Listing, Viewing, and Offers Thread 4!

[Nessalina]

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Im back getting excited about a possible new house again, the vendors of the house that needs a lot of work finally got back to us yesterday morning to accept our offer. Got to get up the estate agents Monday with ID etc and then sort a mortgage appt out and survey. Fingers crossed it is 3rd time lucky for us. Eek, I could be living in a detached 1950's big bay windowed house with a lovely big garden over looking the horses in the fields and lovely views of the mountains/valleys soon (instead of scouring rightmove every evening!).

Sounds fab Feejee fx

Good luck Funny and Fee - FX for you both.

Sounds lovely fee and fx for you funny!

We went back to see the house yesterday, and we were there about an hour with DH measuring and analysing, but the final result is: he likes it, we're buying it! Phew.
He isn't in love with it like I am, I don't think it has the 'wow' factor of some of the places we've seen, but he can see how it will work for us - it's got some great flexible spaces and is very future proof - so he's letting his head do the talking!
Good news on chain too, Mrs vendor is buying a rental that is currently vacant, so that will be nice and straightforward, and Mr vendor is happy to move in with family rather than hold stuff up with his onward chain which sounds more complicated, so we're definitely go to be in before Xmas!

Hello all. I've dipped a toe into the in chain group but I'm having a reality check and think you guys might be better for where I am at the moment.

We sold a year ago and completed incredibly quickly so zipped off to a rental (with three boys under 8 and an enormous amount of baggage literal and metaphorical!) for what we thought would be a short stay while we found something else but yep we are still there.

We've had an offer accepted on somewhere since early March but they've been dicking about trying to find somewhere and failing. Our vendors are downsizing and have no push to move. But they have now it seems finally found somewhere are we are trying to get the chain together but it's painful.

We should be in a good position as we are in rented but we are being held to ransom in this bloody house as there is nothing else available in the area we are looking. I'm really fed up of the whole thing!

Great news feejee it sounds absolutely lovely!

Glad you're still buying the right house Ness and sounds like it's all systems go!

Sorry to hear things are slow Pop maybe September will get a bit busier and hurry some buyers along.

Hi Raaraa I'm not surprised you are fed up, hope the house you're buying makes up for it! Has anyone started talking about moving dates yet?

Fx for your boiler not being too poorly Giz and hope there's clearer news on the log burner - presumably it was not very well installed? Very annoying, but I guess if the piece of kit is okay a good fitter can solve the problem for you.

Just instructing solicitors, speaking with mortgage company and digging holes to see how the deep the foundations actually are on the house we want to buy this week, so not ready to consider that we're definitely in a chain yet!

Thanks Frescoed. FX things go smmothly for you.

Boiler issue seems to be fixed (touches wood) and seems they self installed the log burner and didn't get the required building certificate so have removed it rather than pay the £150 to get one. Fitter seemed to think it should be a straight forward job..so waiting on their quote. In other news they were told a moving date of 29th September...which was news to me..they seem happy to aim for half term so just hoping all the other stuff comes together. Waiting on PINS to hear how our purchasers survey went..hoping the valuation is what they offered to pay!

Our house has been on market since March, probably around 12 viewings but no offers. Its an individual house so the agents said its hard to value. Its a 4 bed family home in a popular commuter town with good schools.

We dropped the price £25k a couple of weeks ago - one viewing but no offer, they said the garden was too small. We could drop the price again but I'm wondering whether to change agents to another one in another town a couple of miles away in case they have different clients on their hot-lists etc. It would also be a chance to try and negotiate a lower fee, but as the house has been on the market for a while would that count against us?
What do people think?

Does your agent use right move etc? Do you feel they are pushing your property as hard as they could? Can't hurt to try a new agent dependant on why contract you have with your current one?

Ruby Have you had feedback from viewers on what they think of the price etc? The EA should be getting that for you.

Well, we seem to have someone interested in a second viewing after our open house on Saturday. They want to come tomorrow afternoon! Not sure it will be quite as sparkling clean and clutter free as it was then. I'm at home with a baby most of the day, should I go out or stay in when they come?

Good news about the boiler Giz. FX about the survey.

Ruby I'd echo the advice about feedback. What was the verdict from the 12 who have viewed already? Garden 'too small' is very subjective - but I'd be looking at the listing photos and ensuring they don't mislead. Sometimes the angle can make things look far bigger than they actually are, which can be counter-productive. Also, what exactly is the agent doing to push your property? What are your RM stats like?

MrsJW assuming that the agent is going to do the viewing, I'd go out. Often on a second viewing people want a chance to wander round and really size things up - and they'll feel more comfortable without the owner there! That said, I do think it's a good idea to pop your head up in the last 5 mins so that you can answer any questions they have. Experience has taught me that no matter how well you brief your EA, they don't always pay attention (as evidenced by someone on the previous thread who had a viewer who was put off by the fact that the oven 'didn't work', when it has just been turned off at the wall as part of toddler-proofing!).

Perhaps agree a 10 minute window with the EA - so if the viewers turn up at 14:00, tell then you'll return to the house at 14:10 and will sit in the kitchen (or wherever) so that you are there if they want to come and find you to ask stuff. Our viewers wanted to know about the history of the property, our neighbours, why we were selling and what our utility costs were.

Thanks all. Good luck with your second viewing MrsJW

The agent uses Rightmove. I don't think they are pushing it- we've only had one viewing since the price drop and before that we hadn't had one since mid August. We are out of the tie-in period with them. When I spoke to the agent she seemed pessimistic and I got the impression she wasn't pushing it. I'm just wondering if there is any benefit in waiting before changing agencies now. Its been 2 weeks since the price drop.

The feedback we've had is that the garden is small for the size of house, which is true. Its difficult to value as there are no exact comparables.

Lazy that's a good point about the photos. I've looked again at the listing and the garden does look bigger than it really is - I guess that's due to the lens they use. I know the garden size is the weak point on the house.

Move agent - definitely. Perhaps consider having the photo of the garden re-done so that it looks more reflective of the reality? It's difficult to try and get the balance between showing the property off yet not having photos which look so amazing that people feel let down when they come and look IRL!!

I'd also recommend ensuring that the description of the outside summarises that the garden is small. The garden is sunny, compact and low maintenance which will appeal to buyers who want outside space which is easy to look after? If it's private and not overlooked then definitely play that up - I wanted a decent size garden but I would have taken a smaller garden that was private, over one which was bigger and overlooked.

Managed to get hold of solicitor. Pissed off. Why does everything take so bloody long?!

We were fine with a small garden, since the boys are both secondary school age and I just physically can't cope with the maintenance of a bigger garden any more. It might be off-putting for families with younger children, though.

The house we're buying didn't have any photos of the back garden at all, so we were pleasantly surprised that it's a decent but not massive space, even with a large extension eating into it.

Thanks all. Realised the EAs don't actually have keys. Have tried to make this point to them, but looks like I'll have to be here to let them in, or drop the keys off with them at some point (they are very close). But being there either at the start or the end, but not hanging around sounds like a good plan Lazy. Might depend slightly on the baby's nap times.

Half of me is worried that Saturday's open house wont actually lead to any buyers or only very low offers and we'll be stuck. The other half is worrying that there's nothing new on rightmove that I want to look at!

MrsJW we went to a number of viewings where the owner let us in and said they were happy for us to wander about and to come and find them if we had questions. They usually took themselves off into the kitchen - or if it was dry they waited outside.

Just don't do what our vendor did and leave your bank card on the bed, while you're making yourself scarce!

DH was so busy with his electronic measurer that he didn't notice that detail!

Got the searches through today. Things are actually moving. Survey isn't for another week, though. I've booked in a hair appointment before it happens and I've had to mentally spend all of my bank balance!

I'm sat waiting for my buyer to come for his second viewing, due at 5. I'm so nervous this time, just praying my neighbours behave. I think I'll be more upset if he pulls out because I know my husband will be really gutted. Anyway I'll update later when he's been. Hope you're all getting on ok.

Fx that he's turning up with a tape measure to measure up for new curtains Funny

Hope it went okay Funny.

Not much happening here. Had a viewing yesterday but no feedback yet from it. Got two more viewings here on Sat. I'm just so fed up now of waiting for a buyer. The only good thing is there is nothing on the market right now that I am desperately in love with in terms of where we want to buy. In fact, there's very few 3 bed houses in our preferred area in our price range full stop (currently only 11 properties in total, and several of those are unsuitable due to no parking etc)!

One viewing on Friday and two on Sat. Will come back and update you (even if only on how good the new EA is at chasing feedback).

Shhh but we might be finally getting a chain together. Agent says prices are agreed on the three houses upwards of us (we're at the bottom) but no idea what the status is of the people currently at the top - will they rent, stay with family/friends or want to buy.... but agents have started talking about potential completion dates. We've not even got surveys booked, searches started or mortgages applied for but we have given our solicitor details so there is progress of sorts at least. More waiting now

Well the second viewing went really well. He's really excited and just wanted to show his dad. I feel a lot more settled now. FTB behind me and a vacant house ahead of me so hopefully things can start moving along happily.

That's great news Funnyface1.

Sounds really hopeful Raaraaboonah!

Good luck Drspouse!