I am just a poor boy, though my story’s seldom told
I have squandered my resistance
For a pocket full of mumbles.

Such are promises – All lies and jests.
Still a man hears what he wants to hear,
And disregards the rest

The Home Stretch, maybe (pun not intended). Three more appointments, and further developments.

Appointment 1

The second house we saw last Saturday, second viewing. We’re late because we’re expecting the estate agent to turn up and he doesn’t. The vendors don’t mind too much – they’re friendly people and they answer all my questions. It’s a very nice house, and since it’s been marked down it’s maybe within the realms of negotiation to our price point. Depending on what we see later, we’ll probably make an offer.

Appointment 2

Starts fantastically when we can’t find anywhere to park nearby – it’s all residents’ bays. We end up parking 5 minutes’ walk away, which isn’t so much of a problem. Quite useful to have done so – on the walk back there’s a very rough-looking pub and a 1960s council tower block on the verge of collapse, no more than 100 yards away. When we get to the house, the estate agent’s already there waiting. Unfortunately when he comes to let us in, his key doesn’t work. Cue twenty minutes waiting outside while the vendor rushes back from the shops. House is nice enough, but I don’t like the way the space is divided up – it’s been significantly remodelled, and there’s the parking and neighbours to think about too.

Appointment 3

The second house we saw on the first day of viewings. Pretty much as I remember it. Still nice enough to make an offer on but we liked the first house more. Still a very nice place, mind. If the offer on the first house isn’t accepted (and, being realistic, I’m not really expecting it to be) we’ll be happy to make an offer on this house.

More Conversations with the Damned

Once again I call the absentee estate agent from the first house of the day. “Are you willing to make an offer?” he asks. As it happens, I am. I give him my terms and he says he’ll call the vendors and get back to me. So far, I’m in limbo. As I said above, I’m not really expecting the offer to be accpted, but given I haven’t had a call back yet, I don’t think it’s an outright refusal.

So – might have found a place, might not. Let’s see what happens over the next few days.