Tuesday 23 August 2011

Random thoughts of a Tuesday afternoon

The nightmare of selling the Hogpen is over. What the system terms `an exchange of contracts` took place last week, whilst we were stood in Aldeburgh High Street licking an ice cream - morello cherry flavour, I believe. Our solicitor gave us the news over a very broken mobile phone signal. He said, "Are those seagulls I can hear in the background"? I said, "If they are, will you charge me extra for this call?" Oh how he laughed. It was Carnival weekend. I tried to get a picture of the band of the Brigade of Gurkhas leading the parade, but these wonderful soldiers just march too darn quickly. Several thousand people thronged into this little town for the weekend. It was noisy, they were out on the beach till very late, you couldn't find a parking place anywhere (we parked on a little back street on Friday and didn't drive anywhere until Tuesday) and yet no shop windows were put in, no one was shot at and the only flames were in the Chinese lanterns parade, which we took part in, and the fireworks on the beach afterwards. What's wrong with these people?






It was almost 2 years to the day that we decided to sell up. We have had two `non-buyer's` who cost us two lots of solicitors fees to move absolutely nowhere. We have had 3 estate agents. The first wasn't technically an estate agent as he did lettings, but he charged us a very small fee to enter us on `Right Move`. He was a bloody good bloke and in different times he would have done really well, but 3 weeks after we signed up with him the economy went on strike. The second agent was true to our past experiences. We got a buyer, she then lost her buyer. We took the house off the market to rest our nerves.

We used the third, successful, agent when we went back into the fray in May. The viewings positively flew through the door. The 14th made the offer we accepted. Turned out she wanted it when we were with the previous agent but was beaten to the post by the one that crashed and burned. Pity that agent didn't retain her details and give her a call as we'd have all saved ourselves 6 months valuable living time. Talk about not thinking outside the box -duh. The third agency was good and the lady who handled it was good, but Judas H Priest does this shitty English conveyancing system need a serious Parliamentary kick in the arse.

We have 6 weeks to move-out day. Packing will be easy. Catching one of our cats will not.

I sold one of my motorbikes (the BMW 1150 GS) to assist in funding Mrs HD a  new car. Its a Fiat 500. I have yet to find out where I check the oil and vinegar. Whilst I was in an Italian frame of mind I checked out the Moto Guzzi website - Oh Glory!! I do believe they've hooked me again. Ciao.

14 comments:

Display Name said...

hogday - welcome to Suffolk. A very good choice. No doubt you'll be joining the streams of motorcyclists buzzing around the country lanes this time of year - be safe!

a) you should have used a no sale-no fee solicitor. Some solicitors offer it as an add-on (if you sell you pay an extra fee) and some do it for no extra fee if they like you.

b) Recently replaced my 3-series beemer with a Fiat 500 and I LOVE it. Great choice for narrow country lanes.

Old BE said...

You got a mobile signal in Aldeburgh?!?!?!?! Without going up the hill to the church?!?!?!

As for estate agents! Ha! I was buying at the peak of the frenzy in early 2007. What a distant memory that seemed. Two flats which I was serious about buying fell through because I had apparently been outbid. Both times I looked months later at the Land Register to find that neither had finally changed hands for more than I had offered.

Luckily the third flat I liked is easily the best of the three and was the cheapest by a few thousand too.

Sage said...

Congratulations on the sale, it is a very uplifting experience though sad to see you are going to that lovely county of Suffolk rather than here in Sunny Cornwall. Hope the move goes well for you and Mrs H-D xx

Anne said...

ah, the English conveyancing system.. on this at least the Scottish win!

Glad to hear you've managed to achieve your aim at last, I'm sure Suffolk will be the better for you and Mrs H.D.'s arrival.

Anne said...

PS where is Suffolk?

SCOTTtheBADGER said...

Don't you think she'd be happier in one of these?

http://www.chevrolet.com/silverado-1500/#exterior

anon said...

But I thought the Hogdays were moving to Canada!

Guess I've cleaned, tidied and swept up, from sea to shining sea no less, for nothing then : (

Hogdayafternoon said...

Headless:
Thanks, but it ain't over till its over. We have to close a deal to buy one yet. Money being vacuumed out of the bank by surveyors etc and out of the investments by the FTSE. I may have to write to the chief constable and ask if he's any jobs going.....

Blue:
My Voda had zip until the A12. Mrs HD, on T Mob/Orange, got a hitmiss lucky atmospheric anomaly! The guy in the garage near the A12 knew my 2nd cousin who I've never even met!

Sage:
Thanks for your kind words. Its been a struggle. We can still travel west you know ;)

Anne:
Its just south of Norfolk, you can't miss it!

Scott:
That made I larrf! One day you must take a drive down a little road in East Anglia in one of those beasties :))

Powder:
The plan has been modified. Too long to mention here, but it involves renting and stuff ;)

JuliaM said...

Congratz!

Hogdayafternoon said...

JuliaM: Fanx! Headlines currently read:
"Essex boy (with centuries of Suffolk ancestry) escapes from frozen North - navigational error lands him 125 yards on the wrong side of the border". More to follow.

Anonymous said...

House sale (of one left to me) is all that's keeping me in the UK. May try auction. Short-term job in New York coming up - state not city. It's more peaceful there than here.
Do those Italian jobs come with Zimmer stablisers Hog?

Conan the Librarian™ said...

Moving house to get nearer your favourite brewery, that's dedication...

Hogdayafternoon said...

Archy': Got your Green Card?

Conan: I need help.

Anonymous said...

They're more 'pinky' these days Hog. It's an exchange thingy - some poor sod is coming here to teach the recalcitrants I'm avoiding.