Being asked why you're selling...?

[TallulahBetty]

If the answer to this was "we need more room/another bedroom", would this put you off the house? Or would you understand that this is a natural progression after so many years?

Background: we're in a typical FTB house (mid-terrace, 2 bedrooms). Hoping to buy a 3-bed. Conflicting advice online as to whether admitting this would put buyers off. Estate agent friend says it might, depending on the buyer (i.e. FTB couple wouldn't be put off; family would).

Your thoughts, good people of MN?

[TallulahBetty]

Meant to add that the vendors of a property we viewed yesterday said they wanted more room - however they had 3 (very boisterous!) kids. So I had mixed feelings tbh.

[formicadinosaur]

Im thinking of other reasons for moving. Moving up the ladder? Or down. Want to be closer to a relative? Schools? Work? Wanting a guest room? Larger garden?

[hotbot]

Never get hy people ask, as I wouldn't expect the truth in answer anyway.

[TallulahBetty]

Thanks you formicadinosaur. I think saying "to be closer to my/DH's parents" is a good, inoffensive, neutral reason

[TallulahBetty]

Hotbot I think I will ask anyway (nosy, me!) but the woman yesterday volunteered the reason without me asking!

[HarrietSchulenberg]

I always asked and you'd be surprised at the honesty of sellers. One seller admitted that she was sick of the place following her divorce. One said that they needed more room (FTB as well). Most say they're moving closer to work/family/whatever.

What I was really after was an opportunity to declare any neighbour disputes even though I never expected (or got) any.

None of the above answers put me off, by the way. I was looking at the houses, room size etc., not the people who lived in them. Whatever the sellers said or whether they had coffee brewing or bread baking didn't influence me, but the size and position of the rooms, the view, the overall feel of the neighbourhood did.

[Jan49]

I think if you're moving from a 2 bed to a 3 bed, it's reasonable to say you're moving as you want 3 bedrooms now. If the viewer definitely wants 3 bedrooms then they won't view your house anyway. If you've lived there a long time you could say "we've lived here for 10 years and love it but really need 3 bedrooms now", so it doesn't sound like you are moving because there's a problem and it turns a potentially negative answer into a positive one.

I had to sell my house last year as part of a divorce so that my ex could get his share of the money, but we also decided to move away from the area altogether, to a town 200 miles away, so I just told people "we're moving to XYZ" and no one asked any more questions about it.