Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Anyone for a 'trying but failing to sell my house thread'?

101 replies

BlardyBlaaaaa · 06/08/2014 09:30

I'll start...

This time on Monday I was on cloud nine. Just taken on new EA, had one viewing. The couple 'loved our house', put in an offer later, their buyer cash buyer, so all good.

The thought of no more viewings (we were on with online agent before so I had to conduct viewings), no more tidying, no more being in limbo.... Well, guess what? The couple changed their mind about relocating to my town and have retracted their offer, so back to bloody square one again.

Added to that, the EA for the house we want to buy is an arse extraordinaire and never returns my phone calls or emails.

I hate this whole business. Anyone else want to rant with me?

OP posts:
mumblechum1 · 06/08/2014 10:57

Yep. we've taken ours off to "rest it" for August as the agents said it's always dead in the school hols. Have taken the opportunity to change agents but am not overly impressed with the new lot tbh, some of the photos are overexposed, I had to call them to stick a rocket up their arse yesterday while in a hospital corridor 300 miles away as they still hadn't got the draft brochure to me by approval and I had to chase the photographer.

Really wish they would be professional and do the chasing/updating without me having to nag. doesn't bode well tbh.

anyway, hopefully on 1st Sept with new photos, new agent and new price we may get a nibble or two Hmm

Original poster
BlardyBlaaaaa · 06/08/2014 12:47

Welcome Mumblechum. Was worried for a while I was on my own and everyone else in the world is selling their house but me. Sad

My new Estate Agent is being proactive so far, so no complaints there. I asked if we should have a break for August, but he recommended keeping it on as he said people start looking once they are back from their holidays and that the August bank holiday weekend was a very busy one for viewings...

Have you found somewhere to move to?

OP posts:
sunshineandhappy · 06/08/2014 13:02

Me too! Been on the market since mid June, 1 viewing, who offered then retracted. Then nothing. I'm in the east mids. The house next door sold in April. The house opposite sold in 1 day in May. All are identical, and priced the same. Sick of keeping things tidy. EA just says it's quietHmm

troyandabedintheafternoon · 06/08/2014 13:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rockdoctor · 06/08/2014 13:18

Me too. Like mumblechum we have taken ours off for August and will "relaunch" in September, possibly with a new agent. I'm interested to hear your experiences of changing agents as I'm in two minds - I tend towards the view that they're all pretty much the same. We had quite a few viewings early on but no offers.

Original poster
BlardyBlaaaaa · 06/08/2014 13:34

Well, our last agent was an online one, so a different kettle of fish. We thought it would be an easy way to save a few thousand quid, but only got a handful of viewings through them.

I have become obsessed with Rightmove too, checking all the time to see what else is under offer, and feeling incredibly jealous that some things sell so quickly.

All the people viewing my house commented on how beautiful it was. Doesn't mean much without an offer though, does it?

OP posts:
PonyoLovesHam · 06/08/2014 13:36

I'm going to mark my place too, we've been on the market for about 2 months, also in East Midlands.

We have gone with a cheaper EA, but we've paid all fees upfront which now I am starting to regret... Slightly reassuring to see that people are saying things are usually quieter over the summer holidays though!

LizzieMint · 06/08/2014 13:37

We've only just gone on (dreadful timing, but unavoidable) and are having an open day this weekend. So far, no-one's booked a viewing!
Houses here normally sell within the first week, we knew it'd be tough to go for it in the holidays.

Original poster
BlardyBlaaaaa · 06/08/2014 13:54

still only Wednesday LizzieMint so all not lost.

I wanted to do open house but only managed 2 viewings (one on Sat, one Sun). My children create mess wherever they go so it's been very painful all round...

OP posts:
LizzieMint · 06/08/2014 15:15

I know there's still time and the EAs have said people often just turn up on the day without making an appointment but I would have thought by now they'd have SOMEONE. We're doing the open day because we have three children at home for the holidays and the prospect of trying to keep 'viewing-ready' at all times was just too much. Thankfully not in too much of a rush - well, we have 6 months or so.
Ponyo if you've paid the fees upfront, what happens if your house doesn't sell with that agent? And aren't the fees based on the selling price?

iseenodust · 06/08/2014 16:18

We haven't had a viewing since the world cup started. EA says same for everyone. Friend selling 4 bed modern home nearby (but different EA) had open house last month & not a single viewer came. Sad

hereandtherex · 06/08/2014 16:31

I think you'll find that the World Cup started at the same time MMR was rolled out.

PonyoLovesHam · 06/08/2014 20:13

Lizzie if the house doesn't sell in a years time we have to pay another £100 approx to keep it on for another year. I thought we'd sell no problem, I was convinced we'd be sold up by now. But... Clearly not!

LizLemon · 06/08/2014 22:35

I'll mark my place too. We're resting for most of August, and will be switching EAs. We've decided to go for the one that seemed to have a plan for relaunching, rather than just punting it out there again. Very disheartening, and I'm heartily sick of living ten times tidier than normal. If it doesn't sell within a couple of months we're going to withdraw until the spring.

sunshineandhappy · 07/08/2014 06:21

I've had a request for a viewing, said yes, and now the viewer won't answer messages to confirm. So I don't know if they're coming or not. Shall be cross if I clean for nothing, but I'll have to do it just in case. So frustrating.

Notsureaboutthisusername · 07/08/2014 06:37

Me, been on since end of may. Getting about 1-2 viewings a week. Had an open day which was a flop. EA was convinced we'd sell within days. We've lost a house we loved as we weren't able to proceed. My partner has left me now so maybe it's a good thing. we were leaving the area so now I have to decide what I want to do.

Original poster
BlardyBlaaaaa · 07/08/2014 08:10

Welcome new joiners! Hope this thread will make you feel slightly better in that there are others of us in the same boat. All equally depressed and sick of constant cleaning.

So, my house appears in the paper today but my EA has already told me that he reckons conversion rate of viewings to offer is 15 to 1! We've only had 7 in total (with one withdrawn offer), so doesn't bode well.

Maybe September will change all our fortunes....

OP posts:
Original poster
BlardyBlaaaaa · 10/08/2014 16:24

all seems quiet on this thread. We're limping along with 1 viewing booked in for Wednesday. Sigh. House a bomb site filled with loom bands, shoes, crumbs, lego, you name it....

LizzieMint, how did your open house go in the end?

OP posts:
RandomMess · 10/08/2014 19:11

Hmm we've had a few viewings and 2 low offers, counter offers not accepted or counter offered on Confused

Difficult to know whether to hold our nerve or take what we can...

We are bottom end of the 3 bed market in the south east where things had been running away quickly. Perhaps it really is just the time of year?

MagnificentMaleficent · 10/08/2014 19:22

Have you thought about using the EA who sold the other ones in your street? When we went on our EA called up the people who had previously been interested in those similar to ours for another viewing.

They also text everyone on their database, emailed those in the area and were very proactive.

I'm not sure I understand why you would pay the full amount upfront? There is then no incentive for the EA to sell it surely?

sunshineandhappy · 11/08/2014 19:06

I had a viewing on Saturday, she had put an offer on the house next door, which is identical, earlier in the year, but lost her buyers. Last thing she said was that I'd be hearing from her on Monday. Guess what, nothing, no feedback, I've been glued to my phone all day! Hate this!

RandomMess · 11/08/2014 20:17

We have had an offer and accepted Shock

Original poster
BlardyBlaaaaa · 11/08/2014 22:15

congratulations randommess! brilliant news. Can I ask how long you'd been on the market? Did this offer come out of the blue? Any tips you can pass on???

sunshineandhappy I hate it when people say they'll be in touch and aren't. I had a similar thing after a recent viewing (that I'd conducted). Vey smart young couple gushed about the house and said they'd definitely be in touch. I thought they meant it, and let them know when we received our (now retracted) offer. Nada in return. So bloody rude. Even a 'thanks but no thanks' would have been better...

OP posts:
RandomMess · 11/08/2014 22:21

Hmm I think it was luck, been on the market about 3-4 weeks. Downside to our property is that we are overlooked by a tower block and maisonettes. So had lots of viewings (realistically priced) but one low offer who when we counter offered didn't come back.

New buyer owns business in town centre (3-5 min walk) and doesn't drive and has 2 pre teens - we have a 3 bed with a loft room so no-one has to have the "box" room! I think she is single and our house is "done" no work really needed to it.

All the feedback had been about the location rather than the property.

Original poster
BlardyBlaaaaa · 11/08/2014 22:34

Interesting. Our house has cracking location, but v small awkward garden, which we haven't done anything to (except try to tart up with a view to selling).

Here's a Wine to celebrate your good news!

OP posts: