My parents are selling in Scotland, no viewers. What to do?

[Fimbo]

Parents are hoping to move down beside us in England. Their property has been on for 2 weeks with no viewings, the home buyers report is not exactly happy reading (old doors etc that have no safety glass, some of the electrics need updating, rendering on house may need repairs in the future). They can't really afford to drop the price, if they are to move here where houses are much more expensive.

They are late 70's and there the house is generally old in taste, swirly carpets etc. It is not that appealing to younger couples but the garden is fantastic and beautifully kept, there is also a good loft space which could easily be converted, they are on a large corner plot where the house could be extended.

My father doesn't take kindly to critcism and doesn't see anything wrong with the house/decoration and will blow up at me if I suggest anything needs altered. They also don't have the money to tart it up any further.

It is also not the best looking house from the outside.

Wwyd to help it sell?

I hate to say this, but there are scores of houses just like that on sale around here and none of them are selling.

If it's a family home, a family with young children is generally not going to want to deal with work like this.

We lived in a home like this, rented. We would not have bought the place in that condition. Our landlords moved back in and had it all done, and it was a lot of work and hassle even for them, a retired couple with all grown children and none living at home.

And something else: VAT will rise in January and it will apply to repairs like this. So anyone looking at the house and the amount of work needing done realises it all has to be done within a very short time frame or it will cost even more.

See what the estate agent says, but in this market, it may be a case of drop the price/get the work done or try to rent out the house.

God we feel your pain.
We've had ours in N Lanarkshire on the market since Feb and not a single viewer, now on our second estate agent (last ones were really shite dispite taking about a grand off us, including homereport) for nothing, new agent more proactive but still no viewers.
We were trying to sell our flat for two years in London before this (it took two years)so were kind of used to it now!!
Just some observations of your post, the EA pictures are the key to getting people thru the door so if the pictures of the rooms are including swirly carpets then a lot of people will be put off (they dont want to move in and then get new carpets as well), maybe ask for more general ones of rooms and you say that the gardens and additional space are great then have some pictures of these instead of the negatives.
The only other thing to ask is what they are selling it as, 'offers only', 'Fixed Price' or 'offers in the region of'. From speaking to EA, Offers only not really working as the market not strong enough, fixed price gives buyers assurance of what they have to offer to get the property and OIRO show that your willing to bargain with the buyer for a maybe lower price.
Not sure what else I can say but good luck!!!

Trouble with that is that if you don't show thorough pictures of the inside, people right away assume something is wrong with it or it is dire.

Really, as VAT is going to rise and it is nearly July, realistically, a buyer will only have about 3-4 months to get everything done without having to pay even more.

And there is a lot on sale just now.

So it might help to approach the EA and see if he/she will have a word with your parents about price or upgrading.

Thanks both. The house needs gutting really but sadly my parents don't see it, they have their heads in the sand. It is in Dundee so although it is being handled by their solicitor who is acting "estate agent",although in reality it is through TSPC. Trying to be realistic with my father is a thankless task. Thank god they changed their avocado bathroom suite last year, although they were still maintaining that avocado would come back in vogue. So you can see what I am up against.

Interesting thread - we're about to put our flat in S Lanarks on the market to move down south too. I've heard/spoken to estate agents who have said that because it's much more difficult to borrow money than it was a coupleof years ago, many more buyers are looking to buy places in a 'walk-in' state, simply because they can't borrow any extra money on top of the mortgage to do much int eh way of renovation. So if there is a lot of work to do on the interior, perhaps your parents do need a nudge in the right direction.

I can see that it must be a bit of an annoyance if you're moving anyway to have to do it yourself, and also perhaps upsetting if it's your family home.

Just sold, on the west coast, but I imagine its not too different. No viewers in 2 weeks not very unusual unfortunately. We sold in 2mths and everyone including EA was amazed!

We were actually looking at lots of houses with swirly carpets and work needing done etc as it was the only way we could afford more space. House we have finally bought had been on sale since last Oct.

If it is a good house, and there is nothing majorly wrong with the structure of the building I don't think young families will be put off - but also don't think it will be a quick process sorry!

Might be worth asking your Dad to go and see a similar priced house so he can see what the competition is like. Better still if his EA has sold something like this recently they might be able to show him what works vs what doesn't. It might make him less defensive and see it as constructive rather than criticizing the home he's lived in for a long time. It might take the emotion out of it for him and make him see it as a business transaction (which it is).

I think it's best to try to put this in the EA's court if possible.

If it needs work and the price is wrong, well, that is a problem.

Fimbo, we are also trying to sell my dad's house in Dundee so I know what the market's like there.

His house hadn't been touched for years and still has the swirly carpets etc so we've not shown any internal photos but we have posted a floor plan which is a great way to show the potential of the property.

TSPC is a wonderful organisation with a wide readership so don't despair. And, given the chance I'd move back to Dundee in a heartbeat - it's a wonderful place to live.

My aunt and uncle have just sold their ex council property. It is a nicer looking house from the outside but internally the same sort of decoration (my mother and aunt are sisters!). They had people crawling all over it and it went to a closing date and they accepted an offer well in excess of the £120k asking price. Therefore my dad thinks his house should be going the same way.

Thank you everyone for your input.

Ooh Hormones! My parents house is within walking distance of Ninewells, which was reckoned to be a draw as people would not have any parking probs.

What was the difference, though, Fim?

Was theirs in say, a good catchment area in Edinburgh?

Because that's the situation with my ILs.

It's HA house, but it's a) a semi-detached house b) huge back garden on a street where most of the back gardens have conservatories and extensions in them c) front driveway/off-street parking d) in a very desirable part of Edinburgh.

So yep, even though it needs hella work, it'll fetch more than if it were sitting in even another part of Edinburgh.

Oh sorry no, still Dundee in a majorly council area albeit a nice one. My parents live in a supposedly posh area, they live in a road surrounded by different types of houses.

How are the schools? Maybe they can play up that angle.

Yes local Academy good. Primary is a bit of a hike though but probably less than 10 minutes by car. Within walking distance of a teaching hospital. Very easily commutable to the University, a technology park etc etc. On a very good bus route.

I think I possibly need to reword the schedule and ask for a floorplan to be put in and ask for the lounge picture to be taken out but I would need to suggest it to my dad first . I am kind of tempted to link it on here but I don't really want to out myself to anyone who might know me in rl

Fimbo - I live in Dundee and have bought and sold here a couple of times. First time we sold our flat we went with a solicitor - and it took bloody ages (even though was in TSPC) For selling our house we went with Thorntons - and although it took a while we thought they were much better (though a bit more expensive).

If in walking distance from ninewells - have you thought of advertising it in the hospital or on the staff intranet? - DO they know anyone working in NHS who could help? (I'd offer - but am on maty leave at minute)

If you let me know where house is I'd be happy to have a look at schedule on TSPC and give you any ideas?

Or if you don't want to out yourself give me a clue to the house???

I had this with my mother, it took her 3 years to sell her house. In the end she dropped the price from 345k to 235k as she was so desperate to sell. I don't think she got market value but she was so desperate.

We've had 3 viewings since october and our house isn't nearly so dated, neutral colours. It just seems to be the way of it at the moment.

I think a lot of it is that people are just not able to borrow the kind of money they used to.

Our former HV is, well, an HV, her husband is a professional as well. And their problem is that they can't borrow what people want for their home, even with equity from the sale of their present house.

So you get a lot of stagnation - people can't borrow what they used to and pay the m money vendors are seeking, and they can't sell their present house at a price they need to cover what they can't borrow anymore.

LAL123, you can email me on saltire 99 @ b t internet . com, if you like.(remove all spaces)

Meant to ask Fimbo, do the TSPC also advertise on Rightmove? I think that is the first place most people look, even in Scotland, and I know that here (Glasgow) the estate agents seem to promote that in their spiel rather than presence on the GSPC website/paper these days. I do wonder whether your parents might be better off going with a 'proper' estate agent rather than a solicitor if things continue to be quiet, just because their marketing is a bit slicker, and their reach a bit bigger?

Also, I think from talking to EAs recently, that things tend to slow down a bit in the summer hols and then pick up again in Sept/Oct. October is traditionally one of the busiest months, apparently, as it's the last month people can really buy in order to be in a new place by Xmas.

I think in Tayside the TSPC is where most people look first.
I would second the recommendation of Thorntons for selling property, they do seem do so a good job of getting the best price for a property.

No TSPC does not use Rightmove.

Have shoved it on Gumtree this afternoon, without photos! With my contact details, haven't said anything to my parents. I doubt anything will come of it, but it is worth a try.

McCarthy Stone may do part exchange on one of their retirement properties on a development yet to be built down here. Enquired at another development which is now all sold and they said they would consider it.

We shall see.

Thank you to everyone who has taken time to respond to this thread!

From a practical point of view - if its the house I think it is (blue carpet in living room?) then the pdf file is taking forever to open!!