Selling an Empty House

SeasideSally

parkrunner wrote: »

No central heating would stop me in my tracks. If you're prepared to drop the price the amount that the central heating would cost then just get it installed while the place is empty. As a buyer I wouldn't want the hassle of moving in and then having to get it done.

As I said, we have everything tied up in the property, so that isn't an option right now.

Thrugelmir

SeasideSally wrote: »

That's interesting. I've heard that storage heaters are like Marmite... it's a love or hate thing, and there's no in between.

Better than nothing at all.

Red-Squirrel_2

Can you borrow for a short period to put CH in?

Your downsizes will mostly want a convenient property and the usual creature comforts.

Also wood burners stand to become much less popular and maybe even a liability in the future: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/may/26/wood-burner-open-fire-pollution-cleaning-up-air-quality

trailingspouse

If you can't afford to put the central heating in yourself, then you can't afford it and that's that.
Don't put storage heaters in.
I wonder if a small portable radiator in each room would help? £25 each from Dunelm. Keep them on low to keep the chill off. You could even say you'll leave them for the new owners.

SeasideSally

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Can you borrow for a short period to put CH in?

This isn't a possibility at the moment.

Also wood burners stand to become much less popular and maybe even a liability in the future: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/may/26/wood-burner-open-fire-pollution-cleaning-up-air-quality

It looks like stoves that have been approved for use in smoke control areas by Defra will be ok, unless I'm reading that incorrectly. Ours is Defra approved.

SeasideSally

trailingspouse wrote: »

I wonder if a small portable radiator in each room would help? £25 each from Dunelm. Keep them on low to keep the chill off. You could even say you'll leave them for the new owners.

We actually have some heaters, and we suggested leaving them at the house, but the agent says they'll put viewers off. I don't know why. I think it's a visual thing.

But I'm thinking we may just put one in each room and see how things go.

G_M

If the property is proving hard to sell, bear in mind it's november. Then Christmas. No one looks in january. So realistically it will be Feb/March before viewings pick up.


What will it cost you to keep the property till then? Insurance, utilities, council tax, petrol for visits etc?


If throwing £2000 at it to install central heating gets it sold faster that could make financial sense, as well as getting ti off your hands, and mind, sooner.

elljay

Like DottieDam, the lack of central heating wouldn't put me off at all - but then I'd be a down-sizer. It could be more of a dealbreaker for young first time buyers who have had CH all their lives. Like many down-sizers, I grew up without CH so, nice as it is, the lack would definitely not be a concern.

Maybe your agent should market it towards the older age group instead of first time buyers?

It sounds as though you've had a plague of time-wasters. The cottage sounds lovely though. Good luck with it.

Thrugelmir

elljay wrote: »

Like DottieDam, the lack of central heating wouldn't put me off at all

In essence there is no economical instant source of heat. Wood burner wouldn't be my primary choice.

Marketing the property in spring not such an issue. At this time of year finding a heating engineer would be nigh impossble to perform any form of installation.

DaftyDuck

You say you are not in a hurry to sell...

At this time of year, central heating is high on almost every buyers list, and they will have as cold time installing it, will struggle to find an installer, and won't have much choice.

But, remove the house from market and then market to sell it in the spring, and they'll all concentrate on the garden aspect.

Edit: great minds think alike, T!