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Original poster

I hate selling houses (even more than buying them!)...

239 replies

Heathcliffscathy · 18/10/2004 19:29

we put our house in the market in sept and the first people thro the door offered us asking price...the sale fell thro last week (no reason given) so we have to restart the whole process having lost a (crucial) month...

the papers are all doom and gloom and we just really want to sell it (we can't live in it as it's in the countryside, originally we intended to move there, but it hasn't worked out, and we can't leave london, it's crippling us financially).

every day i wait for the agent to call,it's like when you really fancied someone and you had a sick feeling in your stomach waiting for the phone to ring...it's horrible...i know we probably won't sell before xmas and then there will be a massive crash and we are screwed...

no point to this post other than to express my tortured mind...argh, i hate it so much!

thanks for getting this far if you have...

OP posts:
spacemonkey · 18/10/2004 19:34

would you be able to rent it out for a few months soph? now isn't a good time for selling sorry you're having a shitty time

bonniej · 18/10/2004 19:38

Tell me about it, sophable we're going thro exactly the same thing. I've had asking price offered THREE times in total by different buyers who have all pulled out. I know what you mean about waiting for the agent to call. It can be so hard. We originally put our house on in June and have wasted so much time on useless buyers the market's now gone quiet. We are no longer even getting any viewers any more . The worst thing is that one of our buyers who pulled out as he said he couldn't borrow that much money has just come back with a really silly offer. Buyers think we're getting desperate... truth is we are Good luck and I do hope you sell soon.

Original poster
Heathcliffscathy · 18/10/2004 19:39

need to sell really, can't do this two houses thing any longer and figure that renting will prolong the agony...i know that it's a shit time, but equally, once we sell, it will be a good time to buy iyswim...there are a lot worse things that could be happening i know, but it's just that horrible waiting for the phone to ring thing, and knowing that until i let go and forget about it, it won't!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Heathcliffscathy · 18/10/2004 19:40

oh, bonniej, you poor things...how frustratingly crap...why is the house buying/selling process in this country so utterly shite and bad for your health...scottish/european systems so much better all round...

OP posts:
spacemonkey · 18/10/2004 19:41

grrr on your behalf, it must be really stressful - let's hope you find a buyer very soon

my sister has just given up trying to sell her flat and is renting it out instead to cover the mortgage

Slink · 18/10/2004 19:42

We sold our house in April we have gone for three houses all fell through and the peole wanting to buy our house are still waiting we have had to tell them look else where as we just can't find anything now

Original poster
Heathcliffscathy · 18/10/2004 19:42

oh, god, this thread is going to be a [yes the market is really awful right now and you won't sell] thread isn't it??? i know that is true, i just don't want to face it!!!

sm, did you get my email?

OP posts:
Original poster
Heathcliffscathy · 18/10/2004 19:43

slink! how come, becuase of chains that fell apart??? you poor things!

OP posts:
spacemonkey · 18/10/2004 19:43

yes i did thank u will answer when i manage to turf dd off the computer for more than 10 minutes at a time

bonniej · 18/10/2004 19:44

Gosh slink, you seem to be having the opposite problem. Don't suppose you fancy a three bed semi in blackpool do you??

SpringChicken · 18/10/2004 19:48

This thread has made me panic now.
We have just accepted an offer o n our house today, they are first time buyers and the offer we have put in on our new house has been accepted.

All Mortgages have been approved - surveys underway - the people in our new house are emigrating - Somehow everything just seems to perfect at the minute.............something is bound to go wrong.

Dont feel quite as happy now as i did half hour ago!

Original poster
Heathcliffscathy · 18/10/2004 21:15

no no no springchicken...you've done great...don't let us get you down, it's all ok, you'll sell and buy and everything will be fine, you give hope to all of us

OP posts:
Skate · 18/10/2004 21:24

Sophable - I'm with you! We've had ours on the market since July and we've only had 3 viewers .

It's quieter than a bloody graveyard and it's totally depressing. I too am waiting for the phone to ring every day, being a SAHM means I'm here most of the time too just waiting.....

Lets hope it picks up in January at least.

Oh it makes me feel sick.

miranda2 · 18/10/2004 21:33

my mum had her house valued the other day and the agent said it was very quiet at the moment because of rate rises, but they think it will go mad in January. Could you rent for a few months?

sweetkitty · 18/10/2004 22:48

Can I join in this moan as well - our house been on the market since end of August had only 2 viewers no offers - it's not overpriced or anything, it's really been stressing me out because I know it's after Christmas as well.

subs · 18/10/2004 23:08

have been buyind and selling houses for a while, and thought would add some hints - hope they are helpful?

tell your agent you want to look around other properties with similar specs in your area to compare yours - and take an honest friend with you - see how yours could be improved to compete - in current market conditions, the best ones go first

have said friend round to yours to nit-pick - ask her to veiw with buying in mind and look for any niggling problems that may put off potential buyers

ask a couple of friends to call your agents and see how they are marketing your house - ie they have to register, ask for right no of beds and price range, and see what they say - you dont just want them to mention your house, you want it to be the first one they list, and to really sell it

the best advice, though, is the old cliche about de-cluttering and cleaning... it really works. if you can afford it hire storage and put books, excess clothes and even large pieces of furniture away while you are selling. i know it seems impossible with babies around - i bought some lovely wicker trunks (from ikea) and just pack the toys away - good chance to teach the babies about tidying up!

if you can manage, paint everything a warm off white - i always use ;intimate white; from wickes (you have to get them to mix it) and paint woodaork, walls and ceiling (makes rooms seem much bigger)

wishing you lots of luck

ps - even though they arent in everywhere yet, you could compile a 'seller's pack' - ie survey, searches etc so that this wont hold up your buyer. check the surveyor is bank/building soc approved. and dont worry about the cost - just factor it into the sale price. buyers love it becasue they can feel confident in your house (esp. first time buyers, as they often can get m gage but dont have spare case for all the moving costs.)

pamina3 · 19/10/2004 13:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Skate · 19/10/2004 13:26

Subs - I think mine is pretty neutral and can't see what else to do with it.

If you want a nosey look on gascoignehalman.co.uk for Altrincham and put in £270K to £280K and ours is Stockport Road at £277,500.

I think there are more pics on the Rightmove website - look under Timperley and it's there again at £277,500 with Adam Byrom!

Would welcome your views but short of a new kitchen (which I can't afford to do), I can't see anything wrong!

Pretty sure it's not overpriced as next door is on for £285 and a few door down is on for £279,950 and both of those are identical to ours but a lot more dated inside.

SpringChicken · 19/10/2004 14:48

Skate your house is beautiful! I cannot see anything i would change at all!

If i lived in your area, I would buy it if i could afford it

JemimaBobbins · 19/10/2004 15:04

Skate, your house looks lovely. Yes the kitchen looks a bit dated but it's clean and tidy! Had a look at your neighbours pictures too and would definitely prefer yours.

However, for me personally I wouldn't want to live on a main road - I know the area and used to know someone who rented no.129 (I think)and it was a nightmare visiting him and parking up.

Good luck! I'm sure someone will walk in one day and know its the house for them. It's just frustrating until that day!

SpringChicken · 19/10/2004 15:07

We have now had another offer in on our house - they have matched the price and our Estate Agents think this couple are more suitable and reliable buyers than the other couple who put an offer in.

Don't know what to do for the best - there are only 2 options and guarantee i will make the wrong decision.

SpringChicken · 19/10/2004 15:09

Skate - your house is much nicer than your neighbours that are on the rightmove website.
There's are terribly dated inside.

DillyDally · 19/10/2004 15:17

Two offers on your house can't be bad...the only offer I had in 8 weeks was from a walter mitty type who didn't have any money
No sensible advice on which one to take - I can't bring myself to say trust your estate agent.

PicadillyCircus · 19/10/2004 15:21

Haven't read the rest of the thread but I agree! I want to sell our house - we too put it on in September and originally thought about moving by Christmas....also scared of the whole crash thing.

And we;ve alrwady dropped the price
And we've seen a house we love but we can't have it as no one wants our house

SpringChicken · 19/10/2004 15:29

Feel for you PC - i will be so so so gutted if this all falls through.
The house we have found id perfect for us - in our budget - recently refurbished - loads of room - extension - huge garden - just perfect.
I will kill someone if something goes wrong - have virtually threatened Estate Agent with death if we go with his choice of buyer then it goes wrong.

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