Nice people thread part 4 - sugar and spice and all things

PasturesNew

tomterm8 wrote: »

One thing that might really increase your sale price is getting planning permission for an extension (don't do the work yourself), but it sounds like you want to sell it quick?

To organise PP/deal with that etc, would take too much emotion/time/effort I think. Not sell it quick, as such, but be able to move on with the next stages of life. PP takes the full 8 weeks round these parts, then add in contacting architects, getting them round, waiting for drawings, etc, could end up 4 months.

Unless there's a way to avoid drawings entirely and just chuck in a form

Doozergirl

tomterm8 wrote: »

One thing that might really increase your sale price is getting planning permission for an extension (don't do the work yourself), but it sounds like you want to sell it quick?

Good point to advertise it with potential to be extended, but getting the PP is going to cost the best part of £1000 and it may not be what the people want in terms of layout etc. Better to point out it's potential and let them get on with it themselves.

It's only PP for brand new development that increases land value, you won't increase the value of a house with PP for an extension.

Doozergirl

What's Barnstaple like? Would it be a nice place to spend Christmas week?

PasturesNew

Doozergirl wrote: »

a) Leave it. Definitely leave it. You won't change the value by doing little things. Clear it of genuine clutter but furniture is good so people can see what fits. Make it clean, clean, clean. Clean really does reduce people's perception of what needs doing and will get you a better price on the sliding scale of minging-gleaming. Not on the scale of outdated-gorgeously modern, obviously.

September is the perfect time for home type people who want to be in for Christmas and people back from holiday mode and focussing on practical things. Not good for second homes, no doubt but is there much of a market for that at all atm?

Thanks for a speedy response. I have two "faster than the speed of light" helpers to do de-clutter/clean .... one's just left and it's like living with a whirlwind.... and they're "on call" and waiting for the shout out saying "come and clean/clear".

Plan A would probably be: find nice home for the well old, get them settled, call in the whirlwind, I'd stay here for security purposes with minimal personal effects.

The biggest issue might be what to do with irretrievable stained/manky carpets. Taken up you've then got boards/bare floors .... could stretch to £3/square metre stuff, but floors would be close to 70 square meters, plus any underlay/fitting costs. Whoever buys would be taking them out anyway .... what's best to do in the instance of irretrievable carpets?

I've no idea what's under them - these were all (yes, all) inherited (fitted in the 70s) when it was bought.

PasturesNew

Ill old is fading, well old is unable to look after themselves (can't wash, can't shop, can't walk unaided, can't manage bills/money). So I thought it'd be a nice bungalow within a complex, but now I realise it's the next stage really... some independent living space within a building where meals are provided and they just have to trot down for them. So I've one book for end of life care for ill old (had to go out and view them and choose even though they might never make that move) and another for various forms of residential care (which the well old is saying they want to do).

Getting POA set up for well old (in case), I'll take control of all financials and the house (as live in caretaker/security) until it's sold.

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

Ill old is fading, well old is unable to look after themselves (can't wash, can't shop, can't walk unaided, can't manage bills/money). So I thought it'd be a nice bungalow within a complex, but now I realise it's the next stage really... some independent living space within a building where meals are provided and they just have to trot down for them. So I've one book for end of life care for ill old (had to go out and view them and choose even though they might never make that move) and another for various forms of residential care (which the well old is saying they want to do).

Getting POA set up for well old (in case), I'll take control of all financials and the house (as live in caretaker/security) until it's sold.

You are doing an amazing job.

re carpets, I was really, really impressed with what the thing hired to clean the carpets did. (in fact was thinking we should get it again imminantly). Our carpets are also aged, there is one newer one, the rest are really old. They didn't look anything like new when clean, but they smelled decent and looked clean. I'd clean the carpets and consider, if they still look grim, buying cheap, clean, pale coloured/white cotton dhurries for where needs brighting up/wear covered. I like durries, the wear well, wash well and dry reasonably quickly. and though not uber stylish are practical.

PasturesNew

Also, the well old has no shoes that fit/they can walk in, nor any decent clothes at all.... and I've got an eye on the near future when I need to have them turned out for the final goodbye looking reasonable (not good, just not like I picked them up from the local loony bin).... speaking of which, I nearly got locked into one last week; visited a 'home', but it was the wrong sort and we were admitted and got trapped in what is a full loon place.... and we were edging our way towards the door saying "No, we can see this isn't the right sort of place... so we'll cross you off our list ... thank you ... er ... thank you ...." while the loons were closing in and we couldn't make a run for the door.

Davesnave

Doozergirl wrote: »

What's Barnstaple like? Would it be a nice place to spend Christmas week?

It is OK, but used to be a lot better. Out of town supermarkets and stores have half-killed the centre. Used to be lots of nice food shops. Still a few, but not half as many. There's a Pannier Market.

Just realised, I go to the out of town places myself, much more than the centre! :o

lostinrates

doozer, I always admire people brave enough to holiday in uk for christmas!

What are you looking for in a place?

Davesnave

Visiting homes is a scary, soul-destroying experience, but it can be worth it if you stick it out. They aren't all the same, even within a price band. I did around a dozen, and of those, only two were 'possibles.'

Eventually, I got Dad into the perfect place for him, but with the inevitable waiting for someone else to 'go,' that took almost 6 months. He was there 3 weeks.