Page 9 | Is anyone else preparing to put their house on the market?

Clettercletterthatsbetter · 2021-01-17T18:20:04+00:00

I know, I know...we should have done it last year when the market was crazy busy but finances, family circumstances and whatnot meant that wasn’t possible and so we’re looking to sell our house and move this year. Is there anyone else in the same boat who fancies a support thread to get us through? We’ve had our place valued by 4 agents, have chosen one to go with and are currently doing a few minor bits to the house to get it in tip-top condition (filling old screw holes, a bit of touch-up painting and a good declutter) before we have photos taken. Who else is looking to move in 2021?

Todaytomorrowyesterday · 18/02/2021 14:55

We are thinking too - we’ve just got a few minor tidy up internally but waiting to the weather clears up a little before tackling the back garden.
Not in a rush but there doesn’t seem to be much on the market to buy either.

Persipan · 19/02/2021 18:13

[quote Strictlysfinishednow]@Persipan where abouts in the country are you selling?[/quote]
In the South West. First viewing done today, and another three booked in (plus apparently one more possibly to set up).

JudgeRindersMinder · 21/02/2021 18:02

Well this is a thread I didn’t ever think I’d be on!
For a couple of years we’ve had a very abstract “don’t think we’ll stay here forever.”, but no solid plans to move. That was till last week when I saw a house in the absolute perfect location had gone to fixed price.

Viewed, offered amd offer accepted on Monday afternoon 😂
(I’m in Scotland so it’s an entirely different system here. Photographer’s coming tomorrow for our house, and surveyor later in the week😂 In Scotland the seller does the survey and home report and makes it available to buyers, so as a buyer you know what you’re getting into-it’s a great system.
However my head is utter mince with so much flying through it.
The house we’re buying is an executry, so there’s no onward chain amd no pressure on us (also turns out I kind of know the family do they’re happy to go with the flow). We should sell quickly as our house is 20 years old, we’ve had it from new build and in decent and neutral enough decorative order.
However we’ve spent all weekend doing a deep clean of everything, and a few wee jobs that we’d not got round to.
Now I just need to dust/hoover 4 bedrooms, clean 3 bathrooms, amd iron bed linen and change 3 beds before 10am tomorrow....

ArwenTheGreat · 21/02/2021 19:32

Hello, I'm unexpectedly joining you all!

DP and I have talked about buying together for a year or so, but not done anything about it- now the perfect house in the perfect location has come up and it's all systems go. We have been together for 4 years and it feels the right time to take the plunge.

I have 3 dc, he has 2 (all of whom live with us) and so we are going from 1x4 bed and 1x3 bed to 1x7 bed. Hopefully, as long as I can sell my place in good time- they have been in the same rental for 8 years in a v low rent arrangement with the landlord based on his work (building trade) which is obvs handy as a) he has a deposit saved up too and b) he can do the work needed on the new place 😂

If we get it.

I need to-

Declutter the garage (it's like a poor Aladdins cave)
Give the elderly conservatory a bloody good clean and style it nicely
Replace the family bathroom suite
Box in some newly done pipework in the downstairs loo which was done in November
Declutter my bedroom
A bit of filling/sanding/minor paintwork from bits that were done at the same time as the cloakroom.

Luckily I had a lovely new kitchen fitted in Nov too, and the rest of the house is in good nick.

I have lots to get done before I can even get mine on the market- but as DP has the skills we hope to be done with the bathroom and garage in a fortnight.

I'm so excited! Even if the house we have seen goes before I can sell mine, we will be in a really strong position to move quickly on the next one, I just so so want it that I'm going to pull out all the stops. This has been a really good kick up the bum!

This week I am going to get in that bloody garage 😂

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 21/02/2021 19:49

I think I need to join here! We’ve already put In an offer on a house in another city, and so are now playing catch-up. Next door sold in 6 days, so we’re not too worried about selling, but I’ve the estate agent coming tomorrow, and the builder is due at the end of the month to finish the driveway and do the patching/touch ups needed inside.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 21/02/2021 19:51

Biggest thing I need to clean is the windows. Old double glazing- still sound but gets a bit If mould round the seals. Need to work out how to clean it.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 21/02/2021 19:52

We sent an entire car load of stuff to my parents house to rest in their garage until the charity shops reopen - just to get it out the way.

ArwenTheGreat · 21/02/2021 20:29

@KleineDracheKokosnuss I am wondering how to get rid of all the stuff I know I need to dispose of too- there's lots that I'd "cleared" into the garage during lockdown 1 intending to sell/donate but it didn't quite happen. I think that if I cant get rid on Facebook market place as "free to collector" then it will have to be the tip. Makes me feel terrible though.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 21/02/2021 20:34

I know what you mean. I hate chucking perfectly good stuff, and am trying not to, but it has to go somewhere and I don’t have time (and the weather is too poor) to arrange it all on the drive and hope people take it. Most of our Facebook sites locally have essentially shut down though.

Gilesmummy · 21/02/2021 21:27

Can I join in too please..?

Other half decided he wanted a bigger house. So to humour him we went to look, unfortunately we both fell in love with a house. I say unfortunately cos I thought he would decide ours was better when we got home..
Offer has been accepted and sale moving ahead.
We're very fortunate we don’t NEED to sell this one to buy that one but even so it’s still a worry.
Had agents round but their prices differed by 400k...! So we’ve picked a price we hope to get. Nothing like our house anywhere nearby..is that good or bad I wonder.🤔
Decided to use an online agent after seeing what the high street one offers for the money..
hopefully will go live tomorrow, oooh err...
Spending every spare minute finishing jobs we started when we weren’t moving..
Fingers crossed.

JudgeRindersMinder · 22/02/2021 10:49

After a manic weekend and morning, the photographer was done and dusted in half an hour 😂

I’m now sitting in a darkened room 😂

Survey tomorrow and 🤞🏼We’ll be on the market at the end of the week!

notinthestarsigns · 22/02/2021 13:30

Hi all, we have had an estate agent out to do a valuation this morning and have another one coming out on Wednesday. We are then going to put the house on the market hopefully next week. How many agents would you advise getting out to value, is 2 enough or should we get another? Also, is there usually room for negotiation on the estate agents fee or not?

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 22/02/2021 16:43

Lots happening today - estate agent came out to value and suggested higher than we expected (which is great).

And our offer on the new house was accepted!

Persipan · 22/02/2021 16:52

One of the people who viewed the flat so far was apparently contemplating an offer, but only if I'd go into rented - which is not going to happen with a cat and a baby, particularly given that rent would be at least half as much again per month as my mortgage. She was apparently put off by the fact that I haven't found anywhere to move yet - the agent did gently explain that until I get an offer I can't view anywhere! So, good luck to her finding somewhere, I guess... Three more viewings booked in for this week, so we'll see if any of them are interested.

Persipan · 22/02/2021 17:06

@notinthestarsigns

Hi all, we have had an estate agent out to do a valuation this morning and have another one coming out on Wednesday. We are then going to put the house on the market hopefully next week. How many agents would you advise getting out to value, is 2 enough or should we get another? Also, is there usually room for negotiation on the estate agents fee or not?

I stopped at two valuations, because they were both for exactly the same amount, which was also exactly the same amount I thought it was worth. If they'd been wildly different, I would have probably had a third one to sort of work out a consensus.

RainingBatsAndFrogs · 22/02/2021 18:12

Spoke to an EA I am dealing with at the moment - said he had been mad busy with viewings all day and had never been busier, doing viewings etc.

So market still obviously moving fast.

notinthestarsigns I got an EA to match the slightly lower % of another that we were interested in. But in the end a good agent is very valuable to you. They come into their own when holding the chain together during the protracted stressful process towards exchange...

ArwenTheGreat · 22/02/2021 19:12

Have done a detailed list today of everything that needs doing before valuation. It's shitloads 😂

And now I am prioritising it. What do you think would put you off more if you were a potential buyer of a 4 bed 80's detached family house/have most impact on valuation- original cream bathroom suite in good nick (just not nice modern white) or original brown metal framed sliding doors between kitchen and conservatory? I can afford to replace one of the two but not both!

Persipan · 22/02/2021 19:13

Are you up for posting pictures of the offending items?

kirinm · 22/02/2021 19:42

@ArwenTheGreat

Have done a detailed list today of everything that needs doing before valuation. It's shitloads 😂

And now I am prioritising it. What do you think would put you off more if you were a potential buyer of a 4 bed 80's detached family house/have most impact on valuation- original cream bathroom suite in good nick (just not nice modern white) or original brown metal framed sliding doors between kitchen and conservatory? I can afford to replace one of the two but not both!

Sliding doors

ArwenTheGreat · 22/02/2021 20:43

Hopefully they aren't actually offensive 😂

There is lots of evidence of diy and decluttering in the door picture, soz. But hey, progress innit.

Taking these pics has made me a) realise the grout needs a bloody good clean and b) wonder why I have lived so long with that loo seat!

Is anyone else preparing to put their house on the market?

ArwenTheGreat · 22/02/2021 20:47

And the radiator needs replacing too.

Actually, taking photos is a really good way of looking at things objectively- will do this with the rest of the house.

DaphneduM · 22/02/2021 21:24

Honestly I wouldn't bother changing the bathroom or the patio doors. (We bought our house not long ago knowing that we would be replacing the brown sliding doors). Just change the loo seat and get some nice towels - job done!!!!!

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 22/02/2021 21:26

If I were buying I’d rather you replaced the sliding doors. I have specific views on how I want my bathrooms, so I’d probably just rip out whatever was present as soon as I had the money to change it. I’d live with old fashioned until them.

catwithwhiskers · 22/02/2021 22:30

Hi all, I'm really pleased to come across this thread! We have been on the market for just over a week now and had 2 viewings. We are selling a 2 bed 2 bath flat in London. I'm worried that the market is really slow in my area. I really want to move further out of London and have a garden, I've missed having one!

kirinm · 22/02/2021 22:43

@catwithwhiskers

Hi all, I'm really pleased to come across this thread! We have been on the market for just over a week now and had 2 viewings. We are selling a 2 bed 2 bath flat in London. I'm worried that the market is really slow in my area. I really want to move further out of London and have a garden, I've missed having one!

Which part of London? We are south east and I've no idea what the market is like.