Bulge/cracks in ceiling

Cakeguts

gcoopermax wrote: »

I think partly the reason the repairs have not been made is that the house has been a buy-to-let. The viewing was during the open day on Sunday, and the offers are requested by Monday (today!) evening. Unfortunately today being a public holiday, the EA isn't contactable so we have no chance of getting answers before we make an offer. Essentially, they expect potential buyers to make an offer without giving them a single working day in which they could phone up EA and ask questions. If you don't put the offer in, someone else might and the house will be gone. You'd think the buyers should be given a chance to clarify with EA/seller few queries before they make the biggest purchase of their life!



House has been on a market for few weeks, but no viewings had been arranged until yesterday which was open day. The seller wants divest the house and EA priced it up at "attractive price" to get attention of buyers. I have observed the pace of the property sale in this area and properties are typically sold within few weeks of being available on the market. The property in question is a semi, has outstanding school within 100m (close enough to consider the admission for the children secured) and has an ASDA superstore with petrol station within half a mile. The area is pleasant and peaceful. And the price advertised is in line with the prices of houses sold in last year and the ones available for sale presently.

It isn't usually a terribly good idea to buy a house based on what the school is like now because that could change. You have to consider if you would still think this house with its problems would still be a good buy if the head of the school changes and it becomes not outstanding. You can't guarantee that this school will always be like this.

You have a house that is badly maintained because it has been let so it is being sold at a cheaper price because it has problems. You won't know the extent of those problems until you start to try to deal with them. This house has not been owned by a good landlord because good landlords keep their houses in good repair so you are starting off with a house that hasn't been looked after probably for many years.

Does it have any other problems? If it is in a family area does it have offstreet parking for two cars? If not it will be difficult to sell so you need to buy it cheap because you will have to sell it cheap. Are there any other problems like shared access or right of ways through the garden? All of these devalue a house and if you are not very familiar with the area you may not know about them.

SG27

Cakeguts wrote: »

It it is an old lathe and plaster ceiling it will come down eventually if you leave it so it is best to get a new ceiling put up. (We had a ceiling come down in a spare bedroom once and it makes a mess.)

My lathe and plaster ceiling is still going strong after 300 years. Nothing wrong with lathe and plaster at all.

gcoopermax

Cakeguts wrote: »

Does it have any other problems? If it is in a family area does it have offstreet parking for two cars? If not it will be difficult to sell so you need to buy it cheap because you will have to sell it cheap. Are there any other problems like shared access or right of ways through the garden? All of these devalue a house and if you are not very familiar with the area you may not know about them.

It does have driveway for 2 cars and mostly all houses are semis with families. Garden is private and no shared access. We are getting clarifications from the agents about the bulge and other repairs, hopefully that will bring more clarity.