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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)

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8
Original poster
DomusAurea · 14/03/2022 15:17

Thank you for your insights on estate agents Tatianabis. The ones you mention do not operate here sadly but point taken about paying more for better service

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Original poster
DomusAurea · 14/03/2022 15:18

We are moving from SE to NW - another south to north move for professional reasons Smile

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stuntbubbles · 14/03/2022 15:44

Can I please join in? We worked like devils last week on a week of annual leave, and bribed friends to take DD for the weekend, and finally finished every unpainted ceiling, paint chip, declutter, jet wash, etc etc last night. Had our first valuation today about 5 minutes after the rubbish was removed from the front garden, phew. We’re pretty much photo-ready but need to wait til Thursday to have all 3 valuations in hand.

Have our mortgage broker prepped and solicitor ready, so just need photos and to bite the bullet! Already exhausted and this is the easy bit – we’re not relocating as far as some of you but still not looking forward to a house hunt in Sussex and the dreaded chain and surveys and OH GOD

RidingMyBike · 14/03/2022 15:50

@DomusAurea I think it very much depends on the house and how much 'stuff' you have. We put 6 bookcases, their contents, 3 armchairs and quite a lot of other stuff into storage in advance the first time - partly to get it out of the way for touching up and redecorating bits. So it was clearer than it had been but I think it was hard to appreciate the size of downstairs with furniture in it. So empty was better. It also meant it was really obvious what was included as we'd taken appliances with us.

If your charcoal carpet is basically clean, no obvious stains or worn patches etc I wouldn't bother doing anything to it.

LadyNell · 14/03/2022 16:03

Still teetering on the edge of actually going on market, had couple of valuations and estate agents seem pretty keen to market as their isn't much housing stock around.

However I'm dubious about not finding anywhere. They've told me I need to be sold and ready to go as everything is being sold so quickly.

Actual logistics of moving scare me as I'm now on my own, no husband to help ease the load. Keeping the house pristine etc is such a pressure also. So not sure what to do.

Realistically I can't afford to stay where I am

Original poster
DomusAurea · 14/03/2022 17:21

Hi and welcome stuntbubbles :)

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Original poster
DomusAurea · 14/03/2022 17:24

LadyNell, deep breath - if you need to do it, you need do it. And you can definitely do it. But, I hear you - it's a drag. I decided it that, oh fuck it, the old carpet stays as it is, as ridingmybike suggests.

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Original poster
DomusAurea · 14/03/2022 17:25
  • I decided that (I need an edit button)
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stuntbubbles · 14/03/2022 18:34

@LadyNell The estate agent who valued today told me not to keep the house pristine for viewings – shove the laundry in the wardrobe by all means, but leave pictures on the fridge and toys in the corner, as it’s a family house so should be sold as such, gives it some life instead of a faux lifestyle. For photos she said just be around on the day to kick stuff out of view. But viewings definitely don’t need to be pristine.

LadyNell · 14/03/2022 20:18

Domus thank you. I'm just a bit overwhelmed with it all but I guess I will have to woman up sooner or laterShock

Stunt yes I guess you are right, it's a family home after all, albeit no young kids but a young adult son. I have 2 dogs as well so I am a bit conscious of keeping things just so. My house isn't very big so it's no big deal to put ghe hoover round and tidy up a bit. I have a cupboard under the stairs I call the black hole....just hope no viewers open it because everything will fall on them Hmm

LadyNell · 14/03/2022 20:19

I am worried I will sell and not find anything myself

RidingMyBike · 14/03/2022 20:41

We've had fun opening cupboards on viewings and seeing how much stuff is crammed in Grin.

It doesn't bother me, I know what it's like selling a family house and it's also useful to see that there is storage available!

Original poster
DomusAurea · 14/03/2022 20:42

@LadyNell

I am worried I will sell and not find anything myself
yes I hear you, me too.
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NewHomeDream · 14/03/2022 20:58

Can I join in?

I’m about to go on the market and am frantically decluttering and retouching odd patches of rubbed paint etc. I’d like to move from my new build house to a bungalow for health reasons. I’m worried that 1) I won’t sell 2) If I do sell, I won’t be able to find anything.

NewHomeDream · 14/03/2022 21:04

I’m also struggling to choose an agent. One deliberately over valued (I think) by about £25k to get my business - I assume that’s what she was doing. Others have said they would start a bit lower than my target price and then encourage a bidding war. There is a bit of an issue in that there aren’t many direct comparables. I’m thinking of setting a price and asking for offers in excess of that. Will ask the fifth! agent I’m seeing tomorrow.

ThisMustBeMyDream · 14/03/2022 22:52

I will join too! I'm sat here, exhausted, after gutting my teenage sons box room and painting it from top to bottom. I've been getting the house ready since late Jan. I couldn't be ready any sooner than next week as my new kitchen was ordered to arrive week of 7th march. Of course it arrived at the weekend of that week, so today the fitting started. It's a small kitchen, and it's a 2 day job. So it should all be ready by the end of the week.
Just got to do the pressure washing now, and awaiting a new double glazed unit for the one that has blown. Oh, and I need the boiler serviced.
Valuations x3 are booked in for next weds at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm, so they better be on their ear after their hour time slot Grin.
I'm really nervous now. I love my house, don't want to move. But I need more space. I'm dreading having to keep the place viewing ready. I'm hoping there is enough interest to do an open house at the weekend.
I'm staying very local to where I am now. Within 1.5 miles for school and work reasons. So I hope something suitable comes up for me soon!
Good luck to us all!

earsup · 14/03/2022 23:02

Well sort of...tenants want to buy the house so getting valuations this week....will take an average of the 3 ..its a zone 4 london surburb...excellent schools and near tube but a slow area to sell in....we see....

BeryltheMenaceneePeril · 15/03/2022 08:06

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BeryltheMenaceneePeril · 15/03/2022 08:09

Placemarked because wasn't able to post and Mumsnet still seems 'glitchy'. Will try again later

Original poster
DomusAurea · 15/03/2022 08:14

Hi! Good morning all, hope you are doing well, and welcome to NewHomeDream and ThisMustBeMyDream... are you related by any chance Grin

Today I am off work and it's sunny so I am doing a little bit of sprucing up before our first valuation tomorrow. Of course my lawnmower decided to die of death last week so today I am waiting for my new lawnmower to arrive so I can give the front garden a haircut. The house looks really nice in the spring sun, I feel reasonably optimistic today :)

I am reading with great interest all your experience with estate agents - also for my house there aren’t many direct comparables, I think that the market is a bit bonkers at the moments and agents themselves are unsure on how to put a price, hence the 'offers in excess of' tags.

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tinkywinkyshandbag · 15/03/2022 08:34

Have you thought about using a property search agent to find your new home? A friend of mine did that and although you pay a fee she said they were able to negotiate a discount on the asking price so it balanced out.

Samanabanana · 15/03/2022 08:42

Ours went up last week and so far... no one has booked a viewing! There's nothing much for sale in our area either so it's a bit concerning Confused

Original poster
DomusAurea · 15/03/2022 08:53

Hi Tinkywinky - interesting I never thought about doing this because it's my home and I'd like to take control fo the process - also the fees seem extortionate: 'There is a Registration Fee of £750 (inc VAT), which is payable on instruction. We prefer to discuss your requirements in detail before quoting a final fee, but it would typically be 1.5% of the purchase price (or 15% of saving negotiated if greater) + VAT.' - flipping heck, basically it's more expensive than estate agent fees. So... it's a no from me :)

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Original poster
DomusAurea · 15/03/2022 08:54

Samanabanana - nerves of steel, nerves of steel - that's my mantra at the moment Smile

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beehive99 · 15/03/2022 09:11

In terms of touching up, we have started to declutter and are planning to fix any cracks/chipped plaster and paint. We are also getting the garden all tidy. But the one thing I am unsure about is the wallpaper. We've got two walls that have wallpaper on them, like a feature wall but nothing too crazy pattern-wise so not a giant picture of waterfall or anything psychedelic. But they are hung terribly. It looks like someone with a tremor (me!) cut them where the wall meets the ceiling. It's just a minor detail and none of my guests ever noticed until I pointed it out to them. But I keep going back and forth on whether I should take them down. Such a pain to do though and I just don't know how I'd find the time to do it to be honest.