OK so we had an offer in and accepted, holding deposit given, for the perfect house (or pretty close anyway). Well that night the LL had a change of heart about the dogs and backed out, meeting them and answering questions about our dogs didn't sway them. So we went back to the imperfect choices on our list and put in 3 offers and now we have a dilemma and I just need to get it out... not sure there's any advice to be had but if you feel you have some please do give it...
House 1) T.I.N.Y. victorian 3 bed with 2 receptions, 1 bath, garden (with grass) for 1325pcm in Kingston just (literally) around the corner from Richmond Park and a pub is a few doors down (spoke to the current house tennant who says the pub is quiet and they are good neighbors). Street parking and size of house are hte only downsides. Council tax is also reasonable. Seriously though the 3rd bed is literally slightly larger than a twin (single bed). The other rooms are ok size except the living room which is rather small. We put in an offer for asking price, few tiny fixes and a general break clause in the lease. They came back saying ok (even to the dogs) but with a business break clause. This is with the same EA (Dexter's in Kingston) whose client backed out on our other house and they're really good people in that office. This house will be vacant a few days before the earliest time we'd need it.
House 2) more normal size 3 bed house, 1.5 bath, 2 receptions, garden (with no grass -- all stone), refurbished asking 1700pcm. Guy wasn't keen on dogs but is keen to let his house... its been vacant for a while and no one can figure out why noone has snapped it up. It has offstreet parking and the biggest negative for me is that it has ceramic tile in the living area and hall and I have small kids (hard floor plus little heads makes me nervous). We know from the EA that this guy's floor price is 1600 and we don't want to go higher than that so we offered 1600 with a break clause. He has since said ok to the dogs but keeps having to "ask his wife" a gazillion things so I really don't know what his deal is.
House 3) 4 bedroom, 2 reception, 1.5 baths, with offstreet parking and private garden also close to richmond park. needs LOTS of TLC and professional cleaning but it is large and has all the space we'd need. Garden is all stone and also multilevel but has a gate between the 1st and 2nd levels. They are asking 1600 and have the highest council tax of the 3. LL's son is, i think, developmentally challenged and we only met him b/c LL is in France. We put in an offer of 1450 (low yes but they will counter i'm sure), with a long list of issues and that we wanted a break clause. Lords is the estate agent and they have left a message with the LL in France.
So we've got one definite offer we could take on our #3 choice. I think we have to give a 500 GBP holding deposit which we'd lose if we took it and then backed out for one of the other two if they came through (plus I know how it feels to be backed out on).
I have no idea what to do.. they are still showing all of these houses of course. I'm afraid we don't take #1 in time and then the other 2 don't come through.
What to do??? Aargh. This week has been hell on wheels.
