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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:
sunshineandhappy · 12/08/2014 07:07

Foolishly, I get email alerts when houses in my village that are 'competition' come up for sale. This morning there are 2 identical to mine within 100 yards, one the same price, one a little bit more. I'm going to have to drop my price aren't I, but there are no buyers Hmm

misslaughalot · 12/08/2014 11:32

I'll join in with you guys, have a 2 bed flat that I used to live in but rented out when I moved in with DP 5 years ago. As DC2 is on the way I need to save wherever I can for maternity leave (I don't make a profit on the flat, it costs me about £100 per month to keep it) so put it on the market in June and served notice on my tenants. Had a couple of offers, both well below the asking price so turned both down.

Tenants were due to be out on August 2nd but they haven't left and I've had to start court proceedings to get them evicted, so instead of saving me money it's now costing me more. And I have people waiting to view the flat and the tenants aren't exactly being cooperative with that any more so I could be losing out on a sale too Angry

RandomMess · 12/08/2014 15:20

We viewed an ex rental and were pretty horrified at how badly the last tenants had left it - this was after the owners had already done lots of remedial work. Made the decision for us to sell rather than rent out.

lostmymarblesbutfoundthewine · 12/08/2014 21:00

I'm thinking of getting mine on but getting a bit nervy now. was going to be in a month or two

LizLemon · 13/08/2014 16:49

Excellent news, RandomMess! A first graduate!

Well, I've spent the day tidying in preparation for photos. Again. DS is not impressed. The new agent has someone she wants to bring round on Friday, so fingers crossed he buys it that afternoon...

It's a bit galling that my friend, who was sort of looking to sell, but not actively on the market, found a house, had an offer accepted, put theirs on the market and got an offer after the first weekend. All within a fortnight. I need some of that luck!

Original poster
BlardyBlaaaaa · 14/08/2014 07:52

lizlemon Your friend doesn't know how lucky she is! Good luck for your viewing tomorrow. Everything crossed....

So, spent hours tidying the house again yesterday (fresh flowers, Method almond cleaner on kitchen floor, the whole works). Feedback was that the viewer like the house and had added it to her 'consideration list'. Blah. That'll be a no then.

Another viewing on Saturday so just time for the house to be messed up again.

Will it ever end, I ask myself?

OP posts:
RandomMess · 14/08/2014 08:46

I had to take about 8% less than I was originally told I would get. We live in prime Surrey commuter belt so just be sure it isn't your asking price putting people off!

Freebirdy · 14/08/2014 10:12

I'm not sure what to do now. I've been on the market for 13 weeks with this agent (tied in for 20). They are useless! I've had one really low offer ages ago and really limited viewings. Me and DH have now separated so I don't want to move. But I'm worried I'm going to get charged loads of cash to take it off the market. What would you do?

gazouille · 14/08/2014 14:12

Thanks for this thread. I don't feel so alone. It could all be due to prices that were realistic six months ago being no longer achievable today. I live in a prime location in greater london and it has not exactly been busy. I would not accept a horrendously low offer out of desperation because the market may pick up in a month or so and I would be kicking myself forever more! I am not desperate to move but a change would be nice. In any case, what has worked for me is having the ad pulled altogether so that I don't have to spend three hours cleaning for a single viewing which is too much to ask in the hols. In any case, I would not do a big clean for less than 4 viewers (I may be eating those words). There is a definite shortage of comparable homes in our area so I really don't understand the slowdown, summer or not.

LizLemon · 14/08/2014 15:35

Freebirdy - you could check your contract to see if there's a break clause due to a change in circumstances? You could also try talking to your agent and explain the situation so they don't waste their time bringing people round. If you think that's not an option then of course, you don't have to tidy up for any viewing ever again Grin. And if you do get an offer, just don't accept. it's only 7 weeks, and if they are useless you'll see maybe two people in that time.

We've now got five viewings booked in for the next couple of days, which makes the tidying up worthwhile. Fingers crossed. We negotiated down to a six week contract, so maybe that's helping them get their finger out. Ideally we'll be under offer by the end of next week in time for the rash of houses in September

We didn't bring the asking price down massively, because people have now gone back to offering under, rather than over like they were in the spring. Difficult to judge, tbh.

RandomMess · 14/08/2014 21:05

I would ask them to take it off temporarily perhaps and relaunch mid September. In the meantime is there anything that may improve it - minimal decorating or big declutter that would help?

Obviously discuss this in writing and get their assurance you won't be charged for it.

RandomMess · 14/08/2014 22:30

This focuses on London but could explain a lot?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28774391

Toohotforfishandchips · 14/08/2014 23:05

We are on the market 14 mths . 2 sales fell through then 3 offers 2 weeks ago Shock Loads of viewings every week but fussy market

mrsleomcgary · 15/08/2014 15:15

Can I appoint myself the queen of this thread? My flat was on the market two and a half years before we had an offer which we bit their hand off for which we accepted. In my case is was a shit ea and our complete inexperience in selling, we changed agent and sold within a month. We transfer in 8 days :)

Hang in there, there is hope!

RandomMess · 15/08/2014 21:53

mrsleomcgary - which was the first agent you were with and what was the issue?

Wondering what others can learn?

Remembermyname · 15/08/2014 22:07

Evening! Just to come on to share our experience in case anyone finds it helpful. Our house (also prime surrey commuter belt, walking distance to the station and in the catchment area for local schools) wasn't flying off the shelf. It was on for £550,000 (lowest of the valuations) and we had thought we would accept £535-£540 but the feedback was it was overpriced. We changed the price to 'Offers over £535' and it sold 2 days later for £537

Not sure if that was luck, but thought I would pass it on in case anyone else is considering similar!

mrsleomcgary · 15/08/2014 22:48

To be fair it was a number of issues,compounded by the agent, Remax. We bought at the peak of the market, literally weeks before it crashed, and knew we wouldn't get what we paid back but said we hoped to get 55k which agent said was achievable (2bed flat in sw scotland). Home report done,valued at 55k so agent said put it on the market at offers over 55k. This was our first home we were selling so didn't know any better and and did what the agent advised,and as a result got 4 viewings in two and a half years. We know now that we just weren't going to get that price.

We kept on at the agent,asking what we could do to get people in, kept dropping the price etc but nothing was happening. Eventually a friend of ours arranged a viewing and gave feedback (agent conducted viewings). Basically they let her in, hardly said two words despite her making interested noises,commenting positively etc and they never called her to follow up and that was the final straw. We took it off the market with them and relisted with countrywide a few weeks later.

A lot of our issues were because we really didn't know any better and the agent saw us coming a mile off.

My big tip. When it comes to estate agents upfront fees are a bad idea. We learned that the hard way...

RandomMess · 16/08/2014 06:56

Oh dear, expensive lesson!! The agent we chose was the one that asked us what we saw the biggest issue being with selling (location) and he confirmed that - very relieved that he didn't have to inform us.

TBH jsut due to the market where we live etc. I think we could have gone with pretty much any agent who listed on rightmove as their is such a lack of properties in our price bracket.

LizLemon · 16/08/2014 08:20

Switching agent seems to be the thing - we got an offer last night from the very first guy who saw our flat and we haven't even put it on the internet yet Shock

Yesterday we had another three viewings, and today we have two. Considering the last agency got us 7 viewings in 8 weeks, it seems obvious (now) that we just chose badly.

If I was going to do this again (hopefully not for a long time) I'd check out these things:
*the photos! research their listings on rightmove, and see how many/how good their photos are.
*their descriptions - succinct or wordy? I know I don't read a description of every room - that's what the photos and the floor plan are for.
*have they sold similar properties? Our agent brought round details of four similar flats they'd sold in the last six weeks, and so they had a bunch of buyers ready and waiting.

Sorry to hear you had a crap experience mrsleomcgarry - I suppose once they had their fee there was no incentive for them to do anything. Glad you've sold now!

gazouille · 16/08/2014 11:10

I tried the switch agents strategy without dropping the price and it made very little difference so I think even minute changes in price may be the way forward. We also did a cold call to the previous agents and although they were not negative about it, they weren't bothering to be persuasive in the slightest so we knew they were not worth staying with. I would second the advice not to pay upfront esp for internet agents as the market is not compatible with paying in advance right now. It could prove costly and futile. I will prob try selling again if I feel the market is giving off good vibes but nobody seems sure what the trend will be going forward. I am still surprised we are still here given the shortage of comparable houses in my popular part of London in the right catchments etc.

spanky2 · 16/08/2014 15:42

Marking place before I lose you all.

Original poster
BlardyBlaaaaa · 16/08/2014 16:22

Great! I spent ages tidying and.....no one turned up. Or bothered to ring.

bloody rude. Everyone has a mobile phone these days.

I will be drowning my sorrows with a large glass bottle of vino tonight, that's for sure....

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LizzieMint · 16/08/2014 16:28

Our open house ended up with no viewers :(
Had 2 viewings this week but no feedback yet. It's very very quiet... Just not sure if it's the agent being a bit rubbish or the timing of summer hols. Houses on our estate generally sell within a week, it's usually very sought after!

spanky2 · 16/08/2014 18:26

We went on in mid June. EA have sold 3 houses in the streets around us. Reduced price twice. Two offers which have fallen through. 31 viewings. Positive feedback. House similar to ours is on for 40k more! We are in London commuter belt. We are a semi, all link and detached are selling really quickly. I am so sick of the rejection, cleaning, being polite to strangers who reject my house! We have lost a house already, and have seen another which we have put a deposit on, which can be refunded, but I need to move. I am absolutely sick of this. So glad it isn't just us. I thought I had the cheese touch (wimpy kid.)

Original poster
BlardyBlaaaaa · 16/08/2014 19:38

spanky2 I've definitely got the cheese touch too. Maybe I'm even Fregley in a woman's body?!?. Sad

I think we will have to reduce our price again, but DH thinks that makes us look desperate. Or that there's something wrong with the house.

Blardy hate the whole business. If we do ever move, I'm going to be staying put for a very very long time....

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