'Instant' property buying companies - has anyone had a good experience?

RAS

In what way do you think the garden might be an issue?

Maybe start researching garden clearance people? Ask neighbours?

Herzlos

If you don't want to travel over to spend a long weekend on it yourself then It may be worth contacting an estate agent local to the property, getting them a key and trying to coordinate with someone to do a garden and house clearance, repaint etc. Not full home makeover type work but an empty house with clean floors/walls and any glaring issues solved will sell a lot better than a messy one. 

They'll probably know local companies that can do the stuff you'd need for staging and it'll make selling it easier. Even if you give them a relatively large comission (say 5% instead of the normal 1-2%) you'll still be vastly better off than selling to a house selling place. Failing that they may be able to put you in touch with a handyman or property management company that can coordinate it. 

ReadySteadyPop

Herzlos said:

If you don't want to travel over to spend a long weekend on it yourself then It may be worth contacting an estate agent local to the property, getting them a key and trying to coordinate with someone to do a garden and house clearance, repaint etc. Not full home makeover type work but an empty house with clean floors/walls and any glaring issues solved will sell a lot better than a messy one. 

They'll probably know local companies that can do the stuff you'd need for staging and it'll make selling it easier. Even if you give them a relatively large comission (say 5% instead of the normal 1-2%) you'll still be vastly better off than selling to a house selling place. Failing that they may be able to put you in touch with a handyman or property management company that can coordinate it. 

"Staging" isn`t that effective now, people can tidy gardens etc, themselves, they are looking at price, size and location.

GDB2222

The first house I bought, the garden was incredibly overgrown, but it didn’t put me off. I guess I had more energy then! 

I doubt the garden would be an issue, but I would take the agent’s advice on that. If they need a machete to get to the front door, they will advise getting someone in to do a bit of clearance, and I’m sure they can introduce a gardener. 

RHemmings

According to estate agents, property surveyors etc., one of the things that can put people off a property is an overgrown garden.

E.g.: 
https://www.phillipmann.com/news/garden-mistakes-that-can-put-off-buyers.html
https://www.martinco.com/guides/selling/the-biggest-property-turnoffs-and-what-they-could-cost-you/
https://www.phestateagents.co.uk/garden-mistakes-that-can-deter-buyers/

From the Martin and Co link:

Poor Upkeep and Overgrown Gardens

Although poor upkeep and an overgrown garden are resolvable issues compared to others on this list, many buyers will take one look at an overgrown lawn and a gutter clogged with leaves and decide that the property is a no-go. These factors could reduce the value of the home by as much as 14% on average, or £36,000

https://www.neilsons.co.uk/garden-tips/

A well presented garden can make a really big difference to your property sale. A recent survey of potential buyers showed that it’s not just about a property having a garden that is important, it’s all about what it looks like. The takeaway? Do not let a messy, disorganised or neglected garden cost you crucial and relevant interest! Here are some of the most recent findings:

• 60% of buyers say that an overgrown garden would put them off, with the rest (40%) saying that an overgrown garden could potentially put them off. 
• 70% of buyers say that even if they found their dream home in a perfect location, but the garden wasn’t ideal, it could stop them from making an offer so no matter how lovely your home is inside, you need to think about the outside, too! 
• 100% of buyers surveyed said that they would lower their offer on a property based on the condition of the garden. 

https://tandcg.co.uk/a-messy-or-overgrown-garden-is-a-sales-liability/
https://jonesbattye.com/common-garden-problems-that-devalue-your-home/
https://kmjproperty.co.uk/simple-steps-to-declutter-your-garden-before-selling/

And so on.

Personally I wouldn't be put off buying something with a considerably overgrown garden. But, I'd be reducing my offer to account for it. From the links above, the reduction could be sizeable. 

For the OP, if you aren't familiar with the local market, then that's what a local EA is for. You can also get some idea of sales prices by looking at sold prices on Rightmove (e.g. search including SSTC) and also Land Registry sold prices, e.g. on Zoopla. You can also look at asking prices, but that can give an inaccurate impression of what things actually sell for. 

GDB2222

I agree the op won’t get top dollar if the garden is a mess. But, there’s a world of difference between that and selling virtually for half price to a buy it now company. 

In the OP’s position, I’d stick the house on the market at a very attractive price through a local estate agent. Probably without doing any work to it at all. 

The water should be switched off at the stop tap, and the system drained, as insurance won’t cover water escape during the winter months if the place is empty. The only outgoings should be the insurance and council tax. 

Herzlos

ReadySteadyPop said:

Herzlos said:

If you don't want to travel over to spend a long weekend on it yourself then It may be worth contacting an estate agent local to the property, getting them a key and trying to coordinate with someone to do a garden and house clearance, repaint etc. Not full home makeover type work but an empty house with clean floors/walls and any glaring issues solved will sell a lot better than a messy one. 

They'll probably know local companies that can do the stuff you'd need for staging and it'll make selling it easier. Even if you give them a relatively large comission (say 5% instead of the normal 1-2%) you'll still be vastly better off than selling to a house selling place. Failing that they may be able to put you in touch with a handyman or property management company that can coordinate it. 

"Staging" isn`t that effective now, people can tidy gardens etc, themselves, they are looking at price, size and location.

Staging is massively important even now. People have virtually no imagination, no patience, and will use anything as an excuse to beat down the price. 

A clean well presented house will sell a lot faster and for more money than an idential house that's a mess. 

GDB2222

Herzlos said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Herzlos said:

If you don't want to travel over to spend a long weekend on it yourself then It may be worth contacting an estate agent local to the property, getting them a key and trying to coordinate with someone to do a garden and house clearance, repaint etc. Not full home makeover type work but an empty house with clean floors/walls and any glaring issues solved will sell a lot better than a messy one. 

They'll probably know local companies that can do the stuff you'd need for staging and it'll make selling it easier. Even if you give them a relatively large comission (say 5% instead of the normal 1-2%) you'll still be vastly better off than selling to a house selling place. Failing that they may be able to put you in touch with a handyman or property management company that can coordinate it. 

"Staging" isn`t that effective now, people can tidy gardens etc, themselves, they are looking at price, size and location.

Staging is massively important even now. People have virtually no imagination, no patience, and will use anything as an excuse to beat down the price. 

A clean well presented house will sell a lot faster and for more money than an idential house that's a mess. 

 My recent experience of selling a 1970s property that had had nothing done to it since it was built: we had a queue of buyers offering the asking price. Most of them were in the building trade. They wanted the house to live in, but they could do a lot of the work themselves, and get the rest done at mates rates. 

I could have got the work done myself, but I would have had to sell for much much more money to cover the cost. And these buyers would not have been interested. There might have been other buyers who wanted a house ready to walk into, but I didn’t try that route, so I don’t know how much they would have paid. 

sheramber

ReadySteadyPop said:

GDB2222 said:

@sclare What you haven't said is how much of a pasting you're prepared to take on price. Supposing that a sensible value for the property, given its condition, is £300k, how much less than this would you be prepared to sell it for in order to get a quick, fairly easy sale? 

If the answer is say £200k, I reckon someone will wrench it off your hands for cash, if only so they can sell it for closer to £300k.

If the answer is £250k as a minimum, then stick it in the auction, and it will probably sell.

If you want to get around £280k, then your best choice is to give it to a local estate agent to sell, but instruct them to put a guide price of £270k on it. At 10% below market value, you should get LOADS of interest. You don't want to choose the highest offer, just the one you think will complete with the least hassle.

I `m not sure this works so well anymore, there has been a noticeable dip in demand for property.

Not in my locality

Herzlos

GDB2222 said:

Herzlos said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Herzlos said:

If you don't want to travel over to spend a long weekend on it yourself then It may be worth contacting an estate agent local to the property, getting them a key and trying to coordinate with someone to do a garden and house clearance, repaint etc. Not full home makeover type work but an empty house with clean floors/walls and any glaring issues solved will sell a lot better than a messy one. 

They'll probably know local companies that can do the stuff you'd need for staging and it'll make selling it easier. Even if you give them a relatively large comission (say 5% instead of the normal 1-2%) you'll still be vastly better off than selling to a house selling place. Failing that they may be able to put you in touch with a handyman or property management company that can coordinate it. 

"Staging" isn`t that effective now, people can tidy gardens etc, themselves, they are looking at price, size and location.

Staging is massively important even now. People have virtually no imagination, no patience, and will use anything as an excuse to beat down the price. 

A clean well presented house will sell a lot faster and for more money than an idential house that's a mess. 

 My recent experience of selling a 1970s property that had had nothing done to it since it was built: we had a queue of buyers offering the asking price. Most of them were in the building trade. They wanted the house to live in, but they could do a lot of the work themselves, and get the rest done at mates rates. 

I could have got the work done myself, but I would have had to sell for much much more money to cover the cost. And these buyers would not have been interested. There might have been other buyers who wanted a house ready to walk into, but I didn’t try that route, so I don’t know how much they would have paid. 

What state was the property in? There's old but well maintained, and there's messy. I certainly don't think it's worth spending money modernizing anything to sell it, but clean walls and a tidy garden will give buyers a much better impression.