Selling my family home of 28 years and people expect ME to pay for their required alterations

[user1483875094]

Hello! I wondered if any of you might give me some sound advice.
I am selling my lovely (quite large) family home of 28 years, (so am very out of practice with selling and buying. Had three agents round, all said about the same sales price. Chose one, it went on the market. FLURRY of visitors as it is quite a lovely family home, 4 beds, two lounges, huge open plan kitchen diner - all up together and in very good order.
First offer, from a young couple who had made THREE visits, and they made an insulting and derisory offer, 60 k under the sales price! Their reason? They wanted to put a conservatory on the back, turn the large utility room into a down-stairs "wet room" (whatever that is) - knock a wall through from a small bedroom, and a small study upstairs to create a bigger bedroom, and cut down three lovely old trees. They reckoned that would "cost THEM" about 60k. Therefore the derisory offer. SORRY, what is it I am not "getting?" They saw the house 3 times, they had hundreds of photos, they had the accurate floor plans... WHY AM I EXPECTED TO PAY FOR THAT YOUNG COUPLES "DESIRES" - ??? I just don't get it! If they didn't like the house because it DIDNT HAVE A WET-ROOM, A CONSERVATORY, AND UNFORTUNATELY HAD TREES..... WHY COME AND VISIT? Sorry but I have been finding this whole process very trying indeed. Another couple, LOVED the house, and the massive amount of space - (but they would have to spend a "lot of money" to make it like THEY would want... so another nonsense offer! WHY VISIT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT!? Anyone got any advice? I don't "need to move" but have been here with my two daughters on our own for many years. They have both flown the nest and are settled - and I really don't need this big place on my own. We three decided it was a sensible move, to down-size. But WHY, in that process, should I give away 50 or 60 k. to young couples who want to vastly alter this house? I am on the cusp of taking it off the market, and sod it!

If you not happy with the offer say no. Dont get emotionally involved. It wont be your house soon. Sounds like you dont like this offer so say no and tell estate agent you wont accept offers under a certain price.

Zombie!!!!!!!!! Grrrrr. Please start a new thread rather than post on here...

I thought I did Zombie

@anotherdayanothersquabble

We were looking for a house and we saw quite a few where the owners had put in top of the range kitchens and bathrooms in the late 1980's but didn't see that these would need to be updated.

If they're in good condition they don't need to be updated, it's just that many people would want to update them. I still have the original 1960's bathroom in my house (it's fine, just an awkward colour). If it ain't broke why spend a shitload of money?

We also have a house want to sell. We spoke to the estate agent about replacing the bathroom, she said not to bother as people just rip out the bathroom and kitchen and put in what they want anyway.

As people have said, its really dependent on how hot the market is and if people think your house is worth what the estate agents say. For example in the area we leave the estate agents price the houses a little high it seems and none sell. One our friends were looking at was priced 1,390,000. It was on the market for a year so they put an offer of 1,300,000, which was accepted. Then a leak happened. So they said they wouldn't buy unless more was taken off so they bought it for 1,285,000, as with a leak no one would want to buy it. So the owners realised they would have to pay for the leak themselves to try and hope to sell. They realised better to take the offer, as not many people were putting offers. You can wait as long as you want if you think there will be a better offer. But most people negotiate money off. Its rare not to.

HI all, YES I was the original poster, and sold months ago! Fantastically well, in fact to a lovely family, and only had to drop my asking price by 4k as they loved my old house. Not at all sure why I suddenly started getting mumsnet updates about my very old post! Now realise why, as someone else has joined in very late indeed with their own post / re. zoopla. Just wanted to thank everyone for their positive advice, I didn't have to wait long, actually, after my original post, before a realistic family came along and made a fantastic offer which was accepted and sorted. I moved months ago, and am absolutely loving my brand new- very down-sized modern home!! Thanks all. xxx