Feedback from viewers - I can't get my head around.

[Downsizingandmovingon]

Hello everyone. Please go easy with me on this, as it's all a bit overwhelming.

I am early 70s and my husband of more fifty-three years died almost five years ago. After a huge amount of thought, I have decided I need to sell my home, because even though it's a typical thirties-semi, it's just too big for me now. I want to move to either a bungalow or a flat (I am very much keeping my options open). It's a huge step, as this is the only house I have lived in since 1972.

My husband used to do all the repairs, and we have all the usual things like central heating, although a part from a lean-to extention to the kitchen, the house is the same size as it was when built. I won't be posting a link to it as I don't want to show the world, and I know it needs some updating, but the estate agent has assured me the asking price will reflect this.

The problem is this; it's been on two weeks and I've had three viewings. The feedback from all of them is that it needs TL and that it wasn't right for them, however, the agent asked one of them to go into more detail, and they said that it's not the work that puts them off, it's the fact that it 'obvious' a lot of it was done by a DIY person and that they are worried about what's going to turn up over time!

I'm horrified, and a bit offended too, as we never had any problems with anything my husband did or repaired, but they've mentioned really silly things, like in the kitchen (which my husband put in) the flexes to the appliances below go through a hole in the worktop and are plugged in above - I mean how else are they supposed to be plugged in? They also mentioned how some of the doors didn't look well fitted - there were several things, but I don't remember as I was too upset.

I feel thoroughly down about it, and I'm really worried that other people are going to pick up on it too, not that I can see a problem, but if this is going to be a thing then how do I make it better? I have three more viewings booked for tomorrow and it's making me sick with worry. I thought people bought houses knowing that problems might show up, but I didn't know some people think the previous owners could leave them a legacy of unknown issues. Please share you (kind) thoughts.

One thing you need to accept is that what is desired in a house has moved on. I’m 60s not 70s, but I’ve notices the following…

There are generally more sockets (never single ones) and they should be channelled in cable and socket.

Showers are now expected. They should give a good flow. 20 year old miras showers need not apply.

central heating should be with a modern boiler and efficient rads. Pipes should not be running along the skirting or on top of the plaster.

Double glazing is the minimum standard.

The fashions in kitchens has changed hugely- space is needed for more appliances.

I have just sold my late Mother’s house. What she had was so much better than my grandmother, who had a house which was an improvement on my great grandmother’s. Each generation seems to get to a comfortable level in their home, but the next generation expects more. Also, they had a group of tradesmen who they were loyal to - who had the same expectations. Things have changed and I’ve had to accept buyers will factor in modern expectations- which will cost. Current safety regulations will need to be adhered to as soon as any change is made.

it doesn’t mean your husband (and you) didn’t create a lovely home - I’m sure you did, but it was a lovely home for you, not younger people.

Don't take it personally.
And I would ask the agent not to give you feedback that reflects things you cannot or won't be changing, like the kitchen, bathroom, decor etc.

In most older houses there are things which won't meet new regulations, which doesn't necessarily mean that they are unsafe, but wouldn't be done now. And in many houses there are quirks you put up with, that you only think about fixing when you come to move, or when explaining to someone else how to use it that you realise it's bloody strange. Like the drawer that can only be opened when the other cupboard is closed.

I understand why you don't want to post a link here, even more feedback from a forum could be hard to hear, & many will tell you to paint everything and remove everything you have loved in your home.

If you want to message privately, I'd be happy to help, I work in this area, although not an estate agent. But equally if you don't, I'd suggest asking a good friend to come round and be honest about what they think
if they were viewing your house to buy.

I would not being there for viewings, and leaving it entirely to the agent. But as part of a sale you will eventually be asked about certificates and warranties and it may be an idea to deal with some issues now before they either stall a sale or cause buyers to drop the price at a much later stage when you are budgeting on their offer for your onward move. So a visit from an electrician and a gas engineer now might save you a huge headache later on.

I appreciate your comments, thank you, but what do you suggest I do?

The cords are generally hidden behind the appliances, then fed through behind the plaster to switches above the worktop. So the only visible thing is a switch.

That is how a professional would do it and how people expect it to be. Your husband was obviously handy and his work has satisfied you both, which is great.

When we were househunting, we found this kind of thing a bit worrying, because although you knew your husband and trusted him 100%, I don't. Professionals get things wrong sometimes. There is evidence of this in my own home. However, the chances of problems increase if the diy-er is a hobbyist, or a handy guy looking after his home,rather their own home, rather than a professional.

This is similar to cars with a full service history with the dealership for that make of car retaining more value than one serviced without that specialist knowledge.

Some people will be put off, but others will not. Though it does affect value.

Viewers often point out issues as a tactic to offering under asking price. Also note, many buyers are seduced my new slick looking homes and want to do absolutely no work themselves. Most people's either want it's move in ready or don't mind the basic moderations of bathroom, kitchen which will be costly. Also, they've seen pics so don't need to be so rude, especially if they are not making an offer anyway. Anytime before and after Xmas is a dead zone for people buying/selling anyway. It will pick up in Jan/Feb before the stamp duty rise in April. You will get a low ball offer and it's up to you whether it will give you enough money to downsize to an appropriate properly. Good luck 🤞

Is my house going to be unsaleable?

No. There are people for whom viewing houses is a day out; they're only semi serious (if serious at all) buyers.
Don't ask the agent for any further feedback, just sit tight until you get an offer.

It’s a buyers market if it’s a first time buyer home. They can afford to be picky at the moment.

You don’t need to do anything other than sit and wait. Whilst @Downsizingandmovingon
has made very valid comments, if the price is right someone will still buy your house. They will just make an offer based on what work they think needs doing.

I've just sold my house, and what I've learnt is people will turn up to look and have no intentions of buying it, so will come up with any reason not to purchase. It is obvious from my photos, there are multiple large steep steps to my front door. On a very steep hill. We had 3 people on a row with mobility issues. Feedback... House wouldn't suit our mobility issues...
My house needs new bathrooms and a new kitchen, it sold. I wasn't for doing it as I always knew I was going to move The right person will come along, you just have to sit it out through the time wasters.

Don't be downhearted, the right buyer will come along, it's very early days. Sounds like the person who viewed your house doesn't have much experience of DIY so seeing something like the plugs would sound alarm bells. They may be stretching themselves financially so can't really afford the house and TLC.

Absolutely! Sometimes there's a bit of pressure from one of the couple (maybe one wants a house to put their stamp on, one wants to buy a new build flat) and I know estate agents say things like 'while we are at this house why don't we pop around the corner to see this one, too'. Hang in there, OP! X

Hey don’t worry OP! I bought my tiny terraced house from a lovely lady in her 60s who needed to move away and there had been a lot of DIY done as was normal before the era of extremely low interest rates and when people more commonly left school with more practical skills. I wanted to replace the kitchen and bathroom and flooring and redecorate anyway.

There is no reason why a seller’s DIY should be off-putting. This was just what people did when interest rates were higher and before the perfect-house/do it for me trend got going.

The pain point for FTBs/younger buyers now is an economic one. I fully renovated my home when interest rates were still really low and we had not lost so many good workers from overseas due to, erm, reasons.

So what current FTBs are really saying with this feedback is that they don’t have your generation’s DIY skills (like your husband my dad did everything) and they also don’t have cheap enough borrowing rates to get people to do it all for them.

I would maybe look to:

Sell to a developer

Direct the agent to market more to potential buyers who have budget to pay builders

Have a pre-sale survey done that itemizes all the jobs that definitely do need doing so potential buyers don’t worry about unexpected costs.

Maybe get these jobs done if your market really is mainly FTBs?

I have sold to FTBs. Even after a full renovation 3-4 years ago they wanted more. One couple freaked out over a wobbly tap. So I spent extra money on getting a good generalist tradesman in to do all the odd jobs that would get the sale moving, painted the whole house fresh and bought some new rugs and plants. I got that back by not having to drop the sale price.

Someone will come along who isn’t afraid of the work OP, don’t worry, it just might take a little bit of time

OP I sympathise. My dad did so much DIY on my childhood house that he all but built it in the end - it was a labour of love and every time I walk through my parents' home I can feel his spirit literally in the walls, in every nook and cranny. I feel the same way about his slightly uneven paint job in the bathroom as I do about the occasional slipped stitches in the cardigan my grandmother knitted for my baby.

On the other hand, I currently live in a nightmare rental owned by a DIY guy and every month we seem to discover a new set of dodgy wiring or rotting walls covered up by a mirror. It looked fine when we inspected, we could tell there were some "home jobs" but assumed they'd been done to the same care my dad would have put in underneath, but it wasn't the case.

We're FTBs now and swear we will avoid any sign of widespread DIY because it's such a nightmare for toddler-proofing when you can't assume any of the sockets are even grounded! Many FTBs today will already have kid/s and likely using their whole life savings to get the deposit - we'll have barely enough money to buy a mattress let alone a new kitchen. Maybe make it clear to the agent that you're happy to entertain even "cheeky" offers...?

I sold DM’s house as a house requiring full refurbishment- and factored in the cost of it. Building work is currently very expensive. So adjust the price - any house will sell at the right price.

Or bring the house into this century - only a good option if you have spare cash.

Do you have children, nieces, nephews, god-children who will critically look at the house. Ask them to be hyper critical and list things they would want to change - from urgent to a general nice to have? Your target buyer’s probably a young family. If there are any in your family ask them. Do any of them have time to help you?

De clutter. You’re going to need to anyway (DM kept far too much, because it might be useful) a cluttered house always looks smaller.

Tell the agent that you do not want feedback. The house is honestly priced and it is what it is.
I did that with our last house. I was very happy to talk to any prospective buyers. I did not want feedback via the agent. My experience was that it is never helpful. You are getting plenty of viewings bearing in mind the time of year.
Tell the agent the only feedback you need is an offer.

Yes this was my experience too. ‘It doesn’t have a parking space or garage’ was my favourite. It’s in the centre of a city where not one single road has driveways.

The holes in the worktop make people think that there are hidden things they can’t see that have been done wrong. As the worktop holes are part of an electric installation, they might be concerned that other electric work has been done below standard or in an unusual way. TBH, I’d be shocked at holes in a kitchen worktop because I’ve never seen that in any of the many houses I’ve lived in and it’s clearly most definitely not the usual way it’s done.

The comments are no reflection on you. These people don’t know you or your late husband. If they did, they might think differently, but they have to err on the side of caution.

Just make sure the price is right and wait for an offer. It will come, but maybe in the New Year.

Drilling a hole through the counter says “had no clue what he was doing”. Our kitchen is 24 years old and DH did much of it but he knew you chase a channel through the wall to run the cabling so only the socket is visible in the wall.

Things like that will tell a buyer they are looking at a rewire as well as redecorating, and possibly other jobs to bring your husband’s DIY work up to standard.

That will put off buyers who have little spare beyond the asking price. However, if realistically priced, given that there will be work needed to make the house conform to modern standards, there’s no reason it shouldn’t sell.

This is not a slight in your late husband. He wasn’t a kitchen fitter or chippy, presumably, and was working with what he could. Safety rules are far more stringent these days so what was ok in a domestic setting 30 odd years ago isn’t ok now.

I must clarify, that the holes for the cables are tiny - it's not like there's a hole you can push a whole plug through! So for example with the washing machine, the cable comes up through a small hole, the plug is fitted onto the cable, and then it plugs into the double wall socket above. This was how it used to be back in the day, I wasn't aware of what had changed until I got these helpful replies on here. I'm so grateful for them.

You mentioned you may look at buying a flat, please be careful with leasehold properties. There will be service charges etc which can cost a fortune, always buy freehold if you can. Best wishes with your house sale I'm sure the right buyer will be along soon.

This definitely. I know its really hard to hear criticism of a house that you love and where you have happy memories, especially at this time of year. Its also not a great time for house sales anyway. Can I suggest that you maybe do some stuff to separate your feelings and the house sale? start getting yourself into the mindset of "The house is not my memories, its just a thing" To put the other side of the problem, my neighbours bought the house from someone who had done a lot of the work himself. They didn't get a full survey, just the mortgage valuation one. I had been into the house and it all looked like tidy DIY. The newcomers moved in and couldn't get the boiler to light so they got a gas engineer out and he condemned the boiler installation as unsafe. When they got the engineer back to get it fixed, he enquired about the small kitchen extension where the boiler was. One thing led to another and they ended up having to have the extension entirely rebuilt and that end of the kitchen rewired because it contravened building regs. Please understand, I am really really not criticising your husband's DIY but i think its important to understand why a buyer might have concerns. It may be that it would be better for you to take the house off the market until New Year and then work your way through some of the packing and stripping before it goes back on sale again? I wish you well. I understand that you don't want to put a link on here but do you have anyone you trust who could take a look at the listing and see how well it matches with your house?

A lot of buyers will have had experiences of shoddy DIY work or known people who have, especially people buying at lower price points. Signs of DIY work represent a gamble - some DIY has been done meticulously by homeowners like you husband who did know what they're doing and some is very much not, and buyers unfortunately won't know which is which. And even if it's likely that new homeowners will want to renovate the kitchen and addition there is a difference to buyers in work that will need to be done ASAP and work that they can safely and contentedly put off until they save up for it.

But please don't get too down about this. Your home is not unsaleable. It may take a little longer for the right buyer to come along and it may mean some more price negotiation, but that's not the end of the world yeah? The way I would look at the financial side is that your DH's hard work and skill has saved you so much money along the way compared to hiring in all that work but that does just lower the amount of money you'll get back from those updates a bit.

I agree with others that I would probably ask your agent to not pass on any feedback that isn't easily actionable to you. For example, if the feedback is that a room felt too small and the agent wants to suggest removing some furniture for the viewing period, that's something you can act on. Feedback about the plugs in the kitchen isn't.

I hope the perfect buyer comes along soon and that you find a lovely next home for yourself.

try not to take feedback personally, it’s a fashion nowadays want very slick modern interior , where as a more practical, comfortable home design was popular when your husband did they work. it’s not a reflection on Your husband’s workmanship, updating a house is very expensive and good work men are very hard to find, so buyers are more wary. Lots of people now don’t do diy they hire contractors.

I wouldn't worry about it. I think estate agents push for feedback sometimes and people feel they have to say something.
My cousin when selling had feedback that the house didn't have a separate dining room. As shown on the floor plan, photos and description..... she was mightly miffed that she'd tidied up for these carpet treaders.
Neighbours selling their beautiful house: rural near village A. Fantastic feedback about the house, the views but it isn't in village B. Time wasters.
When I was considering selling my late mother's house I asked one of the estate agents if I should replace the kitchen. Serviceable but dated. They advised me not too, as a brand new kitchen that wasn't to the buyers taste could actually put them off. On the lines of they're paying for something brand new that they don't like and it was better to have an asking price that reflected the kitchen needed replacing. I didn't sell in the end so don't know how that would have panned out. But I moved the kitchen completely in the renovation.