No going back now.......................

[FLYING BANANA]

............................. Got home from collecting the Bear to find the Sold sign up.
And the National Grid engineers turned up and, wait for it, put safety barriers round the generator. Took photo's of there handy work and got back into their van and left. Wonderful.

The journey up to Brighouse went all ok as far as Milton Keynes and then the heavens opened. The motorway turned into river. We slowed but idiots were zooming past at 70mph, and most had no lights. John, my chauffeur, is an advanced driver so I knew I was in safe hands.
Then we hit a jam, the matrix advised us that there was a 90 minute delay between junctions 35-37.

We came off early and cut across country through scenic but wet views. We even saw lots of snow. We finally got to Brighouse at 11am, five hours after leaving home. Found Chris and Dawn. We had a good look at the V8 coupe that Chris has built. 32 valve SV unit installed. Runs, steers and stops. Looks stunning in the colour they have chose. Has a flip in the paint. Colour is Blue Grape.

Dawn, bless her, made us some much wanted tea. Then with me settling up the bill we was off home. Chris gave us directions for the M62. I stopped and topped up the Bear's tank plus filled John's car, diesel Fiesta. Then we was off. Plain sailing on the M62, dropped down onto the A1 and stopped at Bumble Bee's diner. First garage past the Ferrybridge services, south bound.

Cracking full breakfast for each of us. Then we said our goodbyes as we were not planning to stop anymore, John's home is Darenth in Kent. oh! Well! That did not go quite to plan. The weather was grim all the way to the M11 via the A14. The Bear lead the way with the Fiesta Ridin' shotgun. All going swimmingly well till junction 7. Then stationary traffic on the M11. No idea why. We both pulled onto the hard shoulder. I told John to follow me once we was off the motorway.

Said our goodbyes, again. I then lead John off at junction 7 and onto North Weald, then into Chipping Ongar. Stopped again and showed John the way to get to Brentwood then he could get back onto the M25 and over the ski jump and home.
My route took me through Stanford Rivers, Abridge, Chigwell and into Barkingside. Home, kettle on and chill.

The Bear has never ran so sweet. Used 'Alf a tank over the 195 miles.

A huge Thank You to John, Chris, Dawn and Paul for all there help with "Pooky Bear".

[RPWC]

So flat sold, bit reckn it will take about 3 months before tou move Bob? Going by the way things move up here.

[Cable Tie]

Glad your home safe and sound bob speak to you soon

[FLYING BANANA]

.................................................. ....... smoothly. There is a bone of contention between the estate agents and the buyer. When the flat was built it did have 2 bedrooms. But back in 2002 Val decided that she wanted a bigger kitchen. So the front bedroom was converted to a kitchen. Power cables and water pipes were routed through the loft.

I stated to the estate agent that the flat was a ONE bedroomed flat, but could easily be converted back. Well I thought so. But the estate agents marketed it as a 2 bedroom. Again I pointed out it was not. But they carried on. Now the buyer knew that it had only 1 bedroom but listened to me when I said that I thought it could be changed ok.

So last night he popped in, phoned me first to ask if it was ok. He measured up the old kitchen and said there is no way it could be made into a 2nd bedroom. (( It measures roughly 71 inches from doorway to window and 79 inches wide)). He is now talking to his father, who is a builder, to see how much it would cost to change the two rooms back.

Not my problem but both he and the estate agents, I was in there shop this morning, have hinted that he may want to buy at a reduced price. I'm not keen on reducing the price anymore.

Meanwhile the National Grid engineers are here digging up the pavement to find out why we have no power. Got used to the generator humming away, only 'cos it don't know the words. lol
Back up into the loft and get the stuff down ready to take to the tip.

[FLYING BANANA]

Originally Posted by RPWC

So flat sold, bit reckn it will take about 3 months before tou move Bob? Going by the way things move up here.

Ahh! But everything moves at a slower pace up North. This is London and everything moves at twice the speed of sound.

[WillyHeckaslike]

Sorry to hear that Bob. Given the stacks of interest in your flat so far in its short time on the market I too would be very reluctant to reduce the price. Sounds to me like the intending buyer might be trying it on, if I'm not mistaken the offer to buy was after a viewing so the layout should not and will not have come as any surprise. I would stand firm on the price for now.

[FLYING BANANA]

........................................... From a old packet of fags and some well used insulating tape, the power is back on. The generator has been silenced. The mini digger, midget with a shovel, has been packed away. The lads came up and made sure I had my power back on, now that was thoughtful of them.

Still not heard anything from the estate agents or the proposed buyer. Either they are in discussion or down the pub.
Been and taken some more rubbish down to the tip in the Bear. Then treated the Bear to a nice soft hand wash at the East European place and then into the go-go juice station to top up her tank.

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

.................................................. ....... smoothly. There is a bone of contention between the estate agents and the buyer. When the flat was built it did have 2 bedrooms. But back in 2002 Val decided that she wanted a bigger kitchen. So the front bedroom was converted to a kitchen. Power cables and water pipes were routed through the loft.

I stated to the estate agent that the flat was a ONE bedroomed flat, but could easily be converted back. Well I thought so. But the estate agents marketed it as a 2 bedroom. Again I pointed out it was not. But they carried on. Now the buyer knew that it had only 1 bedroom but listened to me when I said that I thought it could be changed ok.

So last night he popped in, phoned me first to ask if it was ok. He measured up the old kitchen and said there is no way it could be made into a 2nd bedroom. (( It measures roughly 71 inches from doorway to window and 79 inches wide)). He is now talking to his father, who is a builder, to see how much it would cost to change the two rooms back.

Not my problem but both he and the estate agents, I was in there shop this morning, have hinted that he may want to buy at a reduced price. I'm not keen on reducing the price anymore.

Meanwhile the National Grid engineers are here digging up the pavement to find out why we have no power. Got used to the generator humming away, only 'cos it don't know the words. lol
Back up into the loft and get the stuff down ready to take to the tip.

not sure if I have misunderstood. From what you say he has measured the wrong place, you say old kitchen, surely it should be the new kitchen that gets measured as that was a bedroom

macafee2

[FLYING BANANA]

Originally Posted by macafee2

not sure if I have misunderstood. From what you say he has measured the wrong place, you say old kitchen, surely it should be the new kitchen that gets measured as that was a bedroom

macafee2

No, it's the old kitchen that he wanted to measure.

[FLYING BANANA]

.................................................. . phone went yesterday morning, it was the mother, Debbie, of the lad who lives downstairs to me. She wanted to buy the flat. I explained it was technically 'sold'. "No, I want your flat". she nearly burst my ear drum with her reply. I explained the situation to her but she insisted she still wanted the place for her eldest son.

So on my way out to London I went into the Estate Agents and explained, and lo and behold they knew all about it. Strange she had not mentioned that she had contacted them. Had she seen the flat? No I said. Well it's best that she views the flat before making a counter offer.
This is all beyond me. Anyway Debbie is coming to view today at 2pm.

So off to London I went putting the Sale at the back of my mind. I would ask my brother in law's advice, we was meeting for our "start-to-the-New Year-beer" at the Founders Arms on the South Bank of the Thames. The pub sits between Blackfriars railway station and the Tate Gallery. We met and believe it or not we sat outside as it was a lovely day. And the beer was Youngs Special Bitter at £4.75 a pint.

I relayed all the current info about the sale of the flat to him. And he told me his views which all made sense to me. After awhile we ventured on to our second haunt at the Sir John Betjeman at St. Pancras station. A bit cheaper here, well 5p cheaper. We supped the brew made by Sharps specially for this pub, Betjeman Ale, and whilst we chatted sitting outside, my phone rang and it was Actros, Brian was phoning up to make sure I was Ok. But with the sound of the station behind I was unable to reply.

So I went inside the pub and around towards the loo's, in the passageway outside, and phoned him back. We had a chat about The Bear. With our goodbyes I went back outside via the bar to get a couple more beers and the phone rang again, this time it was the expected call from the estate agents. The original buyer had now submitted a lower offer on the flat as he needed to take into account how much he would have to spend to convert the flat back to two bedrooms. I told the estate agent that I would think about and phone back today.

Michael advised me to see what Debbie was going to offer and then go from there. We said our goodbyes, till Monday when I take The Bear over to his house. She will be staying in his driveway till I move. And with lots of beer inside me I wandered off home.
Once home, I made something to eat. Put the heating on and promptly fell asleep in the chair.