Toomanyprojects' workshop / garden / *Insert other* projects

^^^What he said!

Bit more information when your ready!

Why was the estate agent such a problem? Hoping to get more commission if it sold for a higher price?

Can of worms time... but you did ask 🤣

The estate agent was one of these online jobs in another part of the country, this meant all viewings were done by the previous owners.

I think this was partly so they could 'vet' future owners themselves, but also to keep an eye on who was visiting and what was shown as there were a few bits of interest still here (think cars and machinery) as they at that point had already moved.

Where I think her issues began with us is that we just so happen to get on very well with them, in fact from the first viewing when SWMBO came on her own she was here 2 hours happily chatting away like old friends.

In late August I then came up to view, and after a long chat we sort of did a deal on the spot. Another thing that was a bone of contention as apparently everything had to go through her... oops 🙄

Various other parties had shown an interest too, one of which was a local builder who made a cash offer, that didn't help us as the estate agent was very much pushing for it to go to him... luckily the sellers thought otherwise as they didn't want it turned into a building plot.

Over the course of the next few months things admittedly dragged on a little with the bank sorting our mortgage. SWMBO is self employed which due to covid was like a red rag to them, meaning every hoop had to be jumped through 🙈

All the while the estate agent was in their ear saying sell to someone else, its not going to happen etc. And refusing to mark it as 'sold' or 'under offer' meaning there was still a lot of interest in viewings etc. Which the sellers were reluctantly doing. 

The estate agent was also ringing both me, SWMBO and the sellers saying different things, luckily for us we were in regular comms to them so we knew where we stood. I don't mind admitting though that I thought we'd lost it at that point as the seller was starting to question things too, but we pleaded for them to bear with us which they duly did - they did get a nice something to say thank you by the end!

Upshot was that it was a very pleasing day when I was able to send the all important paperwork to the estate agent🖕, to be met with just a 'thanks' 😂

Her call to the sellers saying that we'd come good was a funny one apparently, she seemed a little quiet by all accounts... not that it mattered as they already knew we'd got the bits we needed 🤣

...and that is how we got to be where we are today. So I guess if I've learned anything, if you find your dream house fight for it, get to know the sellers well - they hold the keys, literally. and some estate agents are definitely 🤬

So to answer your question JB, given they were on a fixed fee and no commission, I've no idea... 🤣🤣

One nil, as they say! All the sweeter for having to work for these things sometimes...

Thanks Thom,

Alas no parts left now... well asides an anti-roll bar which was left as the swallows like to perch along it near the nests in one of the undercover areas.

I was trying to convince him to leave a clients SVZ and the XK150 Jag he had as a retirement project, but alas it wasn't to be. 😂

There was also a strange one in the workshop I'd never heard of/seen until he showed it to me - an Abarth Simca. Very pretty little thing in bare metal.



Will see if I can get some pics uploaded tonight 4G permitting

Indeed! 

I think it was a genuine one, no reason to think otherwise. 

That is a lovely looking building. Very charming...

I'd be very curious to see sort of a full property view... I'm getting the feeling that it's something to be very envious about!

Ok, I'm old and wise enough not to actually be, and be happy with my own little piece of paradise that is our current home as it's far more than I ever imagined being able to own (and has a garage!).

Will get there eventually Alex, although in truth it's a bit tricky to do an overview of... so might string it out for a bit, perhaps once you have the whole picture well that and I'm still sorting out a fair bit... this latest lockdown has scuppered plans to fetch the rest of our gear, tools and the project cars , on the plus side it means we've had chance to get our heads round things and how we want the place to work a bit better, though of course that may still change.

I know what you mean, this has a lot of potential for what we enjoy in life, and exceeded my expectations in terms of what I thought we'd ever find, let alone be able to get for the money etc. That said, we've lumped a fair bit on black so to speak and moved 150 miles away from family and our/my locality for nearly 40 years to commit to the cause. Whether that is the right choice long term we'll see, there is only the two of us and so in the current circumstances with me working from home and SWMBO doing the odd overnighter to be able to do her job it's working out ok so far, we'll just have to see if it's sustainable.