Mistake in buying our house. WWYD?

[itshalloweeneveryday]

Have name changed as I'm embarrassed about this expensive mistake.

We bought a 2 bedroom house in an up and coming area which we are not familiar with.

My immediate neighbours are council tenants. One plays loud music,the other one has massive dogs that have threatened our cat. Haven't reported either of them. The rest of the neighbours keep to themselves. It's a strange neighbourhood.

We want to sell within the next two years.

initial plan was to save up to renovate the kitchen and bathroom. Both were cheaply done and have seen better days. Think "landlord's special". They really look awful.

But now that we want to move, we'd rather use that money for the next house.

But we need to sell the house. Those two important rooms could be a dealbreaker for potential buyers. There's also a house on the same street that hasn't sold since last year. Market isn't great.

What would you prioritise? Would be interested to hear from those in similar positions
We haven't even painted the house. Barely any
money to do anything. Moved in last year.

To be honest as a buyer I’d see someone selling after just 2 years & having done nothing to the house in that time as a red flag and it would put me off buying. It’s makes it very obvious there is something wrong.

I’d just wait and see what the markets like in 2 years, a lot can change.

@Mrsttcno1 really? People move for so many reasons, break ups, travelling for work/family, inheritance resulting in increased budget, family growing, redundancies, ill health.

Whilst people may ask, just tell the estate agent a fake reason and keep to that.

You were prepared to buy it with the rooms as they were. So will others. Don’t invest money in renovating, just make the rooms look as basically decent as possible in a blank canvas kind of way, maximise the space, maybe stick a nice wallpaper on a feature wall or something. Your priority is getting the hell away from the noisy neighbours. Probably tell interested parties that you have to relocate or move close to elderly parents or something. In case they wonder about why you’re moving so soon. Depending on where you want to be you could part exchange for a new build but obviously you want to be careful about your next location.

Sorry to hear this OP. We've made some mistakes too, but all's well that ends well. I think you just have to bite the bullet and go. Carefully research your next home, factoring in any financial loss that you might expect. Luckily Rightmove makes this easier nowadays. Peace of mind and quality of life trump all financial considerations. Good luck 💗

I agree with pps - there are lots of reasons you could give for needing to sell soon after purchase. The EA won't be checking up on you so it doesn't really matter and I doubt they'd care anyway.

I wouldn't be spending any money on the house. I might even be tempted to stick it on the market straight away and see what happens. Like others have said, you bought it in it's current state so someone else will too.

The condition of the kitchen & bathroom didn’t put you off buying the house did they? I wouldn’t be doing anything expensive to the house at all if you plan to move within 2 years. I would stick to cheaper jobs like a bit of painting & decorating.

Can you rent it?

it didn’t put you off buying - just ham up the nice bits eg up and coming area etc

Yes, just to add, I spent a fortune doing up a bathroom before selling and it was the first thing the buyer ripped out! Ask the estate agents, they will tell you not to bother with that or the kitchen. Both are rooms that buyers will have their own preferences for, so leave them to it.

How do the neighbours dogs “threaten” your cat & what could the neighbours do to change that?

My neighbours dog used to bark & snarl at my cats when we first adopted them but they now live quite comfortably side by side. You can’t really change animal instincts.

The loud music I would report.

Personally, I’d carry on & improve the house as you’d planned to. A lot changes. We have 2 bed HA houses in our cul de sac and, to be honest, it’s like a revolving door of tenants. They all move to a 3 bed eventually. The 3 bed tenants have all been here 20+ years.

I’d wait & sell when you originally intended to.

Some people want to buy houses already done up.

Some people want to do them up to their taste.

If you are a landlord, you generally don't want to buy a place with expensive fittings, so any house that is done up at great cost is often a no no for purchase.

If you are a private buyer you often want to put your own stamp on a place in style and also choose something either cheaper or more expensive depending on your budget.

One universal thing is that everyone hates tearing out new stuff that has been fitted but they don't like. It feels like a waste of money.

So long as it is priced appropriately it will sell.

Did you pay stamp duty on it? If not moving should not penalise you financially that much.

If they are council tenants report them for anti social behaviour. People like that deserve to be evicted and the property given to a decent family when we have such a shortage of social housing...

And then prepare for the house to be unsellable because you legally have to declare those disputes to any potential buyers.

@Mrsttcno1 · Today 21:05

And then prepare for the house to be unsellable because you legally have to declare those disputes to any potential buyers.

Not if they are evicted. Problem solved and nothing to declare.

Ypu can’t really lie to the EA if you are making an onward purchase. They will be involved

so you cant say you’re splitting up or moving to a new area as they will know

Don't upgrade a serviceable bathroom or kitchen in order to sell. People have different tastes and a loved up young couple with cash may want to "put their stamp on it".
Just put it on the market and see what happens. If you both have jobs then all's well that ends well.

Don’t you have to declare any problems you have with neighbours if you have reported it,

Lie through your teeth (plausibly and with a story nobody can prove was false) to the estate agent and prospective buyers about why you want to sell. People like your council tenant neighbours don’t change because they have no incentive to.

Do not report them because you’re legally obliged to declare this to prospective buyers.

You clearly don’t have much experience with council housing if you truly believe this would get anyone evicted.

@itshalloweeneveryday don’t report anything if you plan to move soon because you will then have to disclose it under neighbour disputes.

God forbid someone points out you’re giving out shitty advice😂

I'm sorry to hear this. I bought and sold within 17 months because of awful neighbours. I felt at one point my house was worthless but it wasn't.

Fortunately my house's kitchen was fairly new and in good condition but the bathroom was a landlords type. I paid for new doors, interval and external and I wish I hadn't. I lost money selling it but being there broke my health.

In your shoes I'd just freshen it up a bit, paint the walls white and scrub it. I wouldn't spend a penny more. As long as it's the right price, even in a slow market it will sell.

People move for lots of reasons. You could say you are moving for work?

For your sanity I would move as soon as you can.
I would paint everything white - cheap trade paint, maybe a feature wall here and there. Ugly bathroom tiles, paint them, make the garden neat and tidy and clean the house until it sparkles! I appreciate it is hard to find any enthusiasm for a house you dont love, but you can do this. As for telling the EA your reason for moving, they wont be interested in the slightest, but something simple would be best...nearer to family, work, need more room for children, more room as working from home now, need a garage, bigger garden.... it really doesnt matter.