First time buyers - maisonette valuation

Skiddaw1

As a former (until very recently) resident of Reading, St Giles Close is a 'better' area, but the Charles Street end of terrace is lovely I think and has a nice garden too. I'd go with the terrace. I bet you can get the price down a bit. The EA marketing the house are (from personal experience) very professional and helpful too.

Crashy_Time

Yalpsmol wrote: »

Crashy have you ever seen a house you approved the price of (not being facetious, genuinely asking)?

Yes, and the posts are on here to prove it, not many posts I will admit, but this flat at a quarter of a million quid? No thanks.

Fire_Fox

itsinina11 wrote: »

The property is listed with an asking price of £240k (which is within our budget) and the estate agent has informed us that the other two maisonettes in the same building recently sold for over £240k. This is the last property for the developer to sell in this block and the estate agent has also indicated that the owner is therefore keen to sell quickly to free up capital to move onto the next project. As we are first time buyers we are ready to move in straight away so I think this puts us in a good position.

Given that we have no experience in the market we would be grateful if anybody could offer some advice about a reasonable starting offer to take to the estate agents.


Thanks

Welcome to MSE.

"Sold" as in exchanged and completed? Or sold as in "under offer"?

Are the other potential buyers not FTBs?

The estate agent works for the vendor. Don't let them rush you into overpaying.

Fire_Fox

The house is vastly superior to the flat: overall size, character, garden, parking, flexibility (lodger/ dog or cat/ baby).

PasturesNew

House -v- flat.

Flat has allocated parking. You might lose it occasionally due to a selfish plonker, but it's got your name on it. The house has residents' parking on the street, which is very hit and miss.

Flat only has windows East (morning) and West (sunset); you can't step outside no matter how sunny it is. The house has a sunny back garden, where you have the option of just popping outside and seeing the sun... or even drying your washing.

House gives you options for changes/growth if you so wished. The flat's not extendable. House gives you storage options, whether that's boxes in the loft, or getting a secure shed in the garden.

I'd always go for a house over a flat while younger. If the flat had "something really going for it" it might be worth checking again - but that looks like a "10 a penny flat", with no redeeming features I can spot over any other 10 a penny flat.

I don't know the area so I won't suggest others that are "better" as I don't know a good road from a bad road there.