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Original poster

Sellers/Buyers roll call part 3. Who is still on this treadmill?

999 replies

MovingNextYearHopefully · 03/11/2018 18:28

A slight name change for me, as I'm clearly not moving this year. Hmm Well, I am, but not into the house I'm buying.

Went to the development today, had a chat with the girls in the office & updated them. Hopefully we will be exchanging contracts next week should all go to plan. We found a nice house to rent, but its so bloody expensive I'm petrified! As long as we complete within our 6 month rental contract then all will be well, but if we don't then things will get ridiculously expensive! Confused

OP posts:
Original poster
MovingNextYearHopefully · 17/11/2018 01:27

Have you looked into short-term, holiday let type places Toyko? We were going to rent, but anything less than 6 months is almost an impossibility. Then you're talking another months rent in non refundable fees, plus 6 weeks in advance & another 6 weeks deposit. God forbid you have any pets to consider! You have to pay the 6 months full rent & council tax, plus standing charges on utilities regardless of if you are there only 2 months. Its a very expensive nightmare. I'm sure the garage situation will be resolved very soon & it won't be necessary, but if you must you're better off paying for short-term holiday let, by the day. Or even Travelodge if your kids are prepared to share with you. Mine won't so its a 2 bed short let for us. Ours is £59 a night, (which includes bills apart from internet) so not super cheap, but cheaper than a 6 month let when we will likely only need 3.

OP posts:
TokyoSushi · 17/11/2018 09:03

Thanks @MovingNextYearHopefully I'll definitely look at all the options although I really, really hope it doesn't come to that.

Fortunately at 5 & 7 the DC's are still quite amenable so will be happy with anything!

Ramsey1989 · 17/11/2018 10:27

Another viewing today, hopefully this one will be good and save us from loosing the house we want.

Original poster
MovingNextYearHopefully · 17/11/2018 11:12

I'm sure it will be fine Toyko

Everything crossed for today Ramsey

Busy day for us at the tip, when DH finally gets up.. Hmm

OP posts:
Ramsey1989 · 17/11/2018 12:14

@MovingNextYearHopefully thanks :) we are still hopeful this could work out, annoying thing is its with our new agent so have to pay them £3k for sale - rather than Yopa who we already paid.

@Tokyo hopefully you won't need a rental at all, it could sort itself out quicker than you think!

harriethoyle · 17/11/2018 15:20

Hello everyone,

I'm still pottering along but just finding it too depressing to post about! If another person asks me if I've sold my house, I'll SCREAM!

Think I am going to rent the farm that I'm buying, my sellers are keen and it means I don't need to worry about then selling to someone else. Looking at moving in Jan and I will reduce the price of my house then, so that it's attractive to people looking in the new year. But honestly, watching the Brexit shenanigans this week has made me despair that it's ever going to happen... doesn't look like anything is going to reassure the market soon! Ugh Sad

harriethoyle · 17/11/2018 15:23

@moving and @dinky GREAT updates! Hurrah!! Wine

happychange · 17/11/2018 16:27

Week 2 and still no viewings Sad
When is a reasonable time to drop prices you think?

Ramsey1989 · 17/11/2018 17:09

@happychange probably not that soon, and it depends on the area i suppose and what the market is doing there.

When i went back on the market after my sale fell through; i didnt get any viewings fir a month, then i had 5 over a couple of weeks, so perhaps quiz the EA about what they are doing to promote your property - i ask for an extensive update every week from mine.

Our viewing went well today; guy liked it and area and has narrowed his choice down to ours and one other, therefore he is viewing ours again Monday to make his decision.

happychange · 17/11/2018 17:36

@Ramsey1989 you were with yopa too right? What did you ask him to report on? Ours haven't said much..

Good luck with the second viewing, fingers crossed for you x

Ramsey1989 · 17/11/2018 17:49

@happychange i am with Yopa also but this is the second agent Goadsby who i appointed on 24th October. I asked:

  • what properties they had sold in the last week and how much for.
  • how many views online our advertisement had.
  • have their been any queries about our house; if so what was the feedback, and why didnt they want to view.

With Yopa im in regular contact with my agent and ask his opinion on market conditions and what amount of viewings hes getting on similar properties, and how many viewings on all properties in area he has on his books. We also swap order of photographs online regularely to make the advert appear fresh online.

happychange · 17/11/2018 19:16

Thank you @Ramsey1989 that's really helpful! Think I will give ours a call on Monday to ask him the points you gave below Smile

ilovekale · 17/11/2018 22:07

Can I join in on this thread? Listed my BTL for sale two days ago. Bad timing in the year to do it I know.

sandybayley · 18/11/2018 16:14

Can I join as well? House went on the market on 23 October. Quite a few viewings - 12 I think - but no second viewings or offers 🙁

We have put in an offer on a house we really like but went in quite low (12% under asking price) and they rejected it. DH says he won't go back to them until we have an offer on ours. He refuses to get emotional about these things, which is probably a good thing.

Initial excitement has died off as the strain of keeping the house clean and tidy sets in. Just trying to keep positive and remember we only need one offer but patience is not my strong point. We've sorted out a mortgage and have a recommendation for a solicitor so just want to get on with it!

TiddleTaddleTat · 18/11/2018 16:37

Hello to the new joiners!

We have a new offer on our flat from a BTL investor that has come in just under that of our current buyers (we are waiting to see if they can actually proceed). Will give our existing buyers a week to try and sort the mortgage and sell to the investor if not. We've had a lot of offers on our property but they are all settling about £10k under what we initially wanted. We can cope with the drop as we plan to buy in a cheaper part of the country, but I have moments of worry about how much we are selling for...I guess this is normal ?!

sandybayley · 18/11/2018 16:51

@TiddleTaddleTat - I think your worries are entirely normal but if multiple offers are coming in at that level then that's probably the market level.

We've had to revise our expectations on the value of our house but fully expect to get a 'deal' on the house we ultimately buy. My only worry is that the people we buy from won't see it that way as they will be downsizing and expecting to release money to find d their retirement.

It's an old adage but your property is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it!

TiddleTaddleTat · 18/11/2018 16:56

@sandybayley I agree, and the fact that 3 people have now settled around the same offer suggests that's the likely price we have to sell at.

Where we are buying actually has a really strong market and most houses go over asking price! We've already lost out on a couple by offering our max at about 5% under asking. I've wondered about keeping the flat vacant for a few months (was rented out) and re-listing in the Spring but where we are buying is just getting more and more expensive, so it's probably better to pounce as soon as we can.

sandybayley · 18/11/2018 17:11

@TiddleTaddleTat - I'd go for it now if I were you. Where we are (London) market has stalled / falling but we are ready to move (finances in a good place and n Ed the extra space now).

Yes Brexit is looming but life goes on and people need to buy and sell houses. The house we're selling is a family home (2 outstanding primaries near by and pars galore) and the house we'll buy will be a 10/15 year home for us so why wait?

We won't over extend ourselves as DH is ultra cautious (works in finance) and knows exactly what he is doing.

Ramsey1989 · 18/11/2018 17:12

@TiddleTaddleTat where we are selling and where we are buying have roungly the same price increases and lack of supply to demand; even though one is in Dorset and the other in Hampshire, however im hoping we get an offer from 2nd viewing on Monday but my worry is it might not be anywhere near what i need - i cant see why anyone would come at much below asking on mine but im living a bit pessimistically given that this started iat the beginjing of August and its our first time selling.

Ramsey1989 · 18/11/2018 17:19

@sandybayley you have had a good amount of viewings so i wouldnt lose hope. I would agree not going back with 2nd offer till you have an offer yourself, as often they arent always accepted without a secured buyer (lack of proof of finances to support offer - most like proof of sale and mortgage in principle if possible).

The cleaning thing is getting me down; im nit a messy person but normal people just cant live in 'show home' conditions...

ALadyofLetters · 18/11/2018 17:28

That’s good news on the second viewing @Ramsey1989

Great news to have so many offers - i@TiddleTaddleTat

We had a viewing on Saturday. Don’t know the outcome yet as we went out. I’m losing hope!

We have always been really decisive with house buying - our first house we only has one viewing and rang the agent with an offer as we walked away. I want a potential buyer more like me who really falls for the place.

Ramsey1989 · 18/11/2018 17:33

@ALadyofLetters Same, we always offered same day and often within an hour of seeing the place. Our first buyers fell in love with it and offered same day but that didnt turn out so great.

So perhaps somebody thinking about it and having two viewings is better in the long run!

sandybayley · 18/11/2018 18:00

@Ramsey1989 - thanks for the encouraging words. Rationally I know our house will sell but I hate getting the 'no thanks' feedback from the EA. I know our house isn't perfect but it's hard not to take it personally.

We only do a second viewing if we are almost certainly going to offer. Our thinking is that the 2nd viewing is to check things out we might need to sort out and work out rough costings (repairs etc) and to size things up (where would piano go?). We wouldn't offer after 1 viewing but will almost certainly offer after a 2nd. But I guess our way of doing things isn't everyone's!!

Ramsey1989 · 18/11/2018 18:16

@sandybayley Yes it is very disheartening when thats the feedback; i find no feedback at all the worst though, at least with feedback i can see why it wasnt right for them - we have had:

A) Garden not right for us but house is (they had a dog so i understand this).

B) Too much of downsize for one guy who was splitting up from wife and leaving family home, although the garage was perfec5 for his classic car and he liked the presentation of the house and the area.

C) Most recent who is having a 2nd viewing tomorrow liked the house and thought the area was perfect, he particually liked the layout of the house but said the hallway is a bit narrow (his only criticism).

However we had a viewing last Sunday and they just never came back to us - which is a little annoying because the EA said they really liked it but wouldnt offer there and then (their words - EA would never expect them to).

aintnuthinbutaSHEthang · 18/11/2018 18:38

I'm a newbie! And I'm here.
Just at the baby stages of buying our first house. Met the mortgage adviser and given him all the details he needs. Feeling way out of my depth but am enjoying looking at houses on rightmove.
We plan to buy Apr/May which is a bit scary because of Brexit hitting us on 29 Mar.
Really not sure what will happen