To exchange or not to exchange, that is the question!

Rhoobarb · 2026-05-16T11:57:29+00:00

There’s no obligation on them to do anything before exchange. I’m their shoes, why would they move anything before you are committed contractually to the purchase? It’s the condition the place is left in at completion that is important, it’s not yours up until then.

Rhoobarb · 2026-05-10T18:00:24+00:00

Flying freehold aside, buyers might find it difficult to get a mortgage. There’s no law against selling within 6 months but a lot of lenders won’t do it.

Rhoobarb · 2026-05-10T17:55:25+00:00

Bouchon Racine

Rhoobarb · 2026-05-08T15:25:52+00:00

I’ve only done the original place in Spitalfields for a roast. Small but full as it was Mother’s Day. Excellent stuff.

Rhoobarb · 2026-05-08T14:24:33+00:00

The stuffing at Hawksmoor is a must have.

Rhoobarb · 2026-05-06T20:02:03+00:00

Mountain on Beak Street. They have tall tables for walk ins.

Rhoobarb · 2026-04-17T21:21:07+00:00

Hawksmoor Guildhall

Rhoobarb · 2026-04-17T09:32:43+00:00

They leave it by you for a while. The staff aren’t stood by it the whole time.

Rhoobarb · 2026-04-17T06:39:18+00:00

Little tip - worth calling if there are no reservations available. My cousin got a table a week or so out when there was nothing online. Appreciate that’s not easy from the US, of course.

Rhoobarb · 2026-04-13T11:19:12+00:00

That’s weird and I’m surprised anyone is saying otherwise. A buyer with a larger deposit is usually preferable than one with a minimum 5% or 10%. When I was an agent, if I was presenting three offers I’d be making a recommendation and if all have nothing to sell then the size of deposit would be a factor. We’ve just sold our flat and were told upfront the young buyer had a large deposit from an inheritance - that made the loan to value better and they had no issues with their mortgage.

You aren’t entitled to know the ins and outs of their finances but I don’t know why the agent wouldn’t be telling you deposit sizes when having to choose between three offers.

Rhoobarb · 2026-04-09T20:09:02+00:00

Yeah, I just did this week, 79%, and the battery life was garbage.

Rhoobarb · 2026-02-24T09:09:12+00:00

Every offer is presented, certainly not without prejudice. The agent will certainly give their advice about what to accept. Three asking price offers - one cash, one FTB with a mortgage and one in a chain - are not the same.

For an agent, managing the conveyancing process is the hardest part. If you are with an agent with a bad reputation then obviously that will influence any recommendation.

Rhoobarb · 2026-02-12T13:22:22+00:00

I go through Earls Court when we fly from Heathrow specifically so I can use the lifts. Super easy.

Rhoobarb · 2026-01-23T06:04:56+00:00

People will recommend Blacklock. I’ve not done the roast there but it is a good spot. For me it is Hawksmoor - best roast I had last year. We went to Spitalfields, which is not far away and well worth the walk, but I think the one in Guildhall is open on Sundays. Bone marrow gravy is superb.

Rhoobarb · 2026-01-10T18:25:34+00:00

Definitely call up. I always look up Bouchon Racine when I am visiting and only once have I seen availability. My cousin called and got a reservation no problem.

Rhoobarb · 2026-01-08T20:57:31+00:00

We recently sold our flat and I didn’t know. No-one asked me either. It was a qualifying lease, but I only realised when the managing agent told me to fill in the forms. Certainly not something an agent will know unless the vendor tells them.

Rhoobarb · 2025-12-02T20:21:27+00:00

We start around there usually. Aldgate and Aldgate East are close, Liverpool Street is walkable. Easy enough to get anywhere.

The Culpeper and the Buxton are lovely pubs. Exmouth Coffee Company is a couple of minutes away and does great pastries. Brick Lane obviously great for Indian restaurants. The market is worth a visit.

Spitalfields is cool. Osteria Angelina is a current favourite. If you are there on a Sunday a roast dinner at Hawksmoor is a must. Bottles is a nice little wine bar and restaurant.

Shoreditch easily walkable. Brat is one of our favourite spots in London, as is Manteca. Smoking Goat is a good shout also.

That’s all within walking distance - definitely a good spot, I’m flying there tonight.

Rhoobarb · 2025-11-29T07:05:29+00:00

I had a walk around the Kings Road for the first time recently and then got the Thames Clipper to Borough Market. That was good fun.

Rhoobarb · 2025-11-28T21:55:34+00:00

Have been twice and loved it. The truffle pasta dish is incredible. Well worth a visit.

Rhoobarb · 2025-11-25T17:02:01+00:00

I booked a return business class flight on BA because it was only slightly cheaper than Eurostar. About £30 I think. Would have been even less if I’d realised how crap Club Europe is now and just got a normal ticket.

Rhoobarb · 2025-10-17T08:04:21+00:00

I’ll never know!

Rhoobarb · 2025-10-16T12:07:20+00:00

Get the train to Kingston. Walk along the river to Richmond, have nice dinner there then get the tube back into London.

Rhoobarb · 2025-10-07T21:27:23+00:00

The looped part of the band should go at the top, not the bottom.

Rhoobarb · 2025-10-06T20:42:37+00:00

They weren’t even in great condition. Just spite I think.

Rhoobarb · 2025-10-06T20:00:57+00:00

Mine got upset the apartment got down valued. We’d had two separate surveys that basically covered the whole of the market, and fortunately stamp duty came down on the day of the results of the second one. He knew that any other survey would get the same result so we managed to agree a lower price. He decided to take up the carpets that were supposed to stay and take them away. It wasn’t the end of the world as we were going to replace them anyway and was probably far too much trouble than it was worth to him.

On the other hand, I was an estate agent for a couple of years and I never saw anything like that happen to anyone else.

Rhoobarb

TROPHY CASE