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

[InTheCludgie]

Hi everyone here is the new thread for those of us who are about to, or are currently trying to, sell our homes!

So we are now back on the market and have a viewing tomorrow morning, plus one for early next week. This week is a bit tricky as it's DS's birthday so have had to say no to a couple of suggested times for viewings.

How is everyone else getting on?

@PointHorror we reduced after 2 months then again after 5 weeks of no viewings. Then sold at an offer £10,000 under new asking price.

Apart from agent, is people advertising their properties anywhere else themselves ?!

We need a "Buy My House" thread!

@InTheCludgie our mortgage would be 6k plus extra for the year now. Even if you can afford it, it's a shift of mindset to get your head around paying that just in debt. I'm in London & think prices will stagnate for years.

What's normally the expected timeframe in which you should find your onward purchase? I've never sold in a chain before, always gone into rented. We are visiting family in the area we want to relocate to this weekend, so I was ready to book a bunch of viewings - look at as much as possible. So far I have booked a measily two. The first one we genuinely like. The second one we actually don't like the location very much. There is a third one that I am thinking of viewing but it's about 5-10% over our budget. It's been reduced multiple times and is just sitting around. Wondering if we should just view and offer low.

Well we have accepted an offer, hooray! Not the guy who seemed keen (he told the agent it was too small, which just goes to show you can't believe a word anyone says in this process), a wild card who hasn't even viewed. Bit nervous because of that, but suspect he might be buying to let.

I would say it depends entirely on the buyer. When we last moved, our buyers were really difficult - even though we found somewhere straight away, the sale was progressing too slowly for their liking and we ended up moving into rented for just 3 weeks because they were threatening to pull out. (The delay was because our seller's father died suddenly but they demanded proof of this because they didn't believe her.)

Our buyers this time have said they'll be as flexible as we need, but luckily we've found somewhere anyway.

A big factor this time round is that there may be a time limit on your buyer's mortgage offer. I would ask about that as a starting point (ours expires in March 2023)

@KimmySchmitt great news!!

So, in a perfect example of how NOT to get a house offer - we dropped price a bit this morning (we knew we needed to), but then DH took the kids out to do an activity while I stayed home with an unwell dog. Large family come down the road to view at the end of the street at the other house on the market, and I think nothing of it, sitting in my PJs playing video games, and they come back up, look in our windows so I feel like I should go to the door really... hour later we have a cash buyer offer! Estate agent is wondering what the fuck's going on as well in surprise!

@KimmySchmitt congratulations 🎉

@CoffeeWithCheese congratulations. So pleased for you.

Our buyers have let me know their mortgage offer is in. So just waiting for searches and then the enquiries. Trying not to get my hopes up.

@CoffeeWithCheese congratulations!! Hopefully you're happy with the amount, a cash buyer is always good.

Nice to seem there are definitely still buyers out there, should give everyone some hope

@CoffeeWithCheese brilliant 🤣

Amazing, both of you!

We’re into month six of conveyancing, exchange is hanging on an utterly ineffective solicitor being chased to do something simple by another ineffective solicitor, where we’ve been for about six weeks in various ways. So incredibly frustrating. But this week our buyers suddenly announced they didn’t want to complete for over a month as they have to give their landlord notice and they don’t want to pay mortgage and rent. Argh. As we have in fact been doing since July. We got properly cross and said end of this month at the very latest, before our mortgage goes up yet again. No response yet but we are raging.

@Doubleraspberry jeez, you don’t often get people actually wanting to delay the process! I’d be fuming too

Our buyers have turned out to have really complicated funding that depends on them selling two houses. I’m torn between staying with them and hoping it works out (bearing in mind that their offer was low) or telling them the sale’s off. Had two second viewings last week, so the house is getting some interest again

Hi all,

In the process of selling my mum’s house since August. The first offer/buyer fell through as their mortgage company downvalued the house by 100k.

On round two with another buyer who has had their mortgage survey, buildings survey and now going through local authority searches so fingers crossed!

I was wondering if anyone knew what the next steps were if that comes back all ok?

have started clearing out the house but wondering if I should get a move on…

@Peoniesandcats it really depends on how much time they end up within between exchange and completion. And also your own circs.

Our seller refused to complete in May because he 'didn't have time to pack', then left it until the day before completion at end June (having exchanged in May)- leading to a skip on the drive on completion day, several hours of delay getting the keys and him being charged for house clearance as he'd left the house full of stuff. He blamed it on a family member having Covid in the fortnight before completion but it wouldn't have been a problem if he'd actually got on with it.

How much stuff is there to clear? If you're vaguely local I'd make a start - aim to do a drawer/cupboard/room each weekend or whatever works for you. Scope out the local charity shops and furniture re-use places etc.

In the process of selling my mum’s house since August. The first offer/buyer fell through as their mortgage company downvalued the house by 100k.

that's quite a downvalue

Thanks, they requested to complete two weeks after exchange but I don’t know when that would be.

I didn’t think there was too much, but clearing one room took me longer than I anticipated.

Will make a start as you say and will look at rubbish clearance companies or a skip (for the cupboards/furniture which are old ikea stuff and broken from lodgers she had before) for when we exchange where I’d hope most of it was done..

Good luck @Peoniesandcats in my experience it takes longer than you'd think, although a skip is useful for getting rid of broken bits of furniture etc.

Depends on the original asking price I suppose, but really encouraging to see the banks tightening up now.

My buyers have booked their survey in tomorrow. I met them last week, really lovely couple. I’m a bit worried that they will be spooked by the survey as it’s an old house (they are coming from a new build apartment) and I’ve just discovered a damp patch on the ceiling of the bay window which I won’t have time to get fixed! Should I say anything to the surveyor or just leave them to it? It’s a RICS level 2.

@Karmatime Good luck with the survey. Our buyers had theirs nearly two weeks ago and we are in a similar position -- old house, they are first time buyers so have not had experience of a place like this. We have a couple of small damp patches from when gutters got blocked. We didn't fix them before the survey and are still waiting to hear anything. I fear they may hold back until the 11th hour to ask for a reduction. Not being in a chain themselves, they know we will be the ones under pressure to just seal the deal.

On another note, we just heard that our sellers are asking for £4,000 for a wall of shelves 😮I had thought they were built in, but looking closely at the photos I think they may be removable, but were clearly made to measure for the space as they fit exactly. We have a lot of books and would want them, but we really don't want to pay this much for something we assumed came with the house. Anyone have experience of a similar situation?

Say no. They are trying it on. They’ll either just leave them, as who wants to take built-in shelving, or take them and you get some Billys to put your books in.

Thanks @manateeandcake, I would be open to a reasonable deduction but I’d rather have that discussion sooner than later. I agree - say no to the bookcases, you could get them fitted for a lot less than £4,000!