Category: Personal

Well, we didn’t get the house we were after. I wasn’t that surprised but what really got to me was just how much it finally went for. The house had appeared in the GSPC as offers over £110k. This was way below the selling price in the area which is around 180k to 190k but we were warned that it needed re-wiring, a new kitchen and a new boiler/central heating. It valued at 165k but if done up properly, 185k.

I estimated around 20k was needed to carry out the work so put in an offer of 175k. It was sold for 215k. Unreal. Madness. Disappointing. Not only that but we were 6th out of 12 bidders so there were 5 ahead of our bid!

If someone wants to pay that much for a house in that state they are welcome to it, but I can’t help but feel the lawyers selling the house were deliberately stoking the buyers – they put the house on the market at an infeasibly low price and even a couple of days before closing they were stating to my solicitor they expected well over 180k again making bidders push up their bids. I considered going to 185k which wouldn’t have made a difference in the end, but I couldn’t afford to as it would have left me short for the work required on the house.

So its back to the drawing board and the house hunting – this time a little wiser and a lot more cynical.

We’ve put an offer in for a house! Closing date is this Friday at noon but to be honest I don’t think we’ll get it. The house needs a lot of work (re-wiring, new kitchen, new boiler, decor throughout) but it has great potential, its a really good location and its a fantastic size.

The downside is there is a lot of interest in it – 6 surveys including ours have been conducted and others are showing interest. Also its valued at �165k but it was advertised at offers over �110k to try and generate maximum interest and turn it into a bidding war.

If we get it – great. If we don’t then it wasn’t meant to be. But the next day and a half will drag until we know whats happening.

The house we are looking at in Scotstoun is moving to a closing date, probably next week. Boo Hoo. So its down to luck whether we get this house or not. Also means a lot of working out over the next week – how much I can afford, how much is it worth, how much work does the house require. Super Great Smashing.

Well the second viewing has taken place and theres a survey to be carried out at the start of next week. Then its time to make an offer. The bad news is that there’s another person really interested in the house so the price may go above my budget.

My heads mashed with options, what-if’s and if I’m honest….worry. But if we did get the house it would be worth it in the end.

First house viewing last night. It was awful – interior was terrible, every room would need re-decorated, a new kitchen and bathroom was required and the garden was a mess. Even more bizarre – each window had a different lock/handle on it. No thanks. But……..

and there had to be a but. We viewed a house tonight and it was great. Needs a new kitchen but the house has real potential. And thats why I’m scared. Because it’s solicitor and surveyor time (assuming second viewing goes ok) and then its down to who puts in the highest bid. My pants will be cacking it if we get to that stage.

The next two days will see us viewing a couple of houses and me meeting with banks to sort out just how much I can borrow. All very exciting, but also very scary at the same time. It looks like we need to make quick decisions after our viewings on whether to stay interested (i.e. second viewing and ultimately a survey) or move on to other properties.

I can’t believe how fast the market moves. Another house is our street was on the market for only one week before it sold. The tenement next to us – there was a three bed roomed flat sold for �165k in June. Unreal.

The realisation of just how quick the market moves also highlights another problem – we have tons to do before we could move out. I feel so unprepared.