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Original poster

Support thread for house sellers

992 replies

Spirael · 06/09/2012 10:33

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! Wink

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? :)

OP posts:
Toomuchtea · 25/10/2012 13:28

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CuddyMum · 25/10/2012 13:54

Sounding good Toomuchtea!

Just had a call from the EA - third viewing from people with loads of kids on Saturday morning. Woman and teenage daughter really love it but now need to convince the husband!! They have been renting for five years.

CuddyMum · 25/10/2012 13:58

Perhaps we don't need St Joseph - we need some highly toxic mould remover :)

Toomuchtea · 25/10/2012 14:12

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CuddyMum · 25/10/2012 14:26

Toomuchtea - here's very much hoping that the women can persuade the men! Not sure I can keep cleaning!

CuddyMum · 25/10/2012 14:27

Right - now back to watching Philip Spencer, Secret Agent :)

Original poster
Spirael · 26/10/2012 16:49

Surveying seemed to go ok, the guy didn't raise any issues and wished us well in our move as he left, which seems to imply he thought it would go ahead. Wink Not had any feedback yet, but the report might not be submitted until next week.

Our buyer is coming over tomorrow to measure up, which I'm taking as a good sign as well!

As for our offer... It was accepted!! Grin Grin Grin Finally, a couple of hours ago. So things are now moving in the right direction. Hopefully we'll be in our dream, forever home for Christmas! So, so happy. Really hoping everything goes smoothly from here.

Good luck with your viewings tomorrow Toomuchtea and CuddyMum. Will be keeping everything crossed for both of you!

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Toomuchtea · 26/10/2012 17:46

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JaxTellerIsMyFriend · 26/10/2012 18:07

I have read a lot of this thread and want to say huge Congratulations to spirael

We were FTB and now the DC are older we need more space, so in the next year or so we need to sell and buy again. To be honest, I am dreading it - I really dont think I can stand all the waiting about, the house viewings and what the hell do I do with my dogs? Not to mention the children... we lived in rented for years, bought this house, have done it up - it was hideous when we moved in and after hating not being keen initially, I now like my home a lot.

I need help!

CuddyMum · 26/10/2012 18:45

Awesome news Spirael! I'm really pleased for you :)

Good luck with your viewing Toomuchtea - I've stopped buying fresh flowers and have invested in some lovely fakes courtesy of Ikea!

marshmallowpies · 26/10/2012 18:46

Big congrats Spirael! Hope everything goes smoothly & you get in by Xmas.

As our buyers also want to be in by Xmas we've had to move pretty fast ourselves and had an offer accepted today, on one of the 'definite possible' houses we viewed earlier this week. Buyers moving abroad so we are not in a big chain, as far as I know.

It's a nice big 1930's house, SW facing garden, good sized rooms - all the right things to make it a good family home.

I didn't 'fall in love' with the house the way I did with the ones we missed out on (fell in love with a particular road rather than the houses tbh), but it felt warm and 'safe' and felt like it could be a happy family home.

I doubt we will actually move by Xmas but hopefully not too long after. Here's hoping for hard working efficient solicitors and no bumps along the way!

Toomuchtea · 26/10/2012 19:55

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CuddyMum · 26/10/2012 20:30

Toomuchtea - is that a different London couple than the couple viewing tomorrow? You are definitely getting closer.

Well done Marshmallow - It sounds great.

As for dogs, I haven't had to leave the dog whilst the EA is conducting a viewing as the viewings have all been at weekends, after work or during my days off. I think my dog would be a big distraction for any viewers.

TooMuchRain · 26/10/2012 21:08

New to this thread but the title seemed timely... have had three viewings from the same person and then they offered £120,000 and it's on the market at £150,000! Are offers that low really normal??

marykat2004 · 26/10/2012 22:16

"London couple ...haven't sold but are certain they can do it very quickly..."

Um... we are in London and were convinced we'd sell right away... 11 viewers later and no offers. Just thought I'd warn you...Depends I guess on where they are and what they have.. I think it may tricky for FTBs at the moment, and with London flats that is what a lot of viewers are...

marshmallowpies · 27/10/2012 00:39

Marykat we had about 30 viewings over 12 weeks with our first agent and only 1 offer from those! (and we are in London).

2nd agent did about 8-10 viewings over 3 weeks before we got the offer.

TooMuchRain I'm not an expert by any means, but yes that seems a pretty big drop to me. We got £10k off the asking price of the house we're buying, and accepted £10k off ours...that seems reasonable but £30k is quite a lot!

JaxTellerIsMyFriend · 27/10/2012 09:50

Ok, I can take the dogs out or put them in the car when viewings are on - or put them outside in the kennel. That solves a problem. Not everyone likes dogs do they?

I dont want to be here when viewings happen - I would hate people to be negative about my house - we have done so much to it. New oak floors, double glazing, decorated through out, built in wardrobes, new carpet, new bathrooms, kitchen new boiler/heating and guttering, roofing etc. So for anyone to say they didnt like it would probably upset me. Its neutrally decorated so I doubt anyone would hate the colour and each room has a purpose...

When we come to sell, I will be back! sobbing and wailing

Original poster
Spirael · 27/10/2012 10:01

Thanks everyone. Grin Sounds like our chain is pushing for moving before Christmas, I'm hoping to keep things moving so we can be in by the end of next month if at all possible!

TooMuchRain, that'll be because of the stamp duty barrier at £125k unfortunately... They'll have come in at £120k to give themselves a little bit of wiggle room.

OP posts:
marykat2004 · 27/10/2012 10:21

@marshmallowpies, that is interesting... I have a second EA hounding me. They are very persistent and always have been but asking around most people say that this particular agent are "evil". So we went with a smaller agency (as sole agent for now) that has sold flats in our building before... may I PM you? I think it's inappropriate to start naming EAs on here publicly.. But I wonder if you tried a local agency first then sold with a bigger agency? i do like the guys in our local office but maybe they are not pushy enough...?

CuddyMum · 27/10/2012 10:43

Jax - I agree about taking the dog and everyone else out for viewings. It makes it awkward for the viewer.

I have had to bribe two teenagers to get up at the crack of dawn today - they have been shipped off to the shopping centre by my husband to buy clothes and have a Maccy Ds breakfast. I am currently walking the dog. It's a fabulously sunny day and the house looks fab - I can only hope that the viewer can persuade her husband now.

Toomuchtea · 27/10/2012 10:57

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marshmallowpies · 27/10/2012 11:01

Marykat yes do feel free to PM. We were with a local agent first & chain second (not a national chain but one with 5-6 branches in my part of London).

The original agent does 'seem' to sell a lot of houses in my area...2 on the next street sold while mine was on the market, but they already been on for a while before mine was.

CuddyMum · 27/10/2012 17:08

No news here. EA let the viewers in and let them get on with it. Mr said that he really didn't want a modern house but Mrs is trying to persuade him that ours is the right house. He's going to have a think and get back to the EA on Monday. I'm not hopeful really.

Sausagedog27 · 27/10/2012 18:24

Hello. New to this thread- having ea's around next week to value (already had one valuation) and will be putting our house on the market. We have done that terrible thing and found a house we love already. We can afford it to, it's just the issue of selling ours! Argh!!!!!

JaxTellerIsMyFriend · 28/10/2012 10:43

sausage thats the thing. When we bought this house, I did all the negotiating and because I wasnt fussed about the house I didnt get all emotional about it, but looking lately I have found my perfect house and its been on market for ages - but my heart would rule my head this time...

I need to get ours sold first and then negotiate with DH re 'my perfect house'

In reality we will go 1 jump up the ladder and then next time it will be perfect house.