Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

My fingers are aching from being crossed for so long.
We had fun and games with our move- the night before completion was due, our buyer rang to say that they hadn't been able to get the last £500 of the mortgage, so unless we dropped the price the move was off. I had been intending to leave a lot of curtains (but carefully did not include them in the contract), so out spite we took them all with us.
On moving day we had an urgent call from our solicitor to say the their solicitor was sitting in his office refusing to hand over the cheque until we deposited a set of keys with the estate agent! So I deposited one set, and dropped all the rest down a drain.

midget wrote:My fingers are aching from being crossed for so long.
We had fun and games with our move- the night before completion was due, our buyer rang to say that they hadn't been able to get the last £500 of the mortgage, so unless we dropped the price the move was off. I had been intending to leave a lot of curtains (but carefully did not include them in the contract), so out spite we took them all with us.
On moving day we had an urgent call from our solicitor to say the their solicitor was sitting in his office refusing to hand over the cheque until we deposited a set of keys with the estate agent! So I deposited one set, and dropped all the rest down a drain.

Maggie, how awful! Is this called gazundering? I just read your post to the current husband (he's drinking strong tea and contemplating "worst case scenarios") and it made him shudder...

Thank you for the crossed fingers! I have a list of useful things to do before we rush to Devon at midday for the Inspection and Approval visit at 11am tomorrow. I wonder if the Choices will be in place? I long to see if they look as nice as I hope. I'd hoped to book Ferdinand into a cat hotel as soon as we knew our moving day, and rang The Cat's Whiskers yesterday, but the proprieter said she's now off to run the New York Marathon! Back to the Yellow Pages.

Clutching a list -

Munch

midget wrote:My fingers are aching from being crossed for so long.
We had fun and games with our move- the night before completion was due, our buyer rang to say that they hadn't been able to get the last £500 of the mortgage, so unless we dropped the price the move was off. I had been intending to leave a lot of curtains (but carefully did not include them in the contract), so out spite we took them all with us.
On moving day we had an urgent call from our solicitor to say the their solicitor was sitting in his office refusing to hand over the cheque until we deposited a set of keys with the estate agent! So I deposited one set, and dropped all the rest down a drain.

It's no consolation but a lot of people play brinkmanship in the hope that the other side will fold. I always feel that if they are really interested in doing a deal, it will happen, with a bit of give and take on both sides.

When in Costa Rica, I worked for an American who was a past master at this.

He saw some property going cheap in Florida, US$100,000 I think, contacted the buyer and came to an agreement on the price.
He then went along to his bank and managed to get a mortgage for $90,000, and flew up to Florida to close the deal.
At the signing of the contracts, he announced that he only had $5,000 and that the seller would have to lend him the balance ($5,000) for the deal to go through.

Shock and horror all around, the deal went through and he sold the property a year later for $120,000, paid everyone off and made some pocket money. He had sufficient resources, but felt certain he could do the deal with minimum input from his part. He was proved correct.

Some nasty people out there, but if you hold your ground, have a good deal and don't panic, it normally works out in the end.

midget wrote:My fingers are aching from being crossed for so long.
We had fun and games with our move- the night before completion was due, our buyer rang to say that they hadn't been able to get the last £500 of the mortgage, so unless we dropped the price the move was off. I had been intending to leave a lot of curtains (but carefully did not include them in the contract), so out spite we took them all with us.
On moving day we had an urgent call from our solicitor to say the their solicitor was sitting in his office refusing to hand over the cheque until we deposited a set of keys with the estate agent! So I deposited one set, and dropped all the rest down a drain.

I wonder why your buyer felt the need to lie about the £500 and the mortgage. They clearly have neither pride nor shame so they could at least have been honest and admitted they had you between a rock and a hard place and were going to take advantage of your inability not to concede to their request. Mind you, as you had presumably exchanged by this time, had they pulled out they would have been liable for the full 10% of the deposit (even if they had only paid 5%) so you could have probably called their bluff. By the way, have you advised your former neighbours what sort of people are entering their community? Perhaps you should although you are probably too nice.

Our neighbours knew all about it. We made sure that the whole world and his wife knew! They only stayed there a couple of years, and then put the house up for sale at nearly double the price. Joe's brother lived just across the road so sent us the ad in the local paper. Virtually new carpets throuhout was the bit we liked best, as bro-in-law said that there had been no evidence of carpet fitters, and some of the carpets had been there for15 years.

We expected to exchage contracts yesterday, but it couldn't happen because of sudden Questions further down the chain.

So - various cancellations of arrangements, vet, cat hotel, DIY removal van -

Goodness, I feel cross and thwarted! Moving day was going to be Wednesday, and now I don't know when it will be!

Did the inspection trip to Devon, and the dolls' house looks fine with all my Choices installed. We went round with the head of all the builders, the site manager and a Head Office lady, who made elaborate notes of any chips or marks or imperfections barely noticed by me, as I admired my new oven, bathroom, dinky little ceiling lights etc.

It's very annoying. Why these Questions at such a late stage in the proceedings? I asked. But solicitors are not allowed to know stuff about clients twice removed down the chain......

Oh well.

Munch

Fingers still crossed- I hope it sorts itself out quickly.

Thanks Maggie! Here we go - another week. In fact, have been waking and worrying all night!

Plans for commencement of moving arrangements today cancelled of course - let's see how today goes.



Munch

I can hardly believe it, but -

We exchanged contracts yesterday at close of play.

Now it really is all systems go with the packing!

Angela Woodford wrote:I can hardly believe it, but -

We exchanged contracts yesterday at close of play.

Now it really is all systems go with the packing!

Fantastic news Munch

Looking forward to hearing all about your new home.

xx

Angela Woodford wrote:I can hardly believe it, but -

We exchanged contracts yesterday at close of play.

Now it really is all systems go with the packing!

I'm glad it's finally happening. Remember to pack the computer last, so you can keep us up to date with what's going on. Have you got a date to move yet?

Hooray! I look forward to welcoming you properly to Devon.

HOORAY

FANTASTIC NEWS!!!
(I thought we had a clapping hands smiley but can't find it now I want it!)

Just for you Katherine.

Well, and Angela, I suppose!