IT’S A waiting game
WHAT TO KNOW IF YOU’RE BIDDING ON A HOME BY TENDER
You are fed up with the tender process for purchasing a property. It seems designed totally to benefit the seller. Buyers must operate in the dark, usually with no idea what the seller’s expectations are and no idea how many or how high the competitive bids are. Should they be banned?
I don’t think anyone would deny that the tender process for purchasing property is heavily tilted in favour of the seller. But remember that the agents behind tenders, indeed behind nearly all real estate sales, are acting on behalf of, and being paid by, the seller. Certainly it was much simpler when sellers advertised properties with the sale price written alongside them. But such sales are now rare. While I accept that the tender process is difficult for potential buyers, I don’t think you can just ban them. And many sellers do advertise a “tender reserve” – a guide as to what’s the minimum amount the seller would consider acceptable. What’s clear to me is that if you are hoping to submit a winning tender, you must do so in consultation with a lawyer experienced in such matters. You must do your research.
And you might even hire a real-estate agent who specialises in working on behalf of buyers not sellers. They do exist. Otherwise, stay clear.
You have an out-ofwarranty iPhone 6 which seems to run out of battery much quicker than it used to. In fact, sometimes you wonder if it is losing its ability to hold a charge at all. This has left you with no form of communications at several key times. Aren’t replacement batteries expensive? What should you do?
Take your phone back to where you bought it and explain your concerns. Apple has offered a $90 discount to New Zealand customers needing to replace the battery on an iPhone 6 or later model following performance problems. The cost of replacing an out-of- warranty iPhone battery should cost just $49, down from the original price of $139. The problem you have is a widespread one and Apple has apologised to customers worldwide. Of course, I do not know your particular iPhone’s issue and therefore cannot guarantee what your retailer’s reaction will be. But the fault you are outlining sounds like the issue that has received considerable publicity.