[victoria24]

I deal with loads of them; when a surveyor visits, they get irritated if you try to verbally influence them. what you can do however, which they love (as your doing their job for them) is provide as much evidence as poss under the guize of "didnt know if this might help) go on www.housepricereports.com for sold comparables from the land registry, also look on www.rightmove.co.uk for sales (stc) call the agents and find out what the properties went for. Surveyors are not interested in what houses are being advertised for as this means nothing.This is what they do when they're looking to determine their report so it saves them time and if they have the evidence provided they dont tend to look any further.
the real answer is that a house is worth what people will pay for it but surveyors work for the lender not the buyer and need to assess for mortgage security purposes (if the client is mortgaging the property)
hope this helps
neil

[victoria24]

great minds think alike :-)

[Genie]

Good luck for this afternoon Vicki, with the surveyor. I'm sure he/she wont find anything of concern, but I know what you are going through. There's always that thought, what if....

We had all our garantees out for him to look at, for the double glazing and the insulation and stuff. We also had our copy of our HIPs for him to look through.

I'll be sending you magic thoughts for this afternoon. :D

[thewoodies]

hi my dad was a surveyor , make sure you wipe away any mold - indication of damp and if time paint with damp proof paint get rid of smell - evidence. Have a look for any signs of subsidence if the crack goes in straight lines around the brick work you have probs. Small cracks are just movement in the plaster(usually)!!! fill in any cracks. try and disguise new plaster might have to repaint whole wall . He always carried a tennis ball with him if he put it on the floor and it rolled it meant it could be bad (dont know why - subsidence i guess) . He used to jump up and down on floor boards to see if they were rotten - went through a few , once fell down a hole when he jumped over a wall in his younger days on site in front of all the builders!! He did feel a wally - anyway i digress. Dont put furniture in front of things as he always headed for areas that looked hidden. Hope this is of help . Good luck everyone.

Ps a viewing today and tomorrow - wish it would sell just so i dont have to live so tidy really hard with family of 5 !!!

[Rusty]

ok- surveyor coming this afternoon - why do I feel like I need to do something?? Presumably plumping cushions and putting the filter coffee on doesn't work for them!!

Seriously - is there anything I should do? we have a 15/16yr old house that I am not expecting any problems from - which makes me all the more nervous that he'll try and find something to justify the money he's charging our buyer :confused:

(I know I'm just in panic mode really :o)

Slightly O/T, but what time is the surveyor due?
Have you seen the snapshot thread in the Lounge, might be a more interesting photo if you can 'sneak' one of the survey? it's a photo at 1445.

[peebles16]

Keeping everything crossed folks - proving to be a tad uncomfortable but worth it :laugh

More sales equals bigger BBQ later this year :D

Posivibes to all!!

Karenx

[vixxann]

surveyors work for the lender not the buyer and need to assess for mortgage security purposes (if the client is mortgaging the property)


actually our buyer has arranged private survey as she is not getting a mortgage - so does that make it better or worse?!

thanks everyone for your help - I put that message on this morning before shooting off to work and get back to loads of fantastic help and advice, what a fab, fab, fab group of people you are :clap

so I'll offer him a drink (might get that filter coffee brewing after all!), pull down loft ladder then leave him to it basically :)

Appt is for 2pm so hopefully he will be long gone by 2.45 Photo time !!

[victoria24]

thats better for you really as surveyors are itchy about PI claims from mortgage companies at the mo. as long as the house is ok structurally then its worth what theyre paying for it really. the report is always negative as their job is to look for potential problems. if you get any issues let me know as most comments are quite usual and i can compare with other surveys we have on file.
neil

[Genie]

SNAP!! Our buyers are without a mortgage too and the surveyor was a personal friend of theirs. Still had a good snoop around though :roll

Fingers crossed it went OK for you.

When is this BBQ planned for btw? And where? I'm hoping and wishing and praying our buyers are commited to buying. Something tells me their not, but trying to be positive.

[vixxann]

omg - now I am nervous - he is still here - is currently upstairs
spent 45 mins looking around outside :uhoh
I did manage to get a photo Rusty! not worthy of the other thread but I'll put on here. He was on front street looking at our roof with binoculars :exit


http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/7447/img3145fy0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Rusty]

That's probably the best picture of an ordinary day - lots of excitement and sneaking behind the curtains :D

Hope it went well.

[vixxann]

he is STILL here:confused:

[Rusty]

Perhaps you have been so hospitable he does not want to leave? Maybe he is expecting dinner as well? ;)

[Genie]

*whisper* Has he gone yet??

[victoria24]

lol

[vixxann]

:laugh

well he has finally gone - he was here TWO HOURS !!!!

outside for nearly one hour then stomping around in the house, taking photos, up in attic, outside again, inside, banging on walls. Very thorough chappie!

he stopped for a glass of water (coffee wasn't wasted as I kept at it throughout 2hrs - maybe thats why I'm so jittery now:p)

when he was going I asked him if there were any issues I should know about and he said no - so presume there's no problem :confused:

my nerves are in tatters though - think I need a stiff drink!

[victoria24]

i wouldnt worry, a private survey is usually more indepth than a mortgage basic valuation as he is assessing more things rather than deciding a market price so it would take a while. also he would earn 200-300 whereas a lender panels out sometimes as low as fifty quid so his time is spent in relation to that.
let us know how you get on.

[Genie]

Hey Vicki that's great, he's gone and no problems. Sounds like you deserve some of this :cheers

Or could I tempt you to come and help me with a group of nine 10 year olds, having a BBQ to say goodbye to our daughter. I cannot believe the noise!! I could never be a teacher that's for sure:yes

[Kerry and David]

Good news Vicki :cheers

[vixxann]

Or could I tempt you to come and help me with a group of nine 10 year olds, having a BBQ to say goodbye to our daughter. I cannot believe the noise!! I could never be a teacher that's for sure:yes


funnily enough I'm not that tempted my your offer ;)
I actually DO work in a school as a teachers assistant in a class full of 8yr olds - plus tomorrow my daughter is having a High School Musical birthday party so I will have a dozen or so 6yr olds on my day off :rolleyes:

Is your party over yet?!

Good luck to everyone over the bank holiday weekend :nice1

[Kerry and David]

Good luck with your party at least you haven't got any house viewings to worry about now:)

K x

[vixxann]

:cheers:cheers and :cheers tonight I think !

[Belmont Babes]

Vicki, well done for getting throught that, that's the next stage sorted...still got it all x'd for you. I remember the surveyor taking ages too. He opened and closed all of the doors and a couple wouldn't close :o I could hear him from downstairs and it was awful. He tried about 10 times. He had binoculars too. I thought he was going into the garden to do birdwatching :laugh

[nickydwuk]

I thonk that is the bit I am worried about. We have a couple of damp patches on our walls - our house is old. These are from cracks caused when we had the windows replaced. Hope it will wash off in time.

Congrats Vicki - fingers etc... are crossed.

[holland]

I panicked when we had our survey...it was a 1912 house...but no probs at all!

Vicki, I am sure all will be fine...but it is nerve wracking!

[Mickstim]

Vicki - I just skimmed enough to see that you have sold. I am sooooooooooooooo delighted for you and am dancing around Tauranga on your behalf!! Have some late bananas;

:raebanana:raebanana:raebanana:raebanana

Who else has sold? Please send me a list as there are too many posts to wade through when I have a grandson wanting me to play marbles with him

B xx

[victoria24]

just a quick one to blow off steam:

estate agents are all useless
the governments handling of the economy is useless
the fsa insisting lenders keep higher liquidity are useless
lenders ability to produce mortgage offers are useless

here's hoping for a flood of viewings!

[nickydwuk]

Just heard to day that one of our 'buyers' has pulled out. We still have2 left - one of which has been to see the property 3 times now. He is the furtherst on. The agent also called and said we have another interested party who has mentioned the same price but is waiting to get his mortgage confirmed before he makes an official offer. He may be able to offer another £500 to clinch it. Just got to wait - again :yes

[thewoodies]

How nerve wracking - im just fed up of being tidy - i wish someone would buy our house soon, so i dont have to moan at my family for messing the house and trying to do washing on days when we havn't got viewings. I need to get to nz soon the grandparents are doing my head in with guilt trips and sneaky digs etc. Trying to persaude daughter that being an air hostess could solve her being the otherside of the world problems.

Also all the violence going on at the moment is confirming im right to sell if poss and get my kids out of here for good.

Sorry to moan.

good luck everyone.

At least i wont have to worry about the survey with dad being a surveyor(thinking of offering to take him with us to nz to do surveys for us!)

[peebles16]

Rant time :mad:
So we've sold and everything went through last week - few problems with gas (long story transco's fault!!) so gas hob was out of order for the first night buyer was in house. Solicitors apologised and got it all sorted the next day - excellent news I hear you say :yes Couple of other wee bits needed sorted out - we'll pay we say thinking tis the right thing to do etc, etc

Got email from solicitor this morning with bill attached from buyer for chinese meal she had to buy on the first night cos no gas hob :confused: Fuming as we have electric oven and microwave in the house so meal could have easily been prepared but more to the point who cooks on their first night in a new house???

Taking blooming liberties if you ask me!!

Rant over
Karenx

[JandM]

:roll Cheek of that sort she should bottle.

[zardell]

Tell her to 'suey' you for it and attach a bill for the stamp you purchased in order to post the instruction!!

Some people eh?

Julie

xx

[peebles16]

Tell her to 'suey' you for it and attach a bill for the stamp you purchased in order to post the instruction!!

Some people eh?

Julie

xx

:laugh
Thanks JandM and Julie - thought it was just me over-reacting :roll Just think it's outrageous and bill for £45.05 - think they had blooming banquet at my expense!! Well they can sing for it as far as I'm concerned :yes

Off to ponder over what £45 would buy in NZ :exit

Karenx

[JayBee]

What a cheek!!! Must have been some meal...I can't believe what some people are like:no

[Carey]

What a nerve! Unbelievable how some will 'use' other people.

[victoria24]

must be a scottish law thing as south of the border all the useable appliances are disclaimered as not tested. at least your house sale law is binding! down here we get messed about until the last minute.

[thewoodies]

:mad:what A CHEEK!!! Did she want u to wash up for her as well!!!! How do people think!!!

[Genie]

Unbelievable!!! I'd ask for an itemised bill and proof of the meal and a receipt for it. Only then would I tell her she can go whistle.:roll

This is the kind of mentality that IMHO the UK seems to be breeding. Can't wait to get out of here.:exit

[thewoodies]

i was just thinking the same GET ME OUT OF HERE:laugh:laugh:laugh

[peebles16]

Latest from her solicitor is that she could have booked into a hotel cos the hob was off -WHAT!?! It really is getting stupid now and in the whole scheme of things its buttons in financial terms and, at least we've sold, but it's a matter of principle now :yes

How much chinese does £45 buy you - ggrrr!! Told our solicitor to basically tell her to get stuffed and in very polite terms she thought that was fair enough.

Yep Victoria24 I am very grateful we work in the Scottish system - as I've said many times the English system sucks big time!!

Off to fume some more :(
Karenx

P.S. Although am bit miffed still sending posivibes and concocting spells to make the biggest house selling BBQ NZ has ever seen come off asap :D

[thewoodies]

A hotel - will she want private medical cover too???? incase she gets food poisionng from her chinese???!!!!!!!:exit:confused::confused:

[Mels]

Bizarre :(

Mels

[Mels]

What a bizarre situation

Mels

[Kerry and David]

What a cheek! Last time I moved I don't think I could even have got to the cooker for 2 days - too many boxes!

[sweet pea]

well been watching with interest we wre ready put the house on the market but estate agent gave us a few last minute jobs to finish off so weve spent all bank holiday finishing off, he came and took the pictures today so tomorrow is officially our first day on the market,, dreading the viewings ( im beeing hopefull we get some!!!)ive told other half ill go out when viewers come and he can show them round:yes

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE ELSE ON THE THREAD SELLING SOON:cheers

[Andy-Dee]

Peebles - What a blooming cheek!!!!

I'd advise that whilst you are prepared to fund a meal, you will only offer the price of fish and chips as no amount was agreed up front and it was her decision to choose something expensive. :mad:

I'd then explain that she can pick up the cheque for £10 anytime she likes as you are in most days. :laugh

I'm now hoping that one of her family pops to the shops forgetting they had started to run a bath. :laugh

[NZ Hopeful]

I bet you don't know whether to laugh or cry!

As you say who on earth cooks on moving day?! :rolleyes:

[Genie]

*Rant warning *

What a totally crappy day I've had today. Waited for the phone call to say our buyers have been in to their solicitor's office, signed their contracts and we have exchanged.

OH phoned our solicitor this morning checking this was still going ahead....oh yes, and I will phone you later to confirm said she. We waited, and we waited, and getting fed up of waiting I took the opportunity to go and clear my counselling room of all my personal belongings. Another ending :wah

At 3pm we finally heard from our solicitor, not only had the buyers not signed their contract but said contract doesn't even exist:wah It seems the buyers solicitor is unhappy with the bottom of our garden on the land register online map. Because it's small scale it looks like it goes to a point, which it doesn't. On the original 1937 map we supplied it shows it as having 4foot 6 fence, which is still the same. We had already supplied photos of the bottom of our garden also. And our own solicitor had provided him with a letter from the Land registry stating the difference is caused by the scale online being smaller than their hard copy maps. Now this wasn't enough for their solicitor, as he has decided to do his own search, which will give him exactly the same details we and our solicitor have already provided him with.

Now you know why we have christened him the Twonk.:yes

So all we can do is sit tight and wait....again. I'm on a strict diet, due to medicals coming up so I can't even enjoy some chocolate. Aaaaaaaarrgghhh

[thewoodies]

i hate dealing with solicitors:mad: you feel it would be easier to do the work yourself in the end. You have my sympathy. :wah

[JandM]

Awww, Genie.... (((((())))) ++++++ for it all sorting itself out soon.

[peebles16]

AH Genie how frustrating for you - you could try making wax doll of solicitor and have a go with some pins :laugh

Hope you hear better news soon :yes
Karenx

[Rusty]

Well today we dropped another £10k as apparently it is the only way to attract buyers. I just hope it works as I really want to give my notice at work
Lots of ++++++ for the coming days.

[vixxann]

Genie - how frustrating :( Hope things get sorted out pronto for you and contracts signed and exchanged.

I'm still sat here with fingers crossed hoping for no problems with our transaction but its nerve wracking !

After the "big" survey on Friday and then Bank Holiday Monday we weren't expecting anything but first thing Tues morning our solicitors rang (who we haven't informed yet) and asked what's this about selling your house??!! They had been phoned by our buyers solicitors asking for the contract! She apparently must have no problems with survey and has got straight onto her solicitors to start the ball rolling. (The offer letter from the estate agents hasn't even gone out yet!). Our solicitors say that as she has no mortgage company to hold things up this could happen VERY quickly (amongst other things they apparently ask for a lot of the searches which are not all absolutely compulsory) .

so strange to say but after a year on market this is now all a big shock and we are struggling to come to terms with the reality of things (and the speed its going!).
Better get hold of some boxes I think :exit

[JandM]

Good luck, Rusty!

And Vicki - looks like you're off!:raebanana:cheers:raebanana

[smitjo]

Well we are still waiting for viewers...only had one lot so far and it has been over a month now.....grrrrrrrrrrr :)

[Genie]

:cheers Yay Vicki, that sounds great. Strap yourself in and don't forget to scream if you want to go faster:)

[peebles16]

Yay Vicki another one bites the dust :clap :clap

All the best folks

Karenx

P.S. Just don't mention chinese food - ggrr!!

[Kerry and David]

S*** B******* C*** our house sale has fallen through again:( Once again we still have our buyers (who have just paid to have the survey done on our house) but they have lost theirs:(

I'm gutted

[Mels]

I'm so sorry. Sometimes I wonder just what else we have to do to get through this.

Sending cyber HUGS

Mels

[thewoodies]

kerry and david - you must be feeling awful, so sorry to hear your news.

We have another viewing monday this must be number 12, only one stupid offer so far. My nerves are to shreds , we have decided to rent out our house if we havnt sold - our agent has told us you can still sell with a tennant they have to be in 4 months before you can start trying to sell again! might be worth considering.

Get mixed advise about renting ,but a family who live near by, who have come back to uk , as wife was too homesick!!!!! said renting out there house was the best thing ,as they had somewhere to come back to - also if house prices go up or down it doesnt matter as when you come back you are still in the uk housing market. Someone else just pays your mortgage for you... I change my mind daily on whats best - just trying to wait (wihout getting too stressed!!!!) and see what happens.:wah

May be worth considering - It depends what your circumstances are we were surprised how much rent we would get for our house -there is a huge demand at the moment for rented ,as the credit crunch means people cant ,or are too afraid to buy at the moment. want to rent.:uhoh Letting agent Countrywide lettings said the rental market doesnt go up and down like the sales side its much more predictable.

[nickydwuk]

Oh, Kerry & David - what a bummer. Just hope your buyers sell quickly again. How long have they been on the market? Are you keeping yours on the market too?

[catt]

We are still in limbo..........still got 2 people wanting our house but not sold theirs..........have gone multi agency now (4 agents on the case) not had one viewing since doing so which is nearly 10 days ago now....... people are not buying in my area.........oh hum.

Also got catarrh and feel dreadful which doesnt help........cant taste anything.......hot drinks and vick sinus is holding things together.

Fingers crossed for all those with sold signs up and going through the process ...........and good luck to everyone else who has their houses up for sale.

Using one of these :raebanana cos they always make me smile...........now back to limbo land.

[thewoodies]

:wah need to tidy up garden and plant some flowers- baby asleep- but now its bl**dy raining agh :wah

[Rusty]

:wah need to tidy up garden and plant some flowers- baby asleep- but now its bl**dy raining agh :wah

I know how you feel. Our lawn has needed cutting for a week and we have not had a day without rain - why do the weeds grow faster than the grass?:confused:

[JandM]

S*** B******* C*** our house sale has fallen through again:( Once again we still have our buyers (who have just paid to have the survey done on our house) but they have lost theirs:(

I'm gutted

(((((()))))) Do hope they get sorted out again soon.

[Mels]

Get mixed advise about renting ,but a family who live near by, who have come back to uk , as wife was too homesick!!!!! said renting out there house was the best thing ,as they had somewhere to come back to - also if house prices go up or down it doesnt matter as when you come back you are still in the uk housing market. Someone else just pays your mortgage for you... I change my mind daily on whats best - just trying to wait (wihout getting too stressed!!!!) and see what happens.:wah



I know just just how you feel and I change my mind constantly too.
We have one interested family but they haven't sold yet.

good luck to everyone

Mels

[Mels]

Just got a phonecall to arrange a viewing tomorrow. This lady is under offer :clapbut is viewing a few houses.:no

The house is a mess it's the end of half term, a wet half term with two boys and a dog who is moulting for Britain..... help

Mels

[Genie]

Fingers crossed for you Mels ++ :)

[catt]

everything crossed for you mels :nice1

[Andy-Dee]

Zero, Ziltch movement here in Cheshire - aaaaarrrrrghghhghgh. :wah

Good news to Vixx :cheers

A plague of sandflies to all the rotten people who are withdrawing, pulling out or eating too much Chinese food. :mad:

I am working on a spell for Estate Agents at the moment which won't be pretty. Cathgates - I'll send you the antidote.

[NZ Hopeful]

Zero, Ziltch movement here in Cheshire - aaaaarrrrrghghhghgh. :wah

Good news to Vixx :cheers

A plague of sandflies to all the rotten people who are withdrawing, pulling out or eating too much Chinese food. :mad:

I am working on a spell for Estate Agents at the moment which won't be pretty. Cathgates - I'll send you the antidote.

Oh don't say that Dee!!

Ours is going on first week in June :eek:

If you don't mind me asking, where about are you?

[catt]

Had a viewing this evening first one in a month .......guess what.......they liked it .......guess something else..........they are on the market and havent sold.........oh hum

they have only been on the market a week and have first viewing on theirs tomorrow...........not holding my breath.........:exit

[smitjo]

Zero, Ziltch movement here in Nottinghamshire too :wah
What do we have to do to get some viewers....HELP!!

Well done to everyone who have finally SOLD - any tips:o

[janrzm]

Our house has been on the market for a week and we've got our first viewing tomorrow!
So looks like a mad day of cleaning, which with 4 kids on half term, a house full of 'stuff' after 3 of their birthdays this week & too wet for them to go out seems a bit of a pointless exersize!!
Now off to shove things in cupboards!

[Genie]

Now off to shove things in cupboards!

Children included?!!! :laugh I know what you mean, we had our 'gloryhole' full to the gunnels and what do you know our viewer opened the door. :exit

She didn't come back, don't know why :laugh