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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think naming a seaside house might encourage buyers?

66 replies

BlackCloudofGloom · 11/08/2018 17:38

We've inherited a house near the beach. The decor is very dated, so we're going to do it up a bit to look more seasidey before we sell it. What house name would make you feel this would be a lovely place to buy? Or would you prefer to buy an unnamed house? Suggestions, please!

OP posts:
Urbanbeetler · 11/08/2018 17:39

What age and type of house is it? Beach Cottage is hardly going to cut it if it’s a modern townhouse.

Methe · 11/08/2018 17:40

I'd prefer to buy a house that hadn't been done up by someone else but a house having a name would be neither here nor there.

BlackCloudofGloom · 11/08/2018 17:41

It's definitely not a cottage, actually 1970s.

OP posts:
thirstyformore · 11/08/2018 17:42

I always think it’s lovely when a couple use parts of their own names to create a beautifully unique house name. Like our neighbours Margaret and John who lovingly named their house Marjon Hmm

You could try that?

NeverKeepANameTooLong · 11/08/2018 17:45

Sunnyside

TeenTimesTwo · 11/08/2018 17:45

I think 'doing it up a bit' could be a waste of money unless it is cheap cosmetic only. A 70s house could need whole scale renovation (e.g. writing). So either modernise or sell for lower price but as a project for someone? I can't see that a name would be either here nor there. But what do I know?

Urbanbeetler · 11/08/2018 17:46

What features does the sea side have there? Stones? Sandy? Is it on a hill? Does it have a sea view?

Bluelady · 11/08/2018 17:46

What difference will a name make? The market's completely flat right now, the only thing that will make it more saleable is a competitive price.

ShatnersBassoon · 11/08/2018 17:47

A name would be neither here nor there. Presumably anyone interested would be aware of its location without a clue.

Don't do it up in a seasidey style either. If someone wants to buy it to rent out as a holiday home, they'd rather pay for a doer-upper. Anyone wanting to buy a home for themselves wouldn't want it to look like a holiday home.

NeverKeepANameTooLong · 11/08/2018 17:50

@thirstyformore you are onto something there, it's a very 1970s thing to do, not sure what the previous occupants were called but how about

BloJob -Blossom and Jobe
PenIs - Penny and Issac
ManKy - Manifred and Kylie

JakePeraltaNYPD · 11/08/2018 17:54

Sunnyside Up! Grin

thirstyformore · 11/08/2018 17:56

@neverkeepanametoolong has made some great suggestions. Go with one of them Grin

drquin · 11/08/2018 18:22

No, I wouldn't be swayed by a name. Perhaps at first glance "beach view" seems more descriptive than "10 Main Street", but I'd soon find out exact location if I was interested - to the extent that if living on Main Street wasn't for me, I'm never going to be convinced by you calling it "beach view". And calling it "beach view" if you can only see an inch of sand if you stand on top-toes and squint out the back-bedroom window isn't going to convince me either.

In terms of doing it up, depends on your market & potential buyers. I'd be tempted to do any glaringly obvious repairs, and market it as a doer-upper.

Mari50 · 11/08/2018 18:31

Personally unless you are any good at property renovations or decor I’d not bother doing anything. There’s nothing worse than a crappy cosmetic job when a property actually needs total refurb.
And a name isn’t going to make a fig of difference to anyone. It’s not going to evoke any feeling of wallet opening if the interior isn’t what they’re after.
With an inherited property I’d just view it as free money and see what’s offered. Faffing around for an extra £5k or whatever is a bit greedy imo.

bridgetreilly · 11/08/2018 18:33

I definitely wouldn't. It costs money to register a name, it won't add value to the house, and new owners might actually prefer to pick their own name.

bridgetreilly · 11/08/2018 18:35

Oh, I also wouldn't do seasidey-decor. Plenty of people like to live near the sea without having a themed-home. Just clean it up, chuck on some coats of white paint, get rid of anything that's tatty or smelly. Blank canvas is what you want.

Dermymc · 11/08/2018 18:36

I wouldn't bother doing it up. It'll cost and you won't get the equivalent back when you sell. Also people will change what you do.

Just sell it now.

Monkeypuzzle32 · 11/08/2018 18:36

Sell it as is, people love a doer upper-especially if the location is good

PositiveVibez · 11/08/2018 18:38

Casa BevRon

GerdaLovesLili · 11/08/2018 18:41

Having spent two years looking at seaside houses i haven't been swayed by the decor (because I'll be decorating whatever I buy), nor the twee names that some of them have. If I see another stripy-bunting-y-light-housey wall plaque I may well resort to axe-murdering. Drift-wood? Nope! Bleached-blue bathrooms with rope accessories- Don't do it. I'm more interested in location, structural integrity, neighbours and price.

thedoctorwillseeyounow · 11/08/2018 18:42

I live on the coast and the market here is very buoyant - pretty much independent of the rest of the UK property economy (no noticeable drop in prices in 2008). Any house that goes on the market tends to be snapped up by one of several companies that do holiday cottage lets. If you're in a similar area, it would be worth approaching one of these companies for a quick sale. They tend to decorate their properties in a specific style, so there's no point wasting your time and money on renovations or naming the house.

Vitalogy · 11/08/2018 18:45

I can't see it'd do any harm OP.

The market's completely flat right now Not everywhere.

SimonBridges · 11/08/2018 18:47

I knew someone who called their house Seaview Bungalow.
It was a three story house about 50 miles from the sea.....

ShinyMe · 11/08/2018 19:00

I really hate made up new names for houses that don't actually merit a name. If it's a detached house that isn't in a street and can't easily have a number, then yes. But if it's on a road with numbers, then it should have a number imo, and a name can seem a bit twee and pretentious.

LoniceraJaponica · 11/08/2018 19:11

Names are meaningless. Don't waste your money.

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