Today we went to a house auction, which was very exciting for me after being a big fan of homes under the hammer for a few years. It is subtly different in real life and it became obvious almost immediately what a difference the auctioneer can make to the price achieved. This auctioneer seemed very good and politely and gentlemanlyly teased an extra hundred thousand out of the bidders for one property. Another very pretty country cottage went at the bottom of the estimate, it could be because it was very close to a road but it could be because it was listed as two bedroomed when it was in fact three. I guess it pays to check the details as a seller, I would have been very disgruntled about this. Beth was reading and messing with her baby throughout this and didn't find it as exciting as I did but by the end she had worked out that if you wanted to bid you should wait till the second hammer.
We were there because my eldest daughter and her husband had found what they thought was their dream home, an ex lock keepers cottage in the middle of the country but close to work and not far from us. It went beyond their price unfortunately; very disappointing, but that is what buying houses is like. I am sure when they find the place they eventually buy they will look back and reflect that it was a good job they didn't get this one.
We then went for a consolatory meal at a carvery, very nice. Hope we are there when they find the right house to share the pink champagne.
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