No viewings on house yet!!! Help!!

DaftyDuck

The loss of a good schooling catchment area combined with the rapid return-to-market will have lost the house at least as much on the price as your (undoubtedly hard) work has added, unfortunately.

You say you need a quick sale; I think you are unlikely to achieve that, short of a massive price drop to less than you paid, and even that doesn't guarantee speed. The internet easily shows the previous selling offer price, photos and your purchase price and date, and that will alarm any buyer. Stating the truth that the house has dropped out of a schooling area will, itself, impact on the sale price.

Not what you want to hear, I'm sure, but I don't see a simple answer. Maybe put the child up for adoption?

JimmyTheWig

chelseablue wrote: »

Im not up with the school rules but could you rent a small place in the school catchement area and when she's in the school move back into the house?


Im sure once your in a school they cant just chuck you out if you move (my cousin has done the same thing)

You need to be careful. I've heard that they have got tighter over the last few years in terms of insuring that you really are living where you say you are. Don't know what the actual rules are. And I don't know what happens if you break those rules.

Or what is the school like that you are in catchment for?

That's a very good question. Is the school really that bad?

loveka

It's gorgeous, but I think the pictures are in the wrong order, so people are not being drawn in.

The gorgeous picture of the kitchen diner, number 9,which makes it look large and showcases the view should be first, not the one that is first. The hallway would look much better if you rephotographed it and took down the school photographs on the wall. Those photographs really sell a lifestyle, if people state loving something straight off in the first few photos they start to excuse the downsides which is the outside.

You have done an amazing job with it. I usually don't like modern houses, but I would view based on the kitchen if that was what I saw first.

tom9980

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

You need to be careful. I've heard that they have got tighter over the last few years in terms of insuring that you really are living where you say you are. Don't know what the actual rules are. And I don't know what happens if you break those rules.


That's a very good question. Is the school really that bad?

They certainly have got tighter in oversubscribed areas.

I have now looked at the Ofsted reports for the local primary aged schools and its clear there is no huge difference between the majority. Schools rated as outstanding were in previous reports only satisfactory or good. One in particular was influenced heavily by a new head teacher, and who is to say they will stay or move on as a super head to another school?

All that is pointless anyway i have known more than a few outstanding schools fail children in various ways, while supposed average ones do a very good job given the circumstances.

[Deleted User]

Yes, with two sons I have experienced a school that was reportedly the best in the area according to OFSTED.., but was feeding kids up on a conveyer belt to make as many as possible pass exams.., totally neglecting the 'not average' in either direction (the bright or those with special needs). I gave up after a few years.., the next inspection the school went into special measures, which was a more accurate reflection of the reality of badly behaved students and teachers who had lost it, with a useless headmaster.

I have also seen primary schools who were in special measures, once they got the right head.., become the best schools in the district. And then sink down again once the head left.

So refusing to move into an area because you won't get your soon to be reception age child into the 'right' primary school, is a bit of over kill. Personally, I have found having good parental attitudes to helping their child with schooling is at least as important as going to a school with good results.., which can easily change anyway.

Even having your child in a bad school for a couple of years shouldn't change their destiny. Far more important later on in schooling. You have time to wait for prices to go up, do up the bits of the house that still need doing up.., and then move.

AND remember its far harder to get a reception age child into the 'right' school .., much easier a couple of years later as other children move on (that's been my experience anyway). If a school is over subscribed, there's no guarantee living next door to it will mean your child will go there.

TBagpuss

I have to agree that the problem is that the property is overpriced.

I think a lot of people who could afford the higher price might prefer to buy a cheaper property and then do work themselves to their own taste.

I can see looking at the old pictures on Zoopla that you've made changes but the problem is that many of them won't be *quite* the same that others would have chosen to make- for instance - I love the big bay windows with the doors into the garden, but I wouldn't want that room to be open plan with the kitchen.

The kitchen is obviously new but the lay out wouldn't suit me, and while I could live with spotlights in the kitchen if I had to, I would actively dislike them in a living room.

All of which would mean I *personally* would be looking at the house and thinking I would have to budget to do a fair bit of work to get the house the way I wanted it.

Obviously these are only my personal preferences, but I think that unless you have a possible buyer who falls in love with your personal style, they are not going to pay for the changes you have made.

The fact that you are selling o soon after buying, and the fact that the property is leasehold will also put some people off.

If the school is a popular one then the fact you are no longer in the catchment area is also likely to mean the price will be lower than it would have been.

I think you should include a picture of the bathroom - if I were looking at the listing and saw that you've got no picture of the bathroom, I would assume that that is really bad, wheres (from the old zoopla pictures) I suspect it is mostly just outdated. I think you'd be better letting people see it .

Argghhh

flat roof would put me off it straight away - had bad experiences but my personal choice

Davesnave

Is there no appeals process re the school? If there is, I'd at least give it a go.

However, even if the school your child eventually goes to isn't rated as wonderful by those lovely people from OFSTED, it might be better for your child to go there, than end up somewhere else to suffer a home life with two extremely fed-up and stressed-out parents.

Been there, done that, but in those days we only had vests, not T shirts!

Dird

This house is within 0.5 miles from your house & looks the same: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40958038.html
The kitchen might not be as nice as yours but it's fine and the price is £50k lower. Why would anyone choose your house over that?

I think you overpaid (especially since it was listed at £180k...) if they're asking for £190k with no redecorating required post-boundary change. Most likely you're gonna have to sell at £190-200k and accept the loss or send her to another school. Might be worth watching that listing to see how quick it sells...maybe even phone for a viewing & ask if they've had much interest

Mrs_Imp

Dird wrote: »

This house is within 0.5 miles from your house & looks the same: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40958038.html
The kitchen might not be as nice as yours but it's fine and the price is £40k lower. Why would anyone choose your house over that?

Picture 10 might explain some of the price difference. My eyes are still hurting.