We had an offer

[Osc]

I think buying/selling property is yuck!

Isn't it just! After last year, we will never sell again! Ton, this is tactics, like bartering in a market (I hate it and am rubbish at it ), so if they really want it, they will come up. As for Carla, she wants to get your house off her books and pocket the commission - I learned a lot last year

[tonicha]

We know she does Osc.

And she's just split with her husband, needs the money, but she is insisting that the house will not sell for more than this.

Do not push the Wiltshire lad round - he'll stick his heels in.

[Ally]

[Suff]

We bought this house, almost 12 years ago, at 170,000. I know the market has changed, but not that much, surely.

Across the road from us in France, the house has never sold. It was on the market in 2008 and a neighbour of ours wanted to pay €115k for it. They wanted €165k. So it did not sell.

Seven years later and it has not sold. The official price is €65k and they would take €50k, we know because there was some interest this summer and they were keen to just get shot of it as the family have paid taxes for 7 years on it.

The market is still a buyers market, there is a glut of property in Spain, France and Portugal so unless the people really wanted to buy in the specific area, then it will be hard to get what you want for it. Sad as it is to say it.

We have the original house and the one next door too now. We paid €32k at 1.65 for the first house and €43k at 1.1 for the second. So it's very difficult for us to lose on the deal. On the other hand, it's almost impossible for us to re-enter the UK housing market as we'll never see more than €300k for both houses; completely renovated with a large pool and 1,000 sq meters of garden and a garage that will take 6 cars. The renovation has included the replacement of all wiring, plumbing, most of the floors, most of the ceilings, total insulation end to end and a complete re-modelling of the garden.

Property in the EU is going to take quite some time to recover I'm afraid.

We bought our first house in 2002. Almost everything we look at is either at similar prices or lower than it was at that time. One of the reasons we had no interest in paying more for what we bought.

[tonicha]

The buyers have just lost their mum, so that leaves their dad, who is in his 80's, on his own. They live in Lisbon and would buy this as a holiday home, so they can come and visit as and when they want.

Well, they can want, cos we ain't selling at that price.

I understand all of what you're saying Suff, but houses smaller and in worse condition than this, have sold, in the last few months for 180,000.

[meriad]

you want 185, they're offering 165 so if anything Ton try and stick to your guns and settle for 175

20k below asking price (at that price) really is taking the proverbial
x

[Suff]

I understand all of what you're saying Suff, but houses smaller and in worse condition than this, have sold, in the last few months for 180,000.

Was that the asking price or the price you know they paid? In France the standard model is set a price which is 20% higher than you want because the automatic offer will be 20% below what you ask.

Brits in France have never seemed to work that out and have, to a degree, unsettled the French housing market.

Might be worth talking to the agent about expectations setting.

[tonicha]

One asking price was 185,000, the other was on the button.

[tonicha]

The phone lines have been busy in Portugal

Told Carla that we can go no lower than 180,000 - amongst other stuff.

Then spoke to another agent, up near where we want to be and had a lovely chat with him, so he's going to show us a couple of houses up there, when we go.

He agreed with us, do not sell your house, just because you can, at silly price. Prices are moving up, we are at the right price, no need to drop.

Carla is going to speak to the buyers later, as she has a wedding to go to and see what they come back with.

[Kaz]

Good luck!!! xxxxxx