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Original poster

Is anyone slowly going mad with trying to sell a house?

176 replies

nikos · 04/08/2011 18:16

Seriously down about the whole thing. All agents round here are now admitting that things are just not moving and can't believe we might be here for the foreseeable. Anyone else down and how are you keeping your spirits up?

OP posts:
mspotatochip · 14/08/2011 21:40

I posted earlier in thread and just wanted to spread a little hope.We went under offer, very near asking price with a cash buyer! We haven't found anywhere to go yet cue panic! But there is hope!

PhylisStein · 14/08/2011 21:43

My DH is an estate agent. He has been super super busy these last three months. Where in the country are you OP?

Original poster
nikos · 14/08/2011 21:57

I'm in the north east and estate agent told dh at weekend that the Market was dead. But we had viewing on sat so fingers crossed. Good to know some people are getting offers. I will dance on the street and drink champagne when I get one Grin

OP posts:
PhylisStein · 14/08/2011 22:16

My DH is on his laptop working next to me now - cos he's so busy. I hope it picks up for you. I know he would tell you change the marketing photos and the price and if necessary the agent!!

JoJoMummy321 · 15/08/2011 12:41

Nikos - Any news on your Saturday viewing? Have the agent given you any feedback? We're waiting too for feedback from Sunday although I don't think we are going to get lucky with that one unfortunately.

Here's a question:

We had a viewer who came on Friday without an appointment. Luckily it was just after a scheduled appointment so the house was looking good! They were looking on behalf of their daughter and seemed very keen. (Asked about move in dates etc). We told our agent about this buyer and they know of them as they have collected brochures/enquired previously about other properties. Would it be reasonable therefore for the agent to call these people for feedback? Even though they didn't make an appointment through the agent?

nterested to hear your thoughts!

Original poster
nikos · 15/08/2011 16:34

Feedback is they don't want our property Sad so fed up with it all

OP posts:
sweetkitty · 16/08/2011 14:14

Can I pull up a chair and despair with you all? It isn't our house we are selling but DH's mother who died 2 years ago. House is co-owned by DH and SIL.

Was put on the market 13 months ago, I think EA valued it too high but as we are in Scotland had to go with home report. 13 months later we have reduced the price twice and still not a sniff of an offer.

We need to sell the house to fund an extension to our own tiny house.

To make matters worse SIL went along to collect the mail from the house to find a card from the EAs saying they had gone out of business!!! They know the house is empty as well, so now we have to find a new EA.

The house next door is on the market for 15K more and the feedback we have been getting is that it needs a new kitchen and bathroom (they are a bit outdated but usable) and new carpets upstairs. We have said this is reflected in the asking price.

If it were up to me I would reduce again by 10K to get rid of it, SIL wants to rent it out, we live 45 miles away, SIL 5 mins away so most of the hosue stuff falls to her.

We desperately need more space and would move to a four bed hosue if we could sell this one, there is 6 of us in a 2 1/2 bed house just now.

wideawakenurse · 16/08/2011 14:34

I sympathise with you all.

We have had more viewings, but still no offers. Our house is very close to a small music venue and that is putting people off despite us providing reports and evidence that the place is totally sound proofed.

And now we have no viewings booked at all. Feels like the EA has shown it to everyone one their books and now there is no one left.

SparklePrincess · 16/08/2011 15:44

We have been on the market about 4 months now. About 9 weeks with the first agent. They were cr@p & we only had 3 viewings the whole time, 2 of which I showed round myself, one on mothers day, despite them saying at the outset they were prepared to do Sunday viewings. Hmm Switched agents, had about 14 viewings now with the new ones. Got a ridiculous offer of 24% under the already competitive asking price after 2 weeks, then 2 weeks ago accepted one 11% under. It now turns out that these people cannot raise a mortgage, so were back to square one. :(

JoJoMummy321 · 17/08/2011 17:43

Nikos - I'm sorry to hear that....it's a terrible experience this house selling.

Wideawake - I know the feeling...just hoping some people are still on holidays or just not in a rush.

Don't you just hate waiting for the phone to ring...willing the agent to be calling with viewers.

Doilooklikeatourist · 19/08/2011 21:05

First viewing tomorrow at one , hope they turn up !

JoJoMummy321 · 20/08/2011 11:25

No viewings this weekend....got one for Friday of next week though so at least that is something to cling on to!! Off work Tues/Weds so can get house in order then.

Doilooklikeatourist - Good Luck at 1pm!!! Let us know how you get on.

SparklePrincess · 20/08/2011 12:32

Fingers crossed for you all. It only takes one person to like it remember. :) It looks like mine is all back on again with the original buyers. Hopefully it all goes to plan this time. :)

wideawakenurse · 20/08/2011 13:12

Good for you sparkle.

No viewings this weekend here either.

I am feeling Angry at EA's. Last night ours told us maybe we should reduce as people would expect an extra bedroom for your asking price. Well, it's the same bloody asking price you gave us just a fortnight ago.

Then we saw a house we really like this am. Needs lots of work so we popped into the agent to have a chat about the price and possible negotiation. Cue lots of, " well, loads are people are interested and are chain free etc". But no actual clear commitment and help re the price. The house has asbestos FFS!! Surely that's a negotiating point?

Gah, it's just seems like everyone want's to buy the houses we love but no one wants to buy ours.

If I wasn't 10 weeks pregnant, I 'd be having a large vodka right now. .

SparklePrincess · 20/08/2011 13:26

Awww i really feel for you wideawakenurse. I totally relate to your frustration at the lying scumbags estate agents & the fact that everyone wants the houses you like but not yours. Now we finally have our sale agreed (at 17.5k under original competitive asking priceAngry) our options are so limited as all the houses we fell in love with are gone. We may well end up paying more than we would of previously because there is nothing out there!! :(

Try to keep your chin up. It sounds like v early days for you, & dont be bullied by agents to reduce your price if you have done your research & know that the price is ok, certainly not this early in the game anyway. And keep us updated as to how you go.

Big hugs, & I will have a few beers for you later. :)

Doilooklikeatourist · 20/08/2011 16:44

Well our viewer turned up . Very nice elderly widowed lady ( daughter , 30 ish came too )
She lived locally as a young woman , knows a couple of our neighbours . So far so good.
She wants to downsize , and have a small garden , we are selling a 4 bedded house .
She asked if she could bring her other daughter round ( who lives in the same village as us ) of course she can.
Her house is not on the Market yet , but she does not need to sell in order to buy.
We'll wait and see.
Our house is so lovely when it's clean and tidy , just need to remember to be careful opening the cupboard doors !

CleanSheetsAndSmoothLegs · 20/08/2011 17:47

Can I come and despair too? There were five viewings today, one of which was a second viewing, so I was nicely optimistic. EA just closed for the night without calling with feedback/a nice juicy offer and I am now feeling incredibly flat. I haven't been at this long - is it usual for the EA not to call after Saturday viewings and to wait till Monday?

CleanSheetsAndSmoothLegs · 20/08/2011 17:48

Doilooklikeatourist - I share your pain re cupboard doors.

wideawakenurse · 20/08/2011 18:40

Doilook, fingers crossed for you.

Clean, I would not worry about not hearing today. The Market is quite, and most buyers don't feel the need to be rushing on with offers having just viewed a house. Long gone are those days. Smile

Also bear in mind that as borrowing is not as easy as it was people often need to spend some time considering finances before making an offer.

Here's hoping you hear something next week.

Becaroooo · 20/08/2011 18:58

I think its quite usual to wait til monday to ask for feedback on weekend viewings tbh...so dont despair!!!

The vendors of a house we liked (which needs a new boiler and has a teeny weeny garden) rejected our £5k under asking price offer.....sigh.

2nd time this has happened...I think £5k uner asking in this climate from no chain buyers is pretty good....evidently not Sad

Trying to resign myself to being in rented house til after xms now....

CleanSheetsAndSmoothLegs · 22/08/2011 19:56

Bah. The second viewing man decided against it. But two of the new viewers want to come for a second viewing this week, with their partners. Fingers crossed for that.

Any news from anyone else?

SparklePrincess · 22/08/2011 22:50

Fingers crossed. :) We put in an offer on a house today. It got turned down, as expected, but we'll go back tomorrow slightly higher & hopefully get something agreed.

CleanSheetsAndSmoothLegs · 23/08/2011 06:12

Good luck, SP!

Becaroooo · 23/08/2011 09:06

Good luck sp

JoJoMummy321 · 23/08/2011 10:05

Good luck SparklePrincess! It sounds like you are nearly there!!

Viewing booked for this Friday but that's all....do you think it will pick up in September? We are in Scotland so schools here have just gone back.

Starting to get nervous as we have a deadline of April to move for DH's new job. Sept at the latest I guess as he could go first and we could follow for the start of school term.

Arrrgghhh - I can't think about anything else at the moment and this could go on for months and months!