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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Is it a particularly shit time to put our house on the market?

14 replies

LisaSimpsonsbff · 31/10/2019 16:10

Would desperately love to sell our house to move closer to my work - we want to move close enough that I'd have essentially no commute, which would feel quite life-changing. DH and I had held off until we knew one or way or another about Brexit, which now feels like we might die waiting... But the rational part of me says not to do it when things are this uncertain. My mum also says never to put a house on in the run-up to Christmas, is that generally received wisdom or a 'only in my mum's head' rule?! I'm feeling so impatient to get on with it, especially as I suspect it'll take a while to shift this house no matter what, but don't know if it's total madness to try and sell a house in the middle of political chaos and at this time of year when we don't strictly have to? Thank you for any advice!

OP posts:

Karcheer · 31/10/2019 16:16

our house has been on the market for two months. the market is quiet, but you only need one buyer.

mencken · 31/10/2019 16:21

there is a mindset that no-one can do anything for the next two months except buy pointless tat. Unfortunately a lot of people subscribe to this, which means houses hang around. And you can't buy anything useful to improve the house due to the aisles of useless rubbish.

also the solicitors knock off at least a week before tat-mas so there isn't enough time to get the transaction through.

use the time to declutter and make it a christmas when you come out with less stuff. Then get the board up in January.

pinksquash13 · 31/10/2019 19:23

I'd sell in January personally. We put our house on the market in Oct last year but didn't get a buyer until Feb I think. It's a pain with xmas decs. Generally people are busy in Decemeber

ohsobroody · 31/10/2019 19:35

My dh and I are looking now! No harm in putting it on

JoJoSM2 · 31/10/2019 19:58

It's not quiet around here. Neighbours have just put their house up for sale and within a week, they had multiple viewings and offers. In your shoes, I'd just get on with it.

TheDragonFromDreams · 31/10/2019 21:42

Yeah it’s a weird one.

One of my friends has just accepted an offer on his massive overpriced house last week (Home Counties) and my brother has just had an offer accepted on a place on Monday (SW).

So it’s happening some places...

MeganChips · 31/10/2019 21:47

I worried about this too but there is a house on the market I really want to buy so decided to risk it.

I put mine on on Monday, by the time Saturday is over we will have had 14 viewings and 2 second viewings In those.

I think I may have been very lucky so far but it’s not done until someone offers.

Yoollyball · 31/10/2019 21:50

Our sale fell through so we had to go back on in late October. Moved 5 days after Christmas.

Catgotyourbrain · 31/10/2019 21:52

All bets are off.
No Brexit yet after three years, but a winter GE.

Yesterday we had the third offer on our house fall through. This morning a new and good and genuine offer to move very quickly could actually make the chain of dour properties happen.

I’ve spoken to three different agents this week - people are fed up of waiting to know what’s happening and they are starting to bite the bullet and get on with it.

Interesting and unpredictable times, but worth an intelligent punt

Original poster

LisaSimpsonsbff · 31/10/2019 22:27

Thanks for all the thoughts. As we're both buying and selling (and in areas where the prices are linked - it's unlikely that house prices would fall where we currently live without them also falling where we want to buy, and vice versa with a rise) it doesn't actually make too much difference to us whether prices are low or high, unless there's such a catastrophic crash that we go into negative equity, and that would have to be a huge crash. I'm more worried about putting the house on the market now or even in January, it not shifting due to the weird circumstances currently prevailing and then it looking off-putting to buyers looking if some thaw eventually comes. Glad to hear some people aren't finding this to be the case - can I ask where people finding it an active market live? We're in commuter-belt SE.

OP posts:

Singlenotsingle · 31/10/2019 22:36

Nothing ventured nothing gained. It can't do any harm, and you might be lucky.

Original poster

LisaSimpsonsbff · 31/10/2019 22:40

A couple of people have said it can't do any harm, but don't you think that a house that's been on the market for ages makes people suspicious?

OP posts:

Singlenotsingle · 31/10/2019 23:27

Not at all. Suspicious of what? If they like the look of it they can come and discuss any concerns.

lastqueenofscotland · 01/11/2019 07:50

Depends what area you are in. I work for a property investment firm and some areas are on rocket fuel, some areas are deader than dead.
It’s not one size fits across the whole UK

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