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Original poster

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

999 replies

CuddyMum · 11/04/2013 16:47

Thought I'd better start a new thread... :)

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PortBlacksandBetweenMyToes · 02/05/2013 13:28

It should be fine - 1930s exHA - i doubt a nuclear bomb would floor it. But evne so - aaaaargh.

PortBlacksandBetweenMyToes · 02/05/2013 13:29

Thanks ghost Smile

patchesmcp · 02/05/2013 15:04

Can I join too? I've been lurking for ages but I think I need some cheering up from those of you who've had an offer.

We've been on the market for 6 weeks and had 12 or 13 viewings in that time, 2 second viewings but no offers :(

It's a newish estate and this style of house has sold really quickly - 3 went in the space of a few months in a different part of the development, all with a slightly higher asking price than ours. Another one came on the market just after ours for £12k more than ours and has sold since then. The house is identical, although I think their pictures on the internet look nicer than ours :( What I don't understand is why you wouldn't offer on both houses and see which you could get cheaper?? Even if it's nicer inside you can do a lot with that kind of money.

To make matters worse my dream house has had a proceedable offer put in on it and I think they are accepting it. There is nothing else on the market we like and we've been looking at houses on the internet for 15 months plus prior to putting this on.

One of the couples who came back for a second viewing last week brought their parents with them, but since then haven't responded to the estate agents calls or emails and just appear to have vanished, despite normally getting in touch quickly according to the agent...Hmm

We had someone round last night who is in rented and seemed to like it but has more stuff to look at this weekend.

I'm just getting so down hearted with the whole situation and I'm sick of checking rightmove to discover no new houses on it!

Sorry for the long self-pitying post!

ghosteditor · 02/05/2013 15:22

patches you sound really dejected - I hope things turn around as rapidly and positively as things did for me. It's amazing how just one more bit of interest or a competitive situation can suddenly emerge - I'll keep fx for you.

Is it possible you have too much stuff for the house? DH and I are very pragmatic buyers and can look straight past other people's stuff, but I'm continually amazed how people are put off by possessions. I saw one post on another thread where someone said that seeing personal possessions - photos, DVDs, books - ANYTHING - made her think the owner was 'still attached' to the house and put her off. Whereas I think empty houses are a bit creepy Wink

(we viewed a house last month where the owner had a court order to sell from a nasty divorce. she had fish pie cooking - I'm veggie - and was smoking in the kitchen when we came in, then gave us a long rambling tale about how nasty the neighbours were. Her son had OCD and lived with them and the house was full of newspapers, shoes, clothes, smoke, and grease. We seriously considered making an offer but decided we didn't like the downstairs enough - and in went to a bidding war which my opposite neighbour won!)

ghosteditor · 02/05/2013 15:22

Ooh I'm just getting quotes for a Homebuyer survey. Does £595 + VAT seem expensive or about right?

Original poster
CuddyMum · 02/05/2013 15:37

I HAVE MY MORTGAGE OFFER!!!!!!!! Shock

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trikken · 02/05/2013 15:39

ooh brilliant Cuddy!

wonkylegs · 02/05/2013 15:44

Cuddy - Yay at bloody last!

wonkylegs · 02/05/2013 15:51

Ghost ours is £350 (inclusive of vat) but we also had quotes of £380 + VAT, £460+ Vat & £480+ VAT - all of which are less than we spent when we had the one on our (smaller) current house done Hmm
I'd get a few quotes and then pick one.
We have to get three as we are relocating for a job and as part of the package they require 3 quotes and they will pay the cheapest (you don't have to go with the cheapest but that's all they'll pay for)

ghosteditor · 02/05/2013 16:11

yey cuddy! what a relief that must be!

ghosteditor · 02/05/2013 16:13

wonky thank you - that does seem steep then; think I'll ask around. we're seriously considering just sticking with the valuation as the house is a modern build detached. I'm just trying to persuade DH to arrange a visit to check the loft, which is the only thing we haven't seen. FIL could probably take a good look tbh...

Turnipinatutu · 02/05/2013 16:22

Phew Cuddy, what a relief!
I'll remember to try and avoid the call centre when/if we come to sort our mortgage.

Original poster
CuddyMum · 02/05/2013 16:24

Think my Homebuyers was something like £780 but that includes the valuation report too, which is about £360. I know it made sense to have a full homebuyers report as I am buying a Victorian property but at one point I wished I hadn't. I feel differently now I have the mortgage offer because we will use the report and slowly work on the jobs that need actioning but are not urgent, eg replacing the pointing on the chimney stack etc.

Now on track with chasing up the other side's solicitors who have lost (or claimed not to have received) the vendor's property information form. Luckily my vendor is efficient and has kept photocopies and will hand deliver to his solicitors tomorrow. Initial enquiries have been sent but obviously more will arise once they have this form - plus I'll get to know what's on offer! The vendor's solicitor is on holiday (yet again) so others are dealing with the file.

OP posts:
AugustaProdworthy · 02/05/2013 16:25

Still waiting here for an exchange date. Everything is done our end but waiting on our buyers....

Original poster
CuddyMum · 02/05/2013 16:30

I wondered how you were getting on Augusta. We are ready to exchange on our sale but have exactly 3 weeks to go before we move. I hope this is enough time for the purchase to go through. Searches are nearly all back, initial enquiries sent... Nerve wracking!

Turnip - much better to sort the mortgage out through a branch representative! Never again will I sort a mortgage out through a call centre.

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Tau · 02/05/2013 16:59

Ugh. We were going to get viewers between 4 and 5 today - bit vague, but they had a viewing before us and were not sure how long that would take. So we did the special tidy, and waited.
20 to 5 the EA called to say that the people had decided to not do the viewing anymore. They had seen the area and didn't like it because they don't like children! Well, there are currently about seven of them playing in the sun on the green in front of the house, so this certainly wouldn't be a good place for those non-viewers.
But they could've figured that out a little sooner, couldn't they? So rude! Well, sod them. I don't wanna sell my house to child haters anyway.Angry

We should have another viewing tomorrow.

Tau · 02/05/2013 17:01

Congrats Cuddy!

Patches... no need to be dejected. We have been on the market with our previous agent since january and had only 3 viewings through them!

HereWeGoThen · 02/05/2013 17:29

Congrats Cuddy, must be a relief!

Just accepted an offer from a cash buyer for our place, got so excited I went and blabbed how much it was for in front of everyone in the office, really not a good idea!

Now we just have to find somewhere we want to buy, current thinking is Reigate..

doglover · 02/05/2013 18:05

Hi everyone! I've been lurking for a few days because have had nothing new to report. The previous buyers have increased their offer by 4k which is bringing it into more positive territory. My dh and I will have a session pouring over the dreaded spreadsheet tonight!!

patchesmcp · 02/05/2013 18:10

Ghost I read my post back and I do sound dejected. I'm on maternity leave at the moment waiting for baby number 2 to arrive and I think the problem is it is all I'm thinking about at the moment as I don't have work to distract me! Once the baby arrives I'm sure that'll change :)

In terms of the house, it isn't cluttered, we de-cluttered it and did odd jobs before we put it on the market. It is always spotless before a viewing (just wish it was like that all the time!) and whilst there are personal possessions about and pictures on the walls, we don't have very many photos etc at all.

I think we could perhaps market a couple of the rooms a bit better but that would involve changing the way we live which we can't do as DH works from home and they need to be a certain way for that. I think part of the problem is that it is a 4 bedroom house so we've had a number of families round but because of the layout it's more suited to a professional couple or a family with one child, not a family with 2 kids.

Anyway, congrats Here and Cuddy that's fab news for you both :) Here are there a lot of houses on in the area you like?

Tau that's awful that people cancel at such short notice. I think people forget how much time and effort goes in to presenting a house to potential buyers. Mind you, it's awful when you show someone round and you know you're just going through the motions as you and they know they have no interest in it.

ghosteditor · 02/05/2013 18:59

Ah, I know the feeling! How long until dc arrives?

We are in a 3 bed terrace in a town with an ageing demographic - lots of retired people on our street, so I do wonder if the circus themed toddler bedroom puts them off!

Original poster
CuddyMum · 02/05/2013 19:15

Tau - it's so, so awful when people cancel last minute. We have a green area and a park near us and I have to admit I'd dread any kids playing out the front in case it put anyone off. Silly really, as it's a family house! Like you say sod 'em!

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hanette · 02/05/2013 20:19

CuddyMum congratulations on your mortgage! Wine

FedupofTurkey · 02/05/2013 20:53

Hi fellow movers and movers to be! Had our mortgage valuation/survey on our property we're buying so fingers crossed its okay. I'm busy packing in readiness to move. Do you label furniture with the room its going too?

Original poster
CuddyMum · 02/05/2013 20:57

Don't think we'll label furniture, just the boxes. The removers are pretty good at asking where stuff goes. :)

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