Anyone sold a house without putting it on the open market?

[schneebly]

We have a house which we do not live in and want to sell - it needs a lot of work done to it and dont think there would be much interest in it really. My Dad wants to buy it as a project and I am quite happy about that but what is the process? I have never sold a house before and how would a private sale be different to a regular one?

TIA

also house is in Scotland so don't know if that makes a difference?

I sold a house to my sister, we just did everything through the same solicitor. This was about 6 years ago. We just went to him and explained what we wanted re: conveyancing etc. and he just called us in as and when to sign things and he organised hte completion. I was buying another property so it all had to tie in with that completion.

Don't live in Scotland so not sure how the process would work there.

I know a couple of people who have done it this way. You would probably still need a solicitor sort out contracts and things but really there is nothing different to using an estate agent who really are there to advertise it, shope people round and take a chunk of you profit.
Speak to CAB or your solicitor to see what you need to do to keep you right but it is quite common in my area to do it this way seems to be loads that don it.

Thanks for the advice

Yes, I sold my flat to a neighbour, you just bypass the estate agent and go directly on to engaging solicitors for conveyencing. Good luck.

yes i sold my old house to my house mate. we just each instructed a solicitor and that was that.

Thanks Booge - it would make a big difference to us! At the moment it feels like a millstone becuase we are paying out mortgage and ctax every month and can't afford to do it up to rent out or anything. We just want rid so we can pay off our debts and have some money left over at the end of the month to save.

This can work out well - recently sold our house to people in the playground who friend had alerted me to. Got the price we wanted for it, saved estate agents fees and didn't need a HIP. Apparantly you don't if there has been no marketing done and it's just word of mouth checked this out with relevant govt. official and they confirmed. If you put a board outside, piccies on web or anything then you do - but not if sold to family members or gossip. We did the usual thing of getting a couple of valutaions for it and sold it for more than we might have done otherwise. Would def. do again - used a conveyancing company - they were brill and used to dealing with builders who want a really fast turn round. Think this made things much better than using a general solicitors because its all they do. Need to be able to be a bit detached emotionally I think so as not to get too stressy - not your home just a commodity. In some ways less hassle than using a agent as less b.s.

In scotland the estate agency is normally done via the solicitor. Selling to your parents would be no different from selling to a straner - except of course you don't need the estate agency stuff!