House not selling

ReadySteadyPop

Exodi said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

People look at price location and size in my opinion, they can tidy and re-decorate for themselves, bananas going brown are not going to put off buyers but you also can`t expect buyers to cover your costs, if they think it is only worth so much there is nothing you can really do about that, and a buyer can offer anything they want but if they need a mortgage it is their lender`s valuation that really counts. Are you using PropertyLog to get a feel for pricing on similar houses?

I agree with the second part of your comment (that you can't price a house based on your costs) but I don't think the first is true, as buyers aren't all objective robots.

Not only does shoddy paintwork or missing carpets cause the buyer to add up costs in their head and potentially expect a discount to cover them, it also instills a fear that 'if they're not looking after this, what else have they not looked after?'.

If humans were all objective and unphased by presentation, then all these house staging companies wouldn't have a business.

Hb92 said:

Exodi said:

To be honest I think things like painting are such easy wins (but can be so detrimental to viewings) that there's really no reason not to get them addressed. Could you ask him to do it if you pay for the paint? Could you do it? I note you paid decorators to do it previously.

Unfortunately he is very lazy. I would do it myself but my financial situation isn't good at the moment and I really couldn't afford it. I got the hallway done purposely because of the house sale but my Dad had to fund it all as I couldn't pay and he didn't offer anything either. 

The 2 spare rooms are just plain anyway and one of them is empty.

A tub of white, a roller and a paintbrush or two won't set you back much more than £20-£30.

But if by 'plain' you mean white (and not bare plaster) then that's not too bad. You're at least getting views which means you're not a million miles off selling the house.

I'd at least consider a scenario where you can accept less than asking price and possibly go into debt - weighing it up against paying half the mortgage on a house you don't live (in which likely a third will be going to interest).

These are fair points, not sure how well "staging" companies are doing now though?

FlorayG

I've just been reading this thread and remembering a house I wanted to buy, One partner had moved out to her parent's house the other was still in the house for sale. It was overpriced and he absolutely would not budge on the asking price. Even the EA told me it was overpriced and sighed and said " It never will sell at this price" but the partner who had moved out was stuck because they both had to agree a price to sell. The partner remaining in the house had nowhere else to go and was 'sitting pretty' there. 
This was during the mad period when houses were selling in 24 hours and it was on the market for months before I saw the 'For Sale' notice removed. I don't know if they sold or gave up trying. Can you move back in? I would grit my teeth and do that

Exodi

FlorayG said:

I've just been reading this thread and remembering a house I wanted to buy, One partner had moved out to her parent's house the other was still in the house for sale. It was overpriced and he absolutely would not budge on the asking price. Even the EA told me it was overpriced and sighed and said " It never will sell at this price" but the partner who had moved out was stuck because they both had to agree a price to sell. The partner remaining in the house had nowhere else to go and was 'sitting pretty' there. 
This was during the mad period when houses were selling in 24 hours and it was on the market for months before I saw the 'For Sale' notice removed. I don't know if they sold or gave up trying. Can you move back in? I would grit my teeth and do that

Yeah I think everyone is a bit dubious about the ex-partners motivation to sell, given the circumstances. It's not hard to see why it might not be in his interests to sell immediately (he's currently paying half a mortgage where he's gaining equity vs paying full rent gaining no equity - and he has an inheritance round the corner).

I had a similar experience buying my own house - the ex-wife was still living in the house.

House sale took about 6 months from offer to completion, and we got a lot of "dunno" answers to very basic questions.

When we did eventually move in, there were several walls with long deep scratch marks (as if a knife or pair of scissors had been run along them), likewise there was a door that had clearly been stabbed many times, and the door in the master bedroom had a fist sized hole in it. These were not present during viewings.

I didn't raise any issues (as most except the hole punched in the door are relatively easily fixed) but I'd guessed it was an emotional outburst from the ex-wife at the last minute. It didn't really make much sense to me as the only person affected was the innocent buyer, but I appreciate anger doesn't cause us to think rationally.

The reason I mention this, is because the estate agent mentioned the circumstances of the sellers to me, and the offer I made was about 10-15% off the asking price, because of the sellers circumstances and as basic questions weren't responded to (e.g. does the underfloor heating work (as it isn't practical to wait for several hours during a viewing to check) again response was "dunno"). Silly really because most of the 'worst case scenario costs' which I'd deducted in my offer didn't end up being required...

It may be the same as with the OP's house, buyers learning of the sellers circumstances might be reluctant to join the nonsense antics of a couple breaking up, where one is still living in the house. And if they are, they're likely not going to want to pay sticker price for it if they can get a similar house round the corner without the shenanigans.

ReadySteadyPop

FlorayG said:

I've just been reading this thread and remembering a house I wanted to buy, One partner had moved out to her parent's house the other was still in the house for sale. It was overpriced and he absolutely would not budge on the asking price. Even the EA told me it was overpriced and sighed and said " It never will sell at this price" but the partner who had moved out was stuck because they both had to agree a price to sell. The partner remaining in the house had nowhere else to go and was 'sitting pretty' there. 
This was during the mad period when houses were selling in 24 hours and it was on the market for months before I saw the 'For Sale' notice removed. I don't know if they sold or gave up trying. Can you move back in? I would grit my teeth and do that

Moving back in isn`t a good idea, taking the offer of 150k before mortgage rates start moving up again would be my advice.

NameUnavailable

Ex estate agent here. I usually found properties being sold by couples who were splitting up more difficult for a number of reasons;

One party doesn't want to sell (either can't afford another place to live or hopes keeping the property might mean getting back together) and does everything to put any buyers off.

Buyers - if they know - get bad vibes, it is an unlucky home!

Buyers, even if they don't know, pick up on an awkward atmosphere (ususally only where vendors are present for viewings).

The home can feel cold and unloved if both parties have given up on it and just waiting to sell (see comments about doing any obvious work that's needed).

I would visit and try to look at the place as if you were a buyer, sort any obvious problems (clean, freshen up etc.) and consider doing any jobs that may mean doing some painting etc. Make sure the agent does any viewings and that your partner isn't there! Ignore most feedback from viewings, people just say stuff to give an answer, not what they really think, usually!

Don't expect much to happen for the next few weeks, new year should bring more interest.

ReadySteadyPop

dinosaur66 said:

from my own experience of selling propertys its just december that seems so hard to shift property

i understand people concetrating on xmas but i would have thought a house comes first but i had 2 viewings in december 2014 in essex and i dont think

any in 2003 on a london 4 bed property

both propertys had lots of viewings from mid jan and lots of offers end of january and both were in hot markets

that was a long time ago though and patterns change or maybe it was just a coincidence on my part

I don`t think it is just December, property is harder to shift in general now.

ReadySteadyPop

NameUnavailable said:

Ex estate agent here. I usually found properties being sold by couples who were splitting up more difficult for a number of reasons;

One party doesn't want to sell (either can't afford another place to live or hopes keeping the property might mean getting back together) and does everything to put any buyers off.

Buyers - if they know - get bad vibes, it is an unlucky home!

Buyers, even if they don't know, pick up on an awkward atmosphere (ususally only where vendors are present for viewings).

The home can feel cold and unloved if both parties have given up on it and just waiting to sell (see comments about doing any obvious work that's needed).

I would visit and try to look at the place as if you were a buyer, sort any obvious problems (clean, freshen up etc.) and consider doing any jobs that may mean doing some painting etc. Make sure the agent does any viewings and that your partner isn't there! Ignore most feedback from viewings, people just say stuff to give an answer, not what they really think, usually!

Don't expect much to happen for the next few weeks, new year should bring more interest.

I don`t believe this, divorce/separation is nothing now, it might have had a stigma 50 years ago maybe but buyers are looking at price, if the price is right the behaviour of one or both sellers will be of little consequence.

Hoenir

ReadySteadyPop said:

NameUnavailable said:

Ex estate agent here. I usually found properties being sold by couples who were splitting up more difficult for a number of reasons;

One party doesn't want to sell (either can't afford another place to live or hopes keeping the property might mean getting back together) and does everything to put any buyers off.

Buyers - if they know - get bad vibes, it is an unlucky home!

Buyers, even if they don't know, pick up on an awkward atmosphere (ususally only where vendors are present for viewings).

The home can feel cold and unloved if both parties have given up on it and just waiting to sell (see comments about doing any obvious work that's needed).

I would visit and try to look at the place as if you were a buyer, sort any obvious problems (clean, freshen up etc.) and consider doing any jobs that may mean doing some painting etc. Make sure the agent does any viewings and that your partner isn't there! Ignore most feedback from viewings, people just say stuff to give an answer, not what they really think, usually!

Don't expect much to happen for the next few weeks, new year should bring more interest.

I don`t believe this, divorce/separation is nothing now, it might have had a stigma 50 years ago maybe but buyers are looking at price, if the price is right the behaviour of one or both sellers will be of little consequence.

Nothing to do with stigma. It's the warring parties agreeing between themselves matters often unrelated to the property itself. 

Flugelhorn

Hoenir said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

NameUnavailable said:

Ex estate agent here. I usually found properties being sold by couples who were splitting up more difficult for a number of reasons;

One party doesn't want to sell (either can't afford another place to live or hopes keeping the property might mean getting back together) and does everything to put any buyers off.

Buyers - if they know - get bad vibes, it is an unlucky home!

Buyers, even if they don't know, pick up on an awkward atmosphere (ususally only where vendors are present for viewings).

The home can feel cold and unloved if both parties have given up on it and just waiting to sell (see comments about doing any obvious work that's needed).

I would visit and try to look at the place as if you were a buyer, sort any obvious problems (clean, freshen up etc.) and consider doing any jobs that may mean doing some painting etc. Make sure the agent does any viewings and that your partner isn't there! Ignore most feedback from viewings, people just say stuff to give an answer, not what they really think, usually!

Don't expect much to happen for the next few weeks, new year should bring more interest.

I don`t believe this, divorce/separation is nothing now, it might have had a stigma 50 years ago maybe but buyers are looking at price, if the price is right the behaviour of one or both sellers will be of little consequence.

Nothing to do with stigma. It's the warring parties agreeing between themselves matters often unrelated to the property itself. 

remember a removals man saying that on the day of completion for one such house there were two removals companies and two people, one from each solicitor's office, overseeing what went in each van

Skiddaw1

I do think there are some houses that just feel 'unlucky'. Probaby madly superstitious but in my view houses have atmospheres. We definitely noticed that when we were house hunting.