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Original poster

I thought that even in this markett any property would sell if at thw right price.

191 replies

twinsetandpearls · 21/03/2009 13:12

We have just phoned the estate agent to drop our price again to lower than we paid for it but I thought if that is what has to be done that is what we will do and just tighten our belts a bit further to save whatever we loose. {although the belt is pinching already.

We were advised to put the house on at 155 ( up north) we put it on at 145 to sell, we have dropped anad dropped and were at 129,500 and wanted to go down to 124.500.

The estate agent has done it but his parting words were
"Your house is worth more than that, we sold an identical one recently for 150K, you are pricing yourself too low for your target market and the problem, isnt the price but that no one wants to buy"

I am sure there is some truth in that as we know other people trying to sell who are not even getting viewings, we are getting those at least but the feedback is lovely house but we are unsure of buying or we need to sell ours.

So what do we do? Our savings have all gone, we tried renting it out but
1 it wont cover the mortgage anyway,
2 last time we did this we were rippped of big style and had top redecorate top repair the damage
3 The renting market is flooded
4All that means is delaying while prices drop further
5 we need to buy in a falling market as we are buying up.

OP posts:
Lizzylou · 25/03/2009 18:24

I'll just tell you then shall I?
They treat their staff like shite but they do sell houses as their pay is so poor.
I started just doing a Saturday as an escape, but am still doing it 18mths later until my new business starts making money.
I really enjoy it

Sorrento · 25/03/2009 18:25

There you go then T & P sounds like the answer is to move agents, simple as that

Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 25/03/2009 18:35

We are on our seond agent after the first agents were awful, maybe we need to move again. We had so many good recomendations for the estate agent we chose though.

Thanks for the advice on new builds. I will discuss incentives with dp.

I looked at the price calculater teapot and it said our house should be worth just over 155 which is where we were advised to put it on at. It is now on at around 125K

I am not that concerned about loosing money on the house , we have equity in it enough to put down a deposit here even if we sell for less than we bought. Obviously I do not want to loose more than I have to. I personally would rather loose money and live somewhere I love than remain somewhere I hate but have more cash in the bank or in my house.

I have not thrown your advice back at you, I find your tone quite abrasive but have listened to what you have said. I was simply amused at the certainty of youor views even when they contradict each other. I even said that I knew that really noone knows what is going to happen so we are all guessing and therefore will contradict ourselves.

Maybe I should not have moved when I did without selling my house, however that is how teaching goes. I got my new job last april I think I did not know that a year later my house would not have sold.

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Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 25/03/2009 18:37

Entwistle green that is interesting , they dont sell many houses at our end of town. People who want to buy near us tend to go to the estate agents in the village, we have used 2 of the 3.

I will pass that on to dp though and get my mum to do some investigating.

OP posts:
bubblerock · 25/03/2009 18:45

I'm sure I suggested this before, but have you tried Ebay? I know it's a long shot but you would at least get the house looked at countrywide, and (I know you don't exactly agree) but there are good points about Blackpool that you could include in your listing - beaches, colleges - with opportunities for rental to Bispham students, airport, theatres, easy commute to Manchester, close to Lakes, regeneration, fun things to do with the kids....

Take a look at THIS LISTING as an example - it has had over 1500 views!

You never know - someone may see it on Ebay and get in touch (you'd save EA fees too)

Fingers crossed you get a sale soon

Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 25/03/2009 18:46

Goldenpeach the feedback so far has been

  1. They want a drive and we dont have one
  2. I can buy something bigger if I move to a seriously rough part of town
  3. They thought we were not in the school catchment they wanted -we are but for some reason she thought I was wrong despite us offering evidene to the contrary.
  4. We really like your house want to buy it but cant sell ours
  5. We really like your house want to buy it but we want to wait for the market to settle.

Not many houses have sold recently on our road, at our end of the road people dont move very often as it is so nice.
2007 - teacher across the road sold in a panic as she had a new job [sounds familiar it went for 125K but it needed a lot of updating, no central heating, double glazing and I think from memory something came back in the survey.

2006 - house needing some work 133, 500

2006 - dodgy end of street 135,00

2006 - house bought that needed gutting and almost building again bought by a developer for 75K

2006 dodgy end of street 135K

OP posts:
Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 25/03/2009 18:47

God bubble imagine the paypal fees! What happens if the reserve is not met? Do you have to pay fees? Is it legally safe?

OP posts:
Chocolateteapot · 25/03/2009 18:57

I'm totally with you on the loosing money to live where you want. The good thing about all this is that you do have some leeway financially which puts you in a strong position really as if push comes to shove you can take a low offer. At least you are getting people in through the door now.

Haven't anything constructive to add but I do have my fingers well and truly crossed that you'll soon be able to start a "my house is sold" thread.

brettgirl2 · 25/03/2009 19:00

The feedback that interests me is #3 and 5. I am assuming this feedback is from the estate agent? What did they say to this?

Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 25/03/2009 19:05

Thanks Teapot, if we loose money we loose money we can earn it again . But if we loose yet more time living in a town we hate we cant get that time back.

Brettgirl
3) came from my mum. I think tbh that she just did not want the house and said catchment as an excuse. Hence her refusal to accept what she was told.
5) came from the estate agent, his reponse was that our house was already very cheap and we could not budge any lower so waiting to settle should not be a concern.

OP posts:
brettgirl2 · 25/03/2009 19:15

Hmm, it's impossible to know whether the estate agents' response to number 5 was sufficient or not I suppose. It just doesn't really appear 'dead' on the face of it does it?

bubblerock · 25/03/2009 19:18

They wouldn't pay through Paypal, it would be just a way of getting the house 'out there', if it sold then it would go through a solicitor as usual. An easier way of doing it is to auction 100 property detail sheets for 1p each + Postage, it will do the same job of getting your house seen by many but save the hastle of 'real' cash bids. Cheaper to list as well!

Also, google free property listing and classifed sites and get your house and contact details (maybe buy a cheap PAYG phone for this purpose) on all of them (there are lots) - at least you will feel like you are doing everything you can

Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 25/03/2009 19:20

number 5 was a comment some time ago. The others have been more recent.

Bubble there are quite a lot of houses in Blackpool on there.

OP posts:
Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 25/03/2009 19:20

number 5 was a comment some time ago. The others have been more recent.

Bubble there are quite a lot of houses in Blackpool on there.

OP posts:
Tinker · 25/03/2009 19:26

What about a lottery? Am sure it's worked for some people. There was a problem for one couple recently (would have to research) but if could iron out teh rules re lotteries might be worth some though?

lalalonglegs · 25/03/2009 20:42

Lotteries never work - just drum up some interest in local press. TSAP - I think dual agency is the way to go - perhaps with a cash bonus for negotiator who clinches the deal? You must be feeling wretched but try to look on the positive side: you are living in an area you love and this won't last forever. Blackpool is really seasonal - a good Easter - nice weather, a bit of blossom - might give locals push they need.

Because you have altered your price, I don't know which one is your house any more on the rightmove link from your old thread but is there room to provide off-street parking at the front? Could you get a planning app in to drop kerb and sell it with permission to do this? Might make is more palatable for some for the sake of £100 fee.

goldenpeach · 26/03/2009 17:48

Oh dear, the feedback is not very helpful. The key to selling my undesirably located house was to make it really nice indoor. We lived in unnaturally tidy, streamlined space for weeks, it was a pain. The other key was the agent, they did push the buyers. We had a previous agent who was of the nicey nicey school and nothing happened. The successful agent was local and determined to get sales, the other was a chain so they didn't care that much.

Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 26/03/2009 18:27

Our house is in a desirable loation if you want to live in that town if that makes sense.

DP has been enquiring about a drop kerb today.

OP posts:
goldenpeach · 26/03/2009 19:48

I realise that you have no location problem, I was just advocating the use of a pushy agent. Good idea about dropped kerb, my DP has discounted houses because of lack of private parking. It doesn't bother me, but he has been adamant. Needless to say, we have a drive where we rent.

Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 26/03/2009 20:58

It does have a location problem I would like to move it brick y brick to Dorset.

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Heated · 26/03/2009 21:04

Out of interest, how low do those companies which say 'we'll buy any property, in any condition' go?

Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 26/03/2009 21:07

I dont know I would imagine very low, we are going to look at some new builds this weekend to consider part exchange. I just want to quite literally move on and am willing to work bloody hard over the next few years to make up for any money we loose.

OP posts:
Lizzylou · 26/03/2009 21:12

Heated, they tend to pay 75% of the asking price, but a lot of them aren't doing much at the moment.
I haven't seen many about at the moment.

unavailable · 27/03/2009 16:05

I am sitting in my very tidy house feeling very disspirited (is that a word?) as the estate agent has just rung to say the viewing booked in for this evening has cancelled. This is the 3rd time this has happened!

There is nothing that I think would put off prospective buyers so much that they would drive by and then not even want to come in.

I am beginning to think the estate agent may have "made up" some prospective buyers - although I cant see any advantage in him doing so. Am I losing the plot?

goldenpeach · 27/03/2009 16:18

I feel for you, unavailable as we sold last year and I know well how it feels (hide the baby clutter, quick!). As a buyer I was annoyed to find out that sometimes estate agents withdraw viewings if they don't have somebody to accompany the buyer. Sometimes we felt like knocking on the door of sellers and say: 'Do you know that your estate agent is not allowing us to see your property?' Many times we really had to insist to get the viewing.