Quit everything , and start again over 50?

anna_1977

As long as you can afford the APR on the repayments then I think affording to do that carpet and house improvements are far more important in your case - just make sure it is affordable!

-taff

DOn't panic about not selling instantly. Every day feels like forever when you're waiting for an offer.
Mine took about 5 weeks before it went and I'm sure half of the people that viewed were only being nosy...I got a bit tired of making sure it always looked tidy....
It sold though and for what I was looking for.

On the house we bought, it did ask for offers over, but we put in offers under anyway. Putting Offers Over is not going to put people off. They'll just offer less anyway.

lessonlearned

AC. As well as the bark chippings try and add a few plants to your garden to really showcase it.

I don't mean to sound patronising or rude about purchasers but you would be surprised how many viewers have no real imagination. So many cannot visualise how a space could look, both indoor and outdoor. Some viewers really do need you to,spell it out for them.

(This is why developers go the the trouble of setting aside a show house - it costs a lot of money - but they work).

The best places to buy plants are Wilkinsons, Aldis, ASDA, and of course our old friends, markets. Don't forget car boots and free cycle. A lot of people are clearing out their gardens around this time of year so you might get lucky.

One of my recent finds is Morrisons - excellent for shrubs and saplings. I recently bought half a dozen saplings for £3 each. Not sure if Morrisons are down south though.

The DIY sheds also do plants of course but I don't find them cheap. Garden centres offer the most choice but their prices are generally higher. Garden centres are good for special specimen plants and showstoppers. The cheaper outlets are good for "fillers" and everyday stuff.

You can do a lot with £50.

Smodlet

Oo-arrrr, Tuesday, and here's hoping you have a great time and the weather to go with it.:wave:

Smodlet

Wow, LL, do I wish I'd been on here a few years ago when we were trying to sell ours. Not that the garden needed any work, it was beautiful, like a park compared to what we have now and it was, indeed, the garden that sold it in the end... took us two years, AC, so one month, even in London, is really not that long, I would think.

Maybe, in a very few weeks, activity could increase because it will be the summer holidays. What do you think, LL?

another_casualty

Thanks folks .
Here's how things stand : 1 viewing this evening. 1 viewing Saturday .
Possible 2nd viewing from old lady .
Waiting for credit card to arrive .
Will talk to carpet right , when it does.
Will purchase bark chippings for garden .
Will not be having anything to do with flowers,or plants.
I will need to know which indoor plants to get , that all insects hate.
LL, you did mention something a while back, but I've forgotten,)

And that is where I am at the moment ...

lessonlearned

Thyme. Insects loathe it, lavender is also good which is why they put lavender in traditional wax furniture polish, the wax feeds the wood and stops it drying out, the lavender protects against wood boring beetles.

All the old traditional herbs were grown for a reason. (Lavender also stops moths nibbling your best cashmere sweaters.:rotfl: and laying eggs on wool carpets).

Re the bark. Noticed they had it in Aldi today £1.99 - large bag , sorry didn't notice exact size but they seemed like the full size that you get in garden centres.

(You have to be careful in supermarkets sometimes for things like bark and compost - they seem cheap but they are often smaller bags). I thought that was a good price, anyway that gives you a benchmark price of what to budget for.

I also bought 4 geraniums for £1.79. That was good because they are decent sized plants and already in bud and ready to flower, not little tiddlers that will take a month to bloom. Garden centre was nearer £3.

(Yes I know you are not planning to add plants or flowers but it gives you an idea of prices for your next property).

I still think you are missing a trick by not tarting up the garden but I understand that it might be a bit too much work if you aren't feeling too good. Shame I don't live nearer or I'd give you a hand.

But for anyone else who might be reading and who is in a similar position, ie selling a flat which has a garden, roof terrace or balcony......these are like gold dust and you need to really turn them into one of your prime selling features.

City dwellers will pay a premium for outdoor space and you can turn any dingy yard Into a lush urban courtyard garden and a tranquil space. Neglect them and you are leaving money on the table.

Anyhoo - back from Physio - feel all delicate after my pummelling. It takes a couple of days before I feel the full benefit. Will be gambolling around like a spring lamb on Saturday but for today I'll just have a little rest and then potter about,

AC - good luck with the viewings. I know you are in a hurry and want it over with but it is looking very positive.

Your buyer is out there. I genuinely don't think it will be too long now. You have reduced the price by a considerable amount - I'm sure success is just round the corner.:D

Time for my siesta.......

lessonlearned

Smodlet wrote: »

Wow, LL, do I wish I'd been on here a few years ago when we were trying to sell ours. Not that the garden needed any work, it was beautiful, like a park compared to what we have now and it was, indeed, the garden that sold it in the end... took us two years, AC, so one month, even in London, is really not that long, I would think.

Maybe, in a very few weeks, activity could increase because it will be the summer holidays. What do you think, LL?

Hmmmm......maybe I could build this into a consultancy business, I could even do it online ...:D

Traditionally the market used to always to quieten down from about June onwards, with July and August being dead, picking up again once the children went back to school in September.

So you had your "Spring bounce", usually weather dependent And then another mini bounce in September and October, going quiet again through November and December.

Although the London market tends to be less affected by seasonal changes because of the influx of foreign buyers.

Wobbles such as mini panics on the stock market, general elections etc can also affect viewer levels so ACs EA may well be right that "Brexit" might be having a bit of a knock on effect.

The other big thing to remember was the Increase in stamp duty On 2nd properties meant that there was a rush to beat the April deadline, therefore there would have been increased activity last year and this spring.
.
Since then there will have been a lull and the market may have been a bit quieter as a result.

The truth is ......the best properties always get snapped up, no matter the state of the market. It's the "average" properties or the overpriced dogs that languish in a quiet market.

This is why I always advocate making your property the best it can be to make it stand out from the competition. If it has features that set it apart from the crowd then they should be exploited for all they are worth - and then some.

If your property has it then flaunt it.......:rotfl:

ACs flat might be a little tired and dated but it sounds like it has "great bones". All those features like private parking, a garden, a private entrance, and loft storage are real pluses for an urban flat.

You can easily change a kitchen and bathroom, but you can't add space that's not there - at least not in a flat.....:rotfl:

I'm sure it will sell soon.

another_casualty

Thanks LL;)
You and your physio, is giving me more motivation , believe it or not
10 years ago, I was the fittest of my life , seeing a personal trainer once a week, and going to the gym every day except weekends.
I will be getting that way again next year . Got 4 stone to lose.
When I get in reasonable condition , I will go for a sports massage once a week. Oh, and acupuncture ...;)

The only reason I don't want flowers in my garden are a) it's a low maintenance garden b) I got it specially designed with wood chippings and grass border, so it has that look.
Thanks for keeping me going .
Thanks to all who've managed to get this thread to over 20 pages

Thyme is on my side I guess
Just heard: today's viewing cancelled at short notice. Hoping to rebook .
I'm relaxed in a way , as I will soon get carpet/ bark etc.
Btw: I normally get bark chippings from wickes. Real shame I gotta pay for delivery , but even then it's still cheap
L

lessonlearned

Well I have got 3.5 stones to lose......between us that's a whole person:eek:

We will do it.

I was thinking of joining a gym and getting a personal trainer but I'm not fit enough yet. :rotfl: I would probably end up having a cardiac arrest.

My master plan is home based exercise for now - walking and Pilates, mini hand weights and resistance bands and the elliptical trainer and lose a stone by September. Then join a gym and dance classes , lose that last 2.5 stone and get super fit.

I have already lost around 10lbs so making slow steady progress. Just need to stay focussed.