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Original poster

Anyone fancy starting a Sellers support thread?

912 replies

Sooperswooper · 21/07/2015 17:30

Just that really! Grin

OP posts:
goldenlilliesdaffodillies · 14/03/2016 13:17

I desperately need to start decluttering ready for the move but am finding it so hard to sort through 14 years of stuff. There is no storage at the next house do need to reduce our amount of stuff. I have sorted all the clothes but that is it. Where to start?

LunaLovebad · 14/03/2016 13:17

We're in a very similar position to you lists - there is a conservatory attached to the back of our house that was there when we bought it, and from what I can work out has been there for 15+ years. Apparently (and why this didn't come up when we bought the place I don't know) there was a covenant put in place on our house in 1985 which restricts anyone building anything on the land other than an outbuilding or a shed. So their solicitor is saying it was erected illegally and want us to pay for an indemnity. We've pushed back, saying it's been there for over 15 years, nobody has ever questioned it, what is the risk of that happening now and what protection would an indemnity give against anything anyway? Would anybody seriously be able to make you pull it down on the basis of the wishes of some random person now completely unknown to the current vendor, 30 years ago, putting a (frankly unreasonable) restriction on the house? I doubt it. Just seems ridiculous. They also want an indemnity for a window that was put in 2 years ago that wasn't fitted by a FENSA certified glazier. I've said no to that as well and told them I'm not paying for a piece of paper that tells me a perfectly good window is a perfectly good window!

I'm digging my heels in a bit though because it's taken them 6 weeks to get the survey booked in (see 'First Direct sob story' post from a couple of weeks ago). It's finally booked in for next week. I suspect the completion date of first week in April is but a pipe dream now.

Honest to god this is all so stressful.

lavendersun · 14/03/2016 13:42

Stressful you say Grin.

The packers are here - four men, me and the dog. Bloody chaos, they are very nice but we have got a lot of stuff.

My household insurer, who I have been with for six years, has just helpfully told me that they will not cover the buildings at LavenderTowers for one second after we vacate on Thursday.

So, I am trying to find someone to cover my unoccupied house for a month or two whilst wielding a drill to take everything that is screwed to the wall off as the packers don't do that.

Once you get round to moving again you have forgotten how it is done haven't you.

Luna we have got the same sort of issues, no reason to delay but delayed it has been - for very stupid reasons.

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 14/03/2016 16:47

Packers! That is brilliant, less so on the insurance. Have you had any luck?

lavendersun · 14/03/2016 19:33

Well my move has turned into three days of packing and loading, nice guys thankfully, they work v hard. I went out to sign some papers and found all my coats packed Shock, never mind I can survive with fleeces for a few days.

After nothing happening on the sale for weeks we had a valuation today, all fine and now our buyer wants a more detailed survey (a retired surveyor relative) .... So I said it will have to be tomorrow.

I sorted it some insurance through Endsleigh. Decided to buy an annual policy for £380 rather than three months for £215 just in case this sale falls through. I can cancel pro rata plus an £80 fee so I could get £250 or so back if the sale does happen.

Busy day, I am going to bed!

SayAGreatBigThankyou · 14/03/2016 20:37

I'm a seller as of today so am leaping aboard this thread as already panicking! Found dream house and selling in hope of getting it...
Spent a fortune in waitrose on bits and bobs to titivate house so far.

lavendersun · 15/03/2016 19:18

Welcome Say.

Second day of packing done here, all seems a bit chaotic tbh. I left a big (A3) note on my desk asking them not to touch it as I haven't finished my work yet and when I came home from the school run it had been packed.

Before I could say anything the relative of my buyer turned up to conduct a full survey and I only realised 30 mins ago (when we got home from having dinner at Waitrose!) that two iPads must have been packed as they were on the desk. I didn't want them packed, thought they would be safe with the note. I will complain tomorrow, a new man on the team today who was a bit cheeky (he was the one who said he had packed the desk).

Not that happy tbh.

Good news on the house front though, this relative loved it and apparently we are looking to complete in about 18 days.

Another very early night here, I am feeling awful. My cold thing has returned.

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 15/03/2016 19:29

Good luck Say. I hope you sell quickly so you can get your dream house.

That's very annoying about the packing lavender, but it sounds like the survey went well.

WhispersOfWickedness · 15/03/2016 21:04

That sounds so annoying, lavender, I would not like that at all Angry

Another suitable place has come onto the market today, so hopefully two houses to view for us at the weekend Smile I can already sense DH has got cold feet on the whole idea again though HmmAngry

Clockstooticky · 16/03/2016 10:13

I sent flowers to our vendors to apologise for the mix up with the survey. Hope they're ok.

I'm really really feeling nervous. We can't apply for our mortgage until 30 March which means the new survey can't be booked until then but I'm scared our vendors are going to freak out and back off. I've already said, unless the survey says the house has no roof I'll be going ahead regardless (and even with no roof, I still want it!).

How can I keep them sweet until the end of March?

Bearbehind · 16/03/2016 10:38

Why can't you apply for your mortgage until the end of March clocks?

Keeping the vendors sweet until then is only the beginning- the mortgage process can take weeks.

Do they know you haven't started the mortgage process yet?

Clockstooticky · 16/03/2016 11:18

It's started, it's just just that if we apply before then we'll have a redemption charge of £4,500. Evening is in place to do it, it's just clicking the apply now button. We're staying with our current mortgage providor so hopefully it won't be too complicated.. Gah.

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 16/03/2016 11:26

Could you not go with the most basic mortgage valuation survey, and in the mean time instruct your own surveyor for the more full scale survey you want. That would keep things moving (and cost less than £4,500).

Clockstooticky · 16/03/2016 11:36

The 4,500 isn't the survey, it's an early redemption charge from the mortgage company, as we're currently on a fixed rate. We'd resigned ourselves to paying it as we thought it expired in June but they will waive it from 30 March... We're only getting a basic survey but it's being done by the mortgage company.

Bearbehind · 16/03/2016 11:42

That's not too bad a reason- I feared you were going to say you needed a bank statement without high expenditure or something!

If the sellers get anxious then tell them what you've said here- ie you really really want the house but just need to wait until 30th because of your ERC.

What with Easter anyway, they won't get anyone else to buy it before then even if they wanted to.

IME whilst not disclosing everything- honesty often goes a really long way.

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 16/03/2016 11:46

Sorry I wasn't clear. I meant that doing two surveys (the basic mortgage valuation one being simply a formality) would be cheaper than the early redemption charge and would clearly demonstrate to your buyers that you're serious and getting on with things.

Mummyme87 · 16/03/2016 11:47

So we had an open house on Saturday with 4 viewers. All loved the place but had issues with no allocated parking. We rent a space outside our block for £40pcm. I'm really gutted as our estate agent made out we would sell easily as these flats are sought after. We have a house that we want to put an offer on and they are waiting for us and are in the same position...I'm feeling very deflated. I haven't heard anything from estate agent since Monday re further viewings (apparently there are more people wanting to view who couldn't make Saturday). I'm finding this more emotional than I thought I would

themumfrombrum · 16/03/2016 12:46

I'm am heading towards a panic attack here. We've not even got our property on the market yet and I'm getting so stressed about it all. We can't decide on an estate agent cause they all seem as crooked as the next, I don't know where we're going to find the fee money from, and it turns out we can't borrow nearly as much as we'd hoped. We're probably going to go from this lovely big three bed to a pokey flat at this rate.

My husband is useless too, so getting him to do anything is a nightmare.

It's making me feel sick. This is the first time we've ever sold a house, and I'm just a giant bundle of stress :(

WhispersOfWickedness · 16/03/2016 12:52

Why do you need to move, themum?

goldenlilliesdaffodillies · 16/03/2016 12:55

Mummyme- sadly don't believe your EA about it selling quickly. We were told our house would be snapped up within 2 weeks and would have no difficulty selling it. It has taken 10 months to find a serious buyer! Some EA's will tell you anything just to get the business. Our house was seriously over priced too and we have to drop the price by 100K! (We trusted the EA's valuations at the time). All other houses on the market at the same time as ours have also been in a similar position and all ended up dropping price significantly too. Those which didn't still haven't sold.

We have our buyers surveyor coming tomorrow. Does the house still need to be in show house state? Having not had viewings for a month it isn't as spotless as it was, particularly as we are in the middle of sorting and decluttering ready for house move.

themumfrombrum · 16/03/2016 13:41

For my husbands job. He's been doing a 120mile round trip for the last 6 months while he was waiting for his permanent contract. Its costing us £400 in fuel so we really have to move now! It's his dream job or we wouldnt be going anywhere.

themumfrombrum · 16/03/2016 13:42

Daily commute, I should add. And £400 a month in fuel.

Clockstooticky · 16/03/2016 16:15

mum that sounds horrible and stressful.

I've spoken to the agent, they were really arsey to start with and said the vendors wouldn't be happy etc etc, really pushy. They spoke to the vendor who was fine, and whoever told me to send flowers is a genius because she loved them. Phew. I feel so much calmer than I did this morning.

Hoping for end of April exchange.

catbasilio · 16/03/2016 17:01

There is hope. My house went under offer 2 days ago after one month and 13 viewings. It was priced the lowest among its 'peers' but admittedly was the quirkiest. I missed out on my dream house by one week. Now I found another house which I am interested in, but apparently it has a loft conversion done without building regs. It does not bother me in the slightest (it probably should) but I am worried that my solicitor or lender will disapprove.

Leaped with joy 2 days ago and now massively scared taking up increased mortgage and no budget for house repairs.

JT05 · 16/03/2016 17:39

Golden we had the same misguided valuation advice from our EA. Admittedly our house is s one off in the road and possibly difficult to accurately value. After 4 months and quite a few viewings we dropped our price, nearly as much as you. We immediately got a buyer. The sold price was as I predicted in the first place! As you said lots of over priced houses out there!