Still house-hunting

[lederhosen]

Well, I went to the auction today (after talking to solicitor, who told us what to expect, and getting the pest/building report, which had no major surprises).

The bidding went 5K above the limit Rey and I had agreed to, and that didn't make the reserve. The agents and auctioneer did their damnedest to encourage me to go just a little bit higher, because we were Almost There CAN'T YOU FEEL IT THIS HOUSE WANTS YOU SO BAD OH BABY BABY BABY PLEASE BABY PLEASE JUST A LITTLE MORE PLEASE?

And I said 'no' again, and eventually resorted to "My wife and I agreed on a figure, I'm not going higher than that without her agreement, and I can't reach her while she's working. No, I cannot call her." Repeated until they got the message.

We may yet decide that it *is* worth going that little bit more, but it's not a decision I'm willing to make in a high-pressure situation. It's a nice house, but I would rather regret a dozen places we didn't buy than one place we did.

No doubt we'll be hearing from the agents shortly, despite the auctioneer's claim that only the highest bidder would be able to negotiate with the owner afterwards...

Stayed to watch the other three auctions that night. One sold, the other two passed in without a single bid. So, 25% clearance rate...

Comments

[lirion.livejournal.com]

We may yet decide that it *is* worth going that little bit more, but it's not a decision I'm willing to make in a high-pressure situation. It's a nice house, but I would rather regret a dozen places we didn't buy than one place we did.

Parents recently bid 6k over their limit on a place down here. We lost the auction eventually, and while I could wish it were different because there is nothing currently on the market to compare, would be bad if it was regretteed afterwards because we'd paid too much.

[waitingman.livejournal.com]

Is now the time to mention that, a couple of months ago, my father's childhood home was sold for about 600k - the last large block in an increasingly subdivided area of Erina (outside Gosford NSW), it was expected to go over a million for the land value alone... it didn't. It was snapped up for a song (probably a really bad song too) by some 30ish bloke who looked like a property developer. To subdivide the property, you'd draw a line straight through the house - early 20th century farmhouse affair - good condition, but out of time...

Hell of a way to see the property bubble burst. Hang in there - prices are dropping Even the Sydney Morning Herald says so. It must be true!!

[turnberryknkn.livejournal.com]

Continued luck with the house hunting.