Gutted my dream house is going to auction.

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

Been on the market since Feb/March . Had one offer but we declined then the wife changed her mind although the chap wanted to increase offer.

Nothing since.

Found lovely house. Been on the market a year now ( not when we saw it ). Elderly couple, no rush to move.

EA told me yesterday that they've decided to put it and the house they built next door too into the next auction in August. I'm assuming they've decided to move closer to their grown children.

So gutted. House was ideal for us. 😟

I agree that you don't need gates, it's a fence or railings. It's not for access but for security. I hate leylandi but even some of those planted would be better.

I would call the planning department and check your deeds very carefully

I looked at the other house on the busy road with the gates. It looks like it has a garage and a games room annexe etc so not really comparable
How many estate agents valued the property?

If the house you are interested in is so much cheaper than your place (according to guide price), surely you can afford to drop it a bit?

Anyone purchasing a house on a dual carriageway is likely to expect a significant discount

I am another one trying to sell a house with an off putting location, you have my sympathy op.

You need new pictures! The first one of the exterior is not good. Get rid of the car, and take it from another angle

I can see what you paid for it 5 years ago. And the owners before that. You must be gutted :( It's a nice house but such a specific market that would buy it (no one with young kids/cats/mobility problems/security/noise concerns/keen gardeners/must be able to drive...) so I think it may take years to sell.

The only thing I can think of, assuming you have decent equity in it, would be to convert to a btl mortgage, rent it out, then apply for a new mortgage for your dream home. In general renters aren't as fussy as they can leave when they want and don't have to commit to the problems. In theory you can sell in 5-10 years when prices have gone up (allowing you to sell it as more of a bargain)

We did this in 2012 after the crash and it allowed us to buy our next house (however our old house has not increased in value in 5 years)

Thanks for all of your suggestions and support. It was on the market for 3 years when we bought it. We didn't know that and we were in a hurry to relocate from Kent so didn't think about how long it had been on the market, how much of a pain in the arse the location would be when you want to pop to the shop etc. We had one weekend to find a house.

The vendors bent over backwards showing us around, the garden was absolutely immaculate ( we know now that this was because they were splitting up and Mr spent literally the whole of his spare time out there ).

Sadly it's not a renters location as it's not desperately convenient for the nearest station without a car and there's only one bus that goes past once an hour. We have considered renting it.

We had a just 1 year old when we bought it and never gave security a second thought. The garden sold it to us. We offered full asking price as soon as we got back to our hotel after viewing because that's what the Mr had said they needed. They must have been laughing their socks off.

Dh is not that fussed about moving but he's out all day and doesn't do any maintenance or gardening or anything else so doesn't really care about how much work it is to keep it looking nice. I'm at the point where I'd like to walk to the shop.

I looked at your house and love it, then realised about the road. I wouldn't have bothered even coming to view.

We are looking for a house here; limited choice. There is a large house for half the price of what we can spend, but on a busy road very much out of town. Perfect for us in all other ways and a bargain but due to location we wouldn't buy it. Probably the same as your potential buyers.

Just as a positive aside, you mention above choosing the house because of the gardens, yet I didn't get any sense of the garden from your photos, in fact even went back to look again. Hadn't remembered the garden at all. More photos? Some clever lifestyle staging? Do you have access, even rental potential to a field? This would widen your market and often families buying with equestrian options will expect a house out on its own and near to a road. Just a thought; good luck.

OP - I occasionally look in your area - and looked at your house before you posted about it last time -

You aren't doing yourself any favoira by showing it here

Lots of negatives - big garden lots of works busy road long drive to school no local shops !!!

Posters saying it's expensive - bigger houses for less money.

You aren't selling this house

greentulips I understand what you're saying.

Having said those things, when we bought the house the garden was immaculate and he only had a push along mower. We have a ride on but it's a bit crap and is always breaking down. So, the garden is not too much work for someone who likes spending time in it. We have a greenhouse, a detached triple garage and a shed, plus 4 off the ground 4ft square planters and a young orchard.

The primary school is a 3 minute drive and is walkable, we do it in 25 minutes down country roads in the nice weather.

Good secondary schools are half hour walk ( perfectly doable for a teen in my opinion ) or there is a free school bus that picks my ds up and drops off from the front door to go to secondary in Lichfield.

I meant to say that it's my dd that goes to a school that involves a 10 mile round pick up. She gets the bus TO school but misses it by about 4 minutes to come home so I need to go and collect her.

Oh my God - horrors. I feel for you

I think the thing to do is to realise it will either be a long game at under value or an auction type job. Make peace with that (easy for me to say, I know.). It's really disappointing about the dream
house but there will be others (again, easy fur je to say but I've lost out in houses and always ended up with better)

We have a greenhouse, a detached triple garage and a shed, plus 4 off the ground 4ft square planters and a young orchard..

That all sounds great and not in the particulars as far as I could see.

None of that is in the particulars goblin you are right.

I'm going to get on the EA tomorrow and get all the little bits fixed on the details as a starting point.

Will discuss dropping price with a view to auction too.

Thanks all.

I did notice the great schools!! Which is a bonus - so many schools ive noticed are 3/4 schools - so make sure that's all included - even the local bus and walk etc

Yes, the photos of the garden are not doing you any favours, it just looks like a big field with a trampoline in it. Can you make more of the patio? Borrow some swings or get one of those free standing badminton nets or something to show that there is plenty of play space.

Move the car and take another photo with lovely patio furniture on it, then another looking from the patio down to the big field so it's clear you can sit and eat/drink whilst watching the kids and having a nice view.

And yes, get the photos of the planters and orchard up for people to see, that turns it from a house with a load of grass next into more of a lifestyle choice.

Do you really think it wouldn't rent? I know several families who have rented in countryside locations with land. They tend to be the more hippy grow your own types who may not necessarily like your decor, but they love the idea of outdoor space, which you have.

We viewed a doer upper house a few years ago where there was an empty plot next door with planning permission. It had huge potential - and we're not scared of a project - but the stumbling block of exactly what was going to happen next door meant the house was on the market for years. As soon as the new one was finished it sold, so there is hope if you can galvanise your neighbour.

Have you shown the viewers of your property what the barn next door will look like. It's probably off-putting to the extent they don't know what is being built. Is it going to be small, or some massive extension. Can you possibly get some plans of the barn conversion and show buyers what will be built. Point out that there won't be any windows overlooking your property etc.

The other thing I was thinking was can you make it char that the garden is secure. Also, is there a bit directly outside the kitchen that younger DC can play? If so, I would sircufycakkybstate that and show a photo

Just realised I wasn't clear about the swings and the badminton, I meant add them into the big grassy area, I wasn't suggesting you squeeze them onto the patio!

I'm too invested in this now but have had an idea about doing a front external shot from the side abs the facade of the house is really nice and it would show a bit of road but not as starckly as straight from the front

What is the position re: barn man? I don't suppose he would be interested or have the cash to buy your house? Obvs the location is not an issue for him

If you want to sell you'll need to drop the price.

I'm too invested too.

Was just thinking the same thing gobbo - can't barn man buy it??

I suspect the reason barn man is taking so long to get anywhere with the barn is because he is skint.

OP I also know your house and a relative of mine was interested and was going to view but was put off by the barn, the position of it makes it look like it is part of your property which is what my relative thought.
The road didn't put him off as it is not that busy but then he doesn't have children.
I think it will be a matter of price to sell