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Original poster

Selling frustration thread anyone?

114 replies

kiely32 · 19/08/2017 20:49

Anyone want to share their selling frustrations as I feel the need to sound off and I'm sure I can't be the only one!!
My list of frustrations so far...
But first I will start with a bit of info on the house. It's a 3 bed mid terrace in Hertfordshire. The house has been renovated to a high standard but has no driveway - or potential to create one as We are down a steep bank.
We only put the house on the market 3 weeks ago.
So far we have had an EA show people around when he hasn't even seen the property himself.
Cancellations that we haven't been told about - three times!
Having to chase feedback.
On the open morning I waited outside for 30 mins for text to say the viewings had finished, for the text never to come!
Windows being left open by the EA.
And my number one frustration is that when I have finally received the feedback I am told all 7 viewers loved the house but really wanted a driveway 😠

OP posts:
Greyskiesover · 22/09/2017 15:46

Haunted - you can't win! It sounds crazy but to be honest, I have actually given feedback similar on a house. It was just so immaculate and well-maintained we just couldn't envisage ourselves living in it, or moving our IKEA furniture into it. It's a fabulous house and has been on the market for months, so maybe I am not the only one who thought that. Of course, we could have just moved in, and messed it up...

PerfectlyPooPoo · 22/09/2017 16:16

Can I join? House went on the market a week and a half ago and we have had lots of viewings but no second viewings. It feels like the market is very slow.

It's also on at a very high price but usual for around here (London). I want to sell so want to drop the price but I don't think DH is that fussed about selling at the moment so doesn't want to drop it.

It's not him doing all the bloody cleaning and organising though for the viewings!

The house could do with some TLC but again, it's me organising it and I finally got someone around to do some tiling and re-grouting in the bathroom and hang a kitchen cupboard door and he's only gone and drilled holes in the wrong side of the door and we can't get a replacement for a week.

Haunted in all honesty that is lovely feedback. The fuckers Grin

Hauntedhouse2017 · 22/09/2017 16:41

Greyskies - I will take it on board and may leave a few more things laying around 😁 It is hard to get the balance with all the conflicting advice out there. My house is clean and tidy, we look after things but it does also have upcycled Ikea furniture, in fact a lot of the upstairs furniture is from Ikea. 😊

Welcome poo poo! I agree the market is slow, we are just outside London. I think we are now up to 17 viewings, two 2nd viewings, one price drop and zero offers 😢
I do think that a price drop after a week and a half is probably too soon. I am told that if people are viewing then the price is about right. I'd probably give it a month before dropping it. Saying that, we dropped after a couple of weeks as we could see by the competition that we were over priced. Good luck!

PerfectlyPooPoo · 22/09/2017 17:01

I just feel like it's on for too much and yes we are getting viewings but for that price they (as I would) expect it to be in pristine condition, which it isn't. It's well looked after but it could do with a freshening up of the walls etc.

DH said last night we should give it to Christmas then take it off for a few months if it's not sold and start again March. WTF - I can't do this all again!

But, we are ready to sell so I guess I just need to push the stress away away and suck it up Smile

Which part of outside London are you? We're SW London and it's dead. We are 2 bed and there are only a few on in our area but lots of 3 beds. I would have thought there would be more 2 beds selling to move into 3 beds??

AND I'm trying to remortgage as I can see if we don't sell soon we could be here post Brexit and that could be very rocky...

Hauntedhouse2017 · 22/09/2017 17:36

We are in Watford.

My plan was to leave on until end of October and then take off until the spring. In fact I may still do this as I can't handle the constant state of waiting for a phone call to say there is a viewing. I fear that over the winter months it will be even worse. I believe you need to be off the market for 14 weeks to be listed as a new property on Rightmove so I may go to mid November and back on in April...

KitKat1985 · 23/09/2017 08:59

PerfectlyPooPoo unless you are in a desperate rush to sell I'd try to hang on at your current asking price for a tad longer, as you've only been on the market a week and a half, which really isn't long. The fact you have had lots of viewings suggests to me that the price can't be that far off what people are expecting. People can always make you an offer if they like the house but feels it is priced a bit high.

Hauntedhouse - that is odd feedback!

We had a viewing here on Weds. I chased for feedback on Friday. Estate agent said that they had said the house was larger than they expected, but that they had some other places to view yet. I've decided now that 'we have some other places to view yet' is code for 'we're not going to buy it'. Still, we have two more viewings this morning, so fingers crossed (again)!

PerfectlyPooPoo · 23/09/2017 09:22

Good luck kit. We have only one viewing today which is very quiet I think for a Saturday.

I also think 'we have other viewings' means they weren't knocked over by your house (we've had that feedback too) but it might just be that when they look at the others yours turns out to have more of the things they want.

Dh fell in love with this house the second he saw it, we weren't even inside when I knew this was the house we'd buy. So he thinks the same will happen again to someone else.

I do love dh's optimism Smile

EggInABap · 23/09/2017 12:45

Hope your viewing today goes well poopoo.

Was meant to have an open day today. Only one person booked in and they've cancelled.
We've had 4 people cancel now before viewing. I think they must have all popped round beforehand and not liked the area :-(

Got one viewing booked for tomorrow.

Wish I'd not started looking before we had an offer. Dream house is slowly slipping away :-(

KittyMcAllister · 23/09/2017 14:44

We had a heart-to-heart with the EA yesterday. She reassured us there was nothing wrong with the house and not much we could do to present it better. She said the bane of their lives was the "it's too small" comments from viewers who can't seem to work out dimensions from floor plans. We're still getting plenty of footfall- one viewing yesterday, four today- so I guess that's encouraging.

Only problem is our vendors have found somewhere they want to buy so are now getting twitched about selling. Mind you they've not had any other offers than ours. Market seems so slow round here at the moment- very few new properties on RM.

PerfectlyPooPoo · 27/09/2017 16:31

Hi Kitty - well it's reassuring that your EA isn't asking you to reconfig your house to sell it!

Our EA called on Monday and said we should lower the price so that we can be in the next rightmove bracket Hmm. I think that's far to much for only two weeks in.

Funnily I thought they had overpriced but they talked us into it saying that it allows negotiations etc but I don't think people really like to negotiate or put in cheeky offers here do they?

So we've dropped it to what I originally suggested (and not the next RM bracket!) and we're just going sit at this price now. We have had heaps of viewings but no second viewings. Hopefully this will help Smile

But we're only going on until Christmas and then we think we'll take it off if it's not sold and have a think. Our plan is to leave London (and the UK) which we are both having slight wobbles about so we're not desperate to sell but I don't want to be greedy and have my house on for ridiculous price either if that makes sense?!

KittyMcAllister · 01/10/2017 18:38

In a bit of a dilemma as to whether we should reduce ours (again) and ask our vendors to reduce theirs (as they haven't had any other offers) and/or move EA. Anyone had any experience doing this?

Greyskiesover · 01/10/2017 22:00

Kitty We changed agents when we made our second price reduction so that we had a more recent date on the listing and a fresh set of pictures. We also now have a far better agent than our previous one. You could always get a number of new agents to come and value the property and see what they say about whether you need to reduce again. Didn't you reduce just a couple of weeks ago though? If so, maybe you should hold your nerve as reducing again so soon may make you look desperate. If your vendors don't have another offer they will have to wait for you.

KittyMcAllister · 01/10/2017 23:04

Yes we did reduce a few weeks ago. That's why we thought going with a new agent/ new price might look slightly less desperate?! Viewings have really dried up - none this week and only one booked for this coming Fri.

Nasreen · 02/10/2017 15:28

Hi all
Has anyone had their house on the market for a year?
We have and it's getting me down now. We have had a handful of viewings, changed agent since first putting on the market, re vamped the description and pictures and still getting no where fast!

We are based in Cheshire, so appreciate the market may not be as fast moving as the south, but still..

Feeling so frustrated with it all now. Had open house last weekend; one viewing! Feedback so far;

Downstairs too small
Garden too rambling
Don't like the 3 levels
Ceilings in attic room too low
Kitchen too small.

Are viewers not able to guage the size of rooms from the floor plans?? We are assured that the price is pitched at the right level and we need full price as we want to relocate south.

Any ideas??

Greyskiesover · 02/10/2017 20:02

Kitty Yes, I think if you go ahead and reduce again it does look better with a new agent, especially if you give it a short break from the market.

Nasreen I can't imagine how frustrating that must be. We have been on the market for four months, and that feels like an eternity, so a year must be really depressing. We have also had a lot of 'the bedrooms are too small' and I do get frustrated when I have spent an age tidying up and polishing everything etc. to think viewers haven't even looked at the floor plan. The only thing you can address from the feedback is 'garden is too rambling'. Putting some pieces of furniture in storage and using light colours and mirrors can also make a place look a bit bigger. There is a chain of estate agents who now use social media to advertise properties to people who aren't actually house-hunting - might be worth a try?

KittyMcAllister · 08/10/2017 19:15

Exciting news- we have an offer! Just under our (reduced) asking price - and just before we were planning to switch agent. I know it might still be a long way from here to moving but it feels good right now!

Hauntedhouse2017 · 08/10/2017 23:10

Fantastic news Kitty 🖒

Greyskiesover · 09/10/2017 13:36

Congratulations Kitty. Glad it has worked out for you (and without the hassle of switching agents!)

We got an offer today but it is 10% under asking (and we have reduced twice) and we can't accept it Sad

Haunted Are you still on the market? I saw another thread where you were maybe thinking of taking it off the market until spring? I am giving it until mid-November; I am getting to the end of my ability to bear it now I think.

Greyskiesover · 09/10/2017 13:38

BTW, has anyone else made any progress?

Hauntedhouse2017 · 09/10/2017 17:08

I have given the EA notice that I will be removing it from the market at the end of October. I may push it to mid November though as things have picked up a little. I have another 'very interested' buyer but again they need to sell first and again their property is very ambitiously priced. So again I won't hold my breath!

I am just going to call this my trial run, I have learnt a lot and will be much better prepared come spring 😊

What is meant to be, will be.

Hauntedhouse2017 · 09/10/2017 17:09

Hopefully the buyer will come back with a better offer for you greyskies. Fingers crossed for you!

Greyskiesover · 12/10/2017 15:24

Now have offer at between 3 and 4% of asking price Smile! After four months and 25 viewings (plus numerous cancellations I have cleaned up for) I think we should just snap it up but DH is talking about "counter-offering". He wants a bit more and, understandably, wants to wait until the two viewings we have this weekend.

One of the viewings this weekend is actually someone I know. I'm pretty sure they won't know that it's my house though. Can't decide whether to remove things from the children's room like pictures/names so that they don't realise its ours or not?

Greyskiesover · 12/10/2017 15:25

I meant between 3 and 4% UNDER asking price. I'm desperate to sell, but not at 97% discount!

Hauntedhouse2017 · 12/10/2017 16:09

Personally I would go back with a counter offer - 'We were really hoping for £++×. There are more viewings booked in for this weekend but if you are willing to get closer to £++× we will cancel these viewings and take the property off the market.' That is assuming that these buyers are proceedable buyers.

PerfectlyPooPoo · 12/10/2017 21:28

Wow some good updates on here, glad you're under offer Grey and Kitty Smile

Think we'll do the same Haunted. We've had 3 cancellations this week. One viewer has cancelled twice and then our 7 pm tonight cancelled at bloody 6.55 pm when we were already out the door.

That's when dd2 (2) should be going to bed but this being flexible and selling a house is a real pain!