What do we do- stuck in a rutt and no idea ( selling)

mummybaker

We have been on the market since July. Things looked good the estate agents seemed really keen and enthusiastic. However since getting us on the books they have lost 50% of their staff in branch so now only have 2 people running the branch and no answering machine or service. I ring often and dont get through.

We have had 8 viewings which they have done but going on the information I have got out of the woman showing people round it sounds like shes made no effort to sell the house.
The houses round here all have small gardens and the garages are generally inset in the garden. When people have said " Hmm the garden's a bit small" rather than say like i would that theres a cycle path across the road and open park land 1 minute down the path. Shes instead telling them " oh it will only cost you about £5k to remove the garage and have it landscaped !" :eek::eek::eek::mad:

It seems like she makes problems for them rather than giving them a free solution. One or two have commented theyd prefer a end terrace when shes tried showing them the house. She's given up and not even talked them into having a look or even asking if theyd viewed a mid terrace before.

So you can see how things have been. We went on with them at £140000 and have dropped £500 off to get it back in the rightmove searches as they recommended. but today I called her as weve had no viewings for a month. The morale in the branch is really low and they have publicly !!!!!ed about each other to me the manager even stated he was going to haul her over the coals when she told me a viewer said the house needed a total over haul. he said the man just wanted a riddiculous bargain and was doing it on every property as they offered £125k. He said they had no intention of buying really and were just trying their luck.

When I called today she was a bit off and really seemed disinterested I asked if theyd had any interest and she said she wished she could tell me they were but noones interested. I completely understand this but I wondered why so asked what had been said and I got a repeat of the things above and she said" I think unless you drop £10k off the price you will be here for a long time"

I have enquired and they have agreed to joint agency so we have a new agency coming tomorrow to talk to us. Were stuck as we really cannot go below £135k as we wont have a deposit for the next house. literally every penny counts. I'm just not sure where to go from here. We desperately need a bigger place as the house is too smal as we have 3 children and a growing business under this one roof. ( I cannot afford premises and need to be home with the kids so cant free up space moving the business)

The house is renovated throughout and weve even put in new carpets but I'm not sure why else it's not selling. I have seen houses locally selling ok. Just the other week a 2 bed sold for just under £120k after 6 weeks on the market. If we were still on at £145k like before I'd understand it but weve £5k buffer for them to barter on now down to £135k and still noones taking it on.

Could it be the agent?

I've had friends say I should do all further viewings but I'm not sure. I could really do with some advice. We are in a nice area and I think I've presented the house well. I literally cannot afford to go out buying more things or redecorating so please dont suggest that as weve spent so much already.

Help, I feel like were stuck in a rutt.
Heres the house.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34881958.html?premiumA=true

The sad thing is the lady in branch seems nice I just think theyre struggling with the lack of staff but I need us to get out of here really and it has to come first.

lou34_2

We had no viewing for 6 months then sold for asking price to first viewer.So don't despair.Maybe houses locally to you sold because they were under the stamp duty threshold.

Yorkie1

I think if you are that dissatisfied with the current EA then changing agents is the right thing to do (is there a reason why you are going for a dual agency situation?).

It's nicely presented and the photos are OK. No floorplan but I doubt that's decisive.

I think your main problem is that you have overpriced it. I've looked on nethouseprices.com - which shows the last sales of terraces at 3-4 years ago (the most recent one won't have been updated onto it yet) - both at £135K.

Fire_Fox

There is a stamp duty threshold at £150K, that means houses that ought to be worth a fair bit more are available for that price, which can makes ones at £140K look less attractive and less valuable. Research land registry sold prices for your street and area more thoroughly, a good range not just the odd one.

You might try asking the agency to release you from the contract, perhaps writing and citing the Supply of Goods and Services Act and listing all your own negative experiences. To be honest if the house is well presented - as yours absolutely is - and correctly priced it will sell regardless.

Listing
No floorplan
Very nicely decluttered and decorated!
Garden looks tiny, what is the huge green thing in the foreground?
Paint your garage door and gate/ fence (being very picky).

mummybaker

Yorkie1 wrote: »

I think if you are that dissatisfied with the current EA then changing agents is the right thing to do (is there a reason why you are going for a dual agency situation?).

It's nicely presented and the photos are OK. No floorplan but I doubt that's decisive.

I think your main problem is that you have overpriced it. I've looked on nethouseprices.com - which shows the last sales of terraces at 3-4 years ago (the most recent one won't have been updated onto it yet) - both at £135K.

We have 6 weeks of our tie in left with the original EA so had to get them to agree to joint agency which they have thankfully. But they have said we have to complete our contracted 20 wks.

With regard to the price , the house across from us identical in size, they have a mini kitchen slightly bigger lounge and a downstairs loo, their garage is in th block down the road and not attached to the land and their 3rd bedroom is also too small for a bed and they sold for £129,999 to a cash buyer who moved in last week to renovate it ( it was pretty dated and needed a bit of an overhaul) plus they have a smaller garden believe it or not lol.

I've not looked on Net house prices myself I dont know how accurate they are but I've been watching the land registry for the last 2yrs and as a local area I know most people who have sold locally or our neighbour does ( he's great for info) most are going for £135k which is what we need to get too. I'd have thought advertising at £139,500 we'd get an offer of say £132 and work up to £135? but the offer we had was a silly one and noone else has even offered. 2 people are very keen but havent sold and the other her buyer fell through on her shared ownership so has to start all over again.

Do you think it's worth me doing the viewings myself? I'm pretty seperated from the house now I have no real emotional ties now as I'm ready to move and I think having the knowledge of the area and history of the house and whats still under guarantee etc. I have worked in sales and marketing for years so I have some experience of how to sell. Is it off putting for buyers or better?

mummybaker

Fire_Fox wrote: »

There is a stamp duty threshold at £150K, that means houses that ought to be worth a fair bit more are available for that price, which can makes ones at £140K look less attractive and less valuable. Research land registry sold prices for your street and area more thoroughly, a good range not just the odd one.

You might try asking the agency to release you from the contract, perhaps writing and citing the Supply of Goods and Services Act and listing all your own negative experiences. To be honest if the house is well presented - as yours absolutely is - and correctly priced it will sell regardless.

Listing
No floorplan
Very nicely decluttered and decorated!
Garden looks tiny, what is the huge green thing in the foreground?
Paint your garage door and gate/ fence (being very picky).

Weve been told the stamp duty is £125k what happens at £150k?

It's really hard as were only about £10k over the 2 beds but theres been an influx of repo's and dumps which are going cheap so it's made the market locally much weaker. The one across from us which sold for £130k I mentioned above was them vacating and just grabbing what they could for their retirement as theyve gone to Wales to their other house. So they dropped off loads off the price.

It's so hard for us as if we want to upsize we have to have £32k for the deposit and £135k will do it btu any less and it impares our next house choice of which there isnt much in the areas we can live in ( due to hubbys commute)

Floor plan , theyre tight and just dont do them but the one were hoping to go on with do if requested so i'll insist as I prefer to see them.
garage door is a pain in the butt and keeps peeling I painted it this summer a few months before the pic was taken, It's the metal weve primed it and everything. he gates newly painted too but is old so wont look it's best, the green thing in the garden is the childrens play house. We cant fit it anywhere else so couldnt move it.

mummybaker

lou34 wrote: »

We had no viewing for 6 months then sold for asking price to first viewer.So don't despair.Maybe houses locally to you sold because they were under the stamp duty threshold.

Yes i think thats whats happened as most are reposessions or need a lot of work.

It also seems like FTB's want a lot more for their money now and expect everything immaculate. Our house I think is done up well. you'd change the paint colours but it's pretty neutral. I just dont know why were not getting bites when there are viewings. This is whats led me to think it could be the EA.

go_cat

If the EA are really that !!!! I would definitely be doing the viewings myself and as soon as my contract with them was up I would be moving to a different EA

Yorkie1

Stamp duty is indeed £125K, then £250K.

Nethouseprices.com uses official land registry sold figures, so is very accurate. There may be the occasional property which isn't registered for whatever reason, but other than that it is reliable.

mummybaker

Yorkie1 wrote: »

Stamp duty is indeed £125K, then £250K.

Nethouseprices.com uses official land registry sold figures, so is very accurate. There may be the occasional property which isn't registered for whatever reason, but other than that it is reliable.

Phew I panicked then with the £150k being mentioned I worried I'd have higher SD to pay on the one we buy lol.

I shall check out NHP and see whats on there. I only know the recent ones which have sold in the last 6mths

Fire_Fox

mummybaker wrote: »

Weve been told the stamp duty is £125k what happens at £150k?

It's really hard as were only about £10k over the 2 beds but theres been an influx of repo's and dumps which are going cheap so it's made the market locally much weaker. The one across from us which sold for £130k I mentioned above was them vacating and just grabbing what they could for their retirement as theyve gone to Wales to their other house. So they dropped off loads off the price.

It's so hard for us as if we want to upsize we have to have £32k for the deposit and £135k will do it btu any less and it impares our next house choice of which there isnt much in the areas we can live in ( due to hubbys commute)

Floor plan , theyre tight and just dont do them but the one were hoping to go on with do if requested so i'll insist as I prefer to see them.
garage door is a pain in the butt and keeps peeling I painted it this summer a few months before the pic was taken, It's the metal weve primed it and everything. he gates newly painted too but is old so wont look it's best, the green thing in the garden is the childrens play house. We cant fit it anywhere else so couldnt move it.

Sorry to scare you, brain fart!!! :rotfl:

Can you long term loan the playhouse to a friend or relative?