Owning your own home

It's an "architectural masterpiece" !!

a tactic to attempt to make it go viral

do you think the oddly-proportioned males in someone else's suits also apply here?

It does have a bum gun though

its high end ... for Leeds

Not sure that’s true https://valuationoffice.blog.gov.uk/2023/07/13/how-home-improvements-affect-your-council-tax-band/

This means, legally, we cannot change the Council Tax band of a property that has been improved until it is sold, or there is a general revaluation of all domestic properties

Who to believe? Martin Lewis or the government…

I can't watch that show, he talks in riddles and it makes my head hurt.

I think it looks fine and I'd love a place that big. Albeit inside the M25.

Plus the bathrooms remind me of Velocio's kitchen that everyone jizzed themselves over.

Haha, fair enough. I’ve never watched the show, just know the website can be useful from time to time.

Why does he want his Council Tax to increase?

So it turns out the 6.5k our buyer wanted off was mostly just a list of routine maintenance expenditures that the survey flagged. You'll be disappointed to know that I conceded 1.5k for 'damp treatment'. Taking some solace in the fact that the damp patch on our living room wall is actually a symptom of a retro-fitted concrete floor that will take way more than that to sort out properly, and the wall has already been tanked so it'll be a bastard to do again.

His won’t, he’s one of the majority paying more than us. He does get a single person allowance or OAP dispensation I think but he’s skint and every little helps. I could just lie and say we’re paying the same but it’s online for all to see. Not that he has the interweb or computerz.

the chances of anyone getting a downward revision seem small to nil.

Not sure about domestic but I submitted a case to the VOA for our commercial unit with success

I had all this when I was selling. Under offer September 2021, buyers survey done in the first week of December 2021, end of jan 2022 the cunt announces he want 10k off to replace the gutters and windows and a load of other random stuff.

All the gutters were new in 2014, the windows were from 2006 so old but still fine, and the other random stuff was routine maintenance.

It still grinds my gears thinking about it because it was incredibly stressful and I was absolutely raging about it.

My brother in law owns the house behind the one I sold and the bloke that purchased mine has done absolutely nothing with it in 2 years since buying it despite him saying the works required were urgent. Fucking cunt.

Yeah, there are plenty of people out there like that, that can't resist a dig. My hope is that the agents weed out the obvious chancers and piss takers when the bids come in.

A friend was repeatedly fucked around like this when selling his parents old house.

Luckily he was in no rush so he took great glee in saying "No, fuck off, you're not having 10k off for that random shit, stop fucking around otherwise I'll ask you for 1k more each time you annoy me."

Very much a "We're a lighthouse, your call" kinda move.

I get it.

I think I'd be tempted to tell a little white lie, and say you're paying the same. I certainly wouldn't be doing anything to voluntarily increase my outgoings.

Annoying thing is there was a slightly higher bid but in a chain that we didn't go with. Should have known to avoid the first time buyer.

Are first time buyers considered a hassle?

I've always thought they'd be better to have because of the lack of chain, but I've heard from a number of places recently that they've a bit more nervous to deal with, needing more surveys, questions and more viewings etc

More nervous, poor managing of the process, more eager to overbid then row back. Worst of all their finance is rarely nailed in and deposits are smaller so banks are much tighter with valuations. If you want to borrow against 40% of a property the bank doesn't care if you overpayment by 10% as the risk is all on you. If you fuck up they still win. On 90-100% mortgages there's more risk on the banks.

I'm going to be contrary and say that they're probably asking what is reasonable, it's just everyone else has become ridiculously numb to the process.

Imagine spending whatever it is you spend on a home that basically ties up all your money costs a fuck load to sell on, and only looking at it once!

It's fucking batshit.

But yet somehow it's an unreasonable request.

I think it depends on your situation. If you need to sell quickly, reducing the risk of chains etc then 1st timers are good.

Counter argument.

If the survey doesnt throw up anything major, I don't think you should renegotiate based on standard home maintenance needs. If you want perfect, buy a new build and enjoy running through snagging.

Question, do people negotiate on new builds or just accept the asking price?

New builds in Berlin you're probably in a position to negotiate right now. If I had the money for one of the projects I kinda like I'd definitely try 10% off.
Stuff that would have been sold before building started 2/3 years ago is now unsold when almost completed. Prices for new stuff here are still insane while old stuff has calmed down and you even see price reductions on things online.