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What offer would you give for a house that needs complete renovation

29 replies

Heavywheezing · 01/05/2013 18:40

We went to look at a house today.
It needs a complete renovation. Bathroom downstairs, new kitchen, new boiler. An old person had the house before.

It's on the market for £400,000 which for us would be too much to pay but it needs £30,000 minimum spent on it.

I just wonder what would could be a realistic offer of this house

house

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MisForMumNotMaid · 01/05/2013 18:49

I think you would be talking £50-£100k for bathroom move, complete rewire with chasing and replastering, i'm guessing windows and doors, kitchen, flooring throughout, possibly damp treatment to walls/ floors, probably spraying for beetle and woodworm if the house hasn't been adequately heated/ ventilated.

All that being said £400k takes some of that into account. I'd be tempted to see how £350k went down unless you're very keen and feel someone else might get in first.

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Heavywheezing · 01/05/2013 19:02

The windows look ok, yes it does need rewiring , some bits of damp in places.
It would be excellent to have an extension on the back with ensuite.

I'm not crazy about the house. I like it. But no house is perfect. Just no others around have come up. There are load of bungalows around.

It's really difficult.

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Allice · 01/05/2013 19:02

It's lovely, great garden.
How long has it been on the market? Has there been much interest?

I agree with MisForMum, I'd start at about 350k

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SizzleSazz · 01/05/2013 19:04

I don't think 10% off offered on any house is unexpected at the moment (unless in London or other property hotspot). With all the refurb stuff as well, def start at £350k

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throckenholt · 01/05/2013 19:05

It depends on how much it would be worth once the work has been done. The house should have been valued in the state it is in now. Ie - if it is obvious the windows are rotten, and the boiler is ancient - then you would expect that to have been taken account of in the asking price. Having said that offering 10% below the asking price isn't out of the ordinary - so say £36K.

Have you had a survey - that would hopefully pick up the non-obvious jobs that need doing.

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throckenholt · 01/05/2013 19:07

meant that to be £350-360K

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MisForMumNotMaid · 01/05/2013 19:08
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Heavywheezing · 01/05/2013 19:09

It's been on the market a week. It's in probate too.

I only sent to see it today, so no survey. They have had a few offers too.

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Heavywheezing · 01/05/2013 19:12

It's really nicemisfor

Shows what could be done, I suppose. But too far from motorway, and my son's school

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MisForMumNotMaid · 01/05/2013 19:14
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LifeofPo · 01/05/2013 19:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Heavywheezing · 01/05/2013 19:33

I really love that house mis the only thing it backs onto the airport which is being extended.

But a pink house is so pretty.

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MisForMumNotMaid · 01/05/2013 20:00

Have you visited it? Only I used to live by Gatwick airport, amongst many other places, and some of the houses right by the airport were fairly quiet yet some of those 10 minutes away were really noisy as on flight paths.

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Heavywheezing · 01/05/2013 20:56

It's what they have planning permission for.
Right at the end of the garden will be the car park.

But it is lovely.

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MisForMumNotMaid · 01/05/2013 21:07

Okay. Car park wouldn't be so much fun. I was thinking of a lovely garden I used to sit in that you could look out from across the distant airport runways.

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MmeLindor · 01/05/2013 21:07

£30k is very optimistic, I would say.

I would be v wary of what you could uncover once you start the work. We are starting complete renovation of an ex LA house next week, and if we were to go with everything we really wanted, could easily have spent £50k. And that is nothing structural, no damp or anything major.

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iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii · 01/05/2013 21:32

What a lovely house.

Sorry no advice Blush

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lalalonglegs · 01/05/2013 21:41

I think you have to work out how much similar houses that don't need renovation cost and then work backwards allowing for costs and plenty of funds to compensate for your time and effort (not suggesting you do the work but even running a build is hard work).

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Sausagedog27 · 01/05/2013 21:52

That is a lovely house. Looking at it with the fireplace and floorplan it really could be very very old- you will need to be prepared to take that on with that in mind. Things like damp etc won't be a simple chemical injection type fix. I think you really need to love it to take it on.

Stunning though!!

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wendybird77 · 01/05/2013 21:57

I think your budget is really optimistic, we live not far from there and have just spent more than that (easily) on similar, maybe less, work. If it hasn't been on for long and there is loads of interest then the vendors will probably want to hold out a bit. However, if you are in a good position to move quickly then I would just put in whatever you think it is worth (bearing in mind the cost of doing up and what it would be worth when you are done). Take a builder out to give you a quote for the works before you put an offer - we did this with a house and it made us walk away very quickly! I know a good builder if you want a recommendation.

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greenformica · 01/05/2013 22:23

What would it sell for fully done?

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Heavywheezing · 01/05/2013 22:34

Oh Wendy please pm me. I think it would be useful to take a builder and quite frankly a reality check.

I think If he said £100,000 then £350,000 plus that we could not afford it unless I bumped off my pil.

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NonnoMum · 01/05/2013 22:39

I'm not an expert...

BUT it seems to me that it doesn't really matter what state a house is in; it's the plot and the location people pay for.

If you want it, I'd offer £400k. The executors don't care that you want it pristine and with the latest bathroom suite...

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myron · 02/05/2013 01:30

If you don't know/are hesitating, you haven't viewed enough properties to know the local market. I agree with the PP, it's been on for less than a week, had a few viewings out of which, there are already a few offers. I think the plot/location is obviously attractive and I would hazard a guess that it won't sit on the market for long.

I have been in this scenario twice. The 1st time, we were naive to believe that as rare no chain buyers, the vendors would fall over themselves with an offer from us. We offered 10% under asking. The house sold for asking price to another no chain buyer. We kicked ourselves a little after that since no suitable house came up for sale since on that road (prime location & large plot) and it's been 3 years.

The 2nd time came approx 18mths later and was even more of a doer-upper and priced at a stamp duty threshold. Due to plot & location, it already had 3 offers in before we even viewed it on Day 2. DH & I decided not to mess about with making an offer a few thousand less than asking and risk losing such a great house (18mths of multiple house viewing later - we KNEW a house like that didn't come up often - 35 yrs to be precise). We then had to prove that we had the finances which we did the following day and then we had to wait while the seller made a choice of whom they wished to sell to from the 3 asking price offers! We were dreading the thought of it going to sealed bids which has happened before wrt to other houses we viewed but didn't partake in.

Are you proceedable? You have little chance if you're not.

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throckenholt · 02/05/2013 09:23

Equally a probate sale gives you more wriggle room. They are trying to maximise the value but have a time scale that a normal private seller might not. They may be happy to negotiate over the summer, but with a view to having sold before the cold weather comes - you don't want to have to deal with an empty house (potentially away from where you live) over the winter.

If you are interested take a builder round to give ball park figures for what is visible now. If that seems reasonable then go for a survey to try and cost up unforseen stuff. If you need a mortgage then you will have to have the survey anyway before they will give you the money. At that point you finally decide what you are willing (and able) to pay - then you make a firm offer (lower than you final price) and see how they react. Seems reasonable to tell the vendors that would be your likely path. If there are others around willing to pay more than you - then fine - they would pay more and you wouldn't get it anyway.

By the way - I know this from the other side having recently gone through selling my mum's house.

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