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Original poster

About to put our house up for sale.. anyone else?

995 replies

DomusAurea · 14/03/2022 08:24

We are taking the plunge and it's happening - we are selling our house (and relocating 200 miles away but that's another thread I guess) - anyone else? I could do with a collective handhold!

This is where we are now:

  • finishing the last small jobs such as painting a ceiling
  • having meets with estate agents for valuation
  • nervously searching rightmove for possible houses in our relocation area (there isn't a lot!)

Are you going for sale soon? Tell me how it's going!

(we are in the South East)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
JurasicPerks · 11/04/2022 22:05

Doubleraspberry I guess you need to balance the costs of selling and conveyancing an empty house vs the price drop required to shift the house.
Must be so hard trying to do it all remotely.
Sounds like dumping this agent as soon as the contract allows, and seeing what someone else could do is worth a try.
Good luck. You've got several extra layers of headaches compared to many of us here.

ByeByeMissAmericanPie · 12/04/2022 07:10

@Doubleraspberry - I had a very similar problem last summer. Trying to sell a B2L that we currently own, but going through a divorce, so assets needed to be split.

Tenants stuff in situ whilst first viewings took place.
We’d had tenants previously who’d been very house proud, but this lot lived in complete chaos.

Agent had quoted £££ and this was just at the point that you could just take the last of the SD holiday. Semi detached Victorian house a stones throw from the holy grail of state schools and a 6 min walk to the station.
Could we sell it? Nope.
Dropped the price. Still nope. House now empty at that point, and now having to heat it.

Feedback was the parking (which is v fair as it’s a narrow street, and it’s on street permit parking), but that’s it.

Gave up after 4 months, sacked agent and had the mother of all battles between 6 London families who all wanted it to rent. Crazy.

ByeByeMissAmericanPie · 12/04/2022 07:13

Not sure where the house is @Doubleraspberry, but wonder if paying for a good lick of paint and staging the house might be the answer?
You could then designate children’s rooms (ergo child friendly!) and at least you don’t have to have the heating on at this time of year.

I’ve seen a couple of staged houses which are a big improvement to empty rooms.

Doubleraspberry · 12/04/2022 09:14

@ByeByeMissAmericanPie

Not sure where the house is *@Doubleraspberry*, but wonder if paying for a good lick of paint and staging the house might be the answer? You could then designate children’s rooms (ergo child friendly!) and at least you don’t have to have the heating on at this time of year.

I’ve seen a couple of staged houses which are a big improvement to empty rooms.

I can’t do any of that as it’s got tenants in it. If I lived in it, it would be clean, full of kids’ stuff, all bedrooms as a bedroom, and we could enthuse over it and its many advantages!

I’m hoping the new agents coming onboard in May will make the difference so have decided to leave the price as it is till then. They are the type of agents who ‘argue’ with feedback and point out why people are wrong, and why they need to accept a few compromises for the benefits!

Last time we sold we did exactly the same stupid thing - went with the local agents who we liked and our house just sat not selling for months. The only suggestion they had was dropping the price (again). We finally changed to this lot and they got us an offer in under a week at the price we’d not sold at for months. You can imagine how cross I am that we repeated our mistake.

TheLadyDIdGood · 12/04/2022 10:37

We've got another few viewings booked for the weekend so let's see what happens. It appears that the buyers aren't fussed at having a double garage and osp for 4 cars. They're making comments about lack of carpet Confused why view a house with hard wood floors if carpet is your top priority?

Twiglets1 · 12/04/2022 14:18

@JurasicPerks

How often are people rejecting an increasing offer from the same person? Had a stupid low offer after a first day of viewings on Sat. I said I didn't even need to talk to DH, it was too low. The other lot I thought might offer have said no due to the road. Got more viewings booked for later this week. Not been on the market a week yet.
We got a stupidly low offer from someone then a second low offer. I was really fed up with the people offering and said I didn’t want to hear from them again with their silly low offers. Luckily the estate agent was more professional- he stayed in touch with them and on good terms. A few weeks later we accepted an offer from them when they gave a third offer and they were the people who bought out flat.
Alexahelp · 12/04/2022 22:25

Wish I hadn’t optimistically registered with agents in our new area. Ones just sent through a house that ticks EVERY box, in price range, and of course we’re not sold yet so we’ll never get it!

JurasicPerks · 14/04/2022 13:30

Accepted a near asking price offer this morning.
So, that's the chain complete (we are in the middle!).
What happens next?

RidingMyBike · 15/04/2022 08:28

@JurasicPerks congratulations! Probably lots of sitting around waiting for solicitors now!

CornedBeef451 · 15/04/2022 10:04

@JurasicPerks were in the same position. Just accepted an offer and just had one accepted.

So far the vendors EA have been in touch to ask for proof of ID and questions about our mortgage position. Our EA have said our sellers have appointed a solicitor and have told them who we are using.

DH called about the mortgage yesterday while I was out with the DCs so we have the amount agreed in principle.

I think contracts are being written up now and at some point all the surveys will need to be done but not sure what order it all happens in.

I keep having pangs of anxiety and have to remind myself why the new house is a good fit for us, even if it's not perfect.

I think we looked at too many wildly expensive, totally done up houses that looked good but wouldn't have worked for us.

The one we're buying looks very tired, full of dark furniture and too much stuff but it's in the area we like, has all the rooms and space we need and hopefully just needs new carpets and decorating.

Good luck everyone, hope things are moving along for you all!

TheLadyDIdGood · 15/04/2022 15:29

Cleaned the garden furniture and got the parasol out for the viewings tomorrow. Cleaning the patio area and putting the pots out and making it look nice generally. Fingers crossed for good weather tomorrow for everyone's viewings tomorrow.

Pelhams23 · 16/04/2022 08:50

Hi -
Good luck all!!
Anyone in Merton or Wandsworth feeling nervous about listing their house and dealing with estate agents? We sold up and renting now in this area and nothing is coming on the market, plus estate agents are being ridiculous! :( our budget is c.£625k and we are looking for freehold (ideally ex council house) with garden. DM me if you are looking to sell!

TheLadyDIdGood · 16/04/2022 09:30

Sadly I live in the opposite direction but I do understand what you mean by being nervous about dealing with EA's. I'm petrified of them, I had one bad experience 15 yrs ago so I now direct all queries via my dh!

My dh could exasperate Mother Theresa so good luck to any estate agent who wants to pull a fast one with him. Grin

Chemenger · 16/04/2022 13:11

We continue to have unnecessary drama. The ball cock valve on our cold water tank failed so it was overflowing through a pipe outside into the garden. Fixed that. Then I got stuck on the motorway for an hour due to an accident and missed two viewings. We do have one note of interest and more viewings on Monday so still hopeful. On a better note, the lawnmower which we thought we had broken (don’t ask) has mysteriously recovered and is working again so we can keep the grass under control.

Xtraincome · 16/04/2022 13:52

Been on rightmove and EA since Wednesday- 7 viewings so far and a second viewing on Monday. Positive I feel but not indicative of a definite sale.

DH and I both feel positive at present. Just hoping we stay that way. Not daring to look at properties in case perfect one comes up and we have no buyer!

Chemenger · 22/04/2022 16:32

Looks like we’ve sold. Many viewings, not translating into many offers but we now have a decent offer over valuation so we’re going for it.

Original poster
DomusAurea · 23/04/2022 07:53

Congratulations to Chemenger and all those who have sold.

We also not only have sold but have an offer accepted on a house - as there isn't a huge amount of stock at the moment (understatement of the year, this one), we had to compromise on outside space and storage space, but the location is where we wanted to be, and there is a lovely park nearby so even if our own garden is basically 1/2 of a a paved handkerchief I think we'll be fine. Anyway, I only did gardening 'coz I was bored stiff in our previous location so I think we'll live. We may even thrive.

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JurasicPerks · 30/04/2022 19:53

What stage are all of you who accepted / had offers accepted earlier in April?

We've heard nothing from the estate agent since offer accepted. Had paperwork from solicitor for the sale. Had money and survey sorted on purchase. Is it a waiting game now? Expecting a survey on our house sale. How long til we hear about that? I'm impatient and catastrophising!

Original poster
DomusAurea · 30/04/2022 20:36

Hi @JurasicPerks - we have appointed solicitors asap and received the memorandum of sale for our purchase and we are still waiting for the memo for our sale because our buyers are still getting their act together and appointing a solicitor 🙄- we accepted their offer on April 12 so I do not know what on Earth are they waiting for ...

We have some paperwork to fill on our sale, and I am killing time decluttering and buying new stuff in equal measure. I know i should not buy stuff for the new house yet but, you know, I am human....

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Original poster
DomusAurea · 30/04/2022 20:36

I'd also like to know how everyone else is getting on if you'd like to give an update? 😀

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CornedBeef451 · 30/04/2022 20:44

We had an offer accepted just before the bank holiday and already had an offer on ours.

So far everyone has appointed a solicitor and things seem to be moving along. No sign of our buyers wanting a survey done but we've arranged to have one done on the house we're buying which should be done in the next couple of weeks.

Our mortgage is approved but apparently it takes 4 weeks to get the mortgage certificate,no idea why.

Everyone seems to be quite motivated so hopefully things will progress.

Hope everyone else is moving along too!

JurasicPerks · 30/04/2022 21:19

How do you know everyone has appointed a solicitor? Can I ring the estate agent and check up on our buyers progress?

Original poster
DomusAurea · 30/04/2022 21:24

Both our buyers and us will be buying cash (no mortgage) so that will speed up things a bit though 🙂

@CornedBeef451 - you could offer BEFORE you sold? In the city we looked estate agent were not even allowing us to view houses until our own house was under offer - we were really lucky that in our first weekend of looking we found something suitable and that we could buy with the cash from our sale.

OP posts:
Original poster
DomusAurea · 30/04/2022 21:58

JurasicPerks · 30/04/2022 21:19

How do you know everyone has appointed a solicitor? Can I ring the estate agent and check up on our buyers progress?

Absolutely yes @JurasicPerks - sorry I missed your message earlier

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CornedBeef451 · 30/04/2022 22:08

@DomusAurea sorry no we already had an offer on ours just 2 weeks before. We'd been allowed to look at houses before having an offer but were told any offers we made probably wouldn't be taken seriously.