20th February 2012

So today is 100 days to D day. That is the time when Helen has to hand in her notice and by that date we want to have exchanged contracts. Seems such a short time to me but hopefully it will be Ok.

It was quiet over the weekend, we had no viewings on Saturday and the agent is closed on Sundays. We spoke to the agent on Saturday re the viewings on Friday. He said the man who was looking to buy to rent was very interested but he thought he could only afford 230k, we are on the market at 250k. I wonder why they don't find these things out before they show them around. Anyhow he is going into the offices at 4pm today to see the financial advisor to see what he can actually afford. So that one does not look too hopeful.

This morning I went into their offices with our passports and utility bill. This is proof of identity. We have already given this to our solicitor so why the Estate Agent needs it I have no idea.

Whilst in there we chatted about our asking price. I asked if we were on at the right price. They thought it was as a similar property to ours nearby had just completed at 244k. Having said that one just round the corner from us, without a driveway, went for 225k. They did say though that the 225k was the first offer and she was desperate to sell. Having discussed what our minimum is, 235k for us we then agreed to change the asking price from 250k down to "offers over 240k". They seemed to think this would attract more interest. I hope so.

This week I am going to et on with life, let them contact us when they have viewings or feedback and not ring them at all. I think sometimes by ringing them when we have not had feedback they feed us lines that build our hopes and then it makes us low when things do not come off.

The couple who said that we were on their shortlist of 2 and that they would decide by the end of last week have now said that they are going to keep looking.

I am sure it will come good in the end, the process though is not nice at all.

13th February 2012

How difficult is it to get a for sale sign put up outside your house. It's been over a week now and still we do not have one. Apparently it is the same guy who puts them up for both the agents we have been with. This guy must be really busy or have some long lunch breaks or maybe he is the only guy in London who puts up for sale signs. I would have thought that the Estate Agents would want them up so give themselves more advertising, it appears not.

Quiet day today, no more viewings booked, however we did get feedback from one of the viewings on Saturday. The girl who came with her Dad and two friends saw 4 properties and shortlisted 2 of them. We are on the shortlist, so fingers crossed that when she decides she will choose ours. I really hope so, we can then review the offer and possibly relax a bit more, well I might at least. It would be nice though to get some more viewings booked in, when I rang them on Friday he did say they had loads of people looking for this type of property, I am beginning to think this is just a typical sales technique to get your business.

We went to solicitors today, we took passports and mortgage statement to prove our identity. That's another farce, she neither looked at us or the passports, she just went out the back and photo copied them. I paid £250 on account, which they need to start the process. We handed in the forms they had given us to complete so we are all set with the solicitors now.

Carolyn and Matthew came over this afternoon so Kirsty and Matthew could play and Helen and Carolyn could catch up, they are going to stay for dinner. Craig had a Maths revision day at school today and said it was absolutely boring. Impressed though that he went though, had I been offered anything extra at school during the holidays, which was optional, I am sure I would not have gone. He attends all the extra stuff they put on, so well done Craig for that.

8th February 2012 - Afternoon update

So our second viewing has taken place and this time the person was much harder to read. He was in his late 50's, an author he said, and was accompanied by a girl in her early 20's. She did not say anything and he did not say much more. They looked around the property, hardly asked any questions, so I volunteered information to them, such as the wiring had been totally replaced 12 years ago, the boiler was in good condition and the loft was insulated and fully boarded. Other than that they looked around, reasonably slowly, there was no great rush, he asked what I did for a living and it was then that he told me about his profession. We shook hands and they left with him thanking me and saying they have other properties to look at.

Earlier the Estate Agent had said that the potential buyer was very keen to see our property. They had suggested others to him but he was insistent on ours, so maybe that's a good sign.

This morning was strange though. I said before that we were in no rush and need to drag this out as long as possible, but after last nights viewing I had convinced myself that she would make an offer and expected the phone to ring first thing in the morning. When it did not I seemed to get uptight. I rang the estate agents a couple of times but the Agent was not around. Why was I getting worked up. We really have no panic until April/May time.

Anyhow the Agent rang me at 11.30 to say the buyer like the property very much but the main road was too noisy especially in the front bedroom. He advised her to get a quote for triple glazing, which is fine but he said he expected her to do this and then come in with an offer of around 239K based on getting the work done. I advised the agent that that price might be accepted come April or May but for now we would only say yes to 245K or above.

We must keep to this, we are in control at the moment, if someone really wants it they can pay near the asking price, that may well change over time but for now that must be our position.

No more viewings booked yet, the agent said he would give me feedback in a couple of days time from todays viewing.