Moving House......with a 2 year old!

[Qd]

We are in the process of trying to sell our smallish two bedroom flat in N. London. We've had an offer accepted on another flat and are therefore desperate to get rid of this place pdq. Unfortunately, we think our estate agent is pretty hopeless and most of the other agents in the area seemed similarly unimpressive. Does anyone have any advice about selling privately or selling in general? Or perhaps any gratuitous insults about estate agents?!

Also, how do you keep a flat tidy for potential viewings with a 3 and a half year old and 20 month babe around?

Hi Qd, in our experience when we found a buyer we swapped phone numbers. I find trying to 'talk' through an estate agent v. difficult (even though that's what they're paid for).

Move all furniture against the walls. Have you got a garage or will anyone lend you one to put all your spare things that you won't need for the next couple of months. If you've got nets take them down and make sure you've got as much light as possible coming in.

Get one of those large plastic tubs and just chuck all the toys in when you've got a viewer coming round.

Have a big pre-moving clear out, it's the perfect time for a boot sale or to bag it all up and take it down the charity shop.

I read recently that it's kitchens and living rooms that have the biggest effect on purchasers and baking smells always woo people!

Good Luck, hope it's some help.

I should add here the advice from a friend of mine - check behind the sofa for poo!!

Her not-quite-yet trained child had taken to depositing secret parcels in little corners, and she had missed this particular one when the would-be buyers came round. She spotted it and just stood in front of it with her fingers crossed and hoped they didn't see it.

If you have a car, park it outside your flat half an hour before any viewing appointments. Fold down the seats, if possible, to give yourself the largest possible cargo space. Then load it up with any stray toys, newspapers etc - the clutter than you don't want on show, but you can't throw away. I also used to load dirty dishes into a plastic bowl and shove that in. Cover with a blanket.

If you have quantities of coats on hooks, or piles of stray washing, shove them on top of your bed, under the duvet. Ironing boards can be hidden away here too.

Only use the car or bed for storing away, then you'll know where everything is afterwards.

Thanks everyone! A friend of mine suggested the car idea. It's a good one. I have been lucky in the poo department. I am always grateful when my little boy's been and I know I won't get a 'Mummy I need to do a poo' whilst showing someone around. My friend's child announced she needed to go 2 minutes before a viewing but fortunately they were late. It's so normal for me now but I don't think it would have been a huge selling point, toddler on loo, reading book, emitting slightly odious odours!

Anyway...finger's crossed but it looks like we have our buyer. He came round on Saturday, sun was shining, fresh coffee was on, children were outside eating chocolate croissant. Playing happy families did the trick. He's offering a few grand less than the asking price but we've already found something we like and so don't want to mess around. thanks again.

Good Luck Qd, where are you moving to?

We are moving up to Muswell Hill/Alexandra Park borders. Can't afford a house - but it's a bigger flat, bigger garden and after 13 years of the grit and grime of inner London we are heading for a more family-oriented (Please God),cleaner neighbourhood. Next stop suburbia....