could do with some support and less anxiety.

An agent working for you can save you money when buying, according to:

www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-1693375/Could-a-buying-agent-save-you-money.html

I think another reason my in-laws stopped it was that they were getting a bit old for such a tough business. They probably did it for about 5 years after retirement.

It's not my idea of fun - and if you are selling - watch out!

Grammaretto, we have similar businesses here in Australia. They are called Buyers Advocates or Buyers Agents. One can have these people, who are licensed Real Estate Agents, source properties for you to look at - usually 3. They will negotiate on your behalf and arrange for any inspections required. Here that is usually a Building Inspection and a Pest Inspection. They will also bid on your behalf if the place you wish to buy is sold at auction. A buyer may choose to engage these people for all or some of the above. This does remove the emotion for buyers, particularly at auctions where there is a lot of pressure to continue bidding after one reaches their limit. We are thinking of using one in our search.

Years ago, before the internet took over, my in-laws ran a small business finding houses for people who were unable to view (often because they were returning from living abroad). They sent questionnaires and drove around the country visiting and reporting. I'm sure they did a good job and matched people to their requirements. But, like when dating , people are contrary beings and 9 times out of 10 the buyers didn't want what it seemed they had asked for!

As you can imagine, the business didn't pay enough but they enjoyed it and it took them to places they would never have been. However, as you can't choose a partner for someone neither can you pick a house though you can advise them against.

I just heard that house prices are surging. Shandy in 35 days you will be a real cash buyer, you need to be looking and viewing and maybe expressing an interest or making an offer. The last thing you need now is to have this cash and for houses to start rising in front of your eyes. It is time to look, seriously, if you find a house then you need to stake your claim asap

I am remembering to keep up with finances ie future finances as well as present. 10 months since moving and I do believe that the money drain has just stopped. I came to rely very heavily on m/s money and it will only work on old windows so I saved my old laptop with windows 7, disconnected from the internet. I do need the reality check from time to time, it is very grounding and I just did the transfers of bills and deposits to the end of april

I have had 4 large expenses ie window dressings, fitted wardrobes, top quality white good and the garden and patio. All for my comfort, benefit and enjoyment.

To my surprise I will be able to save from my pension, at least to the end of april, when I need to check again. I will be able to replenish my halifax savings account, which feeds my current account, which settles my cc every month. I never expected that, was a nice surprise. The only outlays are the utilities, house insurance, housekeeping and entertainment. I think I will start to withdraw some cash again, nice to keep a small stash to help my executor if needed

I was speaking to a neighbour about my steadfast car, he said that now it is 5 years old it has stopped most of its depreciation and is cheap to run. It made sense and I have decided to run it as long as I can. It is very comfy, a good reliable workhorse with a nice high seat position and only done 29k

Craftyone I'll wait and see like you advise. Those rubber stepping stones sound idea for my front garden . In between the raised beds it's loose stones. Rectangular ones would be idea as I would probably fall off the round ones.

Planning a garden is such fun, important to take account of the aspect, the soil and for eglantine, slopes and to go with the flow, Whiff can you work out how much sun that damp area gets? You won`t know yet but maybe that damp area dries out in high summer and gets baked like hard concrete. I would live through a whole hot summer with it as it is and then decide. Slopes eglantine makes me think of small retainers or plants that tumble down slopes or a mix of heathers/rocks/prostrate conifers. It is quite easy to dig out flat areas for steps going down. I keep using non-slip rubber stepping stones and they have rectangular ones

I have such an aching shoulder, what`s new, I get carried away lifting and doing and then suffer, take 2 ibrufen and then paracetamol before bed. Will be ok tomorrow, got some hours of carving

Jane it won`t need reinforcing, it just needs 2 legs at the front. Ellianne good to know about the elastics, I love that chair, feet up, baby sunshade up behind me and a nice cold drink while I read. Who needs holidays? I love my house and my bed

The old me would never have wanted one as I was 19st + but losing over 7st this new me knows they will take my weight. But to be on the safe side that's why I will be having one with legs. My bungalow has concrete floors throughout and when my son fixed my wall units to the walls he had to use a big drill . He commented he had never drilled such hard walls.

I should also say that, in my case, the wall would have to be reinforced to take my weight on a wall mounted shower seat!!

Franbern that was a lovely surprise for you.

Jane10 should have said wall mounted fold up chair. Screwfix have some which would fit the bill. I won't need it all the time but when my balance is off at the moment I can't get in the shower. At the moment I have to step up 6" to get onto the tray. The previous owner was disabled and had a free standing stool. It was a nuisance took up to much space. Thank you for thinking about me.

I use a free standing shower chair = much prefer that. Every time I have been anywhere with the wall attached ones ( even nursing homes, etc.) they always look grubby -probably are clean, but they do not look nice. Mine is a stool, but they also come up with backs and arms, stays in situ most of the time, but can be easily folded and lifted out.
Dottygran, thanks for the information - yes, that was it HIPS. Never really worked well.
The couple who came to visit on Monday have sent me a lovely bouquet of flowers to say Thank You. I let them known it had arrived safely saying that I should be thanking them for coming over. People are so nice.

Whiff does the shower chair have to be wall mounted? When I was looking at them I came across some good lightweight shower chairs and stools. These were just free standing seats that could be lifted out for cleaning or if someone else needed the shower as they took up less space than a folded up wall mounted one. etc. They had a more flexible potential usage I felt.

Shower room all sorted. Just need to source a wall mounted shower chair as the one they had was not suitable. Screwfix do different ones so will get it from there. Had a hefty discount because I can have the stuff this month and store in the garage ready for the end of March. Going to see about the internal doors on Friday after my echo as the place for them is near to the hospital.

When I was waiting for my daughter to come for me got talking to my neighbor who is 2 doors up. Found who my new neighbour will be. My neighbour who died one of her daughter's is going to be living there. She is very nice.

Hope your foot isn't to painful Shandy57. Try and keep it warm as that should easy the pain a bit. Good move about the survey. If people want on its up to them to get it.

Craftyone you put me to shame with your DIY skills and gardening. Loved the list of your plants. Parts of my garden have water lying on it when it has rained heavy. It does drain away ok do you know which plants would be able to tolerate that. Have artificial grass. My son is going to dig a trench round it and put layer of stones in to try and improve the drainage.

Franbern sounds like you are having a wonderful time. You will need a rest when they go home.

Oh and Fran, I thought for a minute you were recommending WD40 for poor Shandy's toe lol - teach me to try to read without my glasses on!

Fran, it was the Home Information Pack - lasted about 2 years I think - came in around 2007 if memory serves me right

Some years back was there not a new law that came in that the sellers of property had to get together a special pack, which included survey, etc. etc. Can't remember what it was called now. This scheme lasted just a couple of years (sounds similar to what Scotland now has). Obviously, as sellers were having to pay to have this pack, they passed on the cost via their selling price. Never worked properly and it was done away with.

Shandy -WD40 for that sticking lock.

Good idea not to release your survey Shandy. It's up to prospective buyers to do their homework and some even go to the auction to bid never having viewed the property. Hope your foot is better. My mother smashed a China plate while wiping up and it cut through her leather shoe into her foot. The shoe was full of blood and the wound took a while to heal.
Craftyone that garden sounds lovely. I love lafuma recliner chairs too, they are so light to set up and the mesh is soft and comfortable. We have four, in red, orange, green and yellow. Did you know you can buy new elastics for the sides when they sag?

I don’t suppose there’s any way to post a plan of your garden, is there craftyone. I’ve got a very similar size in my new home but with the added complication of a slope down to the left hand corner and the bad decisions made by previous owners!

I’d love to see how you’ve managed all that. No lawn?

Lovely to read all your news and especially your garden list craftyone, you have been so busy. Made me think of summer, a welcome thought.

I've just come back to the station to get some melolin pads and I couldn't believe it, the chubb on the front door stuck. Initially I panicked, but persevered, and it finally opened. I've taken the chubb key off the viewing agents ring, I can't risk it. Why it's decided to do this now I don't know, what a pain.

I've written to the auction office and said I do not have a survey for the legal pack. I think the Scottish system is better Niobe, it's like buying a car without an MOT isn't it.

Have a good day, I'm going to try and drive and hobble down to the beach with my dog and feed the seagulls. I don't normally wish my life away but can't wait for the pain to subside, have stocked up on paracetomol now.

Re surveys- in Scotland it is the seller who gets , and pays for, the survey and home report which includes a valuation. This is then available to all interested parties via the EA. If a buyer wants to have a more detailed report then they can pay for it. Less business for the surveyors but less costly for buyers.

all in a new build garden roughly 12 x 10 m which includes the very big patio plus a bit of soil down the side roughly 2.5 x 12m. It can be done, you can get a lot in provided you build upwards and use every bit of space. Trouble with a new build garden is the hidden builders rubbish and the poor soil which has lost all its structure, it takes endless bags to replenish that and endless delving to dig out the rocks but I have seen the worms appear from no-where.

I know the posts are wordy but if they can help anyone, any gardener, looking for a house and worrying about a new build small garden, if their hobby is gardening. Just letting them know that it is a different challenge but very satisfying. The main thing to remember is orientation, it has to have decent but not roasting sun

Shandy, you poor thing, If you contact the Red Cross they may be able to loan to you a 'cage' to go in your bed,under the duvet and over your foot. If this is not possible, then use one of your boxes - cut out one side so your feet can go into it, but it keeps the duvet off them. And, this could be a good time to take some analgesia at night.
Re The survey - firstly, if you paid for it it is Yours - noting to do with the company or person who carried it out. You can do with it as you wish, so do not need to contact that surveyor - nothing now to do with them. However, as has been said, it is usual practice for purchasers to commission their own survey - not for you to provide it.
Appears good that you are getting some pre-auction interest - I understand that it is recommended that would-be purchasers at auction should see the property they are interested in, Some, extremely low priced properties, may be purchased 'sight unseen' , but not something like yours. I think any sensible and realistic purchaser will understand that the price means that there is work that is required to be carried out at this property. Because they are coming to view does not mean they are going to offer prior to auction. If they do, you can - in you mind - set a different (higher) reserve price for them to meet. I assume that if you DO sell prior to auction you would still need to pay the Auction company fees.
I did have a wonderful day yesterday and my daughter was delighted with my flat. I treated us all (those three plus my daughter from WsM and two of her children) to lunch out. Showed off a very windy and cold WsM and then we took the children to 'Clip And Climb', whilst we adults sat and had hot chocolate, etc. Then back to the flat and despite having no full sized oven I was able to make four adults and three children a good sit-down supper. Had planned well in advance for this.
Today, I have some local things to do and tomorrow we are all meeting up at Longleat for a day out.
Having a wonderful half-term - had an excellent day on Monday being visited by some long-standing friends who moved down this way several years back.
So good to hear from several other posters letting us have their stories' of moves. Am thinking that all the posts on this subject here could be brought together and published as a book. It would be the best insight into moving both in the UK and in other countries there is. Craftyone, think you should look into this,.
To the poster who complained about Estate Agents, I can only reiterate how wonderful the lady who was in charge of selling my house was. She worked at a branch of the largest EA in the area - and I really cannot fault her at all. She did virtually all the viewings for me. Even gave me a lift one time to collect my car from its service. She actually came in person to tell me when a sale fell through almost at the last moment, and persuaded me to leave the house on the market then and found a new purchaser within four days.
In the final horrible week of contract exchange, she spent nearly two full working days chasing up the other two people in the chain. It was she who phoned whilst I was driving down to Weston that the money on my house had gone through and then again, a further phone call to say the flat was now completed and keys could be picked up. This phone call, nearly three hours prior to a similar one from my Solicitors!!!