‘Suspicious’ about plan for council, library buildings

Again I raise the question of NCC and Napier Library buildings.

The Mayor put forward a proposal to sell both buildings and enable the construction of an international hotel on the site. This to be not a widely accepted idea. Very shortly after it was allegedly discovered that these buildings were not up to required earthquake standards?

I am puzzled as to how two buildings conveniently side by side were planned, approved and built to such low standard considering they are not particularly old buildings in the history of Napier.

In discussion with a gentleman who I believe has the knowledge and expertise to understand this subject I was told that only two areas of the buildings were below standard, the overhead walkway between the buildings and I think he said the exterior stairway. Both more recent additions and both reasonably easy and inexpensive to remedy. Is there someone who could perhaps follow through on my thoughts. I know I may have a nasty suspicious mind but I do not like being lied to and conned to allow things like this to happen at the expense of Napier citizens. Brian Bulford

Taradale

Housing market

Over the past eight weeks my wife and I have again been featuring in the real estate field and have become, through no planned effort, participants every eight to 14 years over our 45 years of married life.

From this experience, it has turned out to be a highly recommended method for buying the family home.

Selling again at your right time . . . after five to six homes, your retirement fund is very healthy.

The younger generation need this advice. As a comparison I have friends who have been in their home for 30 to 40 years and are proud to tell you of what they bought it for and what it is worth today, but nothing to show for it.

On another point, we have found the current market very hard to buy into, for no other reason than the sales procedures of real estate companies. My wife and I in early March found the home that we liked which had been on the market a few weeks.

Shortly after our second visit it turned out there was no other solid interest, so we made what the agent explained was a solo offer, signed and we both looked pretty happy.

The agent is then obliged to contact all company agents to advise of an interest in this home.

They then have two hours to ring around potential buyers to advise them of the interest. What transpired is that it became a multi-offer as two others joined the race.

I was given the chance to increase my offer, with only the one opportunity to increase, and not knowing what I was bidding against.

The vendor was advised of three offers on the table. He asked me if I was prepared to negotiate.

My answer was “yes”. Some days later he heads to the office of the real estate company while my agent comes to my home.

Now would you believe on the road yet another offer comes out of the blue.

The result of all this is the new offer was accepted, leaving my wife and I very cold.

Unbeknown to us the accepted offer was only $10,000 above our cash unconditional offer and was conditional. So you see how hard it is to crack the market.

By the way, this conditional offer fell through, and we moved into the home. And, I will add, $5000 less than what the vendor was smiling about. What a hassle.

Can you blame us for selling our previous home privately for costs of $660, versus a very large commission.

Alexander Sutton (Alex)

Raureka