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1st time house buyer, potentially serious structural issues found... anyone have advice re negotiating price reduction / if I should pull out? (lemmy.world)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hey all.

Finally in my 40s I'm fortunate enough (with a lot of family help & a mortgage) to be buying a home. It's end-of-terrace; just spoke to the surveyor today after he's done most of the inspection and he's found a lot of structural problems.

Feeling a bit defeated, it's taken so long to get to this stage of having an offer accepted, and being close to exchanging contracts. It's an old house so while I wasn't expecting it to be fault-free, I'm quite disappointed and I guess looking for some advice / reassurance.

Not got the report in text yet but he mentioned potential subsidence; rising damp; cracked walls; problem with the chimney stack; window frames; and others. Said it's all stuff that can be fixed, but potentially expensive. My plan is to wait for the text report next week, then contact the estate agent and attempt to negotiate a price reduction in line with the cost of the repairs, which imo will run into at least £15k. Considering it's on the market for £85k, and the owner wouldn't even put the electric on for viewing because she didn't want to pay £1 a day standing charge, I'm anticipating some pushback.

But, should I even bother? Is this 'sunk cost fallacy' at play? I certainly feel like if they're not prepared to negotiate re repairs then I have to walk away as I could buy a well-maintained property round here for the total cost of around £100k!

Any advice much appreciated.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Also in the US so it might differ.

Honestly, if you're in love with the house and you really want it, go for it, try to get them to cover as much as you can. At least you are somewhat aware of what you're getting into, but beware these kinds of things have a tendency to balloon in costs. What starts out as 15k in estimated costs could easily end up being 25k by the time everything's done.

If you're not that attached to it if it's "Just a house" to you, try to get them to cover the full cost of repairs, if they say no walk away. In the US price cuts have already started happening, houses are sitting on the market longer and longer again. On top of that, you said you're buying for 85k + 15k for repairs that ends up being 100k and you can get a much better maintained house for 100k? I'd take that option if it were me and save myself the headache.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Am definitely not in love with the house! I think I'm pretty desperate to be a homeowner after renting all my life and dealing with scummy landlords, plus while I'm living with my dad I can't really work. There's just about room for a table with my PC and one synth, but certainly no space for my giant monitor speakers, let alone any bass traps or room treatment (as this is essentially a rental for my dad, albeit housing association so he's very secure).

So I prob need to factor in my emotional state, try my best to be as cold & calculating about this as possible. Thanks for your advice.