My DM selling her house - should anything be happening yet?

[SpidersAreShitheads]

My DM is selling her house and for various reasons is desperate to get things moving. Unfortunately for her, she also can't afford to take a massive drop in price - although there is a little bit of wiggle room.

Her property went on the market a couple of weeks ago - so obviously it's still incredibly early days.

However, I would have thought that there would have been more interest when the property first goes on the market, dropping off the longer it stays available?

She's not had a single viewing yet.

Two people expressed an interest - one person was a builder and I think the estate agent tipped him off before it went on the market, but he found somewhere else to buy the day before he'd asked to come round. The second viewing was cancelled as the woman drove around the area and didn't like the hilly roads on the way to the local shops.

Some of the photos were a bit crap, and there was virtually no description by the estate agent. He's been around today and taken better photos, and uploaded a description which explains that the upstairs floor could potentially be self-contained accommodation.

The problem is that her property is a bit weird in terms of layout - there's an absolutely huge second bedroom which takes up almost the whole of the converted loft space, and it's lovely. But the third "bedroom" is a tiny, tiny room which also houses the boiler. If I were looking for a three-bedroom house for me and my DC, the configuration wouldn't work - and I suspect that might be the same for a lot of buyers.

It's a nice property but I am a bit concerned there has been absolutely no interest. The photos weren't amazing before, but they were passable. Certainly not enough to make people skip past.

I'm a home owner but not sold on the open market before - do things normally take a while to get moving - or is this a concerning sign? I know it's only been two weeks....but no interest in even looking?

Does anyone have any killer tips to get people in to look at the property?

One of the reasons she's so desperate is that she needs something very specific in the next house she buys which is quite rare - and there's one on the market now which fits the bill. If she doesn't get her house under offer soon, this other property will inevitably be bought by someone else, and I don't know how easily we'll find what she needs again....

I can see the layout appealing to a family with two older children/teens, I don’t know the area but from what I can see, it looks a little like an area for older people, so those buyers may simply not be looking in that area at all.

Also is it priced correctly? You would have to redecorate every single room, including all new flooring, nee bathroom and kitchen, the shed in the garden might be off putting re potential asbestos.

Where I live family homes in family areas are selling on the day they are listed, I have friends trying to buy, but sellers are accepting offers before they have chance to view so I can only think price / location

The clutter wouldn't bother me at all if I was interested tbh.

Hiya - just on the off chance that anyone is still reading this I have a couple more questions if anyone would like to help me. You can probably sense my rising desperation.

The people that said they were put off by the clutter - if it was all totally cleared out, would the layout put you off buying?

I've managed to talk my DM and stepdad into hiring a storage container now to start shifting stuff into. They're downsizing so will be getting rid of lots of stuff, but the plan was to slowly sift through it from the storage container after they moved.

They are now very focused on decluttering - but I'm concerned that even with this, the bizarre layout will put people off. DM isn't too keen on the stud wall idea - she seems to think putting furniture as a screen halfway down the large bedroom upstairs will somehow make it a genuine three bedroom. I'm slowly losing the will to live..........

Also - the bloody estate agent. He's doing nothing to shift it, and thinking about the adverts I've looked at for the houses to buy for DM, what he's put up is really poor. She asked why no viewings and he just shrugged and said the market is slow right now - but that's blatantly not the case.

Shit photos, no video, misleading floor plan, no action to actually sell it, crappy write up with errors, lack of basic advice to a pair of daft pensioners who don't have a clue, bad advice re price....despite the fact that there are many things DM could have done better, he really hasn't done his part either.

DM messaged me to ask where she can check how long she's tied into the contract with him, so I told her to check the agreement she signed. He hasn't given it to her! She's got nothing from him in writing either in paper form or via email that confirms the contract and the terms that apply. She just has a generic letter confirming the instruction. I've never used an estate agent - should she have some kind of contract info? I'm assuming yes??

I haven't mentioned this before - but the property she wants to move into - we'll be sort of living together. Basically she needs a property with a big annexe.

The move is really complicated as I have two autistic DC who struggle with change. Once it's done, the move will benefit them as well as my DM but it's going to be a big, big challenge to practically navigate.

My DM needs more help from me on a day to day basis - hence the desperation to move. I can't provide what she needs from the other side of the city. My stepdad's health isn't great since the heart attack. They really need me close by to improve their quality of life sooner rather than later. He was trying to tidy the garden up the other day (he loves gardening and always used to keep it immaculate with gorgeous flowers) and he fell down the steps - a really nasty fall. As luck happens, I was there to pick him up - but if I hadn't been, my DM couldn't have reached him or have helped because of her disability.

Just thought I'd explain the desperation to move - it's all a bit of a struggle for them at the moment.

Also - the bloody estate agent. He's doing nothing to shift it, and thinking about the adverts I've looked at for the houses to buy for DM, what he's put up is really poor. She asked why no viewings and he just shrugged and said the market is slow right now - but that's blatantly not the case. Shit photos, no video, misleading floor plan, no action to actually sell it, crappy write up with errors, lack of basic advice to a pair of daft pensioners who don't have a clue, bad advice re price

^
This AND no contract, means I’d be giving the EA 1 weeks notice in writing.

Re your layout query, I think as it stands it’s still not your bog-standard 3 bed semi, so it won’t appeal to the masses.
Therefore, while you’re waiting to exit from the current EA contract I’d seek to engage some others, and I’d be seeking their advice on the layout / your stud wall suggestion (which I think is a really good idea BTW).

This all sounds very difficult
Do they own it outright? Can they be flexible on price?
Basically they can't expect top end of 3 bed prices as they don't have a 3 bed, they have a 2 bed and a study, with potential for conversion to a 3 bed plus study but if the buyer has to to work like that they will want to pay the lower end.
Can you advocate on their behalf to get out of the contract with the estate agent? Did they ever sign anything?

First thing that struck me is that the frontage photo of the house is unappealing. It looks tired and odd angle. Some pots of plants out the front. I agree garden photos look messy and too many of them

You may also have to think about pricing as 2 bed

Sorry should have said I’m working on my DM re price.

I think £270-275k is a realistic but fair price - so £25k less than what it’s on for now.

My worry is that even with a declutter and a reduction in price it still won’t be attractive because of the weird layout.

DM could just about afford a drop to £270k but no lower. The Property Centre previously seemed confident of getting £270-275k.

It is all very complicated 😂😂 But when the move is done - IF it’s ever bloody done - it will be lovely for all concerned.

"She's got nothing from him in writing either in paper form or via email that confirms the contract and the terms that apply. She just has a generic letter confirming the instruction."

Back. Of. The. Net.

Honestly, it doesn't sound as if he really wants to sell the property. He knows it's not a house that will fly off the shelf on its own, and he can't be arsed doing the work that will sell it! Twat.

I am frankly overinvested in this thread...and I'm quite close to the estate agent's office, could you let me know when DM plans to phone and sack them, so I can arrange to be there "browsing properties" at the time?

We are house hunting at the moment and I'm always on Rightmove. I think if they give it a good declutter and get new photos up and maybe more of a description on the house, I would find it interesting. I also do think the price is too high as it would essentially be a bit of a doer upper, but the weird layout wouldn't necessarily put me off if it was presented as an opportunity to do something with the space. But yes, declutter and a drop in price would be the first things on my list. And getting a new EA.

We have just sold a small coach house and because of the lack of space it did look a bit cluttered. We took half of our stuff to a storage unit for the photos (and viewings), and our EA had a professional photographer taking the pictures. The photos took ages because the photographer made us empty pretty much everything from each room before taking the photos, but it was well worth it. The ad made it look like our place was spacious and airy and it was really different to what we were used to.

Good luck!

The layout is weird - but I don't think it's totally insurmountable. It's a bungalow; even when the upstairs is converted they always have some bedrooms downstairs. And it's not that unusual to have bedroom 3 being pretty small either. You see it all the time. It's still a decent single, I've seen far far worse.

The problem is that at the moment you only appear to have 1 bedroom, and what should be a pretty sumptuous master given the size isn't shown as such.

It’s a lovely house but as others have said needs a good tidy up and de clutter. The lack of a bath wouldn’t put me off as it’s an easy enough job to do but it would others. It’s very spacious and less stuff would really show that off.

For the layout, maybe start a thread in property/ DIY with the current plan and the new separated bedroom plan, and ask people to vote option 1 or 2, would they view either. Then you'll have a solid number to give to your mum over x% prefer it. It also might give you an idea of who to market the property to.

@SpidersAreShitheads

Sorry should have said I’m working on my DM re price.

I think £270-275k is a realistic but fair price - so £25k less than what it’s on for now.

My worry is that even with a declutter and a reduction in price it still won’t be attractive because of the weird layout.

DM could just about afford a drop to £270k but no lower. The Property Centre previously seemed confident of getting £270-275k.

It is all very complicated 😂😂 But when the move is done - IF it’s ever bloody done - it will be lovely for all concerned.

I think you're still being far to ambitious. I'd value it at £230k tops after looking at the other properties available in the area.

This is all so helpful, thank you.

@KnobJockey - I didn't think to see if there was a DIY/house bit in MN Chat! 🤦🏻‍♀️That's a really good idea. We'll give it a really mad declutter and then decide.

I think if the right person comes along, the house would be a real winner for them. I have been envious of the upstairs space in her property for ages. It's so light and airy and it has three windows in the main "bedroom" and I like to sit and look out.

I'm expecting at least one of my DC to stay at home for a long time, potentially forever. I doubt they'll want to move to sheltered living and they won't be able to live independently. A house with a space like this upstairs is exactly what we'll need when they are older so they can have their own space while still being close for when they need help. But I appreciate that's quite a niche market to aim for 😅

@PuntasticUsername 😅😅😅 I think you're right about the fact he just can't be arsed. I signed up to some website that tracks estate agents' performance and it said that Michael Tuck typically sells houses a lot slower than other estate agents. Well, not a bloody surprise if this is how shit they are in general.....! Property Centre came out top - I think DM is kicking herself as she's been with them before. Trouble is, she's one of these older people who adopts strangers as her new BFF. The bloke from Michael Tuck who came out was the manager, and she's been referring to him by his first name so the fact he's a lazy twat has been like losing a friend to her hahahaha!

Speaking to her tonight, apparently she DID sign something but he hasn't given her a copy of it. She has no idea what she signed. She has no idea of the notice period. She has no idea of how long she's tied in for. She's a plonker. We will have to ask for a copy of what she actually signed so we can see the terms. I don't think she even knows what the commission level is! Mind you, at this rate the commission doesn't matter as no one wants to even view it let alone sodding well buy it 😅

Once we've sold hers and bought somewhere new, I then have to sell mine. If I have any grip on sanity left by the end it will be a minor miracle. At least I know what estate agent not to use for my house sale haha!

Grrrrr I hate some people! One thing op - might be worth you reporting your last post above, to ask MNHQ to remove the estate agent name from it. Just in case they are smart enough (against all expectation) to use Google and they claim you're smearing them here.

@Slippy78 Hopefully my comments show that I'm not being defensive and I'm generally realistic - I honestly don't think £230k is anywhere near an accurate value for her house. It feels large and sprawling when you're in it, maybe an estate agent who does a video tour might be able to help show this more.

The garden has come in for loads of stick, but if I was buying, I'd love a garden like hers. It's a really decent size, much bigger than the postage stamp you get with new homes. The lawn at the bottom is a great place for kids to play safely, and it's sheltered. There are gated steps to a patio area where she has a table and chairs, plus a top bit with fruit trees.

For comparison, this bungalow isn't far from hers - but it's much, much smaller - DM's is converted and extended downstairs and upstairs. This bungalow has a lovely garden which is flat and a more conventional layout inside, but it's way smaller than DM's - and it sold for £250k. Looking at the sizes, DM's house is almost double the size in terms of footprint. www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/58415816/

Another one that's just gone on today is www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/59640827/?search_identifier=7a6b86b94a9474db035392aca163f803. They are selling for £275k but again, DM's is nearly double the size. Their garden is very pretty, but it's also very small. Being brutally honest, my DM's property is worth way more than that.

So looking at everything, I think if someone bought my DM's for £270k they'd be getting a bargain in terms of size. It's bloody massive by comparison to other bungalows. Nothing is broken or dirty, both bathrooms are relatively new and the upstairs conversion/extension is only a couple of years old.

@PuntasticUsername Ah yes, good thinking, thank you!! Mind you - do you think that will get my DM out of the contract more quickly if they spot it?? 😅😅

I am concerned that if both DM and SF are about 80 that this may be seen as a good opportunity for some unscrupulous goings on.
I would go down to the Agent's office and demand to see all the paper work regarding the sale etc. On the assumption that both DM and SF look their ages and with 2 accessible shower rooms and all the aids in the house a chancer could see this as an opportunity. With people of generous ages an honest trader would ensure that a family member was aware of what was happening.
There was an older lady on her own who had a similar situation, a property which was desirable but strangely no viewers other than a buy to let person who made a low offer. The older lady was not as daft as they thought!!
Make sure the agent knows who you are and that you are watching what is happening with your DM
I agree that a fair old bit of decluttering needs to happen. I think most removal companies have storage facilities. You could have some packers come in to box up all the collections and a van to take the boxes to their storage.

Is your bungalow really twice the size of those? The thing is, you would never guess from the photos… the others both also have much nicer gardens to be fair and look in good condition, the latter one in excellent condition

@Flowers500 - Yes, genuinely double the size.

One of those other bungalows I listed - just as an example - the whole of their downstairs area including all their bedrooms is roughly the same as my mum's kitchen/dining room/living room/study area. My mum also has a bedroom (10'9 x 11'11), the master bedroom (16'10 x 20'3), the second bathroom and the third "bedroom" (9'1 x 6'9). Adding it up, my DM's might even be a bit more than double the size. It's very big - hence why I am certain it warrants the price.

As I said, I'm not precious at all about my DM's bungalow. It's not a place I grew up in and it's not sentimental to me at all. But if you set aside the clutter, and the fact the garden looks tired now, it has a lot going for it. It's absolutely massive compared to other bungalows which the photos really don't capture at all. No DIY needs doing, nothing is broken or old. It's really light and airy. It's just got a really unhelpful layout with disproportionately large and small rooms upstairs.

@User57327259 - thank you, those are very valid points and it crossed my mind too. My DM has cerebral palsy and has to use a walker to move around. My stepdad is clearly old and more than a bit doddery too. Neither of them are sprightly for their age.

The only good point is that my DM banged on and on to the estate agent (by the sounds of things) that I'd be checking stuff and I used to work in finance so I know what I'm looking at. She's normally a bit embarrassing because she makes me sound like a right twat - but at least they know she has someone. I'm going to look at what she signed and see where we go from there.

@User57327259

I am concerned that if both DM and SF are about 80 that this may be seen as a good opportunity for some unscrupulous goings on. I would go down to the Agent's office and demand to see all the paper work regarding the sale etc. On the assumption that both DM and SF look their ages and with 2 accessible shower rooms and all the aids in the house a chancer could see this as an opportunity. With people of generous ages an honest trader would ensure that a family member was aware of what was happening. There was an older lady on her own who had a similar situation, a property which was desirable but strangely no viewers other than a buy to let person who made a low offer. The older lady was not as daft as they thought!! Make sure the agent knows who you are and that you are watching what is happening with your DM I agree that a fair old bit of decluttering needs to happen. I think most removal companies have storage facilities. You could have some packers come in to box up all the collections and a van to take the boxes to their storage.

What happened with the older lady? What did she do?