The decluttering, cleaning, vacating, pandering, nailbiting antics of the stressed out house sellers

[Spirael]

Starting a new thread, since our old one was almost full!

Anyone suffering the stresses of trying to sell a house is welcome to join us; anyone here to tell us our houses are crap and/or overpriced is not.

No signs of flooding. It's a good time to check places out to see if they're affected by the recent flooding :)

Had some initial feedback from today's viewing. Son came with his Mum. Liked the size of the house and garden - only quibble was the size of the smallest bedroom - EA pointed out that there were 5 other double rooms and it would be fine for a guest room. They are looking at loads of properties over a large area this weekend and will then shortlist and come back with the daughter. My only concern is that they are bound to find something bigger and better if they're not fussy about which area they live in.

Hello

I am another one who has become addicted to Phil Spencer and his secret agent show!! When I watch it I panic a bit because we have not 'dressed' dad's house in any way shape or form!

When I asked the estate agent if we should paint/fix dad's his reply was no...I guess because it is a 'doer upper' and new owners going to rip everything out.
So no flowers selling the lifestyle that Phil is so keen on!

We have had two sets of viewers...both of whom came back for a second viewing. The latest of these were today and they have told us that they intend to make an offer. House been on the market 3 weeks so I am happy enough with that.

Will have to wait and see what thier offer is but the whole time dad's house is empty it is costing money....he died in April and we paying gas/electric/council tax/insurance etc..plus solicitors fees.

Sounds like positive news Bentneck. Like you say, you don't need to do anything to a doer-upper to prepare it for viewings. It is what it is. Phil Spencer would be pleased with me - I've done everything to the letter but still awaiting that darned offer.

Thanks cuddymum - I do have my fingers crossed for an offer that meets your requirements. And I do sympathise with having to try and prepare for viewings in amongst the chaos of christmas!

Good Luck

Hello again! Well we've finally concluded, and we get the keys on Dec 14th!

Another viewing lined up for Sunday afternoon (not locals) and not heard anything from Saturday's viewer... Should have the tree up by Sunday too!

At least being on the market for so long has helped us to re focus what we might be looking for and in which area. The local house we were interested in has definitely gone now but somehow we don't feel as disappointed as we may have done months earlier. We are remaining positive and feel that we would like to move a few miles down the road to Harrold, preferably a doer-upper with a big garden and fields at the back! So not exactly going to reduce the mortgage as originally planned but hey!

Any news Bentneck?

Well done Kato - I'm jealous!

Yes and no, regarding work to be done on our new house Pootles. It's actually a new build where the builder went bust so the bank repossessed. So structurally it's fine, everything is brand new and it's under warranty for build defects. However because the builder no longer exists, we have no snagging fixes available. There's also nothing currently installed, like curtain rails or similar, so that'll all need doing on move day or soon after!

Still not got a date. [twiddles thumbs] DH is harrassing the solicitor, the buyers solicitor is harrassing the solicitor, so hopefully we should find out today or tomorrow whether we're moving next week! They sure like to cut it fine, huh?

Hearing you talk about your lovely DS is making me feel a bit broody, YellowWellies! Not allowed another DC though until we've moved, settled and replenished our savings a bit-!

No flood risk for our house or the new house, fortunately. If they flood, the rest of Yorkshire is in a lot of trouble-!

I don't watch a whole lot of TV, so haven't seen any Secret Agent aside from the episode earlier in the year that covered the suburb next to ours and had a very similar property on for a lot more than our asking price. Unsurprisingly, it hadn't sold by the end of the episode.

Congrats on your conclusion, bet you're looking forward to getting the keys next week, Kato! I'm jealous too, especially since I still don't know whether I'm moving next Thursday or not-!

Sounds like you're still getting a fair bit of interest with all your viewings, CuddyMum. :) Surely one of your viewers, sooner or later, will make you the right offer-! I'll keep everything crossed for you on Saturday.

Hello cuddymum I am sure I read somewhere that prospective viewers consider where their christmas tree would go as much as other furniture. So I am sure your viewers at the weekend will be impressed!

Thanks for asking how we are getting on - I feel a little bit awkward to tell you that we have had 2 offers.
We had 2 sets of viewers, both came back for second viewings and both have made offers yesterday!

The first was the buy to let man who made an offer £30,000 below the some report survey value...despite the fact the survey didn't suggest any major faults/concerns. The estate agent did say that the man was a bit of a chancer and only really interested in a 'steal'.

The second offer was £20,000 more than the first....we are happy with that and decided to accept it. The buyers are in a hurry for various reasons and need the sale completed and key in their hand mid January.

This suits us because dad's house been empty since feb - it's costing money to heat/maintain/council tax/legal fees etc. If we decided to hang off and wait on the off chance somebody else might be interested in the spring it would be more money going out and probably not worth it.

I do appreciate that we are in a lucky position...orginally the house was going to marketed to pay the nursing home fees. When dad died whilst waiting for a place that changed....but this inheritance is money we were not expecting.

I fully appreciate that it is different for you all who need to sale your houses for a certain amount to move on into your new homes. I keep my fingers and toes crossed.

home report not some report!

No feeling broody here - I'm way too old for all that! Would love another puppy though!

Hey Bentneck no need to feel awkward at all! That's a good result for you. I hope they make the house into a beautiful home.

Surely my time will come. I'm very confident that my house is not overpriced now at all - I just need the right people to buy it. Ironically, if I hadn't done the loft extension, changed the kitchen and all the floors etc. the house would probably be worth the price I'm advertising it for now! I guess that's how it goes.

Thanks cuddy

I have faith you will find a buyer...do you live in a village or town location? Or buyer is local in the village and for various reasons needed this house, at this time and both parties were just lucky the timings worked.

We're in a small market town :)

Just received my Pickfords quote... And I'm pretty sure I've watched them move a family to the Dordogne for less than we've been quoted for moving a mile!

cuddy I posted this before...maybe you need to get a guitar out and write a song!!
buy my house

Thanks toomuchtea All feels a bit real now.

Kato The Removal Men is another new favourite of mine along with Phil Spencer!

I think my kids would shoot me if I did that! Very funny though!

Sorry your daughter is not impressed with your move Toomuchtea. If we move to Harrold I have one child who wants to change schools and one who doesn't! That could be interesting.

Have dragged the tree in from outside and it's much wider than I thought when I chose it...

Our buyers' funds are now in place - so it looks like we are all set for completion and exchange as planned on the 11th January. I'm v excited. I hope the house we're interested in is still available then - have a gander: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24923319.html?utm_content=ealertspropertylink&utm_medium=email&utm_source=emailupdates&utm_campaign=emailupdatesjun11&utm_term=buying&sc_id=8028011&onetime_FromEmail=true What do you reckon? Nothings going to go to closing over Christmas is it?

In the interim, after living on our remote island with solid fuel heating and isolation - we're renting a new build until we find somewhere to buy - god I cannot wait for gas central heating!!! No effort heating is wicked. Stoking a fire in the small hours when up for a night feed gets a bit wearing.

Am such a muppet - here's the linky www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24923319.html?utm_content=ealertspropertylink&utm_medium=email&utm_source=emailupdates&utm_campaign=emailupdatesjun11&utm_term=buying&sc_id=8028011&onetime_FromEmail=true

Fab house Yellow!! Have you spoken to the agent about it?

Toomuchtea - one wants to go to Sharnbrook and the other wants to stay at Ousedale Olney Campus.

It's lovely yellow, can you stick a note of interest in?

We're wary of sticking a formal note of interest in as we don't want to trigger a closing situation if we can help it. Fingers crossed we'll just be able to put an offer in after Christmas.

We figure we'd like to add a conservatory at the back and extend the kitchen into it as the smallish kitchen is the only downside we can spot without a viewing.

Our investor came back today with a better offer (after 3 or 4 weeks!), though the house we really wanted at a realistic price has gone :( so now we're looking at a couple of houses that we'd previously discounted.

Do you think it's reasonable to ask the buyer to be patient and wait for us to find somewhere? I'm assuming that a few more houses will come on the market after Christmas (or is this a myth?)

Would you rent Chilli?