Wednesday 15 April 2015
Hot and sunny 23 degrees
Opened emails and was shocked to see the owner who had refused the offer made by the NZ ladies had now accepted it, but with the proviso that our fees were cut by 55%. I decided to ignore this, and made an appointment to open negotiations with the owners of the beautiful Villa in town, which is in fact the owners preferred property. The sun was hot and I waited on the steps of the Villa and admired its tower and metal fretwork window frames. Tiny white clouds drifted past the weather vane and the roof tiles shimmered and shook in the heat haze. The grass had been freshly cut and the earth heaped up around the rose bushes. The scent of wisteria was heady. The owner arrived and she hadn't brought the keys either so we sat on the steps and I made the offer and we discussed it and then came to agreement. She filled out the owner details form and told me something of the history of the house.
It had been built by an architect for his daughter, and named after her, at the turn of the 20th century. She had died without issue and the house had passed to a number of relatives until it came into the ownership of a doctor. What is classed as the winter garden and billiard room on the 1905 plans used to be used as a room where mothers were instructed in the ungentle arts of raising their youngsters, a tough job throughout the ages. Her parents came to our town in the 1950's and her mother loved the house although, the lady said, her parents had to buy and live above their means in order to have it. Her mother was now 94 and in a retirement home and her father was dead. She is divorced (at the mention of her former husband, she shudders and says he was a nightmare), and the only other family member is a nephew.
Back home and the owner of the first property rings me up. I tell him that the ladies are no longer interested in buying and he is outraged and says he will speak to his lawyer. I say there is no point in being upset, he had refused their offer and now they have moved on. I say that I have some great clients on Sunday and can I bring them around and then he gets abusive and I hang up and don't answer when he rings back. I then panic and email the head of the agency and beg assistance. She rings back and says to send over all the emails I have had with him and she will get the legal expert to look at them. Feel very stressed. Why can nothing ever be simple. The offer form says that if the offer is accepted by the seller then the people who make the offer have to proceed to reservation contract. They then have the right to withdraw for any reason (or indeed without having to give a reason) within seven days. This is just a ludicrous situation and wont get him anywhere. I dont know how he imagines he can force them to compromis in the first place and I am hoping he will speak to his lawyer who will tell him to get over it. And then bill him and he won't be accepting 50% negotiation of his fees.
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