DIARY OF A HOUSE SALE - in a "static" house price part of the country

moneyistooshorttomention

...and when you've finished with said big strapping man lessonlearned pass him on in my direction please;):rotfl::rotfl:.

Mind you, these days I've decided the first sign of increasing age is having forgotten just what reason there might be to have an interest in big, strapping men anyway......errrrm....must have been for DIY purposes :cool::rotfl::rotfl:

Contessa

Although I have a garden and want another house with one I actually dislike gardening! I now find it a struggle to keep my garden tidy and it can get me down. Oh for that big strapping young man who also knows about gardening! A couple of months ago I viewed a "it would do" sort of house that had a garden of about a quarter of an acre. Almost all of it was used for growing vegetables and I know I'd never keep it cultivated. While I was still considering the cost of getting it landscaped to make it maneagable enough for me it went SSTC. I felt some disappointment (things seem sometimes more desirable if we can't have them) but it was a relief to my back and life savings!

Lister_2

lessonlearned wrote: »

I'd stick with the compass if I were you. They are cheap enough.

Just look on google maps with satellite view. South is down

I always look on google maps anyway before viewing to get an idea of what's around the property and if it's overlooked etc. Property photos obviously miss out the bad bits.

moneyistooshorttomention

Bit undecided exactly when to put my house officially on the market.

However, as I am looking in a very limited market (not many at any given time, because of the small size of the place) then I think I need to find my house first and then get this one onto the market second.

As I have the details and photos with the estate agent already and all I have to do is ring and say "Go - and I'll drop in a set of keys later today", then I think its best to make an offer on one I want and tell them this fact and that this house will be on the market "by the end of the week".

My estate agent has said to me that she thinks I should put up the house soon and then expect my buyer to "wait for me" to find mine. I'm inclined to think that thats either an error of judgement or they are putting their interests before mine.

I am expecting to get both first-time buyers and investors looking at this house. It is a first-time buyer house (though it could be "expanded" by converting the loft and the kitchen could be pushed out into the side return and thus enable a family to live here longer-term if finances meant they couldnt move up to the next stage of the housing ladder - ie the semi-detached 3 bed with a garden).

I gather a lot of mortgage offers are now time-limited and have a pretty quick expiry date set on them. I wouldnt want to lose a buyer because they were panicking that I had used up some of their "time" whilst looking for my house - hence another reason to find mine first.

Houses usually move at a reasonable speed here and a distinctly slow speed where I am going, which also leads me to think I'm best off buying first.

Waiting for the better weather now, so I can have a good long trip there without getting rained on every day...

Got to keep reminding myself that I downright need to sell up - do I seriously want to get any more frustrated every time I try and plant up some food in the garden and cant (ie because I havent got one yet) or have to keep climbing up and down a loft ladder every time I want to get to the stuff for store in garage (ie because I havent got one yet - so thats all up in the loft). I've certainly got no option but to move - but thankfully arent the "desperate vendor" so many buyers seem to be hoping for...LOL

lessonlearned

Hi money - wondered what stage you were at with your house sale.

Sounds like you are having a bit of a wobble.....Hang in there it all comes right in the end.

Re the timing - any time between now and Easter is good.

Re the should I offer first and then put mine on the market or vice versa.

There are no easy answers to this one. You could ask a dozen people and get a dozen different answers. They would all have a story to tell which illuminates their answer.

There are just so many variables and it's a bit like asking "How long is a piece of string". There is no right or wrong - it all depends - sorry.

In my case the house sold far faster than I had anticipated, which from all you've said about your area, could well be the case for you.

They were good buyers with no dependent sale, their mortgage was time sensitive, they offered me a price I was happy with. I gave them a quick completion and moved into rental. If I had not done this I doubt that I would have got my sale. My purchasers couldn't take the risk and wait for me.

It's working very well so far, we are renting a 3 bed detached in a good area at a fair rent. It is closer to the area where I want to buy so I am gradually getting to know the area and work out where I want to buy. It has a nice garden, it even has a small greenhouse.

I have signed a 6 month lease, with a monthly roll-over. I shall be here until at least September so can make full use of said greenhouse.

A lot of my favourite trees and shrubs were in containers anyway and I've just brought them here with me. They will move again when I do.

My next house is going to a be a project which more than likely will be uninhabitable for a while, which is why I'm perfectly happy to rent. I won't have to live on a building site;).

I don't have to rush headlong into the next purchase. I can bide my time, pick a bargain and get any construction work done before I move in. An extra 3 months or so in rented won't break the bank.

Finding your dream home and then not selling yours quick enough can be so frustrating. Getting stuck in a chain is no fun, especially if it collapses. You could lose a lot of money if that happens.

At any rate even if you do find your dream home your offer can only ever be conditional if your own property has not sold. The vendor of your dream home will not take it off the market so you have no guarantee that you would get the house, unless of course you have extra funds you can throw at it in order to secure your purchase.

You see - there are just so many variables, there is no one size fits all solution.

I had (sort of) made up my mind at the start of my journey that I would, if necessary, go into a rental. If you are careful any additional costs can be kept to a minimum.

Renting can actually work in your favour, because when you come to buy again you will be "unencumbered" and will be a very attractive proposition to the Vendor, especially if, as you say, the area you are moving to is a little slow at the moment.

I know the idea of moving into rented is abhorrent to many people - they see rent as wasted money - and of course there is double the upheaval. I cannot tell a lie moving when you are in your sixties is not as easy as moving in your 30's or 40's.

I have definitely needed a few weeks rest, but I'm really glad I did it this way. It has been far less stressful that trying to buy and sell at the same time.

It has worked well for me doing it this way and I'm perfectly happy with how things have turned out.

moneyistooshorttomention

Lessonlearned

Good that you sound happy in your temporary abode.

One thing at least is an absolute definite - I couldnt go into rented if I wanted to as a temporary measure - there isnt any there (well..make that count on one hand at the last look....).

"Wobble"....well...I have some emotional stuff pulling at me here...but I have always held to what makes sense to me and I have worked out logically is the best way to go on any matter. So, I will do the same when it comes to swopping house. I've often been extremely grateful that I always go with my head and not my heart when making basic decisions. I really count my blessings that thats the way I operate personally, as I'm acutely aware how much better my life is than it otherwise would be (ie if I was a "heart" person first and foremost).

I have read comments (including yours I seem to remember?) about having the most viewers in the first 2 weeks in all likelihood - another thing that inclines me to "get mine first" and then sell this.

Obviously, I'm in a bit of a state of limbo and cant really get on with my life at the moment. I'm starting to edge my way into my Retirement Lifestyle graduallly now that I've done the "work" aspect of getting this house sorted out - but cant go at it full pelt in some ways because this isnt my area any more and I don't see the point of getting that involved in somewhere from the retirement pov when I have mentally moved on already.

Reassuring myself this morning reading comments about the place-to-go-to and finding that the absolute consensus of opinion is that people like it, unless they need a job and/or are young (in which case they beat a path out of it). Well, being in the "dont need a job/not young anymore" category then thats fine by me personally.

I am bearing in mind the possibility of leafletting Desired Location and hoping that will bring up one or two more possibilities - depends if theres enough for me to choose from without having to do that. Think I shall go there with a bundle of leaflets in hand anyway. What have I got to lose after all? - other than about £80 getting them printed off...

Davesnave

lessonlearned wrote: »

Renting can actually work in your favour, because when you come to buy again you will be "unencumbered" and will be a very attractive proposition to the Vendor, especially if, as you say, the area you are moving to is a little slow at the moment.

I know the idea of moving into rented is abhorrent to many people - they see rent as wasted money - and of course there is double the upheaval. I cannot tell a lie moving when you are in your sixties is not as easy as moving in your 30's or 40's.

I reckon you can save at least 10% by buying 'unencumbered' from people who simply can't afford to mess around. I did

As for moving in your 60s, it's a doddle, because you don't have to go back to work the next day!

moneyistooshorttomention

Davesnave wrote: »

I reckon you can save at least 10% by buying 'unencumbered' from people who simply can't afford to mess around. I did

As for moving in your 60s, it's a doddle, because you don't have to go back to work the next day!

I'm still getting used to being in my 60s Dave:rotfl::rotfl:. Part of me cant quite believe it, but the advantages are starting to sink in slowly. A few unexpected "bits and bobs" of things to do have cropped up already since retirement, and I dont have to worry myself about how to "cram them in" on top of a job:D.

I cant quite get my head round having all the time in the world to do exactly what I please. I've been such a little workhorse for so long that my mind is boggling a bit at the moment about it. Its such an abrupt change, but I didnt have time for a full-time job (so it was problematic having to fit one in regardless) and the job was a walking disaster zone - so I'm only too glad its gone.

I'm quite methodical, so have got plan of action stuff/lists all pretty much done and "bits of paper" to do with this house all ready in a folder awaiting any requests for them from my solicitor.

I was being reminded by reading one of your posts this morning Dave (on the Daydreamer thread) that its best to get on and do this sooner rather than later. This, from your comments that you had posponed your move for several years because of your father and now had to pay more here, resented it there and I sympathise. Its best to get on with it and move, I feel, before one is too "old bones" oneself and has to make too much effort to dig yourself out of a rut and do so.

Anyway, I'm someone who needs new things to learn at intervals or I get bored and this will certainly be a learning experience. In the deep end in some ways type...But then, I've had being thrown in the deep end before now in regard to personal things I've done and I swam, not sunk.

hazyjo

MITSTM, nobody will take a house off the market indefinitely for you if you offer. If you really believe your house will sell quickly, you could ask them to give you a grace period in which to sell yours - two to four weeks or so. Personally, I wouldn't in this market, but I have before when prices were on the up.

I would try to combine the two - look and sell. Don't find somewhere before actually putting your house on the market.

If you do offer and haven't sold, it weakens your position. If someone offers say £5k under what your minimum was, it might mean that you could have tried a lower offer on what you're hoping to buy and recouped the money that way (allowing you to accept a lower offer). Also, what if it does take you six months to sell and the house you wanted is still on the market? Would you still want to agree the same price? My guess it it would have been reduced in that time, or you would have gone in with a lower offer.

Careful not to burn your bridges too early on.

Good luck.

Jx

lessonlearned

Davesnave wrote: »

I reckon you can save at least 10% by buying 'unencumbered' from people who simply can't afford to mess around. I did

As for moving in your 60s, it's a doddle, because you don't have to go back to work the next day!

True but unfortunately years of lifting my disabled husband have wrecked my back, neck and elbows, so I do have to pace myself.

No real problem though I have two strapping sons who provide the muscle, who love their mum;) and are always happy to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in.

Like many others our age I am a member of what is called "the sandwich generation" so can feel a bit stretched at times - frail elderley parents, my own children and of course a poorly husband.

No real time for "retirement stuff" but I am hoping to travel a bit.

At least I'm not babysitting a clutch of grandchildren - yet - although I'm looking forward to that.

Yes and I do like my lists.:rotfl: