My parents house - suggestions please

missbiggles1

amnesia91 wrote: »

Probate is all fine - my mum left very little money.

I don't have poa but we are meeting with a solicitor this week - he just wants the house sold.

Missbiggles you seem to misunderstand - I am selling the property on behalf of my father in order to fund his long term care - jumping to conclusions and accusing me of theft aren't helpful comments.

Unless you have poa, I'm pretty sure you can't sell your father's property, whatever you intend to do with the cash.

Is your father mentally capable of giving you poa?

cattermole

You use words all the time like it might "bleed me dry"?

How does that have any bearing on your father's affairs?

I'm sorry but it sounds to me like you are trying to maximise the estate for your ultimate benefit not your father's.

If care costs need to be paid, when the money runs out they will be paid anyway.

G_M

Let's put aside the Probate/POA/theft discussion.

If OP does not have the right to do anything, it won't get done. So it's not relevant here to us.

The converse is that as Executer (if he is) and/or Attorney (if he is) etc, he has a duty to manage the property as best he can, and asking the Qs he is asking is clearly responsible.

No one can give a definative answer, but in principle

* a piece of land with Planning Consent will be a lot more valuable than land without. Planning consent costs a few hundred pounds, though add to that costs for an architect (or similar) to draw up the plans/application.

* An alternative would be to apply for 'Outline Planning Permission'. This would exclude some of the requirements for a full application, thus reducing the costs of an expert to draw up full plans, whilst still showing potential buyers that, subject to the fine detail being approved, the LA would permit development.

* another option is to speak to planners for an informal opinion. They all seem to have changed in recent years, so free informal advice may no longer be available, but for £100 (or so) you can seek 'pre-application advice'. Supply as full detail as possible: OS map of location; photos of the prperty/land; photos of the neighbours for context; sketch of what's being considered for their opinion showing layout, size etc.

They may say "forget it" or they may say "looks fine, submit a formal application" or they may say "Not like that, but if you change this it would be OK".

* Similarly a property in 'good condition' will fetch more than a delapidated wreck. Whether the extra value would justify the costs of renovaton is a tough call. Especially as any buyer is likely to want to change colour schemes, carpets, mabe layout etc ayway, so I'd recommend doing enough to make it superficially attractive (clean, bright paint etc) but not bother with major renovation.

Aucion? Last resort. Talk to several agents, decide on a price, don't get locked into a long contract with one agent.

cattermole

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Unless you have poa, I'm pretty sure you can't sell your father's property, whatever you intend to do with the cash.

Is your father mentally capable of giving you poa?

You are 100% correct Missbiggles1

bylromarha

So sorry for your loss. As someone who is going through this for the first time, I can understand why you aren't so bothered about typing the specifics of selling for you/your father as this is all new territory for you.

An auction will likely get you less money than using the traditional estate agent route. As for the pp, there may be some mileage in it. Worth asking the agent their opinion if they have a good reputation.

With my mum's house, we sold it in the state it was in as we didn't have cash floating around to do it up, plus the estate agent agreed with our independent builder friend that the money spent would not equate to a profit. And the estate agent said it was more desirable for our area in.a rundown state...he was right...3 viewings in first weekend, asking price offer same day.

amnesia91

Thank you G_M a helpful answer at last.

The idea of Outline PP or pre-app advice sounds appealing and I will explore it.

The house needs major renovation work which is why I thought a traditional agent may not be the best route - but I guess It makes sense to explore that first.

Thanks bylromarha - I think my intentions have been misunderstood.

We are in a similar position to you - my father and I don't have the money to pump into it to develop it, hence we will have to sell it as it is. It could easily be a developers dream, so I imagine it will sell - I just didn't know whether a traditional Agent would be the right route - with it needing so much work.

G_M

One other thought - it is not unknown for estate agents to advise against renovation or planning "because the costs won't make it worthwhile".

They then market the property at a low price as a wreck, tip off their developer friend who buys it, does it up, sells it (throught the agent - more commission) and then sends said agent off on a freebie to the Seychelles for Christmas.

Not saying it will happen - just something to bear in mind.

amnesia91

Not sure how I could avoid that though tbh.

Renovation for us is out of the question - it could be a bottomless pit!

I will explore your ideas on planning though - they seem like really good ideas - I was worried about spending a fortune and wasting lots of time only to get turned down at the end.

We are still some way from even clearing the house yet so we have some time before have to put it on the market, which will hopefully allow us to explore the planning options that you suggested

DandelionPatrol

cattermole wrote: »

Your father is alive - so probate does not apply.

Of course probate [or administration] has to be taken into account. OP's mother has died and without probate being addressed [words chosen carefully], mother's estate remains in limbo

SmlSave

Not if they owned as joint tenants dandelionpatrol