Having to sell our house and too ill to get it in top condition

[Babettesidsefreyaallthescandi]

Hi,
My DP and I have both got serious health conditions which leave us with little energy. We are probably going to have to sell our house to downsize and then use the money to fund our care. The house itself has got a lot going for it most people who visit say it is beautiful and it also has an annexe.
The problem is because we have been ill we have not been able to keep on top of everything and it is looking a bit grubby and cluttered. Feel embarrassed saying this( have previously been very house proud) but have to remind myself that it is not our fault that we are ill.
We are prepared to sell at a lower price but my question is, is it possible to sell under such conditions? We are hoping to ask friends and family to help spruce things up as best we can but have no money to pay for decorating and cleaning. The important things are still there - good location next to excellent schools and beautiful house. Can people overlook the other things?

Despite what you read on here, yes, they can.

Hundreds of homes sell every day from the most awful conditions - in need of substantial repair right through small sizes, bad locations and awkward layouts.

I would beg for assistance in clearing out clutter - the first and worst for making something unappealing. Second, get someone to help you with cleaning so it's fresh even if not decorated. Third, if you can brave it and afford a simple remedy - see if there are any areas where a lick of fresh pain might make things a bit more presentable.

I personally would never bother ripping out things and redecorating for a sale - you don't know the taste of the buyer! I would just focus on making it look liveable whilst they make their own improvements, so just paint any old tiles or patterns or dark wood in bathrooms or kitchens a clean fresh colour and leave it at that.

Thank you. At the moment everything seems like a huge effort but hopefully friends and family will rally around. Just hope buyers can see beyond the superficial. How do estate agents deal with such situations as it must happen a lot - people being ill and having to move.

Why not get some cleaners / tidy people in? It would cost you a few hundred pounds maybe but they could spruce it up for you . Depending on where you are I could help ?

Every time I have bought a house the decor has been 10-20 years out of date. Kitchens too small and tired. Doesn’t bother me as we redecorate anyway, always enlarge kitchen. As ling as it’s clean and fully functional that’s fine to last me a couple of years 😄

Once you declutter or your family declutters get a cleaning company in to get it in a good condition if you can afford it the rest is cosmetic, all these house selling programes tell you to decorate and bake bread but imo buyers are just interested in the bricks and space.

We moved in here and it needed gutted new heating re wiring we just loved the house though

Thank you for your encouraging messages. A few years ago we used a house clearance firm for the clutter and they were great. Yes, I have thought about getting a one off, end of tenancy type clean and I think that we could just about afford that. The garden would need attention too. I suppose we need to break down the task in to smaller tasks to make it seem less daunting.

Totally break it down because if you see it as everything that needs done then it will be over whelming do what you are your helpers can manage then prioritise.

Take out some of the clutter if you can because that will be a great help. And also a lick of paint can do wonders if somebody can help you do this if you can't manage it yourself. And also one of deep clean a good idea but try and get rid of some stuff first even if you put it into storage. But all the negative things can be changed by the potential buyers and things like being near a really busy road or noisy traffic can't be.

As you are downsizing, work out furniture etc you definitely won't want and sell/dispose of it. Stuff you might want, consider storage for that just to clear space at the moment. Get a cleaning company it to give it a decent clean. Buyers are buying the house, not the contents so use whatever you have to 'dress' the rooms 'nice but minimal' to emphasise the room sizes. Don't waste money doing significant 'improvements' although if there are cracks in places or obvious 'issues' it may be worth getting a handyperson in to sort it out so at least it won't shout 'problem'.
Garden? Getting the lawn cut and a small amount of tidying should help but again new owners will have their own ideas so don't spend unnecessarily.

Whereabouts are you? I have a handyman who charges £60 per day and will do anything you ask him to do - clearing, painting, gutters etc. Could you check your local paper for someone like that?

Proximity to excellent schools is something your house either has or hasn't. You can dress up a house however you like, and it won't move into the catchment area.
Try and do a bit of decluttering- even the same amount of tidy clutter looks better than untidy clutter.
Also consider if you are downsizing that some of this stuff won't fit in new place so get rid of as much as possible now.

I am in Nottingham. Can people advertise on Freecycle for a kind of open house where people can come and take whatever they want. We have lots of toys for example. Could this be done as a first step before getting a clearance firm for the things that nobody would want like bits of old decorating stuff.

Also, what kind of reduction on the price would be reasonable to take in to account that things will need doing? I know that depends on the current market and local area and so on.

I would put stuff on your local FB groups/marketplace. If you're at home a lot, it will be no bother - people will take stuff away and pay you small amounts of money. It all adds up! Advertise things as bundles for stuff like toys. Just take nice photos with your phone and let people contact you - all completely free. You might make some ££ depending on what you have to sell, which will fund a deep clean at the end. Good luck!

your estate agent will have had experience of similar situations with probate sales/ messy divorces/ people going into nursing homes.
Its in their interests to get the best price and will have local contacts.

If you are over 50, Age Concern can also advise.

Willow, I am one of the rare people not on facebook but I have friends who are so could ask them to put something on.
Mayhew, I am over 50, which is why it is a struggle not just because of being unwell. I did think that estate agents must have dealt with these situations before so would know what to do. I don't want to give the house away and don't want people making silly offers because we are in a vulnerable situation.

If you’re in the right place in Nottingham (ie.West Bridgford) it won’t matter how bad the house is, you’ll have purchasers all over it. plus there are a sizeable amount of people who don’t want to pay a premium for a house that is ‘done’. I think decor and clutter only come into play if the area is hard to sell in or you want absolutely top price.

Sadly not in WB but our area is becoming more sought after partly because you get more for your money and because the schools are doing so well.Also has good transport links. Hasn't got the nice high roads and restaurants of WB though. We tried hard to find a house in WB when we first moved here but the right house didn't come along.

Don't even think of dropping price, at least at the moment! I presume you are not in an immediate rush so a month or so here or there is not important.
If you can organise a tabletop 'sale' or as the Americans might call it a yard sale where on a given day you drag stuff out you don't want and sell/give it away. Hopefully your family could help with the labour needed for that on the day.

Yes, yard sale for sure - a nice concrete thing for friends and family to help out with too, and much less faff than listing and posting things online. Some stuff won't go of course but it's a start. Maybe a friend/family could undertake what doesn't go to the tip at the end of the day.

Yes, I think that a yard sale would be a good first step. Where would I advertise it as I am not personally on facebook although could ask friends to use theirs? I think that in hindsight, I wouldn't have let things get so out of hand(prior to us both being ill) but you can never plan for the future.

The advice with buying is 'Location,location, location'. We sold relative's house, cluttered with crap, and in need of some tlc, but structurally sound, in a couple of days, and a fair price in a couple of days. This was solely because the family who bought it wanted the area.

I would start cluttering now though, it will be easier to do it now, than struggling to get it done after you have sold.

Advertising a yard sale?
Supermarket 'ADS' board, Post office window (if these still exist!), Church notice board, sign on your gatepost (possibly).
Word of mouth at local groups if you have contacts. WI or similar groups?

For a yard sale, I would just put signs up around the local area about 1 week before. You could put it in your local paper, but be prepared, that might get more people than you bargain for!

If you don't fancy organising a sale, is there something like a refuge/charity nearby, that helps people who are really struggling? They may come and take the toys and excess diy stuff - even furniture.
Your local church would be a good place to ask. Ours is helping to settle refugees, who literally have nothing. The church volunteers will take pretty much anything that can be used in a home, so furniture, bedding, toys, crockery, cutlery cooking stuff - you name it, if it is usable they will take it .