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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Shortage of house sellers is a lie?

21 replies

dejavuaswell · 08/02/2010 10:13

The much mentioned shortage of house sellers certainly doesn't apply in the Midlands.

We have spent the last three weeks looking at houses to buy (We've sold so are cash buyers). In almost every case we were the first person the view the house for sale since Christmas. When we visited the EA's office what we see and hear is the same. Buyers are treated like royalty.

Is the lie being peddled due to media folk and politicians trying to talk up house prices as a pre-election feel good factor?

OP posts:

ChickensLoveMarmite · 08/02/2010 10:15

We're for sale! Come and look at our house! We'll clean your car and make you dinner!!!!

duchesse · 08/02/2010 10:19

Loads for sale around here- quite an alarmingly high number in fact.

mistletoekisses · 08/02/2010 10:24

Not where we are in Surrey. The properties that have been on the market for some time are not the nicest/ overpriced and are therefore not selling.

When a nice property in our area comes on sale, it is selling within weeks.

slightlystressed · 08/02/2010 10:30

Alto of houses that have been on for ages and ages even years, I dont understand why people dont just either drop the price or give up!

Anything half decent comes on it gets snapped up. Hard to compete if you're in a chain.

bronze · 08/02/2010 10:32

same as chickens

cant get viewers and its a perfectly nice 3bed in a decent area

thesecondcoming · 08/02/2010 10:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sn0wflake · 08/02/2010 10:36

I'm selling....

bronze · 08/02/2010 10:41

house prices ave gone up since ours was valued on october

hotcupoftea · 08/02/2010 10:43

I'm selling too, loads of for sale boards in my area, nothing seems to be selling. Have dropped my asking price 3 times and can't afford to drop it further. Don't understand why mine wont sell, perfectly lovely 3 bed detached in decent area!

Every viewer we have is looking at about 14 houses, so no YANBU there is no shortage of houses.

LaurieFairyCake · 08/02/2010 10:52

Here (Hertfordshire) its definitely true - 2 have come on the market in my street and sold in a week.

There is nothing on the market in my area. If I put mine on the market I think it would sell in a couple of weeks but there is nothing to move into.

Nymphadora · 08/02/2010 11:18

I'm selling, lots of similar houses here but had 8 viewers in 2 weeks. No offers yet though. It only went on 3 weeks ago so thats not bad.

insertexpletive · 08/02/2010 12:43

Sorry, but feeling smug here...

London - one hour of viewings, 4 offers and we accepted the asking price!

I think it is all about being reasonable in your asking price - loads of overpriced property that is taking an age to sell, and then vendors having to drop the price anyway.

MilaMae · 08/02/2010 12:49

Not where we are in Devon or sil in Somerset. Sil has been looking for 2 years and are cash buyers no mortgage-nothing,think they've had 2 viewings which they badgered for,they never get notified of anything.

We looked high and low for 2 years,gave up trying to tick all the boxes and had to compromise when just before Xmas a house came on(we had a day to decide and were in France). Thankfully it's lovely for now.

The only reason we got said house was because the estate agents selling it had ours to sell which they had a buyer for so they sold 2 in one go. I'm not sure being in rented helps at the moment. We went for the biggest estate agent to sell ours knowing they'd have more on their books for us to choose from(we got a buyer immediately for ours) and they'd push us to the top of the queue when something came up-worked a treat.

Everybody near us are moaning about the lack of supply. I know soooo many people still in rented down here.

MrsJohnDeere · 08/02/2010 12:50

Also in Herts and there is a real shortage of houses to buy, particularly bigger family houses.

We want to sell and buy in the same area (ideally same village) but there is nothing at all to buy (catch-22 I know).

noddyholder · 08/02/2010 12:53

Prices up here too.We sold in 10 days and had a lot of viewings.The right houses in good areas still sell.I think now is the last chance to get a good price before the election

ellokitty · 08/02/2010 19:20

I've just sold, and am now trying to buy a house in the south cotswolds area (glos / oxon borders) and can I find a decent house? Not for love nor ,money! I wish there were more around here!!

BouncingTurtle · 08/02/2010 19:36

We're selling our house, and trying to buy a new one (we're relocating for DH'snew job).

I've been amazed at how enthusiastic the EAs have been with us, setting up viewing and so on.

Better than the EAs who are advertising our house They haven't been great tbh.

mintyfresh · 08/02/2010 20:20

YANBU - but very dependent on area clearly!!!

I would say there is some truth to your theory that the media/EA's are pedalling house prices again atm.

Around here (S Cotswolds), the same houses have been on the market at totally unrealistic selling prices for up to a year. I hope they don't sell (greedy sods!).

TheCrackFox · 08/02/2010 20:33

It depends on the area - we live in Edinburgh and sold our flat in a week.

iloverhubarbcrumble · 08/02/2010 20:42

Not a lie - we have been renting for 18 months, desperate to buy, SW London, there is nothing new coming onto the market yet this year. Last six months, if a house was worth buying, 18 viewings in first w/e and it's gone in 1st week. Depressing.

Agree there are bubbles of hot property areas, very dependent on where you want to buy.

havoc · 08/02/2010 21:02

There's 5 houses for sale in the streets near me at the moment. That's more than there have every been at one time. Two sold really quickly, within 2 weeks of the boards going up. One has sold twice, but is back on the market, after the sale falling through again. The others are way over priced IMO.

We're looking to move, but there isn't a great deal of houses for our budget [poor smiley]

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