To think it's actually quite easy to flog a house..

[squeekywheel]

I've done it three times in the last four years. Took between two and four weeks each time.

Now I'm trying to buy one for the first time and years and bloody hell, there are some idiots out there...

1. Price it reasonably. It's not worth what you need to buy your dream home, it's worth what someone will pay for it. A lower offer is not a personal insult or disrespectful to all your happy memories, it's an object lesson that you might have over priced.

2. Let people view it. Sounds obvious but the amount of vendors who only allow viewings during working hours or refuse to give the estate agent a key when they go on holiday. Nobody wants to steal your massive fluffy grey rug or your sparkly cat ornaments.

3. Clean it.

4. Answer questions. If there is a huge crack in a walk, give me a sensible answer when I ask about it. Don't deny the existence of said crack that I sent you a picture of. You just come across as hard to deal with.

Why do people make it so hard to buy their blumin houses??!!

Unless you or someone in your household is severely ill or disabled, there really is no excuse for any of it.

Rant over.

I can imagine a relative left with (a mountain of tat) and a house sale might just hope that a buyer is going to do some work and bring a skip anyway

They could well get an unpleasant surprise if they do. Last time I looked, conditions of sale generally expect vendors to leave houses clear of rubbish ...

Our house took 18 months. EA over priced it probably because her house was on the market in the same village. We had a few viewers. OH and I argued, I called in another agent who priced it at what I thought was a realistic price. It sold within 24 hours. First EA was not amused.

I would have agreed with you up to our last house sale. Last house was professionally cleaned and then I staged it for sale. Structurally sound, immaculate, lots of compliments. Got two asking price offers day one. Picked one, buyer messed us about for 4 months this before pulling out. Remarketed, at this point market had dropped so we repriced, another asking price offer, buyer tried to drop price after a month but gave no reason then dropped off the face of the earth. Back on and eventually sold. All in all took 8 months but none of your 'tips' would have made it easy.

Spot on, OP.

In other aspects of life, people have no difficulty grasping the concept that something is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it, but they appear incapable of understanding that the same basic principle also applies to selling their houses.

It’s bizarre.

In other aspects of life, people have no difficulty grasping the concept that something is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it, but they appear incapable of understanding that the same basic principle also applies to selling their houses.

It does, but then it also applies in Whole Foods. I don’t personally wish to pay £5 for a sourdough loaf, but I don’t insist they lower the price to something more realistic. I just buy Warbutons.

Puzzled obviously I meant they would ask the buyer, not just run away and hope! I think it’s happened with a couple of probate sales in mum’s street.

This thread is making me wonder if I ought to consider a rental to make things easier.

It does, but then it also applies in Whole Foods. I don’t personally wish to pay £5 for a sourdough loaf, but I don’t insist they lower the price to something more realistic. I just buy Warbutons.

However, if someone offers to sell you some poncey sourdough bread at a poncey sourdough price, you'd be a bit put out if it was actually Asda 15p white, wouldn't you?

However, if someone offers to sell you some poncey sourdough bread at a poncey sourdough price, you'd be a bit put out if it was actually Asda 15p white, wouldn't you?
Well, you mentioned someone has outright lied to you. I agree that those people are wasting your time. The example ^ is similar to that. The other examples you have are more like me saying, “You said this bread was luxurious and soft; I think it’s a bit tough, myself.” Personal opinion.

I meant they would ask the buyer, not just run away and hope

Fair enough, grace, but any solicitor will have endless tales of vendors who've taken a rather different approach and the state places have been left in

FWIW I left a lot of furniture for free when I sold my last place - but that was after talking to the buyers, who were making their first home together and were delighted to have it

Puzzled, presume you out that in the fixtures and fittings? I might do the same.

Actually now I think of it, they left the sofa and a couple of chairs for me, I was well pleased, but can’t recall if it was in writing.

*put

Estate agents dont price houses - vendors do. Estate agents dont always get it right. If you think they have over valued tell them so and put it on the market at a lower price. Estate agents will do what you ask - they just want the business but have to bear in mind that a lot if vendors are greedy and will go with the agent who suggests more. Too many people no responsibility for selling their houses and just blame the agents. Liaise with them more - dont just wait for them to call you.

The house we bought went on sale on a Friday, we viewed Saturday and the offer went in on Monday by Wednesday it was ours. The vendors were not living in the house so no clutter. Most rooms had no furniture, it had been freshly painted and was just a very blank (boring) canvas. We could appreciate the size of the rooms and just needed to inject our personalities into it. It was reasonable priced for the area, clean and tidy.

We would like to move to a bigger house in the next couple of years and I think living in it at the time of sale will impact on how quickly it sells.

The first person to view my house said she hated all of my framed pictures and that they were "awful" I really wanted to tell her that they were not an integral part of the wall that could not be removed. Actually they are amazing pictures. I expect she wants to replace them with live, laugh, love.

Puzzled, presume you out that in the fixtures and fittings?

No, the furniture was never listed as being included in any way. They admired several pieces and asked where I'd bought them in order to find something similar - and since I wanted different stuff in my new place I gave these to them