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Original poster

Would you sell your house to students?

27 replies

Cratos · 07/06/2012 12:06

Hi all
We recieved a good offer from two fathers who would like to buy our semi detached 4 bedroom house for their sons who are about start their university education. Our house is walking distance to uni.
They will rent the two extra rooms. They are nice decent people and they are cash buyers.
However we are in dilemma since we don't want to upset our neighbours. On the other hand local schools are not great and house is not attracting young families and it is too big for retired couples. This is first offer in about 9 weeks. We had 5 viewings so far.

What would you do?

OP posts:

BiscuitNibbler · 07/06/2012 12:15

Sell. You have to look after your own interest first, and to be fair, if the house is owned by the parents it is unlikely the students will be badly behaved.

When I was a student I rented a room in a house like this, owned by my boyfriend-of-the-time's parents. We were very aware that we had to look after the house and not cause problems.

soveryhard · 07/06/2012 12:16

Id sell my house to anyone who had the money to buy it

hattifattner · 07/06/2012 12:17

you have no obligations to your neighbours. take the offer.

TheCunningStunt · 07/06/2012 12:17

I'd sell it to whoever offered me the price I wanted. Neighbours are not really your concern and students are often actually lovely! We rent a flat out to a couple of students and they are great.

minipie · 07/06/2012 12:17

Yes I definitely would.

You can't realistically control who lives there after you sell. Even if you chose the loveliest family as buyers, in order to try to please your neighbours, that family might then sell or rent to someone awful!

In your situation it sounds like a lot of potential buyers will be student parents or similar so you would be crossing off a lot of sale opportunities if you hold out for a family.

Also, students whose parents own their house tend to treat the place a bit better than students who are renting!! (IME)

emsyj · 07/06/2012 12:18

If your house is walking distance to a university, surely there are lots of students living around there?

When I was a student, I lived with 3 other people and we were less noisy and messy then than DH and I are now with a toddler .

Cash buyers are like hens' teeth in this market - sell sell sell.

Original poster

Cratos · 07/06/2012 12:18

Thanks for advice. I think a landlord would be a definite no no.
But as you say parents owning the house may be preventing some unwanted behaviour. On the other hand I wouldn't like to have students next door. It may affect the house price of other houses in the area.

OP posts:

soveryhard · 07/06/2012 12:22

Do you want to move?? Is your main concern your neighbours or your family?

ClaireBunting · 07/06/2012 12:22

If they are offering you a good deal, then take it!

Not all students are bad. We've rented out our house to students are the neighbours thought they were lovely, and definitely no trouble.

My DS is a student and he is responsible too.

Original poster

Cratos · 07/06/2012 12:23

Yes there are students in the area. But we are in a quieter and nice street with not many students. However many people around us work at the uni.
I appreciate the feedback given thank you very much.

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Original poster

Cratos · 07/06/2012 12:25

We need to move yes. But we are not in a big rush. There is a house that we like in the area we are going. We r moving for a good secondary school.

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skandi1 · 07/06/2012 12:57

Students are not as carefree as they used to be. The high cost of university courses means that they have to be serious about completing their studies and getting good grades. Not like back in the day when students had no fees full grants and the dole over the summer holidays.

They won't have time for partying these days.

And as others say buyers are hard to come by and no other offers so sell sell sell.

BiscuitNibbler · 07/06/2012 13:04

I do think you are overthinking this. Would you expect your neighbours to consider you over the sale of their house?

Original poster

Cratos · 07/06/2012 13:51

Probably they wouldn't you are right but I just think that it is not right.
However, these responses are changing my mind since nobody said don't sell yet (-:
So I must be wrong.

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oreocrumbs · 07/06/2012 13:56

Oh sell to the highest bidder! It doesn't matter if its a LL, family or students. It is very nice that you are considering the neighbourhood, but really you would be being unwise to turn down offers.

And as PPs have said, you get good and bad in any sector. You could sell to a nice family whose DC scream the clock round and block up the street with cars and have dogs barking at all hours.

You must put your own needs/own family's needs first.

girlgonemild · 07/06/2012 14:04

I think you should sell.
From my experience problems with students come when whole swathes of the street are rented out to students not with students living in one house.
I don't think the situation you talking about is any more likely to result in anti-social behaviour than any one else you might sell to.

Ladymuck · 07/06/2012 14:07

To be honest it would never dawn on me to "vet" who I would sell to to that extent. Can they afford it, are they likely to be easy to deal with all factored into it. What they were like to live next to, not so much.

Chubfuddler · 07/06/2012 14:08

It would never occur to me to sell a house to anyone other than the purchaser who suited me most - highest bidder/quick completion/prepared to wait/whatever.

MacaroniSaysShetlandPony · 07/06/2012 14:21

I'd sell it to the highest bidder, and take the money and run. It is very kind of you to care, however!

startlife · 07/06/2012 15:24

I had this dilemma, we had elderly neighbours and they would have preferred us to sell to a family but realistically we couldn't chose the buyers. If you are near to a Uni town it is likely over time that properties will become student lets - especially if there isn't a family draw i.e good schools.

I don't think it's such a bad thing, a downside is that properties may not be as well kept (i.e cutting the front lawn) but I'm not sure you could guarantee that with a family anyway.

I did care about our neighbours but we couldn't stem the tide, houses will go to students or BTL market if families don't want them.

Original poster

Cratos · 07/06/2012 15:32

Thank you so much. You have all helped me a lot. I appreciate it.

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Original poster

Cratos · 07/06/2012 15:53

Start life thanks for sharing your dilemma.
What was your neighbours reaction when you told them about who bought your house?

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Icelollycraving · 07/06/2012 17:22

I'd sell to anyone who had the money. Take the offer!

Rhubarbgarden · 07/06/2012 18:16

Sell! I think in the current market your neighbours would probably be amazed you were considering not doing so for their benefit.

DontmindifIdo · 07/06/2012 18:21

Sell - your neighbours won't be your neighbours anymore once you sell.

If it's close to the uni, than anyone who wants to live there are going to be connected to the uni, they are the buyers who will pay a premium for that location, but if it's not near good schools, then family buyers aren't going to pay as much for that house, so how much of your family money are you prepared to sacrifice to make your neighbours lives a tiny bit better?

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