Would you sell now or wait till Spring?

[Hummingbirdtree]

We want to sell and move across the country.
EA has advised that it’s a family home so most buyers will be looking to buy in the Spring to fit in with new school term.

I would quite like to be in a position to offer on houses in the Spring but that would mean having the house on the market for months probably over the winter or having to go into rental. I’m so tired of living here and just want to move.
We are on holiday till last week in September so would list in October .
Advice needed.

There is no point in waiting and dragging the process out. You’ve made the decision to move so I’d strike when the iron is hot!

In the UK?

Do you pay commission on top of that?

There is a percentage of the sale price to pay, yes.

That’s commission

so you pay per hour AND commission

and all EAs wherever you live operate like this?

Same. Isn't that their job?!

In fact, I've never been in the house when an agent has done a viewing, or met an owner when visiting a house to view. It's always been the agents doing the viewings in an empty house.

Are you not in the UK then? Most estate agents don't charge for doing a standard part of their job. I asked about a low cost agent above because I wondered if you had chosen one of these, who then expected you to do all the viewings yourself. You haven't answered the question still.

One of those (the August sale) was my late parents' house in 2012, but the others were over a period of about 28 years.

So average of 4.5 years in each home.

Itchy feet you have there! Any children to consider?

I live in scotland. Estate agents don’t do viewings in Scotland .I have sold in England so know the routine in England. It’s very different.

You use have spent a fortune on stamp duty and moving costs over the years

my sister lives in Scotland
she didn’t pay by the hour AND a commission !!

OP, find a different EA?

They ALL charge. I’m not a fool. I have also sold two previous houses in Scotland .

In any case we have a cat who is confined to the kitchen when we are away. She would be seriously stressed if strangers were walking round the house and it would be difficult to keep her in the kitchen.

He's talking nonsense!

People want to buy now with the hope that they'll be in for Christmas, or for when you need to declare your address for school admissions. (Often Autumn for making choices but the new year for proving residence).

Oh, apologies, I see you live in Scotland. No idea about school admissions, think you don't have all that malarkey in Scotland you have catchment schools?

But getting in by Christmas still stands.

They ALL charge by the hour AND commission

No Op, they do not

If your cat gets stressed, could you pay the agent to set up a 360 degree online tour and upload it?

I've ruled out viewings on so many houses by using that facility.

I've moved 16 times and have sometimes stayed in houses less than two years. I've always bought houses in a parlous state and renovated them. If you're doing this it is possible to make a decent profit even allowing for stamp duty and moving costs.

Okay I’d love you to find me one.

I think it would just be easier to wait until we are back from holiday as we need time to get the house ready too.

We have had three agents round and all of them said wait until Spring or you will miss the family market. There are two for sale on our road which have been on the market months but they are in a different price bracket .

Maybe it's different on Scotland? I know Spring is a classic time to put your house on the market but I'm surprised you're being told to wait till Spring at the beginning of September. It seems like ages away!

We aren’t in a rush because of jobs or schooling so I guess that’s why.

I think they offer that service anyway .Its part of the package.

Having done a very quick and unscientific Google, the results are saying the best time to put your house on the market in the UK or in England specifically is spring, followed by Autumn as people want to get in for Christmas.

www.zoopla.co.uk/discover/selling/when-should-i-put-my-home-on-the-market/

But when I ask about Scotland specifically the first couple of links I got (from Estate agents) just mentioned spring.

So maybe there is a difference.

But I can't imagine why people in Scotland wouldn't also feel the pressure to move by Christmas?