The decluttering, cleaning, vacating, pandering, nailbiting antics of the stressed out house sellers goes on and on....

[TerrysNo2]

New thread!

Come share and despair :)

getting the garden tidied up some more today, DH is getting pretty desperate to get the house on the market asap, just finishing some stuff off. He still thinks we should p/e for a new build but it would totally max our mortgage so I'm not sure.

Yikes Rosie you must be amazing to get anything done with so many kids in the house.
Ours officially went up at noon yesterday (paperwork was all done Wednesday evening) and last night I had just made dinner and was heading out to exercise and told Dh to listen for the phone knowing my luck someone would call to view. His reply was that no one views at dinner time.
I loaded the dirties into the dishwasher and the phone rang, I viewing in 30 minutes (different from UK and the EA's do all the viewings) So we shot round, to tidy, I went off to the gym, Dh went for a drive. Now I'm waiting for some feedback the offices aren't open yet.

FCEK we did a part exchange once ( twas ages ago though - about 12 years) with Barrat homes. To be fair we just couldn't get our place to sell (new build in Docklands) so we part ex'ed on a lovely brand new 4 bed but there was NO room for manouvre at all - we had to pay what they were asking for and they did give fairly close to market value but just be warned that if it looks like part ex'ing will take you to the edge of your budget a new build normally needs a few extra thousand spending on it as you get nothing at all as an 'extra' usually ( especially if you part ex) and those extras came to nearly 11k on this new build that we are moving out of after being in it for 3.5 years.

Squinkies where are you? - I could not do a viewing with that little notice - i have to chuck everyone out (including the dog) and make it really tidy and ordered whereas usually by the end of the day it is but during the course of the day there is children related detritus everywhere! Good luck with your feedback though - i always think its useful.

Well our buyer came over to measure up, she is nice but i hate the fact she goes around the kitchen opening the (built in) fridge and dishwasher and then opened all the kitchen cupboards. I know she is only testing out and having a look at what she is buying but i just must be very British and feel too embaressed to do that!

She also said she wants to move in two weeks at the end of July which we told her would be impossible as we have a 5 bed house to pack up and we didnt want to start packing till both parties have their mortgage offer in place (we have been caught out like that before and had to unpack half our house after a mortgage was refused to some potential buyers at the last moment). I think this is going to be a real pain and i can see us having to exchange and complete really close together whereas i would have liked at least 2 weeks between exchange and completion. Wishful thinking i reckon?

Holy heck, we got an offer!
I totally wasn't expecting that. Second viewer, fell in love, she's look at a billion homes according to her EA. AND....... it was over asking price, so a day and half on the market. We go into escrow here (california) on Monday, we sign and return the offer tomorrow.
Now we have two weeks to see if it'll fall apart, after than it's completely binding. If it doesn't appraise for the offer (done in 7 to 10 days), then we go back to negotiate the price all over again. I'm in shock. While I was out I bought a lottery ticket and hoped for some good luck. Then my printer refused to print the offer off, so I called the EA she's bringing it by in the morning while she has clients to show around some other homes. I said I hoped it wasn't a bad omen.
If all goes well, we will close in 45 days from Monday, if not who knows!
Whats funny, they turned up 10 minutes early I was just leaving the house, and while I was gone I kept thinking I was sure I left my bra on the floor next to the laundry hamper. I hadn't, unless she had thrown it in for me.

yeah rosie, it would take us to the max and I've heard we might not be offered what we'd like for the house. We do have a 'new build' house in mind that we like - perfect size/layout, all that would need done would be decorating really - but I think we'll see how we get on with selling this house first. Maybe give it a few months.

Hopefully it'll sell quickly and we won't need to go down the new build/part exchange route just to get away from our horrible neighbours.

Please god let us sell this house and quickly! This tidying up malarky is taking ages. Bloody connifer trees take ages to trim and the corner of the garden is literally a jungle. Its fenced off cos its so steep so we've ignored that part of the garden for years

This is not the heat to be dismantling furniture & packing boxes in.
Glad we're on the final stretch, not so glad to see all the dust bunnies, whenever I move a bit of furniture.

No viewings for this afternoon! Wondering if the price is too high, market is too slow or weather is too nice!!

hi pasta, we asked for rightmove ratings after about 2 weeks on the market, they were above average. Hmmm we had thought about stamp duty, but so far have reduced and added OIRO so people realise we will take offers and at least come and have a look.
Well done everyone with offers, you all seem to be getting so many viewers and offers so quickly, there are loads of properties on the market in our area, but not very many seem to be selling.

Sounds like where I live Oopnorth. It's a really tough market. At least people are looking. I've read the viewings - offer ratio is very low at the moment. Lots of people won't view until they have an offer. I am in that camp. Viewed a couple of houses initially and then realises it was pointless so now just look on Rightmove and the outside!

We had a lot of initial interest and I got quite excited but I think they were just all nosey parkers. Some didn't even have the courtesy to give feedback. You don't need viewers like that!

Have had two serious viewers since then. It turned out the house is well out of one couple's budget. As we've already reduced we won't be knocking £50k off!

The others did a second viewing with the EA Saturday so no feedback yet but I'm not convinced they are in a position to proceed. They initially said they were cash buyers but then mentioned selling a property that isn't even on the market.

I lost you guys for a few days but I've found the thread now, yeys.

congrats to dog and wonky - must be such a relief!

We finally got our mortgage straightened out and we have an offer for the right deal now. Solicitor stuff seems to be going well - we got a bill from them the other day so we can transfer the funds, and it looks like we'll be setting a moving date for the end of August if all goes well.

As you may remember, we're in the lucky position of not needing to sell before we buy (but will have to pay PIL back when we do sell). We thought the no-chain aspect would make us more desirable, but apparently not. We have now reduced the price (to £260k - what a terrible price to be at!). We paid £247k in 2007 and have done about £35k worth of improvements so I'll be gutted if we sell for the same price. (Though the house we are buying just needs a bit of cosmetic work and new windows and we are paying £85k less than an identical property a few doors down, which has been modernised but not to my taste, so it feels like a good deal).

We had a third viewing on Saturday and she looks likely to offer but seems to be making ready to put in a low offer (comments about the roof etc). And we have a new viewing tonight from an ideal buyer who wants to move fast from rented, so we would be perfect for her. I'm desperately hoping that it will get competitive to improve the price a bit.

If nothing comes from this price reduction then we're thinking of going below the stamp duty threshold but selling the garage separately and taking EVERYTHING with us (obviously making that clear to the buyer from the start - wardrobes, carpets, fixtures and fittings) which will save us much needed cash at the new place.

HA! I knew Saturday's viewer was going to make a low offer. She offered £33k less than our original asking price, £23k less than the current price - £242k! As I said, we paid £247k in 2007, the market has progressed beyond that now, and we've added a brand new kitchen, bathroom, conservatory/sun room, carpets and decoration throughout, and improved the gardens, at a value of about £35k. And that's also £13k less than an offer we had in the early stages from someone who lost her buyer but is still interested.

I don't think we'll get her anywhere near what we need. Fx for the next viewer hey :(

Well my supposedly interested second viewing has disappeared like a fart in the wind, she said she would be phoning up for second viewing and loved house but not heard a word.
Another couple who were interested are away on holiday so may hear from them when they get back.
Boo this sucks, the 2 houses I'm in love with ate both still there but only a matter of time till they are gone.

It must be something to do with the weather! Both our buyers and vendors have developed 'issues' which means we won't be exchanging until mid-August and completing until September. I know I'm lucky that the chain is still moving, but I am gutted. As we can't apply for schools until we are in the new house, it looks like we might miss out on any spaces at new schools which appear at the start of term. So unsettling for the DCs. Grrr.....

it must suck trying to deal with new schools monkey - I'm relieved we're moving before DD is school age!

my supposed cash buyer second viewer spoke to the agent this morning. They love the house and want to pay full asking price so they will be putting their house on the market this week and once they've sold they will be cash buyers.

Like ghost with her low offer I just knew they didn't have their finances sorted.

Since when has someone with a house to sell that's not even on the market been a cash buyer?! Do they think the rest of us pay with turnips?

The agent was all put out that I wasn't more pleased. After two viewings from this couple requiring show home style transformation with a toddler clinging to my leg whilst feeling rotten in early pregnancy it was all I could do not to laugh down the phone.

I'm off to sit in the paddling pool and seeth now.

monkey and 50shades sympathies.

Pasta I'd be fuming too , surely the attractive thing about being a " cash buyer" is the fact they don't need to sell to make an offer on another property, Spuds!

I've had note of interest from couple who haven't sold yet, I'm meant to be excited about that and I'm glad we have some interest but the house they are selling is to the exact same market and price bracket as I am so I'll likely sell mine before they sell theirs :-(

Monkey see if you can apply now, so that the paperwork is already in the system and ready to go.
We are moving to a village on the boundary between two LEAs. We spoke to the one we are in when we offered and they asked us to apply then and there. The other one wouldn't even talk to us until we move. As we had to apply to them all at the same time we sent our application in there and then, through our current council. The one for the authority we are actually moving to has gone in, none of our choices have space but we are on the waiting list and they have allocated a place at another school. DS went for a trial day the other week.
The other authority will look at the application next week when we actually move... But at least it's already sitting there waiting, so they will process it the actual day we move.
Sorting schools has been the biggest stress of this move.

Well exactly 50shades. The scary thing is the agent insists they are cash buyers too

Ruby i'm jealous. Hope you manage to forget all about the property situation whilst you're away.

Thanks for the advice wonky I only wish I could act on it. The LA we're moving to won't let you submit an in-year transfer application until you can prove you are in your new residence - new property CTax bill, evidence of shutting-off utilities in old house etc etc. We could apply from here but all schools are currently full and so we would be very low down on the waiting list, as they go by distance. Just so frustrating.

that's hysterical pastabee - she's not a cash buyer, she's mortgage-free! Some people are on another planet. My DH had to bite his tongue when my (admittedly over-privileged) friend had a tantrum because her estate agent laughed when she said they were cash buyers (need to sell a house they inherited in order to buy somewhere - so ultimately will be mortgage free).

You can just tell can't you, when people are playing the system - I think I have radar. The one person I thought was serious was also the one who wanted an impossible planning permission to extend the house - they turned it down when, surprise, the council said no.

pinning all my hopes on tonight's viewing - in fact since means we can't even go home after work and will be late feeding DD and putting her to bed, she'd better be serious!

Good luck ghost! Hope DD doesn't mind a late tea.

We've just had an offer accepted on a house. I should feel happy, but I'm in knots thinking of all the things that can go wrong. Tell me to snap out of it! I'm just so desperate to get out of here.