Help calm me. House buying and selling stress

Yogi, have you had a play with the window handles? Just a teeny bit open and the handle should still lock down

Thanks for advise on window locks, did think to look on Amazon for a locking arm or something Mary Will try that Karmalady

All the windows in these flats are very big. Wonderful, lots of natural light All have those little locking handles, so that they can be opened a little, but impossible from anyone outside, to open them any further. Mind, you as I am n the first floor, I am quite happy at leaving them open much wider during the summer months.

From my Living Room, I sit and look out over the tops of the some of the cherry blossom trees that line all the main roads in Weston super Mare. We have our own Blossom time during the summer when everywhere is alive with this white and pink blossom. People still moan about it as when the blossom falls it goes onto parked cars and pavements. But , I love it.
At present all those trees are totally devoid of anything, soon the first buds of their leaves will appear and then I know that winter is well and truly behind us. On my balcony lovely bright yellow daffs. are giving me first feelings of the coming year, Spring is on its way again. Hurrah!!!!

I love cherry blossom so much, truly showing the end of winter and the uplift of spring

Today I have been shopping locally again, I loved the walk to the end of of this market town. I walked with my eyes open and saw the old red roofs and slightly bowed stone walls and little leaded windows. A few houses are large but all were terraced, mixed with small narrow houses, some of the big ones nearer town are obviously apartments with lovely gardens, pretty perfect for an older person, just a hop into town and to the bus. Everyone smiled and said good morning. I am thinking that I may well stay here forever.

The church bell rang on the half hour and the town only started coming awake at 10. We have two bakeries, one is very upmarket and one is normal but both are real. I passed the upmarket one, full of beautiful products and smells and a constant small queue as people come for their weekend treat.

I bought easter chocolate for the grandchildren and some truffles for my dd`s birthday. All made in the chcolate shop, in plain sight. Then cards, such lovely cards from the shop selling stationery. Past the antiques shop, emanating that musty old smell and what a treasure trove and aladdins cave to explore

I did not divert to the shops behind, not today but I went to the wholefood shop and got some molasses, organic eggs and vegan mozarella, so I can make vegan pizza for visitors next weekend. Homeward bound after that, past the butchers selling old fashioned cuts and products, past the flower shop, vet, opticians, dentist and hardware shop.

I know I am waxing lyrical but am still pinching myself, that I found this special little town. It could have gone so pear shaped, no-one to help and advise me, or settle me in

I love cherry blossom too, no cherry trees here but do have apple tree blossom to look forward to.

What a lovely morning karmalady, and I'm glad you feel happy there.

It could have gone pear shaped as we are alone. I was worried I might have to move when I met the man who is breeding dogs, I do not believe he is registered, and he is definitely odd. As you know I had to have my elderly dog neutered because of his ignorance in walking the dogs at busy times in full season every day. I now know his 'times' and manage to avoid seeing him.

I'm just back from a dog walk and had to ring my aunt, it seems new regulations are coming in for 'prepaid' funeral plan companies over the summer. She was very upset and didn't even have the name of her company as it's all with her solicitor, luckily I've got it all here.

I've just checked in for my flight, it makes such a difference having something to look forward to!

After over two years of looking my son has finally exchanged contracts on a bungalow and gets the keys next Friday, I am over the moon for him. The only thing is he didn’t get a survey but……… we’ll have to see..??

Congrtulations to him Shinamae, I hope he is very happy in his new home.

Shandy57

Congrtulations to him Shinamae, I hope he is very happy in his new home.

????

Ahhh, that is lovely shinamae

Shandy, I completely agree about having something nice to look forward to. Its been a long two years. Your poor aunt shandy, lucky she has you. Affairs have become so much more complicated these days.

I have finally decided to knuckle down and to make a new book of my details, banks, savings, passwords etc. I have been putting this off for so long and my old book is scrappy and very full and messy, after all it took me through moving and accompanying scribbles. I did not want to buy a book and have rescued a dingbats A4 book with squares, I think I bought it for some scrappbooking. I neatly tore out the two pages that I had started and now have a pristine book.

I made a start this morning, nat insurance number, router password, nhs number. Well it is a start and is on the dining table. I will only be using a nicely sharpened pencil in case of rubbings out. I am glad it happens to be A4 with squares, my writing is not neat, particularly in A5 that I used to balance on my knee.

Today, I am making a sourdough loaf in my breadmaker and at long last hopefully gathered enough oomph to go on my bike and stay mobile. I see even the queen has become doddery, really scary, the possible outcome if not doing enough exercise to keep strong

Karmalady I use an old style telephone number index book. In this I keep ALL my passwords and user names for the different on-line sites I have joined. Amazing how many there are. This book goes back several years, and is extremely useful. I would suggest entries in PEN not pencil, as that does fade quite quickly.

I also have a handbag diary, which goes everywhere with me. One page of this lists important personal numbers, such as Passport, driving licence, Railcard, Bus Pass, Birth Cert. NI No. NHS No., Hospital No., etc. etc. Another Page shows ALL medication I am currently taking.. and a further page lists by date, all my monthly direct debit payments.

AgeUK, do a very useful, free booklet in which can be listed all sorts of personal information and wishes. If someone is taken seriously ill, or has a serious accident or dies, this book gives information for those sorting things out,

I know a lot of people like to keep some cash at home for all sorts of reasons. Could I suggest that at least one other person should know where this is. Back in 1991, when I was clearing out my Dad's flat following his death, I discovered a brown envelope with one hundred pounds (quite a tidy sum back then), in amongst the items in his dirty washing basket. Fund quite by chance as I decided to sort out what was in there to know what to chuck away and what to wash for charity shops.

I have a totally free day today, but a very busy week ahead of me. So am using the spare time to sort out my Passenger Assistance for my day trip to London in a couple of weeks time. One of my daughters will be 50 years old later this year, so have ordered for her a 1972 coin necklace. That was the year of decimilisation, so those coins seem harder to get that most years. Seems incredible to me, that by the end of this year three of my children will have passed their half-century - and I was 28 years old before I had my first baby.

Shandy When are you getting your flight? Is it to Ireland to see your daughter?

Shimamae Best wishes and congratulations to your son, don't worry about lack of survey. The one and only time I had this carried out on a house I bought, it was not worth the paper it was written on. The things they commented on needing doing were very apparent to me, and things that I wanted to know were all disclaimed.

I am on my way with with my new book. I already have what I call a `dying tidy` setup in a small case, will, poa, pension details etc and AC know where this is, having done all the paperwork after my husband died, I resolved to make it as easy as possible for my children.

This book is for my own reference and by golly what a difference A4 with small squares makes. I have taken my time and even I can read my writing. So what I am concerned about now is the low savings rates compared to inflation. 0.5 on my savings accounts and my best one is shawbrook at 0.72, I have dealt with shawbrook in the past and they were good

In a way it is quite a stomach-blow, saving so hard all these years and very quickly eroding. Fixed income does that, no more opportunity to ever add to savings by extra work. Savings 0.5 compared to inflation of 5%. Going down 10 x faster, yikes

That, quite honestly, makes me very glad that I have bought so much during the past three years, instead of waiting and never being able to catch up. Talk is that we can expect inflation of 8%. I used to trade shares inside the pension, 3 flashing screens, went on courses etc and was quite good. However there comes a day when shares are too risky and they all went after my husband died. Now in ultra safe and boring gilts

No looking backwards for me, it is about how to manage income moving forwards. I remember one lovely lady on mse, many years ago, her and her elderly husband. She proudly managed to save a bit every month and came the day when her husband needed a walk-in shower after hip operations, her savings came to the fore and she had that disabled shower. She has always been an inspiration

I look in my book and clearly see the dates on which I have transferred money to my three AC, all well used and not wasted. I did 3 x £1000 recently, to help them a bit with mortgage, energy or maintenance. That is clearly my last transfer. I see the queen at 96 and her fraility, with all that help too, it seems pretty well inevitable that care must be a consideration heading towards the 10th generation. Paid care in the home at best and choice costs

Definitely a wake up call this morning

oops, I did mean 10th decade

Morning everyone on this thread which I have followed since it started so feel as if I "know" you all!

Just thought I had better advise that decimalisation in UK was 15 February 1971 - not 1972 Franbern. I knew it was that year as my DS was born on 16 March 1971 so was an early decimal baby!

Sorry you have had such a hectic and unsettling start to life in your new home Shandy . Better times ahead for you hopefully.

karmalady you sound to be really well organised and I have borrowed lots of your tips so thank you! Also for starting this thread which has been so useful and informative to so many.

I will continue to follow the life stories on here - better than the news at present for sure!

Morning all, overcast and windy again here.

Lovely to read all your news, especially Shinamae's son exchanging. Enjoy your trip Franbern - no trains for me this time, taxi and flight on Sunday 10 April.

I don't know how I feel about surveys now, I definitely wouldn't have known about the 'cavity ties' being rusty and affecting the brickwork without it. I do wish I'd asked for a damp/timber inspection, but do wonder if it might have been refused.

Have a good day everyone

Gagagran thanks for your correction on year we went decimal in money. These coin jewellery before that date are so lovely, old threepenny bits, tanners, shillings - but not so interesting with post decimal money,

Like Karmalady I keep a careful monthly account. 'Micawber' like, provided I actually spend slightly less than I get in each month I am quite happy. I have gone well into savings for my new kitchen, but do hope, slowly - over the next couple of years, to repay most of that back.

Ahhh gagagran, thank you so much, I often think I talk too much but glad that some of it is helpful.

It was quite mentally tiring to make that start on my new accounts book this morning but as I said, this time I have allowed plenty of white space on the page and it looks much easier to navigate. I also logged on to each site and put down the interest rate and balance, with todays date

I have done my bank accounts, savings accounts, one set of fixed rate bonds coming to a close in two weeks, one set of two inflation proofed nsi bonds, I had one from my husband when he died and my premium bonds. I am trying to reduce to as few accounts as possible, as is my sister but I am going to keep an eye on savings as sometimes they fall back to something like 0.1%

I still have much more to write down in that book but can only take so much of being neat and methodical

I very much need to get myself out and exercising, starting to feel like mr blobby. It was too windy today, maybe tomorrow, trouble is that every route around here has at least one hill to dread

Stove is on now, to save a bit of gas and tbh to use up some fuel as I am refining my fuels for the future. Criteria has been, stove cleaning, ash, consistency of heat, type of heat and of course cost. Multi fuel stove and I will be aiming for just smokeless ovals in future, they are anthracite. Heat is steady, glass is clean, minimal ash and they stay lit for a long time. Kiln dried logs were far too hot on the tar-free burn, so I have cleaned my super duper log basket on castors, dd is delighted to be having it. Yes, buying it was another moving-in mistake

Well now, I read about increased cyber attacks by russia, also potential of cut undersea data cables. Son in banking IT, told me a few times that big companies have had major cyber attacks but they are hidden so as not to cause panic. I know nothing specific of course, just putting two and two together and am now a storer of enough cash, in case shops are not able to connect their card machines

Shandy I was thinking about you and all that oil you had to use in the other house, would have been a nightmare

I used bio D washing up liquid for very many years but during turmoil in the past few years, moving etc, I just grabbed fairy liquid and it became a habit for a few years. Thankfully I am turning back to bio D and the cheapest way is via 5litre containers into refillable sprays. I am one of those who always aims for free p and p so have stocked up as it was also 20% off. This morning I was `arghh where do I store this lot?`

Up early as always, stove done and ready for the next hot burn, probably tomorrow evening as it looks cooler. Then outside to shift some stuff inside a keter store-it-out shed. Always bone dry in there but a haven for large spiders. It was quick to do, I had already installed a shelving unit in there. It enabled me to clear 2 shelves on a corner stand in my garage and that is where my bio D will go. Phew, big sigh of relief and much better than waiting until the box of goodies arrives

Gas smart meter is being installed on thursday, I am thinking ahead, ridiculous having to kneel on the soil to read the meter. They have worked on a fix and electric can now be read by octopus. When I first came, british gas had done the installations and it could not be read by any other company. Fingers crossed that gas can be sorted either by update or by a new S2 meter or an S2 trilliant hub

Break is over, outside again and will move all pots including potting pots into my new empty keter box and I have made a cage for brassicas, so will put that into position too. Tbh it is about keeping on top of jobs and eventually being happy about what is where

My daughter said tell gransnet Mum, they'll give you advice, so here I am.
Our buyer wants me to let builders in to assess work that needs doing according to results of her survey. We know work needs doing and accepted her reduced offer because of this (she mentioned it at the time). AIBU to feel stressed and suspicious, my house is old and there is always work to be done. To quote one example from her long list, the boiler may need replacing. It is old but works well. We have not completed yet.

Thanks in advance for replies.

I would let them in, not letting them would likely slow or even prevent the sale. Your buyer will need to know if they can afford the cost of the work and they will want to schedule when to do the work. Try and have someone else in with you, to keep an eye on them.

Nana you said that you have not completed, have you exchanged? in that case the sale price would not be changed so there would not be any worry about that aspect. I hated the poking around, the lack of privacy, the endless questions. Just know that there will be an end

Having been told last Friday, by Solicitors, that the sale on the third flat up for sale was due to be Completed before the end of this month, was saddened when heard on Monday that this sale had fallen through. No idea why. However, has given me the opportunity of giving advance notice of this to a couple in some of my U3A groups who was looking fora flat in our block. They are now going to view on Saturday.

Do wonder why sales fall through so late in the game.....Mind you, I do not feel terribly sorry, as the erstwhile purchasers had already been bombarding our Management Committee with questions, and we had the strong feeling they were likely to be difficult people.
Really lovely flat, cannot see it is being on the market for very long. So glad that I advised the seller (son selling following parents demise), NOT to take out all the furniture as soon as he had accepted an offer - I warned him then that far too often sales go pear shaped and he was best to leave it furnished until much later, IN CASE it had to go back on the market.

Horrible weather day yesterday, it poured with rain all day, although I have a good rain prove cover for me and my scooter, I had three meetings I had hoped to attend, two of them involves leaving the scooter outside, did manage to keep that dry, but I decided not to go to the third as by then I felt really tired and could not face another time trundling around in that rain. Today, lovely blue sky and sunshine!!!

@nana3, I also agree with allowing people to have trades to come in to quote for the buyer, and I'd also watch them. What are they going to look at?

My buyer didn't ask, he just quoted huge sums for works he'd been given by his surveyor, I knew local trades wouldn't charge that much. I hope you have exchanged too. It is still a seller's market, I still look at MSE and people are still offering over asking price. Don't reduce any further, I am sure you were priced to reflect the work that needs to be done.

Sorry you've got to sell again Franbern, good luck.

Nana3 my experience isn't positive I let my second buyer bring her window man in as she wanted to change all the windows. They didn't need replacing. And let her brother come and see the house. He did nothing but criticise my old home. I should have thrown him out. But she said she really wanted the house. The next day she pulled out of the sale. 4 days before we where due to exchange.

As you have accepted a lower price I wouldn't let her builders in until you exchange contracts. As she will either offer a reduced offer or pull out if you let her builder in.

Yes, I agree with Whiff, Once contracts are exchanged, then let the builders in, not before that. The price that they are paying will take into account work that needs carrying out. Their survey will also give them some idea of what must be done.

They do not need to start to get different quotes until such time as they are actually owners of the property. Be polite, but say NO......

When I sold my house, the final buyers, had what must have been a very expensive detailed survey carried out. He was at the house for many hours and checked everything. After I moved they then did not move in for three or four months, but had extensive building work carried out. So, assume that this survey was to ensure that this could be carried out, and they would also have got an idea of the cost of that work.

The flat here, that has come back on to the market so late, actually works out financially a benefit for our Management Company. We do all work for that on a volunteer basis, but do charge Solicitors for work involved in anyone selling/buying. So, we have received the money from the Solicitors from that aborted sale, and will then be, eventually, contacted by whoever are the Solicitors for any new buyer and will charge again, for all the paperwork they require.

My son picks up the keys tomorrow. I am so happy for him.?I will be going with him to read the electric gas and water metres and ring the different companies, I have already sorted the council tax and house insurance. So after utilities it’s just a TV licence and the Internet provider which definitely will not be BT… hope everything goes well for all of you either buying or selling on here…???

I'm not going to let any builders in, it would be too stressful. Thanks Whiff and Franbern.
Thanks also to karmalady and Shandy57.
Best wishes Shinamae.