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Original poster

Waiting for the right house...ready to sell but not on market. Anyone else?

70 replies

OUB1974 · 28/03/2023 16:30

We have decided to move from our end terrace. It's a nice house but we never settled here and we don't like the street (mainly due to neighbours). We can stretch to around £50k more than we end up getting for our current house.

We're in the situation where there's no point putting our house on the market as there's nothing to buy. We've had photos done and we're ready to go once something comes on, and I'm worried about missing out, but on the other hand if we went on the market there might be nothing for a year and we'd lose our buyers anyway.

A lovely house came on a few months ago, which prompted us to get the photos done, but it went too quickly. Other houses have been put on at high prices and aren't selling. Some local agents will let us view and some won't before we sell.

We're stuck in this catch 22. We are quite specific about what we want and can just about afford it but there's nothing on the market! There could be something tomorrow or not for 6 months.

Has anyone been in this situation and how did it work out? The agents all have different opinions. Some say to go on the market, but then they don't tell you how to manage it if we can't find an onward purchase. I'm registered with most of them so we hear about them early. I just want to move!

OP posts:

Original poster

OUB1974 · 29/03/2023 15:12

@SparkyBlue We had a break between houses last time (stayed with family) and it was so much easier. But I don't think we can afford to rent (our mortgage will be v small so rent would be 2 or 3x as much). I'm also worried if prices go up in the meantime we'll be priced out. I wish we could though as it was much less stressful.

I think we just have to persevere for now. And each house we miss out on, we've noted our interest so they might come back to us if it falls through. We may have to consider going on the market after a few months though.

OP posts:

Mildura · 29/03/2023 15:18

I completely understand the catch-22 situation that trying to move house presents.

From an estate agents perspective it's equally frustrating as I speak to a different person each day doing exactly the same thing. Wants to move, but won't put their own on until they find.

I'm really not sure what the answer is.

HydrangeaHo · 29/03/2023 15:20

Interesting thread. We want to move but haven't seen the right house. Our house could take months to sell, nothing goes quickly round here. But if we get a buyer and there's still nothing we like I'm not moving.
It's round in circles.
What do you have to pay EA if you decide not to go ahead?

PauliesWalnuts · 29/03/2023 15:27

I'm glad I'm not alone in this. I really want to downsize a bit (part-inherited house, done up to a saleable standard) to a two bed or small three bed, with a drive, garden, and within a mile of a tram stop. There is NOTHING on the market that's even close to what I'd like. I'm up for compromising and am realistic that I won't get everything I would like, but it's very slim pickings where I am. Renting until I find somewhere wouldn't be the end of the world - I don't have kids and need to be near schools for example - but even the rental market here is tiny, and I could really do without the stress of moving twice.

DibbleDooDah · 29/03/2023 15:30

Put your house on the market but all potential buyers should be made aware that you haven’t found anything to move to. So long as you give them a realistic timeframe (e.g. six months) then you’ll be surprised how many people are prepared to wait.

I personally wouldn’t let you view my house if you weren’t at least on the market.

Mildura · 29/03/2023 15:44

What do you have to pay EA if you decide not to go ahead?

Contracts will vary, but in my experience, nothing.

BasiliskStare · 29/03/2023 15:46

I too would not sell to somebody who could not proceed when they put their offer in - otherwise I would take it "I am interested " You may be lucky in that they will take your offer on the condition they can keep on the market until your house has an offer

It won't help @OUB1974 - but after 2 years of looking we did move into a rented flat ( sold 5 bed house , moved into 2 bed flat so, much smaller but it sufficed) The rent was approx the same as the mortgage , well it was about a 1/4 of the size of our house but we would not have got our current house if we were not ready to go ( & we were not the highest bidder ) I don't regret it at all , but everyone's circumstances are different .

Best of luck - it is stressful

CellophaneFlower · 29/03/2023 16:31

You all need to get your houses on the market! If you're all sat there waiting for a house to come up, worried about keeping a potential buyer waiting whilst you look, you're all actually adding to the problem by there being less houses on the market!

Mildura · 29/03/2023 16:36

Exactly @CellophaneFlower

Operating like this perpetuates the problem! It reduces the available stock, which in turn contributes towards prices remaining high.

RidingMyBike · 29/03/2023 16:36

We rented for 18 months inbetween. It was hideously expensive (rent 4x our mortgage) but meant we sold quickly and easily to chain-free buyers, then had time to find the right property as there wasn't much coming on the market and anything that did went within hours. It meant we were in a chain-free position which made our offer more likely to be accepted. And also meant we were in the area we needed to be in for school and work.

We'd have only rented for 6 months but our buyer's onward purchase ran into delays and the house then needed renovation, which is why it ended up at 18 months.

Scotsgirl001 · 29/03/2023 16:43

CellophaneFlower · 29/03/2023 16:31

Totally agree!

Original poster

OUB1974 · 29/03/2023 16:43

I sort of think it's the other way around and the sellers ought to let people look! We're not proceedable yet but houses on our street sell very quickly and ours is very nice for its price. We could be proceedable within a week and they could have an extra buyer interested...all for the sake of letting us look around for 10 minutes!

OP posts:

Roselilly36 · 29/03/2023 16:46

Pointless waiting for a house to come up, before you start to market yours OP. I would put my house on the market, get a buyer (this is taking longer atm in some areas) then you will make a more attractive buyer. Otherwise you risk being very disappointed. If you can’t find what you are looking for, then you can either proceed with the sale, and chain break by renting/living with family etc. or back out of the sale. Good luck, moving is stressful.

CutesyUserName · 29/03/2023 16:48

Scotsgirl001 · 29/03/2023 16:43

Totally agree!

Show quote history

I also agree with this.

Mildura · 29/03/2023 16:50

OUB1974 · 29/03/2023 16:43

The problem is absolutely loads of people live in houses that they think will sell easily.

There are huge numbers of people sat on the sidelines who would like to move, but won't take the plunge with their own property until they've identified something suitable. This causes the market to completely seize up and reduce choice further.

Roselilly36 · 29/03/2023 16:52

We moved in lockdown, our EA were under strict instructions that viewers had to be proceedable to view our property. I went to a lot of effort for viewings,
I wasn’t prepared to do that for viewers that were not in a position to buy our house. Why do you feel you need to view in person? When you have the photos, sometimes with video on RM etc. Vendors always think their house will sell quickly, unfortunately this is not always the reality.

RidingMyBike · 29/03/2023 16:56

OUB1974 · 29/03/2023 16:43

Having sold relatively recently there is no way I'd have allowed someone who wasn't proceedable to view. Viewings are a pain - keeping the house clear, clean and looking nice (especially if you have children) takes time.

And the seller has no way of knowing whether your house is genuinely ready to go on the market and will sell quickly, or if you're just someone wanting a nosey round the house.

SparkyBlue · 29/03/2023 17:06

Have you sorted out your mortgage OP? I know you said you don't need to borrow a lot more money but still it's something that needs to be approved. I know around here demand is outstripping supply and no way would you be entertained if you weren't in a position to proceed.

Karmatime · 29/03/2023 17:11

I’ve already sold and renting in the new area. There’s very little coming onto the market to even view. I don’t regret selling and am prepared to wait for the right place but hoping for a pick up in places coming on the market. I’m in a popular area and prices seem to be stagnant rather than falling but it’s a relief that they are not rising while we wait. When I was selling, the agents were only letting proceedable buyers view. This was last autumn, post the mini budget and interest rate hikes.

RoxieLoxy · 29/03/2023 17:13

We've never been stopped from viewing and always been honest about not having ours on the market yet. Maybe it's dependent on area?

I'm going to ours on though and see what happens.

RoxieLoxy · 29/03/2023 17:14

*get

Whenisitsummer · 29/03/2023 17:20

When we were in this situation , we ended up putting ours on the market. We had viewed a house we wanted but we weren’t proceedable- the sellers sold to someone who was. There’s no guarantee that you will sell your house quickly. I made it clear to our estate agents that we would only be able to sell if we had ‘found’ our new property to move into. A first time buyer put an offer in for ours - and was happy to wait. So it all worked out.

Original poster

OUB1974 · 29/03/2023 17:23

@SparkyBlue we have our agreement in principle and our estate agent has to click a button to get the house on the market. We will definitely allow people in our position to view but we won't take it off the market unless someone's proceedable.

We definitely need to view in person @Roselilly36 . It looks nice on the photos but I've seen a lot of photos over the last couple of years to know it doesn't always follow. I can sort of understand this one as it's new but it's empty at the moment and you'd think for the sake of 10 minutes they'd have a potential extra buyer if they don't happen to sell in the next few days.

OP posts:

BasiliskStare · 29/03/2023 17:37

@OUB1974 - the one thing I would say is if the sort of house you are after is selling quickly - they don't need someone not able to proceed to come and look. They will have enough potential buyers. If the house has stuck around for ages - they may be more amenable to this

As an anecdote - a friend of my mothers who was very rich - decided to go and look at a lovely bungalow . The estate agent said he would not show her round because her house was not on the market. To which she replied - if I like it I can write a cheque out for it right now I do not need to sell my house. Now that is a very specific circumstance but most people need to sell before they can buy. & so I can imagine EAs with a desirable property on their books will prioritise those in a position to move. ( Reader , she bought the house )

Roselilly36 · 29/03/2023 17:37

@OUB1974 Yes, I agree photos can be deceiving at times, but it’s fact you aren’t in a position to have an offer accepted, assuming you are needing to sell to proceed. Once you are SSTC then view in person. Otherwise it could be very disappointing, if you find someone you really like. Once you put your property on the market, I am sure you won’t want viewers that aren’t in a position to proceed.

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