Selling house after 6 months?

Twiglets1 · 15/12/2023 12:27

Strugglinghouse · 15/12/2023 12:11

We bought and moved into our first house around 4 months ago, me, DH, 2 DC. Within the first week I knew deep down the move was a mistake 😞
I never “loved” it during viewings, but could see potential and after 1.5 years of searching and let downs, I feel we compromised a lot without realising. I feel so naive.

I’ve lived here for 4 months now and I’m struggling severely with my mental health to the point that I’ve had to take 2 months off work. I’m consumed with depression, anxiety and early on was suicidal. I’ve been to the GP and I’m thankfully accessing support and medication.

My question is: has anybody been in a similar situation and sold up after 6 months?
The thought of being here any longer than a year is unbearable and after becoming so unwell I feel it has tainted the house.

Wow, it’s not worth putting yourself under so much stress for the sake of a house. I would plan to put it on the market in the Spring even though you will probably lose money. It doesn’t matter - your mental health comes first.

Twiglets1 · 15/12/2023 12:29

Also, there have been lots of similar threads even just on Mumsnet so I would search for them and you will see you are very much not alone.

Original poster

Strugglinghouse · 15/12/2023 12:36

Thank you @Twiglets1 , that’s exactly what I needed to hear.
I’m such a homebody, so not feeling comfortable and happy in this house has really affected me.

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Rollnsquare · 15/12/2023 12:54

I felt the same as you when I got the keys to our new house in August. I was having severe panic attacks and was put on sertraline and propranolol by my GP. It really helped to know moving would be an option, even if we lost money, if I couldn't shake the terrible anxiety I felt whenever I stepped inside. My DH promised me that, but asked that I give it some time.

Do you know what's at the root of your unhappiness? Does the house need lots of work? Or is the area not what you imagined?

SecondClassmyass · 15/12/2023 12:58

What’s wrong with the house? Why do you hate it?
I have been in the same place as you 2 years ago. I’m in the process of selling now. The first 10 months were hell. It was the worst time of my life, I had a nervous breakdown and was also suicidal. It all got a bit easier after 10 months, and the last 6 months I have been not too bad. A million times better actually than the very beginning. We are selling at a loss if we include stamp duty and the renovations we did. But I honestly couldn’t care less. I am very happy to be moving to a house in my dream area.

Original poster

Strugglinghouse · 15/12/2023 15:29

@Rollnsquare @SecondClassmyass thank you for your kind messages. It’s so comforting to know people have been through this and come out the other end.

@Rollnsquare are you still in that house?

@SecondClassmyass did you have any difficulties selling in this market? It’s one of my worries.

I wasn’t too bothered by the layout before living here, but I’m finding it so unpractical with 2 little ones. We had open plan in our rental and I completely took it for granted.

The seller concealed quite a lot during viewings, dodgy electrics, wires in walls hidden behind photo frames. He told us there was plumbing in the extension, so we had bought a radiator to fit, but after moving in, it turns out there’s no plumbing so will cost a lot to install it as the nearest radiator is 15m away. That part of the house is freezing and was planned to be a playroom. The driveway is a mess, we viewed in spring, but now it’s winter there’s mud oozing from the pave stones when you stand on them. The garage door is broken and is letting in rain. Lots of cheap materials used and botched DIY. The neighbours dog barks when it’s left alone. Last week it barked 11-4am non-stop, a few days before that 9:30-6pm. It’s a semi with the rooms adjoining.
I know a lot of this is fixable, but costly.

The area is the more desirable part of this town, but I really miss the estate we moved from. It was 15 years old, lots of young families, modern houses with non of these issues. I wish we’d have bought there, but thought buying a “solid old house” was best. I was wrong.

I don’t feel like I can talk to people other than my DH about how I feel as there’s so many families struggling right now, but living here is so debilitating. It’s knocked me for six. I’ve never felt like this in a house before.

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NeonSoda · 15/12/2023 15:34

Homebuyers regret is actually a very known thing that happens.

i bought my first home a year ago and it’s taken me almost all that time to shake the feeling of regret and the linked mental health problems.

SecondClassmyass · 15/12/2023 16:02

@Strugglinghouse no difficulty selling as such, though we are making a loss, but that’s due to stamp duty and renovation cost put into the property. The value of the property increased in the last 2 years. We had a lot of viewings and 3 offers in total. Also, without sounding like a twat our place is really beautiful and tastefully decorated 😂
I totally get the not being able to talk about your feelings towards the new house with anybody, I was there too. The shame to admit that I hated it was real! When people were asking me how is my new place I was cringing inside 😵‍💫
I couldn’t physically bring myself to say things like ‘I’m going home’ or ‘I’m at home’. I was only referring to it as ‘the house’. After a year and a half I occasionally caught myself saying ‘home’.
There was so much more to fix here as well that we originally thought, and while my neighbours are lovely, the sound insulation is rather poor.
I couldn’t stop reminiscing about my old one bedroom cosy flat and the previous area, I think I cried every day for 6 months. We are now moving back to the old area and I couldn’t be happier.

LindaDawn · 15/12/2023 16:19

Hope the medication and support helps real soon. Please don’t beat yourself up about the house. It’s not your fault that it’s so difficult to choose a house when things were flying off the shelf so quickly as it was until recently. Things will get better. Sending lots of love and hugs.

Original poster

Strugglinghouse · 15/12/2023 16:56

@SecondClassmyass I’m so glad it went smoothly for you. Are you close to completing?

I completely resonate with not calling the house “home”. We installed our ring doorbell and I couldn’t bring myself to name it “home”. It’s house here too.

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Original poster

Strugglinghouse · 15/12/2023 16:57

@NeonSoda I’m sorry to hear you felt like this too.. why do you think you struggled?, was it the house and/or area?

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NeonSoda · 15/12/2023 18:13

Strugglinghouse · 15/12/2023 16:57

@NeonSoda I’m sorry to hear you felt like this too.. why do you think you struggled?, was it the house and/or area?

Both the house and the area are far from
my first choice.

But basically regret is common with massive purchases. I paid £175k for my house. Previously, the most expensive thing I had ever bought was a £2000 camera. Spending that much money seriously makes you doubt if you’ve made the right choice.

OhpoorMe · 15/12/2023 18:31

Did you not have a survey done OP? If you did you need to sue them!

pictoosh · 15/12/2023 18:58

"The seller concealed quite a lot during viewings, dodgy electrics, wires in walls hidden behind photo frames. He told us there was plumbing in the extension, so we had bought a radiator to fit, but after moving in, it turns out there’s no plumbing so will cost a lot to install it as the nearest radiator is 15m away. That part of the house is freezing and was planned to be a playroom. The driveway is a mess, we viewed in spring, but now it’s winter there’s mud oozing from the pave stones when you stand on them. The garage door is broken and is letting in rain. Lots of cheap materials used and botched DIY."

Often par for the course when you move into an older house...one with (a lot of) wear and tear.
Sorry you're feeling so low about it all. Moving house is a big change. Buyer's regret is common.

Original poster

Strugglinghouse · 16/12/2023 09:58

@OhpoorMe we did, but none of the issues we’re having were picked up.. as seems to be the case with a lot of houses it seems 😞

@pictoosh I feel like a very naive ftb. At least I know to be more vigilant during viewings next time.

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Sausager · 16/12/2023 10:03

@Strugglinghouse https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4953080-whats-the-shortest-amount-of-time-youve-lived-in-an-ownedmortgaged-house-before-moving

I commented on this the other day. We've been here 2yrs next month. House is perfect but my word, the area is not. Thought I could make it work but actually no, I can't. There's three for sale on our road alone that have had zero viewings, I've got a thesis to write & DS has GCSE's this academic year so not a great time to move. Should've thought again before buying this one but as we'd already pulled out of one, I couldn't pull put of this as I wrongly thought at the time.

What's the shortest amount of time you've lived in an owned/mortgaged house before moving? | Mumsnet

and why?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4953080-whats-the-shortest-amount-of-time-youve-lived-in-an-ownedmortgaged-house-before-moving

Passingthethyme · 16/12/2023 10:32

Your house is making you suicidal? Move, rent your place out and rent somewhere as an intermin if needed

Lonecatwithkitten · 16/12/2023 16:59

Be aware that under a year as part of conveyancing you will be asked why you are selling so soon.
We bought a property that had been owned for 9 months when we offered on it, we were cash buyers, but were told that some mortgage companies don't like similar purchases.

Original poster

Strugglinghouse · 18/12/2023 10:33

@Passingthethyme why can’t I see the solution as being as simple as that? 😔
I feel completely trapped here, being my first bought house. I keep thinking, who on earth will want to buy this house?

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Original poster

Strugglinghouse · 18/12/2023 10:34

@Lonecatwithkitten did you have any difficulties buying it?, what were your sellers reasons for moving?

What on earth would I say? 😩

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