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Original poster

List now or wait a few weeks.....? Opinions needed on what you would think.

54 replies

Notanotherhousepost · 23/02/2023 15:12

Hi

Name changed as I don't want this to be too outing.

We are about to list our house for sale however there is a minor issue in that the garden is a building site. We had a VERY large fish pond in there which is currently just a hole in the ground filled with all sorts of crap (slabs, bits of metal etc) which is going to have more hard core poured on top and then soil and top soil.

We're being held back by the availability of our landscaper.

The agent we've chosen is keen to get the house on the market with a plan of the garden and an explanation its to be landscaped. He's concerned we might miss the March up tick in the market which normally happens.

We're a bit nervous that even if we get people in through the door, despite guarantees its being done ton the same high standard as the rest of the house, the sight of the "Hole" will put people off.

The gardener says he can't start for a couple of weeks so realistically we're looking at April before it would be much improved.

OP posts:
RahRahOhLaLa · 23/02/2023 15:21

As a keen gardener I would be very concerned about all the crap you were leaving in it tbh.

DCs & friends had dug a massive trench in our garden when we listed it, the hole didn’t put people off as we said it would be sorted and filled in with soil again. It sold within 2 days of being listed.

gruffalocake2 · 23/02/2023 15:21

I’d cover with black landscaping material so it looked more neutral, rather than a hole full of waste, and then let the agent explain it’s a pond being filled in.

By us there’s not much on the market so people aren’t working to that kind of detail. If they want X kind of house in Y area and yours is it then they’ll go for it. The agents seem to back that up.

Original poster
Notanotherhousepost · 23/02/2023 15:34

For the avoidance of doubt - this is the hole in the ground and the plan going on the house advert.

List now or wait a few weeks.....? Opinions needed on what you would think.
List now or wait a few weeks.....? Opinions needed on what you would think.
OP posts:
RagzRebooted · 23/02/2023 15:38

Can't you take all the crap in the hole to the tip on the meantime?

CatOnTheChair · 23/02/2023 15:43

If the hole was empty, with a plan going forward to landscape it, I'd consider.
The hole in its current state, to be filled, would make me wonder what other horrors were hidden behind and under stuff.

Blingstar · 23/02/2023 15:50

Cover the hole with tarpaulin and explain the refurbishment in progress. You'll be guaranteeing it's completed before sale. I don't think it's a big deal.

What if potential buyer says they don't want a hot tub?

Original poster
Notanotherhousepost · 23/02/2023 15:51

If they don\t want a hot tub, the enclosure stays and we take a chain saw to it. The presence of the hot tub is not included in the price being asked.

OP posts:
Original poster
Notanotherhousepost · 23/02/2023 15:52

We would take it with us but we are moving 500 miles away so the cost to relocate it is ££££ and anything with water, once it's disturbed, they get leaks. Easier to buy a new one once we're settled.

OP posts:
Kentlassie · 23/02/2023 16:00

I would wait. We are looking to buy at the moment and this would put me off.

Sprig1 · 23/02/2023 16:09

Absolutely do not list it in that state. You only get one chance to make a first impression.

IsItBedtimeYetNope · 23/02/2023 16:17

Why can't you just hire a skip and remove the rubbish yourselves then it's at least passable rather than a junkyard. There are far too many bullshitters in estate agencies who tell buyers "this will be fixed" or "that will be fixed" and I remove those properties from my shortlist because a) the fixes never materialise and b) I could generally buy a property for identical money in pristine condition.

I think you'd be better waiting until April, especially with how dodgy the market has been this year so far. If you sell on 1st March will you realistically have anything to choose from that you want to buy and move into when virtually nothing's available atm?

Original poster
Notanotherhousepost · 23/02/2023 16:46

We've actually bought our new place, the purchase and sale of this are not directly linked although the proceeds of this will clear the mortgage we've had to take on the new place. We don't NEED to sell immediately but we do want to sell sooner than later just to wrap things up.

OP posts:
C4tastrophe · 24/02/2023 07:01

Currently it’s mostly dross available. You’ll be adding to it.
Wait, get it sorted, and launch yourself onto the market in full splendor.

Twiglets1 · 24/02/2023 07:05

Estate Agents ALWAYS tell you to put your property on the market immediately. The real reason is that they are about to win your business and don’t want to delay signing the contract or you may decide not to move or to go with a different agent.
It makes perfect sense for you to wait a few more weeks until your garden will look better. Just be firm with them.

Quitelikeacatslife · 24/02/2023 07:06

If I saw all the rubbish in the hole I'd be worried about shoddy work elsewhere. If it was all tidied up I'd not be so concerned. And I wouldn't want all that crap just buried in garden , future digging a nightmare. You can pay someone to clear and tip it properly

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 24/02/2023 07:07

I can't understand why you are paying out for a hot tub enclosure (and hot tub?) and then moving straight away. Save the money and just turf that area. If your buyer wants a hot tub they can put one in.

I would also wait till the work is done as currently that looks horrendous. If it was tidied up with plans clearly on show then it would be better.

hettiethehare · 24/02/2023 07:30

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 24/02/2023 07:07

I can't understand why you are paying out for a hot tub enclosure (and hot tub?) and then moving straight away. Save the money and just turf that area. If your buyer wants a hot tub they can put one in.

I would also wait till the work is done as currently that looks horrendous. If it was tidied up with plans clearly on show then it would be better.

This - why are you paying out for something that buyers may not want just to sell?

I’d remove the crap, tarp over it and explain to buyers that it was a fishpond but for x reason you have taken it out and will be filling it in a making good. Then leave it to your buyer to decide what they want to do with it.

octoberafternoons · 24/02/2023 07:33

You need a rubbish clearance service to take that crap away and not someone to cover it up 🧐 I would be put off as a buyer because I'd not like the idea of waste buried in the garden at all.

C4tastrophe · 24/02/2023 07:42

I kind of get the ‘hot tub enclosure’ because it can serve as an outdoor area providing shade or rain cover.
But I wouldn’t have a hot tub there.

Candleabra · 24/02/2023 07:51

A hot tub and large pond would put me off a garden. Can’t you just scale back the landscaping, make it look nice but a blank canvas if you’re selling?

tillyoumakeit · 24/02/2023 07:59

Isn't the hot tub enclosure separate to the fish pond/rubble hole? I don't think they are the same thing are they?

OP - it's hard to get a sense of the scale but I agree with PP that if you do want to list it now, clear all that stuff out of the pond so it's empty. That will look a lot neater and will only take a morning to do.

pisspants · 24/02/2023 08:14

I agree with the general.consensus- wait until it's ready, you'll be far more likely.to get a good offer and not a chancer if the garden is looking nice. As you've already secured your next home there is no real financial pressure to list it until it's ready. I also think you should just turf the garden and not bother with the hot tub/hot tub area, people like a blank slate and they can design the garden the way they want once they've bought it, you'll save your money that way and I dont think it will impact the sale price either.

TheTeenageYears · 24/02/2023 08:20

Easter weekend was traditionally a really good time to sell. We sold over that weekend once so if you can get the garden done before then and market just before the long weekend I would go with that.

ReadersD1gest · 24/02/2023 08:25

Notanotherhousepost · 23/02/2023 15:34

For the avoidance of doubt - this is the hole in the ground and the plan going on the house advert.

Is that a train in the corner? Do you have a miniature railway in your garden??

Thethingswedoforlove · 24/02/2023 08:31

I would definitely advise waiting. The spring market will be there for a while and actually you aren’t in a total hurry. It can only be a good thing to put your property on once it is ready to wow people completely.