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!

I do see where the OP is coming from, TBH. We had a similar thing with my grandmother's house and quite a few of the potential buyers were trying it on, completely.

The house had been completely refurbished 3 years before (new double glazing throughout, new front/back doors, new kitchen and bathrooms) and then repainted throughout ( neutral decor, nothing outlandish). The house was in good repair outside.

We had a few buyers saying "we would want to add a conservatory" "we'd like to extend/add on a bedroom", "kitchen not to our taste" and so on, so offer less so they could "pay to have the work done". If the house had needed work done, e.g. roof repairs, bathrooms needing replaced or something then fair enough- although that should be reflected in the initial pricing, I'd have thought?

But it didn't NEED the work doing- having a conservatory or changing the 3 year old kitchen which was in excellent condition is a personal choice and you can't really expect a discount on that basis. They viewed a 5 bed house. If they wanted a 6 bed, then they should view 6 bed properties or 5 bed properties at a lower price, giving them money to spend on extending. Sometimes it did feel a bit like people thought they could offer less so that they could make the changes they wanted, even though the house was priced fairly for what it was.

We just turned out the ridiculous offers and sold for slightly higher than valuation in the end. All depends on whether the valuation is right in the first place, I think.

oh, and don't get me started on those who viewed and complained it was "more rural than they thought"- the location was on the EA website or when they looked at the map to come and visit, surely this would have obvious?

Or those who complained that they couldn't get mains gas (no one in the area can) or about the private water supply (again, every single house for many miles around is exactly the same and there is not the option of mains water) and so on ..... ALL of which were mentioned in the particulars. If you don't like any of those things, then don't view the house. It's a waste of everyone's time! And no, I won't drop the price the reflect any of these aspects, as that has already been taken into account when valuing the property!

Hi guys newbie here. I have a question to ask you all who decides to change house prices for sale on Zoola? Strange one I know. I live on Isle of Skye and had my home on Zoopla just to watch over the years if it went up or down in value. Well lucky or so I thought my home rose in value. To £155.995. Two years ago I decided I wanted to sell. I checked Zoopla and is had gone up to £157.560. there are four estate agents on Skye and I had each one come. Not on same day. and advice me on selling. The first said I would be lucky to get £115.000. Now this shook me.The following three said same give or take 2 grand. At this point I said my house has risen in price in past ten years by Zoopla. They were taken aback. The very next day I went onto Zoopla and my house price had fell to £115.000????????

My home is very much wanted by several locals I know this as when I bought it ten years ago it went to sealed bids there were 9 others and they were locals and neighbours. I am not paranoid but I don't trust these agents on Skye or the Surveyor.

Sorry it's a long story but I have to sell my home due to ill health and have not got a clue who to trust for home report and for sale.

Please can anyone help me with some advice on what am I to do. I am on my own and have no family close to me.

@Nightdreamer62 I'm afraid I don't know, but I would start a new thread with your question, so that people will easily be able to see that you need help with something - resurrecting a zombie thread means people who respond are likely to talk about the original issue, and not respond to you

Good luck

People are going to make offers. Just dont accept them. There's no need to get so het up

People are weird, full stop.
When selling a house at the same price we bought it for, we had one couple offer 45% under the asking price. This was a joke to them but quite an insult.

And when renting, even stranger. We had advertised the house as no pets, partly furnished, no use of a locked garage. A couple seemed keen - looked and left. We had a few more viewers and then a letter came through the door. It was a FIVE PAGE hand written letter from the first couple who had been sitting in the car writing it the whole time. I wish to god I had kept it- it was a list of demands incuding - repaint all rooms, access to garage for the man's tools and equipment. removal of all of our furniture, a hen house and lifting of the pets thing for a dog and 20 hens.I think there was more but it was a fab letter. We just threw it away and laughed.

Ask what you like they can always offer less.

But this is what buyers usually do: if they can't find exactly what they want, then they find something they like with potential to alter it to suit, then figure out how much the alterations will cost and adjust their bid accordingly. It's nothing personal against the seller, just like it's nothing personal if you turn their offer down.

It's part of the parcel, but you can definitely say no and they can either look for another place, or try to negotiate the price down based on the work they want to do.

YABVU. Your house is clearly old-fashioned and overpriced.

If you can get your asking price, then get it. But buying a house is not like buying groceries at Tesco's. Asking prices are just that - what the seller is asking for. The buyer is not required to pay it and offering less than the asking price - for any or no reason - is the norm.

Oh, and prices in many parts of the country are coming down fast, so the longer you wait you may find the less your house is worth. You may be hoping for whatever your house was worth say 6 months or a year ago. Buyers will be offering less based on what they think it will likely be worth 6 months or a year from now. No-one wants to buy into negative equity.

This is a Zombie Thread...

You just say “no” and move on.

They might not see lovely, they might see outdated but, with potential.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

OP, user1483875094 have you now sold your house?

THIS IS AN OLD THREAD***

IM SURE THE OP MOVED HOUSE MANY MOTHS AGO!

NIGHTDREAMER, START A NEW THREAD INSTEAD***

Why do people reserect these things???

As the thread is only 7 or so month old, the OP will be lucky if the house sold months ago! Even in central London quick sales can take a few months when you are in a chain.

If anyone’s interested, the OP has actually made another thread today here as this one is old.....
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/3158840-really-not-sure-this-is-the-right-topic-but-TROUBLE-with-neighbour

@qween

YABVU. Your house is clearly old-fashioned and overpriced.

How do YOU know?!

£60K below the asking price is a pisstake. Don't care HOW much the house is/was.

And I am willing to bet that the price was much closer to the 200K mark, than the 1.5 mill that a few people have suggested.

Exactly what you said, wisteriainbloom - we were first time buyers, not in a hurry and renting a nice place. Viewed a property that we loved due to the location but the "top of the range" in the 1990s kitchen and bathroom needed updated. It also had seriously ugly wallpaper with those old-fashioned borders halfway up the wall in each room. There hadn't been many pictures in the brochure but agent had described it as "recently renovated" !

Put in an offer 5k below the asking price but at home report value. Rejected, we said "okiedokie" and kept looking

6 months later it was still on the market.

We put in another offer and ended up getting it for 5k less than our original offer.

A house is only worth what people will pay for it, it shouldn't be an emotional thing.

Gah! Zombie thread. Not again.

Depends if it’s overpriced? Are there houses better than yours with wet rooms and conservatories for the same price? I’m guessing not or they’d have bought one? If similar houses near to you are selling for your asking price then keep it on the market. But if people are having to drop their price to get a sale you may need to.

Bloody zombie thread.