*another* (sorry!) should we sell our house post...

lelole

Hi

We are living in a reasonable house in one of the niceish areas of central Plymouth. We have a 1 year old, and I work form home so need much more storage space and an office. I'd like to get out of central Plymouth ASAP, and certainly before little one is 3. Have even considered Partx on a new build (although some of the threads on here and the locations available at the moment have changed our mind).

We will be definately upgrading both in house and area, so a house price crash may be useful - but equally we don't want to get stuck here. Not sure how marketable the house is - it's a nice old style house, we have carpeted in neutral throughout and new kitchen/white bathroom suite but has a downstairs bathroom and the parking around here is horrendous and due to another development nearby certain to get worse (one of the reasons we would like to go).

What do you recommend? Is it too late? Are we doomed to stay here for another 5 -10 years? Or will houses begin to sell again quite quickly?

Any advice much appreciated...

Thanks

lelole

Doozergirl

We'll have had 8 viewings in 11 days by the weekend Someone out there is looking - I hope they're not all day-trippers!

You'll only know by putting your house on the market and seeing what happens!

lelole

Meant to put in the post also- one of the reasons was asking was if it looks like market will die for some time, we are considering biting the bullet and extending into the roof to allow us to knock down the rear extension with the bathroom, allowing us enough room in the rear yard for a parking space... We are just completely fed up of having to park miles away up a really steep hill with a small child.

Obviously it would just be less hassle to move - which we would want to do in the long run anyway form a school POV...

Thanks

lelole

Doozergirl

Why don't you try and sell it? The cost of a HIP is a bit less than the cost of knocking down and extension and replacing it with another elsewhere!

merlinthehappypig

I read somewhere recently - can't remember where, that as building costs had risen nowhere near as much as house prices in the last 10 years or so, it was much cheaper to build your extra square footage than buy it by getting a new house.

Kind of obvious really I suppose, but if space is the only option, the roof space idea might be best. No stamp duty, valuations or solicitors fees to take into account either.

Doozergirl

Of course it's cheaper to build. The OP would lose square footage to create a parking space, lose the downstairs bathroom and replace it in the loft. I'm sure you'll get an extra bedroom up there so it might not be a half bad idea if the house can take it. If the garden really is a 'yard' then an extra bedroom might be too much for the house to take

lelole

Hi The back garden is definitely what could be described as a yard! The house was originally a 2 up 2 down but has had the front bedroom split into two, and a rear extension of utility room bathroom and shed.

We were thinking of putting the bathroom on the first floor, then replacing the bedroom in the loft. So not really planning to expand the number of bedrooms.

For me the point is: Really frustrated with the problems with parking and the lack of space for my work. Definitely want to move before little one is 3 as want her to go to school in a nicer area. Do we struggle on as we are in the hope that we can move in the next 6-9 months? Risking having to put up with these issues indeterminately. Or do we assume that is unlikely and do something to address the things that frustrate us with the house, and sell later when housing market stabilises?

Thanks

lelole

lelole

Sorry meant indefinitely not indeterminately!

Doozergirl

If you want to move, which you do, then you have to try the market where you are. I can't see what you have to lose. You won't get baby into a good school by shifting the house about.

Just because everyone's bleating about the state of "the" market, it doesn't mean there is only one market. Property shot up in London yet again over last year or two - I don't personally know anywhere else where that happened It's been steady in the two areas I know well - one in the North West, one in the Midlands.

Can you get yourself on to the market right now or do you have to wait?

lelole

No, we could put ourselves on the market right now, or at least in a few weeks once we have had a chance to declutter a little and beautify the back yard and front garden (we've really neglected it!).

I think from what you've said it will be worth while putting it on the market to see... I suppose what we need to do is keep an eye on things and reassess if it doesn't sell within a "reasonable" timeframe...

Thanks

lelole