Owning your own home

They aren't the cheapest or best performing. But they are easy to use.

I like easy to use.
Would you advise a different one?

I can't really. Have a poke about in the investments thread.

Not expecting too much as retail investor is probably the best advice I can give!

Best I take it there.. cheers buddy!

Finally had an offer accepted. Now we can stop stressing about which house and start stressing about all the other shit.

I forgot how to survey - should we get our own surveyor or get the most thorough mortgage valuation survey?

We already know about the new boiler needed and the single glazing, but I guess we should know about the other money holes.

Get your own survey. I wouldn’t worry about the single glazing too much yet, the numbers really don’t seem to add up for replacement unless they’re knackered.

I've found a surveyor recommendation from @abr (whose solicitor recommendation we also used) so we will book in a Building Survey and hope it doesn't reveal a load of stuff that needs doing.

We're kind of worried now about what our own Building Survey on our house is going to throw up that our buyers might try and use. Hopefully nothing essential.

Saw the house today. Unfortunately I really like it. It’s massive, big garden and actually in not as bad nick as I expected.

Would need a rewire and new boiler and wrap around rear extension. And the rest.

but I guess we should know about the other money holes.

For that rather than mortgage purposes get a builder to look over it as surveyors will tell you fuck all and write a survey so there’s no comeback for all the bits they couldn’t be arsed to look into (can you tell I’ve been down this path)

Sounds like a yes, then!

You don't need to do the extension straight away. Sort out plumbing and wiring, move in and enjoy.

The wedding will be a nice break from the building site. Go for it!

What's the protocol if our buyers' survey throws up some work (e.g. roofing, which we've been told will need to be looked at), and they try to knock the price down?

If they did, it could slow down our sale a bit and cause us problems, and they've waited a long time already.

Is it expected that you might allow the price to be negotiated to take into account essential repairs if they were flagged up, or is that completely discretionary?

where's an acceptable place to dispose of an old fibreglass bathtub?

Do the council have a bulky waste collection scheme?

The council website will tell you if they do - they should, and it's normally free or £20. And they will tell you a day when you should leave it in your front yard or out the front of the house and they'll come and get it.

good shout!

a far more attractive option than contemplating trying to load it in the back of the truck and doing a grand tour of south london's premier recycling depots until i found one that would take the fucker.

Smugglers Way in Wandsworth

Found 200 kgs of herbal in Smugglers Way once, strangely appropriate location.

If the survey throws up something that they couldn't have known whilst looking round, it's fair for them to ask for money off- but it's completely discretionary as you say. If you think the current price is fair and don't want to take it down further, it's up to them if they're happy to go ahead knowing about the issues.

Thanks - I feel I owe you a drink for all the help you've given us so far.

We leave it in the front yard and the council bin men will knock on the door and say a price on the black to take it.

They took our whole bathroom suit for £100.

I would absolutely be negotiating the price down in line with repairs to the roof.
You are buying the property expecting the roof to be in good condition. Its not like you can tell when you have a look around then make an offer.
It's very common and would be the same if the boiler needed urgent replacing.
The owner can still tell you to get stuffed but they might not want to risk their sale for a few thousand quid.

EDIT I now see you are selling the property. I would expect some chipping of the price if the roof needs work!

We asked for deductions when we bought, after the survey flagged the roof. Seller said no. We bought anyway. Depends on the market, but totally normal to ask.

There’s quite a big difference between ‘requires urgent repair’ and ‘will need looking at at some point to be 100%’. Especially in an older house.
Assuming you’ve kept up maintenance etc, tell them that, allow £1k ‘goodwill’ and if they press further tell them you’ve lived with it and the house (and price) is what it is.

You are buying the property expecting the roof to be in good condition. Its not like you can tell when you have a look around then make an offer.

Yeah this @tommmmmmm. If it's something that can be spotted when inspecting the property as a punter, then it's a bit off to then negotiate on it later. Stuff that's structural and hidden, absolutely fine to negotiate on it once the survey is in. Sorry!

yeah they're usually pretty accommodating. about the only people down south that do carpets as well.

cheers boss!