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

Contessa

Go for it!

moneyistooshorttomention

How's it going for you Contessa?

I saw your comment about not wanting to put up photos of everywhere in your house. Have you got yours up and running on the market yet?

Contessa

Thanks for asking. I seem to be stuck:( There's still one small bedroom that really needs redecorating, a couple of doors need painting and boxes of stuff still need to be stored in the garage. I feel so tired (physically and mentally) over the whole process that I just feel like putting it on the market as it is!

AlexMac

This is a great thread- please keep it up- and we haven't even got to viewings yet. Although, like the correspondence in '84 Charing Cross Road', the actual business of house-selling is less important than the existentialist sub-plots (maybe they'll film your diaries; who'll play the lead in the movie version now that Ann Bancroft's gone?... Streep? Dench?). Anyway - best wishes ...

...and Contessa, to momentarily return to the strand, and as regards your point above " I seem to be stuck...one small bedroom needs redecorating, a couple of doors need painting...I feel so tired ... I just feel like putting it on the market as it is!"

You've just solved your own dilemma. Just put it on as is. No one looks at the doors or the paint in the small bedroom... They see the flowers and the dreams. Hump the boxes (or take em straight to the charity shop) and just do it. Good luck

moneyistooshorttomention

House been up for sale officially for just over a week and me starting to feel bit frazzled at no viewers yet - but I know that the mega-desirable houses of this type in this area go within 2 weeks and the reasonable/reasonably-priced ones go within about 2 months. Don't know how long it takes for the wrecks to go.

I put my house in the second category - ie reasonable/reasonably-priced and therefore guesstimate it will take about 2 months before its STC.

First viewer lined-up at last and there was an astonished comment from me to the estate agent when they said the persons name to me (you'd understand if you lived in my area - cosmopolitan at heart it aint:rotfl:) and I duly diarised a viewing for them. First time buyer with mortgage agreed in principle.

Rang and told best buddy friend and her instant comment was "I bet I know where he works then:D". The thought hadnt crossed my mind - but I see where she is coming from in thinking that:D.

If my friend is right - then maybe the estate agent wasnt "spinning it" when he said "this viewer is quite excited about your place". It would be absolutely perfect for someone of a bit of an academic bent working where my friend suspects he does - not a "Wow" house for people generally - but yep...just right...for someone like that and I know there are no houses currently for sale in what they would consider an even better location for them (ie nearer to workplace).

Fingers crossed....

lessonlearned

Oooh a viewer. Exciting. Good luck.

lessonlearned

AlexMac wrote: »

This is a great thread- please keep it up- and we haven't even got to viewings yet. Although, like the correspondence in '84 Charing Cross Road', the actual business of house-selling is less important than the existentialist sub-plots (maybe they'll film your diaries; who'll play the lead in the movie version now that Ann Bancroft's gone?... Streep? Dench?). Anyway - best wishes ...

..

I see Maggie Smith as Money - perhaps a cross between Miss Jean Brodie and the Dowager Duchess from Downton Abbey.

An eccentric haughty Grande Dame trying desperately hard to hide a heart of gold.

moneyistooshorttomention

lessonlearned wrote: »

I see Maggie Smith as Money - perhaps a cross between Miss Jean Brodie and the Dowager Duchess from Downton Abbey.

An eccentric haughty Grande Dame trying desperately hard to hide a heart of gold.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Tears of laughter here at reading that one lessonlearned....oh how on earth could someone sum me up like that?:rotfl:. But I would say you've probably hit it absolutely spot on the head of the nail...

Errrm...yep...I would admit to being slightly "eccentric" in a lot of peoples books...:rotfl:(I've learnt by now to preface a lot of my more "personal" comments with "I know very well most people don't think the same way as I do, but this is what I think...") and yep...I would also admit to the "haughty Grande Dame" as well...:rotfl:

I am so hoping that this viewer is what I think he is and, if so, then I can understand perfectly why my house is appealing to him. If he is as I estimate - then...yep...I would go with "it takes just the right viewer who wants what they want to suit their own personal tastes" and my house would, in all honesty, be so-so and pretty okay for a lot of viewers and not far off "just right" for someone of a certain temperament/lifestyle and I think this viewer might be it if I'm lucky (where's a fingers crossed smilie when you want one?). The guy at my estate agents was positively "doing cartwheels" at the end of the phone by the tone of his voice when he rang me (errr...and I have a distinct suspicion that I have been summed up pretty accurately by them as well;)) - so yer never know...

moneyistooshorttomention

Frustrated - one viewer to date and he hasnt lined up a second viewing yet.

The EA employee who took him round relayed back what happened to me - including the strong "giveaway" sign that he might take the house that inadvertently slipped out. Also the giveaway signs that he can afford my current price.

Have had further feedback since then from bosswoman EA and I think the read between the lines interpretation of that is "He wants it - but wonders if he can get somewhere cheaper - and he will be keeping an eye on yours".

Oh no - a Games Player! Sometimes all it takes is one viewer I know - but I'd prefer it wasnt a Games Player. Well I expect he's going to be going on Rightmove every day worrying he'll see "sold STC" plastered across my house details - whilst hoping he will see that it's still available and I've cut the price.

My area is large enough that there are several very distinct house price areas and I figure mine is about 3rd down from the top in terms of "area price level" - so its obviously going to be dearer than the 4 areas that are a cheaper "area price level" than mine is.

Looks like he would like to get my house for the same price as I would charge for it if it were in our joint 2nd from bottom price league areas. Tough - its in Area 3 pricewise - not Area 6.

Early days....and hopefully the buyers will all come out in a rush over Easter.

I've checked out how much competition (ie other houses for sale) I've got in the Area 3 to Area 6 houses of this type range and there isnt that much. So Mr Games Player - and the other FTB's havent got that much to choose from if its a house (rather than flat or bungalow) that they want.

Sits back humming "Why are we waiting?" tune to myself....:cool:

Another employee at the EA has stated how FTB'ers come in to their office with a long list of requirements and then state they don't want to pay more than £165,000 for a place - cue hollow laughter once the door has shut about how unrealistic they have just been, as they cant get anything like that much for their money in this location (not unless they are willing to take "dump estate area" and all the trouble that comes with it bottom of the heap Area 7). £165,000 in this location buys a passable condition house in Areas 5 and 6 (with accompanying high risk of flooding). So - hoping for a modern house in Area 3 for that sort of price is a bit optimistic...I was checking out the details of one at that price in Area 3 this morning and it went pretty quickly and it was one Almighty Tip fit for builder job (not "reasonable, reasonably modern" as I grade mine at).

I'd soon get thrown out the door by anyone in the "top rung of ladder" houses here as far as I am concerned - if I walked in saying "I want modern kitchen, modern bathroom, large garden (not overlooked), good area and chainfree - and by the way I'm only willing to pay £200,000 for it". I wouldnt have a hope in hell of one single house in the whole location with that specification at that price....

lessonlearned

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Another employee at the EA has stated how FTB'ers come in to their office with a long list of requirements and then state they don't want to pay more than £165,000 for a place - cue hollow laughter once the door has shut about how unrealistic they have just been,

My lovely old EA boss - the bone idle one - summed these kind of people beautifully.

We would ask how he had got on with a viewing - he would laugh and say "mansion for sixpence".

In other words the viewers expectations were wildly unrealistic, and what they were looking for didn't exist at least not at the price they wanted to buy.

This phenomenon is not restricted to FTB's.

Games Player??? Welcome to the world of house buying and selling.

I did try to warn you some time ago that this is how it will be.

I said at the outset in an earlier thread that it was a game. The trick is learn the rules and play the game to win. If I recall you got rather angry with me ..........

Money this is the first time you have sold a property, and, from what I can glean, you have lived in your house for several years. The game will have changed drastically since you first purchased your house all those years ago.

House buying and selling has become a vicious cut throat business. I hate to say this but in general, when it comes to property transactions, people have become a lot less "gentlemanly" than when I first started out in the business.

Try not to panic, just play the game and play to win.

Above all - keep your emotions under check and keep a clear head.

There will be a buyer out there.

I know you want a quick sale and you are keen to get on with your retirement.

I am sorry there are no quick fixes - you are just going to have to be patient.

Well actually there is a quick fix - there always is. You know what it is and obviously it's unpalatable.

It's early days yet, Easter is round the corner, the weather is dreadful.

Give it time.