Support thread for house sellers

[Spirael]

Just what it says on the tin, really! I'm sure there must be other stressed house sellers out there? Hopefully we can band together and get some small joy of (hopefully?) seeing our houses sell so we can get a move on!

This is a thread of hand holding and mutual support for the EA dealings, weeks of silence, frantic house tidying, no-show viewings, silly offers and tough decisions. This is not for house bashing and price slating. There are plenty of other threads for that!

I've been trying to sell for a year now. Had a surge of viewings earlier in the summer making the right noises, but all has gone quiet for the last few weeks.

However, we have a viewing booked for later this afternoon from someone who has sold their house and is able to proceed - wanting to move before Christmas. Currently swinging between pessimistic and optimistic, while trying not to look at the house we want to buy!

Anyone else out there? :)

We viewed before we were on the market as we wanted to get a sense of what was out there. We were fairly confident we would sell quickly, as indeed we did, with multiple offers within a week - and then we felt under pressure to find somewhere to buy quickly. I am very happy with the house we chose but I think if it falls through for whatever reason we probably will rent as nothing else has come up recently at all. The flat downstairs is owned by friendly neighbours who want to rent it out so that could be an option.

ANd I do feel bad for viewing things we knew we weren't going to buy, now that I know what a hassle it is to prepare for viewings!

My cat made it onto the particulars too - fast asleep on the bed in the main bedroom. So he's now been on the internet and everything - no doubt this will go to his head. He was a bit of a liability when having viewings - having an unerring knack of timing sh*ts in his tray just as viewers cars were pulling up on the track. Karma caught up with him though... One viewer was a total mad old cat lady and picked him up and cuddled him the entire way round the house. He's a grumpy old tom cat so I was very amused....

Our cat bit the first EA that came round. I took that as a sign to try another EA.

One of our cats really took to the photographer when he came round and kept trying to get in all the photos, but unfortunately he couldn't have anything that was likely to move in the photos otherwise it would have blurred. She did make it into one of the outside shots though!

Yesterday was a bit manic but we managed to get the house tidy and cleared before the viewing, just! Then poor DD got denied a shower and was instead shoved in the car and driven to the other side of town during the viewing itself.

No feedback yet... Will chase at lunchtime if I've not heard anything before then!

Funny the topic should change to pets. Apparently the woman yesterday is petrified of cats! She commented about this when she saw our catflap. Fortunately DH had had the foresight to lock our 2 cats outside, so was able to reassure her that there were none in the house.

I just hope she wasn't put off by the inevitable cat smell/fur. I normally try to air the house and use some deodoriser before viewings, but didn't get a chance this time! New job for DD and I this weekend... Make some Orange/Clove decorations to make the house smell nice.

The viewing was so-so, according to DH. They didn't particularly gush enthusiasm, but they were commenting that the room sizes were good and that the amount of storage in the kitchen would mean she wouldn't have to get rid of any of her stuff. They only viewed for about 10 mins.

She's apparently sold her house to a FTB, so if she goes with us it'd be a short chain as our dream house is empty. Keeping fingers crossed, but not going to let myself get too excited. I'm bracing myself for yet another case of "They thought your house was very nice and can't fault it or the price... But they preferred one on the next street."

Oh Spirael I really hope this is the one! I've had no feedback from the second viewing on Sunday and am wondering if I will ever hear back. Would it hurt for them to say to the EA that they didn't like it or that they need to think?

Nope, my expectation was mostly accurate. Though they did give some more detailed feedback than some...

Apparently my house is too big, overpriced by £5k (we would have joyfully accepted an offer of £5k under...), confusing with two boilers - one for central heating and one for hot water (standard for the area) and she didn't like the decor.

They've offered on a house round the corner.

Selling my house is never going to happen, is it?

Oh feck spirael. At least it's feedback. I have to confess that I might be put off by two boilers too even if it standard for the area if it's not standard for the area you're coming from you'll think it odd, fiddly to get used to and potentially expensive.

Maybe they have viewed lots of houses where the seller wouldn't negotiate an inch on price and so are put off at the thought of having to negotiate so have dismissed you because of that. I can see why you wouldn't want to knock that £5k off the asking price though even if you would accept £5k less. Some folks just find any overpricing distasteful though :( I blame the folks who have their places on for 10 - 20% over valued it ruins the market for everyone.

Chin up - a viewer that doesn't gush or is even critical isn't always a bad thing - some might just be trying to play 'hard to get'. DH always tells me off for being too keen (when looking at houses!!!!).

Sorry to hear that Spirael :(

Not sure what we can do about the boiler situation... Just keep quiet in future I guess and let people think we have a tank! It would cost £££££ to replace it, require the destruction and consequential redecoration of various rooms and we would not make any of that back.

The stupid thing is that it actually runs much cheaper than storing hot water and means we never get a loss of hot water pressure when the central heating is on. Maintenance is easy as we get them serviced at the same time and the expensive part of that is the overall call out charge!

As a seller we can't win on prices. We have to price realistically, then accept an offer of 20% under, then reduce another 10% after the survey. At which point we can't afford to move into an identical house - let alone upsize! And that's with 50% equity and additional savings...

Feeling very dejected currently. Our evening yesterday was absolutely ruined running around for this woman and her son. She could see the room sizes and decor on the listing, why bother to view if she didn't like them and it was going to be an issue?

You should stress the advantages of your two boiler system - I bet it puts most folks off out of sheer ignorance (as I have just demonstrated!) and if they knew the positives it wouldn't bother them at all.

Sounds, annoyingly like the old bat was a tyre kicker. Gutting. Funny how when you go to see the houses of older folks downsizing they don't seem to bother presenting it well or running around and making an effort (and indeed in many cases don't seem to have done anything to upkeep their homes since the 1980s) - but they reserve the right to nitpick others :(

You hit the nail on the head there YellowWellies.

Spirael its the not knowing which one will be the one that makes us turn our worlds upside down. You are doing all you can, you did all you could by going out. I'd take the £5k out as quite positive feedback basically that's saying you're pretty much right isn't it?

Our low offer women has gone quiet. I'm guessing she's not coming back. Estate agent says she's offered on 2 other local properties in last few months. 1 is on at £450k, one around £400k and ours at £290k. She offered us £250 which is very low as we've only just priced and have gone on at the low end of where the estate agents said we should. I think she's just after a bargain. We're well priced but can't afford to loose all our equity by taking a silly offer.

It's so disheartening. We've still no other interest at present but our area is remote and quiet. We're hoping to relocate and it's so frustrating not knowing whether to let the DC join new groups etc if we're about to move button the other hand don't want life to stop.

Misfor it sounds like she is making the most of a buyers market and doing what I can never manage to do, using her head and not getting attached to any one property. By offering on many the agents know she can't be thumbscrewed to increase her offers as she's not 'in love' with any of them. I imagine in today's economy it won't be too long before she finds a desperate seller who whether through debt, death, divorce or ill health will accept an offer. Good for her in a way, I couldn't approach housebuying that way - am far too irrational.

Well another viewing on Thursday morning - London people in a good position. Thankfully it's my day off so I will be up at the crack of dawn cleaning. Please let this be the one!

We're giving it one last shot. We went to see our EA today and have agreed a drop of £30k. He says not to be too hopeful that even this will work. With his local knowledge he says it is unlikely that we'll sell :( Apparently it really is that bad here.

Ugh, really feeling for those of you who have had unpleasant & sneery viewers; reminds me why I much prefer getting out of the house when viewings are going on, despite the hassle.

Misfor am definitely with you in not wanting to accept cheeky offers...I bought my house for £250k and the idea that after a total renovation, it's not worth significantly more, makes me sad. If it needed a lot of work, fair enough, but it really doesn't!

Duchess we made a big drop too. We are definitely getting more viewings but still no offers though. Like a lot of you we have completely refurbished our house from small details like lighting and blinds through to a huge loft conversion. I don't expect to recoup things like the kitchen and flooring etc. but someone will be getting a well done house and a free £40k loft conversion. Receiving an offer £55k below just added insult to injury especially as he never made a further offer and refuses to answer the EAs calls.

We plan to move only a few miles away. The housing market is just as bad there, so chances are if we get a buyer then we may be able to pass the drop in price on.

Sorry Spirael and Duchess that today hasn't gone so well. Hope the price drop works well for you.
Glad that having cats isn't the kiss of death for house sales (though there are a lot of them on this thread....). There were cats in this house when we bought it and we did think - great there is a cat flap already.
Our offer was rejected today (not very suprised). It was 90% of asking price so a bit cheeky anyway. The EA said they are looking for near the asking price and asked if we wanted to increase our offer. I said that we felt we should wait until we had an offer before we negotiated further, were still interested in the house and to pass on our thanks to the vendor for showing us around.
Am slightly terrified about trying to keep the house tidy enough for viewings with a 2 year old DS and 2 cats. There a few jobs we should try and tackle as well that we just don't have the time for (small stinky pond in the back garden anyone?). Will be back on here in 2 weeks after our holiday - hope some/all of you have managed to progress by then.

I bought my house for £250k and the idea that after a total renovation, it's not worth significantly more, makes me sad.

I feel really bad for you and you must be gutted. Did you get happiness value or utility from your improvements, though? Try and focus on that.

Your own home is not an investment. Even as a professional I've come unstuck many a time; amateurs find it really difficult to "add value" if they can't reclaim VAT and are paying retail on goods and services, but are deluded into thinking they've outperformed the market.

Exactly 1605 remember Sarah's Beaney's programmes during the boom years she would always end up telling amateur renovators that the house would have risen that much without their efforts i.e. that it was a rising market that inflated the value of their investment - not their best attempts at DIY.

I think we might have (just) covered our renovation costs looking at big ticket items (maybe even with a £200 profit, yes that's pounds not thousands!!! ) - providing I don't count for my time for the three months that I worked full time on our house (and don't add up the small ticket items like paint, floor sander hire and varnish!) but if we have made a loss then I'm not surprised - we bought high (well during the dead cat bounce, not the actual peak in the market) and sold in a falling market - it's timing.

It might feel unfair. Or a kick in the teeth but try not to take it personally. In the bigger scheme of things we're talking about such first world problems aren't we. There's no fairness - it's all about timing.

We seem to have gotten out just in time (for our local market) but if we'd have hung on longer - we wouldn't have even covered our costs. I did however get MASSIVE satisfaction value and happiness and pride from doing the work (as an office worker I never get the chance to 'make' things) - and having lived my entire 20s beholden to landlords and their sodding magnolia walls and ugly dark blue stainproof sofas and carpets - it was wonderful to put our own mark on a place. And, god forbid, be able to hang pictures on walls!!!!

1605 yes I have had lots of joy and use from my home. I'm not interested in making a profit, just recoup my costs.

It's not so much throwing a Property Ladder style hissy fit and saying 'it MUST be worth X! It simply MUST', it's more the fact I rescued a house that hadn't been loved for 40-odd years and made it a home. And no-one has looked at it and gone YES, I want that to be my home. Oh well, somebody will eventually.

I still love living there & would happily have stayed another year, but my DH is suffering badly at the moment commuting long hours when he used to have a home office.

Actually someone who saw the house yesterday loves the house (and only lives round the corner!) but her property isn't on the market yet. So we wait...