Searching for a new home as a metaphor for… just about everything

This sign means stress

The last week has been a whirlwind. It still isn’t over. It could get worse. But I’m trying to stay positive.

Let me outline the chronology so you’re all caught up.

• Friday morning – has a second viewing on our apartment
• Saturday afternoon – had an offer. Was a bit low. Asked if they could increase.
• Sunday – spotted a property we liked that had come on the market on Thursday. Booked a viewing for the next Thursday.
• Monday morning – Realised the property we liked might go quickly so we arranged a viewing immediately. Also received a reduced offer but without a lease extension. Wouldn’t work out to our advantage so we asked if they could increase their original offer.
• Monday evening – we made an offer on the property we liked.

We just bought a house… right?

• Tuesday – our buyer needed to talk to their financial advisor to see if they could borrow more (they were already well above their original budget).
• Wednesday – we find out the buyer needs to wait until the end of the month to re-run applications for mortgages based on an updated credit score (a ploy?). Asked the seller of our desired property whether they’d be willing to wait a week until we’ve agreed the price on our place. They weren’t too keen (another ploy?) and had other viewings being held off so we decided to accept our buyer’s original offer.
• Thursday morning – I drove a two hour round trip just to present my driving license and my wife’s to the vendor’s estate agent for identification purposes.
• Thursday afternoon – turns out that our accepting the buyer’s original offer didn’t help. They have a credit rating issue that’s stopping them getting mortgage approval at all right at the moment (or something along those lines) so we need to wait until the end of the month regardless. The vendor will continue to take viewings on their property.

So, we almost just bought a house…

Like I said, a bit of a whirlwind. No idea what’s going to happen next. If the place we like is still on at the end of the month and our buyer’s finance checks all come back good, then hopefully the deal will be back on.

For the moment, I need a stiff drink and a lie down.

Anyone else have any war stories from buying or selling a house? This is a safe place. Feel free to vent!

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