Moving after a year

[movetoosoon]

Hi

Name changed as location has been mentioned in previous posts.

We bought a house and moved to current town last May 2022. It suited us because family was nearby and school is in the next town. However since we have moved its been one disaster after another.

Family upped and left the area despite reassuring us we were doing the right thing by moving closer.
The house is too small. My DS has had growth spurt
We have redecorated and tried to make it nice but we truly hate it
School run traffic times have doubled and we are exhausted/ wasting so much time
Next year my DS has opportunity to visit another campus every morning at school to do a specialist subject. this campus is another 10 mins away from our current house

We need to move and have since done a lot more research than we did before we bought this place.

So my main questions are: how do you explain to buyers that you're moving so soon? It's us at the disadvantage because of stamp duty etc. Its clear we have spent a lot of money on the property even getting it to a nice livable standard but we're not looking to make a "profit". We just need to get out and move on.

Had anyone had any experience of doing this?

Thanks so much

I think all of your genuine reasons will sound like excuses to buyers and most people will assume you're lying to cover up the genuine reason. Personally I'd assume the neighbours were problematic.

If asked then in this situation it would probably be more sensible to lie and say you're moving for work. Alternatively if possible I wouldn't be around for any viewings, if you're not there they can't ask you.

Can you just say circumstances have changed or a new work opportunity?
I once had to sell within a year because of relationship break down (aka husband playing away) whilst pregnant and knew I couldn't afford the mortgage on my own (especially on maternity leave). So estate agents did all showing around and apparently told everyone I was moving for work reasons (sold quickly so obviously wasn't a problem for buyers).

Thanks so much for the advice. Ironically the neighbours are lovely and we would happily take them with us!!

Work move is the best answer definitely. What a mess! We feel such fools

You’re not fools. You made the best decision you could with the information you had at the time - it’s just that the situation has changed.

You’re actually the opposite of fools - you are in a situation you don’t like, so you’re taking a pragmatic approach and action to improve your happiness. It’s admirable, and when you’re old and grey you’ll be remembering happy memories in your new place, not stamp duty.

@dreamersdown thats so very kind and we have many good things in our lives which we won't be losing. The plan is to finish the renovation works in the current house which will probably mean it will be at least 18months since we bought before we can market it. I'll probably need to post another thread then haha!

We put our house on the market after 10 months after it just didn't feel 'right'.

I told buyers we were moving as working from home we needed an extra bedroom.

They'll be able to see what improvements you've made and can decide for themselves if you've priced accordingly.

Think I'd go for 'relocating for work' or to be 'closer to family'. Buyers don't need to know the real reason and both of the above imply a change of circumstances that has nothing to do with the house itself.

And well done on making what must have been a difficult decision! Good luck for the future

Thanks all, to be honest the house is totally fine, but we can't enjoy it or see the improvements because we wouldn't have bought it if we had the benefit of hindsight. The family drama has made us realise that we shouldn't have made their proximity a priority over our children.

It will make a lovely home for another family. And like I said we're not trying to make money, just don't want to waste anymore time here.

movetoosoon
The house is too small. My DS has had growth spurt.
We have redecorated and tried to make it nice but we truly hate it.

What was this? Is it low ceilings and he can't stand up straight?

Aside from that oddity, people either buy a house or they don't. you don't need to feel obliged to tell them anything. If you do feel like they need an excuse, and you're going to lie, go big. Tell them you've had the chance to buy an orchid farm in Cumbria and its too good to turn down, or that you need a larger garden because you're going into bee husbandry and just don't have the room. The bee market is really going to take off. Why not have fun with these types of nosy folks. Your new house sits on a geological seam, and you fancy mining gold.

ha yeah the growth spurt thing is probably just us finding more reasons to be annoyed with our decision. It honestly feels like we have less room than we have ever had. I guess its a "walls are closing in" on us feeling.
The bedrooms are smaller than previous house and the ceilings are a lot lower. Everyone is banging elbows, arms, heads and tripping over each other.
Obviously this isnt a reason we would give to buyers but its just heightening out awareness of the decision we made. Part of the renovations is making more space/ extra bedroom so at least the next family won't have this issue!

Just say you planning a larger family sooner than you thought.

If it was me I'd say I was moving for work- if you've got kids people realise that juggling school runs and a longer commute is detrimental enough to quality of life that you'd need to move, without anything necessarily being wrong with the house. Make sure it's the agent rather than you showing potential buyers around the house though, or you might get flustered if someone asks you directly.
How long did the previous owners live there? If they lived there for years then as a buyer I wouldn't be particularly worried, but if there's been a stint of people living there three years or less I'd assume the neighbours were a problem.

Simply explain that you need a bigger place to accommodate your growing family. If you have lovely neighbours mention that to interested buyers and that anyone making an offer that is accepted can also have a chat with the neighbours to see for themselves that there are no issues there. If your neighbours are friendly they won't mind doing that.

You could say "we moved closer to family, but sadly they're no longer around" which is technically true - the buyer will probably draw the incorrect conclusion that the person died and not push any further.

This is great advice.
We moved last year and thought we'd done the right thing moving in between both sets of family. The town we're in we realise just isn't for us, and the house feels small already before another baby turns up.

We need more support than we thought with the kids (and parents also need support tho they'd never admit it) so we need to move probably by the end of next summer.

Our house has some quirks, but they didn't put us, nor our 8 neighbours off buying so hopefully we will find a buyer too.

Good to know there are options.