To be so frustrated selling house

[GSD20]

3 years we have been hoping to move.

3 years ago we first marketed. It took 2 agents and a lot of hassle (40 viewings) but eventually sold once which fell through thanks to the rubbish UK selling system just before exchange. We removed from the market and saved up more money over 18 months or so and tried again. Can’t sell. We are priced as low as we can afford too.

In this time we have seen 3 houses we loved and lost them all. Now I’ve stopped looking as houses are flying out the door and ours is stuck. Now there’s pretty much nothing to buy even if we did sell as we have dropped so low to sell we can’t afford to buy what we want.

Things that are putting people off are things we can’t change, downstairs bathroom and ex council mainly. The house is immaculate otherwise but we can’t afford to move bathrooms etc as we have barely any equity as it is.

We can’t stay here as we need to move for work and also our house is tiny, no garden space and there’s no room to extend anywhere so we can’t even make the best of a bad situation. We have no storage space, it’s a house designed for one person and there’s a family crushed into it, it’s suffocating.

I’m so fed up, it feels like it’s easy for everyone else but it’s been THREE YEARS since we originally decided to move and it’s driving me nuts.

I know there’s nothing can be done and it’s a very first world problem but I feel better getting it off my chest. Please someone give me some hope I won’t be stuck here forever

@IamtheDevilsAvocado

Urban Road, Sale, Greater Manchester, M33
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-75131056.html

This is a good example of what I mean - it needs a kitchen and kitchen extension, new bathroom, flooring, carpeting and redecorating, possibly rewiring and a boiler. So will need 45-50k spending on it. Once done up, it will be worth about £350k, based on what others on the road go for. Take in the hassle factor of doing all the work, means this one is worth about £280k in the condition it is currently in.

Given a nicely done up one on that road goes for £350k, not sure what the agent was thinking in putting a house in that state on for £350k and then reducing it to £325.

I could be putting 2 and 2 together and making 5 but I assumed from OP user name that her dogs were German Shepherd Dogs. Which are quite large. No idea where they rank on the smelly scale.

About twenty years ago it took me about 18 months to sell a house. Whilst you may feel it is a first world problem, the process is designed for chancers, speculators and some who morally we'd probably consider to be crooks.

A government that reforms house sales and purchases to take away all or even many of the dubious tactics used would get support from many people for doing so. Scottish law would be a start but there may be something even better.

Well whatever the agent said must have been right because it is gone

@Oliversmumsarmy

Are you referring to my post? It's very definitely still there on Rightmove.

Definitely agree with the pets comments (and I say this kindly as a pet owner myself!). It doesn’t matter WHAT you say, or what you friends/relatives say, they are being kind...your pets will smell 🤷‍♀️ It’s not meant to be in any way offensive, and neither they or you can help it...it simply comes with the territory of pet ownership.

However...and again, I say this kindly...4 pets, plus children, in a ‘house designed for 1’, is really not making great choices OP 🤦‍♀️ What were you thinking? My single cat is enough to make a difference in my small 3-bed house...and there’s just me, no children 🤦‍♀️ I still find myself tripping up over him, and knocking his bowl over...I simply can’t imagine the chaos and clutter of 3 more and children into the mix. You do need to step back, seriously, and see/smell what visitors see and smell.

Not if you look on On the Market

Sorry that was to Ulvie*

a thought -get another agent round (not suggesting you swap agents just as a reconnoitre) ask for estimate & ask for honest opinion & advice - I seriously think you should move dogs to mil (possibly with dc!)

@Oliversmumsarmy

The original listing price was 350k in May 2019. According to On The Market, it is now sold. It isn’t registered as sold yet so impossible to guess what the actual selling price was.

I disagree with your statement “whatever the agent said was right” as clearly listing it at 350k and it not selling for 6 months wasn’t right. You also don’t know whether or not the selling price was the 325k reduced listing price either. It may well have sold for less, after languishing on the market for 8 months. We won’t know until the sale completes and it appears on the land registry figures.

I agree with others. It is almost certainly that your home is crowded making it look smaller and has a pet smell. I can always smell if a cat or dog lives in the house and as a non pet-owner I don’t like it.

@Oliversmumsarmy

Just for context, if you are unfamiliar with the area, this is a safe family area, with good schools and good transport links. Houses in this area sell very quickly if they are priced sensibly.

"new roof on, new flooring throughout" doesn't increase value as they are both structural. Fencing the property and tidying the garden doesn't increase the value either.

I disagree with this. I’d happily pay more for a house with all these things than one with a problematic roof and scruffy garden.

It has to be the dogs. My sister bought the same sized house 3 years ago post divorce (although upstairs bathroom). Instead of 127k she offered 99k and bought at 104k. It was the smell. Before she moved in (thankfully from rented) we pulled up every carpet and underlay, bleached the walls, floors and doors. We even dismantled every radiator to fish out dog hairs; it was grim. And we both have pets so understand.

I agree with Dongdingdong. A new roof and new flooring are "plus" things in a property. However, in your case I'd say it's most probably the dogs' presence in the house. That and possibly the clutter - unless you all have embraced a very minimalist style, one family (so minimum 2-3 people) plus 4 pets come with plenty of stuff.

My poor dogs have got the hint
In all seriousness, they probably do smell of dog. I’ve tried to minimise it, they are regularly bathed and perfumes and we have no soft furnishings for a dog smell to cling to but yes I’m sure there is a dog smell To a non dog owner. They are out of the house for viewings and all dog paraphernalia is banished to the garage while people are viewing.
I don’t have 4 dogs, I have two dogs and two outdoor (by choice) cats. Perhaps a poor life choice but I rescue animals in my line of work so it’s a job hazard that sometimes I keep one. I won’t be rehoming any of them so that is not a concern

I think we will look at a way to reduce price. Thanks again!

Poor doggies. My labrador smells like a peach to me but no doubt he stinks to other people Likewise me precious kitty.

Is there anyone you know through work that you would trust to foster your dogs to whilst you have a "big Push" with the EA? You know you are moving so box up everything you don't need on a daily basis. This includes photos/toys/books/everything that isn't vital and will make your property look more spacious. Get rid of furniture too if you can. A few quid on storage might make the difference OP.

It can't be the fact it's ex council unless that isn't apparent until people arrive. Or the fact is has downstairs bathroom as people who view would also already know this. It's something that happens when they arrive that is putting them off and that is what I would focus on before dropping price again.

Good luck

We are seriously considering selling up and moving in with MIL just to be free but that idea sends shivers down my spine

Could you move in with MIL temporarily, to allow you to clean up the house and rid it of potential dog and cat smells? As you've been getting viewings, that does seem the most likely issue.

Op you need to put the price up not down. Many are now discounting that it has something very wrong with it due to the price of the neighbours. All this is easy to see online.

Shame you didn't post pictures as everyone is just speculating as to the cause without a picture.

It probably won't sell as we can't truly advise you or offer proper insight.

Definitely declutter /neutralise within an inch of its life... We have quite out there tastes... But we viewed a house recently where the kitchen had no pics.... It was a North facing kitchens... It was beautifully new... But ALL black... Floors/doors /walls with that sparkly finish .... It was majorly off putting as the price obviously reflectrd the owners had recently updated kitchen at great cost....aoart from we shuddered when we saw it... We want to move within 3 years... So we need it to be sold...

And, I agree with posters who are saying at 95k it's just not being captured by searches....

Also motivated buyers will be looking at the sold house prices... A next door property being sold for 20k more, people may be thinking there is something serisouly wrong with yours...