Intrigued by this house - PurpleBricks and selling after a year?

[IntriguedPotentialBuyer]

Hi everyone,

DH and I are looking for our next house, which will ideally be our family/‘forever’ home. We’ve seen a house which would be ideal - great area, period property, spacious, lovely garden, off-road parking etc.

It’s on with Purple Bricks, which we’ve never used (we bought our current house through a local high street EA). It’s also being sold after just a year (last sold for £425000 in March 2022, I think), and has already been reduced this time from £475000 to £450000 (or OIEO).

As far as I can see from looking on Zoopla, the neighbours both sides are long-standing, so it seems unlikely to be neighbour issues (prior to last year, the house was last sold in 2002, so the previous owners were there a long time). There’s been no extensive work done in the past year that I can see, so it’s not likely to be a case of ‘flipping’ the property either?

It looks a brilliant house for us, but I’m a little worried that it’s being sold so quickly after its last sale. With it also being sold through PB, I’m not sure how easy it will be to find out why, or whether there are any issues potential buyers should be aware of.

What would your thoughts be as a potential buyer?

link is here (hope it’s OK to share) https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/137259164#/?channel=RES_BUY

Looks empty to me so maybe they've had a change of circumstances? Work/divorce/family. Who knows. Looks a nice house though!

Hard to judge as the furniture doesn’t match the house style. Very little attempt to dress the property for buyers. Kitchen looks a bit dated.

I'd think a change in family circumstances. It doesn't look very lives in.

Couple splitting up?

Looks unlived in yet there is a shoe rack full of shoes? Signs of damping living room?

Hi both, yes I thought similar. You can see marks on the carpet where furniture was previously, and it looks like there’s kind of temporary furniture been brought in to show something in the rooms? DH and I both thought that it doesn’t look lived in.

We’d want to change the kitchen and bathroom, but that’s kind of par for the course anyway really.

Sudden change in family circumstances seems like it might explain it. 😔

There have been a few threads on here from people who move into a new house and just can't settle. Could be that??
Agree a change in circumstances; we bought a house from a couple who were separating, sadly. Loved that house

Also a toothbrush in the bathroom. There is a travel book on new Zealand so my best guess is a couple who broke up because one had wanderlust

I would assume it's a change of circumstances. Maybe someone who bought to wfh during covid but has now had to move back to inner city office working.

Hard to tell. Normally when people post on here it is a flip or it is why is my house not selling when it is obviously priced too high.

This doesn't seem like a flip (too low profit). It is hard to value because there doesn't seem much else around to compare with (maybe I didn't look hard enough).

As everyone else, it could be change in personal circumstances (work, divorce,come into money, more kids), nightmare neighbours.

I would be friendly with the agent and see what they have to say. If you can't get a quick answer by chatting it may suggest something more serious.

It looks like it's cobbled together with secondhand or cheap furniture, whatever they could get their hands on.

My house is similar. Nothing in it really matches, a lot of it is quite ugly (my shoe rack is a repurposed garage shelf) and I don't care to improve it, because I knew as soon as I moved in that there's no way I would be staying for years, and I didn't want to invest good money on decent stuff that could get damaged in a move or look hideously out of place in my next home.

(Mine is a rental)

I am intrigued by the cat flap in the kitchen…….

Could be anything.

couple splitting
single person bough it, now moving into something with a partner
debt- can't afford it
work relocation
bought as a BTL and changed their minds

As long as you have a decent survey and do your homework, you can't do more.
As it's a semi though I'd want to suss out the neighbours in case it's a noise/anti social stuff that's been the issue.

Also possible someone overstretched themselves and now IRs have gone up hugely they are looking to get out before their fixed term is up.

WC off the kitchen never a good look, although I am sure they would have known that when they bought it.

Intriguing..also water bowl still out and plants....,looks like a rental tbh

That kitchen ground plan is not like what the kitchen actually is.

Loads of houses have done this.

Years ago there was a rule about not being allowed to have a loo opening directly into a kitchen. Has this changed?

Maybe they rented it out for a year and have now decided to sell?

If I were you, I'd arrange a viewing and then ask the question face to face.

TBH OP maybe you are overthinking it?

I know a couple where one of them bought their own house then 3 months later met their partner, so they sold within a year in order to buy jointly.

The inside looks like a single-man set up with the row of trainers in the lounge, and the single toothbrush.

I don't see how who lives there is relevant, or why they are selling.

You just need to make sure you have a full survey, that your offer is reasonable, and that you know the area and your solicitor does searches re, planning apps etc..

Out of interest, how long was it owned before the current vendor? That should settle your mind.

Ah ok- previous owners lived there for 20 years.

It's clearly dated inside but room for your own taste.

The house next door to us has changed hands several times in the decades we've lived here.

It was once bought and sold quite quickly by a bloke who had an affair and moved in his affair partner and her two kids, only for the relationship to break down within months.

There will be all sorts of stories behind this kind of sale.

Well my first thought would be ghosts but apparently from the previous comments that not a rational thought 😂

People who use Purple Bricks are those trying to cut moving costs as much as possible. So I would take a guess that this is a financially motivated sale.

Given that it was lived in for a long time beforehand and looks to be in good nick, I really wouldn't worry about it. People's lives change for any number of reasons, and not everyone wants to stay put for 20 years.

Thank you, all, that makes sense. To be honest, my initial thought was the worry about it being something to do with neighbours, but it sounds like it’s unlikely to be that or indeed anything insurmountable. Thank you for your thoughts. 🙂