Owning your own home

I don't know. We got a good price on our place because the sellers really wanted to exit as they'd already found a new place. I had all the cash and could quite happily sit around London in a rental for another x months waiting for another place to appear. If you're after specific place in a specific location I imagine this is substantially harder, but no fucks given if you're into a London flat.

At the end of the day it's still your money. Let them find another buyer.

First time buying is the worst. There's no one on your side

Yes, but once it's vaguely established you have control of the entire chain since it's your money that everyone needs to pass up. We had a five house chain completely bossed around by the idiot buying a two bedroom flat at the bottom of it, I think he was able to gouge quite a bit out of his seller for repairs as a result.

My two cents on the roof, a few slipped tiles are fine to swallow the price of, but a whole roof will be ten of thousands and massive hassle / risk of price escalation. The surveyor for the next buyer that looks up there is going to find the same issue and the estate agent knows exactly what's needed in the situation (negotiation on the price).

I'd hasten the prospect of him loosing his fee by looking elsewhere, or (slightly less ethically) revisit the question once a chain is established and others have paid money for their surveys etc.