[benhila]

Hi everybody!

We placed an offer today on a gorgeous house in Khandallah, a Northern suburb of Wellington. The exchange rate is still crap, the property market is expected to sink, the world's economy is going downhill without a safety net -so why have we gone and done it? Because we love Wellington and want to feel 'at home' here, because we are on a great adventure and want to live it to the full, because you live only once (or twice) so why not go for it? I am so excited! Let's hope the sellers accept and it all works out for us!

[Andy-Dee]

Really pleased for you but we NEED PHOTOS

[wilson182]

Really pleased for you but we NEED PHOTOS


Yep, I'll second that:nice1

[dusk]

good for you :D

[benhila]

Thanks guys, once the sellers acknowledge the offer will post pics right away.

Hila

[JandM]

Congratulations!:clap

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Congratulations. Fingers crossed.

[Tia Maria]

Nice one! You're right, sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet - enjoy the splash! :)

Cheers

Tia

[benhila]

A quick update:

The agent is playing games with us; she was so charming before we placed our initial offer.... Now I close my eyes and imagine a shark with sharp teeth. I am somewhat less optimistic than I was a few hours ago but you never know - there may still be a happy ending.

[Tia Maria]

Yes, they will be working on the part of the vendor (and themselves) and there is much game playing.

In NZ the contract will often go back and forth with offer and counter offer, so its not unusual. So it may be that they think you have started off lower with the idea of meeting in the middle.

If your offer is your final offer, then just let them know that that is the case and ask for them to let you know whether it is acceptable or not.

Play it cool and friendly, ask the agent to show you anything similar that they have on their books, make it clear you are looking with other agents also. In other words make it known this is a nice house, you'd like, but not your dream house you have to have (even if it is!). And you are perfectly happy to continue looking.

I know of plenty of people have an offer turned down only to be approached by the vendor again a few weeks later, when the vendor hasn't had any other interest.

As long as you are happy that you are offering what the house is worth, stick to your guns!

Good luck

Cheers

Tia

[benhila]

Thanks Tia for your sound advice. After a bit of going backward and forward we did submit what we consider to be our FINAL offer. We very much want the house but not at all (financial and mental) costs. There are many more fish in the pond and with exchange rates improving and the property market sliding time is actually on our side. What I am certain about, though, is that estate agents replaced today car dealers at the top of my 'love to hate' list (I do hope that no one on the forum has taken offence at this rather crass remark.... I am sure that there are some decent people in these professions, but WHERE ARE THEY WHEN YOU NEED THEM!)

Cheers

Hila

[sizzlingbadger]

Have sent a PM :)

[Silverwing86]

Hi Hila,

Great news and soooo understand; we bought within two weeks of arriving ! Not the plan at all of course and certainly wouldn't recommend it to others, but you see a house, fall in love with it and manage to get it for less than you hoped for, what can you do eh ;) ? And having you own place does help a lot with feeling at home !

Like Tia said, play it cool and stick to your guns. Our vendor did wan't to play the negotiating game the way it's supposed to be done so we walked away from it twice. We went to see other houses with the agent even though we were not seriously interested in them (didn't tell her that of course :D) and in the end the vendor did come back and the agents actually dropped their commission considerably (yes, it does happen !) so that the deal could be done !

Interestingly, we didn't go as high as we originally planned to, simply because we didn't like the way the vendor was playing it. We don't like being put under pressure and that had it's effect, had he played the negotiating game properly, we would have paid more ! And remember, this in February last year, no housing slump at that time yet either !

As you say, there are plenty of fish in the sea and this is a buyers market at the moment so time is on your side. Stay :cool: and remember, if it was meant to be, it WILL happen !

Keeping fingers and toes crossed for good news....

Cheers,
Silver

[benhila]

Thanks Silver. We are hoping to have a reply one way or the other by tomorrow, talking about being impatient... Somehow it seems that all the really BIG decisions in our lives were taken in a few minutes and it always worked out well in the end. We moved from Israel to the UK on the spur of the moment, from the UK to NZ on a sudden whim. We bought our lovely flat in London within a week of seeing it... So maybe we are on a lucky streak.

I will let you all know what's happening when it does (and the promised pics of course). We are off to the theatre tonight but I don't expect to take much in....

Hila

[benhila]

Hi,

We lost the house; higher offers came in after ours. I suspect now that we were being used as a 'trigger' in a bidding war with other potential buyers who were waiting in the wings needing a wake-up call to get going. Anyway, there are more houses where this one came from (I hope) and in today's market time is on our side. On to the next!

Thanks again to all the well wishers and especially to a very kind real estate agent who contacted us offering help and advice. If anything, we are richer from the experience and rearing to go.

Hila

[Helsandfamily]

I am really sorry, it is very disappointing for you - hope the next one is even better !

hels

[benhila]

O.K. everybody, are you ready for this? WE GOT IT!!!

The story is too convoluted to tell and anyway, I don't yet really believe it myself....

Pics on www.nz.open2view.com/Property/180971

That was a close call. I am too old for this.

[mgbridges]

WOW! Congratulations, looks lovely. Are the giraffe and wagon wheel seat in the lounge staying? ;)

Anneliese

[benhila]

Thanks Anneliese

Well, I suppose that we will have to get our own giraffes.... Funnily enough, this is my nickname for Ben who is quite tall (I hope he doesn't get to read this...).

Hila

[Tia Maria]

Congratulations - told you they often come back! ;)

Well done playing it cool! :nice1

Cheers

Tia

[benhila]

Tia, you must be joking about 'playing it cool'. My brain is sizzling and I have vapour coming out of my ears....

Hila

[Tia Maria]

Tia, you must be joking about 'playing it cool'. My brain is sizzling and I have vapour coming out of my ears....

Hila

:laugh :laugh

Cheers

Tia

[gil]

Lovely house, well done!

Gil

[sizzlingbadger]

Great house :nice1

Good for you on holding out, might have known it was remax agent, most of them are very pushy :no and as for their cash price campaign .... don't get me started :(

[Moorf]

What a wonderful house - congrats!! :nice1

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Wow, that's a beauty, cat flap and all.

congratulations.

[benhila]

Wow, that's a beauty, cat flap and all.

congratulations.

Yes, all we need now is a cat or two...

Thanks for the support and well wishes. You’ve all been great!

[dusk]

Hehe I was all ready to commiserate and then you posted that you'd got it! congratulations :D

[JandM]

:cheers

[pinkpiggy]

What a fantastic house. Well done. :nice1