who else is in the process of selling/moving house?

[lucykate]

tell me your stories of nightmare chains, crap solicitors, nightmare chains, rubbish estate agents, nightmare chains..........

(bit of a theme going on there, can you tell we are in a nightmare chain? )

[OldieMum]

We've just had two valuations of our house done by estate agents - they are £155 000 apart. I know pricing is, ultimately, arbitrary, but what on earth is going on in the property market?

[plummymummy]

Our flat (also in south east london) sold in just two days of being on the market. Mad isn't it. Agent said that 2 bed flats in this area are the most in demand and predicted that it would sell very quickly. Mind you, it is so galling to pay agents all that money when they haven't even had to sell your property - just act as an introduction agency.

[LIZS]

Surrey

[fennel]

we're selling in Manchester and buying in Devon, both markets seem similarly slow, with lots of houses on the market for months. i think in both places the prices are a bit lower than last year too.

[themoon66]

I'm rural Lincolnshire.

[LIZS]

anniemac. Last viewer decided it was too much work to change the windows (details do state they are mainly secondary glazed so hardly a surprise) and carpets.

[themoon66]

Annimac - where do you live that you can sell a house in week?? Am amazed, there are lovely houses for sale in our village, but some of them have been on the market for a year or more!

[Ellbell]

Resurrecting this thread to post the news that... fingers crossed, touch wood, turn around three times and don't breathe for a few months (!) ... we've sold! Buyers really wanted our house, so have decided not to wait till they've sold theirs and have found the money anyway (dunno from where... they didn't look like drug runners/money launderers). Have just checked rightmove and our house is marked SSTC, so I guess it must be true!

So, I guess we'd better start looking for somewhere to move into really, hadn't we....

[lahdeedah]

We have been procrastinating about putting our flat on the market for a while now, but going to have a big tidy-up and take some photos this weekend, then put it up on HouseWeb.co.uk

Had a bad experience with estate agents when we put the flat on the market last year - all the things that have been previously mentioned, dragging their heels with sending out the details, then sending loads of unsuitable viewers (the number of people who asked "so where is the garden?" IT'S A FIRST FLOOR FLAT THERE IS NO GARDEN!!!!!) When we did finally accept an offer, the buyer was completely unreliable and the deal fell through.

so we took a break and now we've decided to have a go at selling privately via Houseweb - at least then I'll be able to filter out all those buyers who only want a flat with a garden!!

[EvesMama]

stepy are your selling with a chain of 'countrywide'?..like rentons or bairstowe eves?..they charge 2% where most others charge between 3/4 and 1%..even so you must have a huge house!

[fruitful]

Me too. Still trying to sell at the moment, not really looking yet.

We live in a 3-storey split-level house and one viewer came and said "oh no, I don't think I could handle all these stairs". What you mean the ones you can see all over the floorplan on the agent's notes? Or you thought we'd have lifts to get to the third floor? Aagh.

[Ellbell]

Yes. I've thought of trying to sell privately too. Also annoyed (though not with neighbour herself, who's lovely - just with the situation) that neighbours have put their house on the market too... but theirs is 20k lower than ours. Ours is nicer/bigger inside, but they look identical from the outside. Grrrr again!

[themoon66]

Steppy........ 12K

Are you selling a country mansion or buckingham palace??

[MissChief]

we should band together and force agents off our streets in a mass-showing of MN people power!
The problem is, for now, even in this internet age, viewers do still come via agents in 90% of cases, it's the only reliable way to get viewings in most places so we have to put up with them and their charming way.s

[Steppy1]

we've just gone on the market too..what a nightmare it's been after the agents various promises and high expectations..."market is very buoyant, we have a number of people looking for something exactly like yours, you should seel within 6 weeks"...and similar....so here we are 4 weeks into it....not one veiwing, us ALWYAS calling the agent (not the other way around !) and they seem to spend nearly all of their time sending out info to people who have found propperty through right move or prime location....wonder if the days of the high street agents are numbered and it'll all come down to the internet in the future...soemtimes think I could pull pictures together myself and advertise myself...would cost much less than the huge amount of money we'll end up paying (around 12k) (shock)

[Nbg]

Oh yes, the questions! Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

It's so frustrating. Our house has been empty a while now and we desperatly need to do some decorating in it before the baby arrives although moving in would be a great start!

[themoon66]

Nbg - our new house is all ready to move into too. The builder has even give us the keys. We havent exchanged yet, but he is so laid back about it all, he said he doesnt mind if we want to put stuff in there. I daren't move anything though, as I suppose it wouldnt be under our insurance anymore if it got stolen.

Its just the solicitors that are being slow it seems... asking one stupid question after another!

[Ellbell]

Yes - and tidying up is a major job in this house. I always swear I'll keep the place tidy(ish) all the time and then it won't be such a big deal, but somehow it always falls back into chaos again within seconds.

I've had the window thing too... Chap who seemed surprised that a Victorian house might have... um... wooden windows as opposed to plastic ones. Also complained at lack of en suite, even though details are fairly clear that there isn't one....

[fennel]

we waited to sell our old house before finding a house here, and thought we did have a proper offer on our old house, which we accepted 3 weeks before putting an offer on here. but somehow, our buyers are just moving at the speed of sea-snails. and there's nothing we can do to speed them up.

[MissChief]

oh ellbell, I feel for you! Been there several times recently - hate timewasters! It's hard enough moving w/o having to tidy up unnecessarily all the bloody time!