Home selling problems...

Slosh

So last time all seemed to be going well, I had buyers and had put in (and had accepted) an offer on a bungalow.
Well
My first buyers pulled out ten days after making their offer
So went with the second offer, was told buyer was very excited and already to go in regards to solicitors etc.
Next thing, could his builder have a look? No problem, of course. A week later no movement because his builder hadn't been in touch to set up time to visit.
This Monday, my estate agent told me he was expecting to hear from the builder that day
Yesterday I got a builder to come round and provide me with an estimate (it's a crack in the bedroom ceiling which looks nasty but isn't).
Today still no news, my agent and the buyer still exchanging emails, and suggestion made by the agent to me that if nothing has happened by Monday we give him an ultimatum that if he doesn't act by a certain date the property will be put back on the market
I just can't bear the thought of going back to the start with my property. It's not just the worry and how it has brought on some very high levels of anxiety, but just the whole thing of popping out when viewings are booked in, making sure the house is super tidy for these etc. The whole thing really knocked me sideways last time and it's only just now that I feel I've got back to my "normal" both physically and emotionally.
I am buying (fingers crossed) a property just over half the price of the selling pricd on my house and even once I've budgetted in for all the costs and paying off my mortgage I'll be quids in. Am I mad to want to suggest that I reduce the price to my buyer to try and get him to get moving rather than risk having to start again?

Airwave!

I think you have to play the long game with buying and selling houses, just tell yourself that eventually you will be in your new house.

daffy2

Sorry to hear about another setback Slosh. No I don't think you are mad for considering negotiating on price to get a quick sale. It might be one way to establish how keen(and able to proceed) the buyers actually are. The estate agents might not be so keen as it affects their commission, but if it was, for instance, the sum necessary to fix the crack in the ceiling, then it shouldn't make that much difference.
You have financial leeway, what you don't have is health leeway; losing a bit on the house price might be priceless in terms of your well-being.
It can be a strategic game though, depending on whether your buyers are genuinely keen and just wanting to make sure that the repair isn't going to be a nasty shock to their finances, or whether they will want to try a bit of attrition(wanting further checks, finding fault etc) to get you to drop the price further. The estate agents should be earning their fee in such cases to get the best outcome for you as a client - which will of course also benefit them.

Slosh

Thank you both. I have got a quote to fix the crack and will send a copy to my agent. He's not in today so my plan is to call him tomorrow to talk things through with him.
Keep your fingers crossed for me.

stickywicket

Oh dear! Peaks and troughs. I quite understand how you feel and peace of mind is of far more value to you than a nought off the asking price.

I think these setbacks are quite common. And, if your potential buyer has a regular builder he/she uses (Perhaps they are buying to let) they will want to use that particular one.

I did register a note of alarm with the word 'crack'. There are, of course, cracks in the plaster work and that's probably what yours is but Mr SW became paranoid about a crack we had in the wall of the previous house despite three separate surveyors, on three separate occasions insisting it wasn't a problem. I think, in your case I'd want a surveyor not a builder to check it out but, in view of our previous problem, no matter how reduced in price, I'd never buy a house with a crack anywhere without a surveyor saying all was well. And, if the crack is the problem, I don't think I'd want the seller fixing it.

I don't know whether you should give your buyer an ultimatum or go back to the misery of tidying, cleaning and vacating once again. I hated the latter too. What's he like? Did your estate agent 'feel' he was genuine and lazy or just trying to pull down the price? I think if people really want a property they don't play mind games with it but maybe that's just because that's how I'd be.

Sorry, I'm no help. Maybe a chat with the estate agent if you get on well?

Slosh

The crack has been there since I bought the house and at the time my survey said it was just settlement due to the age of the house...however that was 16yrs ago and it wasn't until after I'd moved in that I discovered some of the pipe work was lead!
Due to my then husband leaving me the day after completion! I have always had to pay the mortgage by myself which has affected how much work I had done.

My agents phoned this morning, they have given my buyer an ultimatum to get back to them by today, and suggested that if he doesn't get back to me I can put it back on the market, and start the process again (the thought of which makes me want to cry), or sell it at a lower price to a cash buyer.

I spoke to my daughter and she told me how worried she and Charlie (SIL) had been about me when the process of selling it started, in particular stress/anxiety/depression.
I am buying a property at a much lower price than I had budgetted for, and even once I add in all the costs of selling and moving, converting the garage into a studio and a garden make-over I will still have quite a bit of money left over in addition to being mortgage free.
I am going to talk to the agents again this afternoon with a few more questions but I am inclined to go down this route, health, mental and physical has to come first!

stickywicket

You must do whatever you feel is best for you, Slosh. It's your house, your money, your health.

I hope there was better news this afternoon.

Slosh

Thank you Sticky, had a chat this afternoon, going to go down the cash buyer route, they still need to do viewings but then it's much quicker. The
London housing market is feeling the Brexit effect, people leaving to return to their home countries due to worries about employment etc. and prices are tailing off/starting to fall. There's another house in my road that has been on the market since March and they've reduced the price by 25k since then.

A slow down and lower prices in the housing marketvis needed...but selfishly I don't want it to crash before I sell!

GraceB

Hi Slosh,
Sorry to read you are having issues with this. Buying and selling properties is a nightmare in my experience.

I had to sell my late Mum's house in 2017 after we lost her Oct 2016. We had two offers accepted on the house, both fell through for differing reasons. The third person seemed more hopeful. (By then I'd sacked one estate agent, put another on notice and instructed a third as they all played silly beggars :roll: ). Anyway Buyer No 3 was a first time buyer, and Mum's house was empty - probate had been granted. It took 11 weeks for the sale to go through and even our conveyancing solicitor said he'd never known a first-time buyer/probate sale take so long but sadly our buyer dragged his heels. In the end he was given an ultimatum as both the other executor and myself got fed up waiting. I then had to fulfil the role of a ticking clock with the estate agents, emailing them daily or ringing them to say "7 days left"; "6 days left" etc. On the 13th day he exchanged; day 14 he completed.

Selling No.36 was horrendous for me as I'd grown up there. It was my "family home" and there was an awful lot of memories there. (You'll probably remember that February 2016 I lost my beloved John so when I lost Mum as well that October I all but fell apart).

I think if I were in your shoes I'd give your builders quote to the estate agents, say you'll drop by that amount plus 10% and they've got 2 weeks to get another buyer or you'll change agents. Insist on a quick completion. (It can be done as when John and myself moved back in 1999 we got the legal work done for selling and buying within 5 weeks but again, we had to put a bit of pressure on the estate agents).

I'm pleased you are getting the agents to do the viewings; they get paid a lot of money for doing very little a lot of the time and I always think it's best that they do the viewings. Stay in your own home though Slosh; your health must come first and we are getting into winter now.

I hope that you get another buyer soon and that this time it all goes through smoothly. And keep smiling; you are a strong lady!

Take care,
GraceB

Slosh

Thanks for that, I usually just clear off to my local sainsburys when it's a viewing and have tea and a toasted tea-cake.
I just hope it's third time lucky when it comes to a buyer!

GraceB

Slosh,

That sounds like a scrummy idea re popping out when viewings happening! The big question of course is - are you getting the Forum Bus out and can anyone come along for a cuppa and a chat?

I'll keep my fingers crossed that you get the move sorted soon.

Take care,
GraceB

Slosh

Grace B, what a wonderful idea about a bus trip next time! I will certainly do that.
I'm trying hard to keep the anxiety demons at bay, and tomorrow I have a family day so there will be lots of hugs/kisses/love which will be a perfect tonic. I'll make a phone call before I go over to the estate agents and then do my best to forget about it for the day.
One thing I have learnt is not to go it alone, I will be using this forum this time to help me get through it all.

dreamdaisy

I was lucky when selling my parents' house as I was 130 miles away so was not involved in the clearance, viewings or any of the other nonsense. I have many regrets about it but there was no other options.

First-time buyers can be a nightmare, my first sale fell through on my buyer's side thanks to a novice who insisted on using on-line solicitors who failed to respond to any contact. I stuck with the buyer though, the house was finally sold in January and completed the following March. On the plus side you are moving from one of the most expensive areas in the country to one of the cheaper so that may make a difference in being able to opt for the quicker cash solution even though you may be losing out financially. The biggest benefit of that, however, is unquantifiable in terms of reduced stress and being able to start your new life more quickly. DD

Slosh

There is a huge price difference DD and the property I'm buying is also quite a bit cheaper than I originally planned for and I've worked out that I can afford a price cut, pay off the outstanding balance on my mortgage and still afford to have fun buying the furnishings etc I would like, do the garage conversion (to a studio), and bump up my savings. Paying off my mortgage will in itself make a big difference financially.
It will be worth it in the end. It 's that the end seems a long way off.

nanny2507

I have bought and sold many houses (itchy feeT) and i have never had a smooth sale. One of them took 5 months it drives me mad. I am thinking of selling my bungalow to buy a cheaper one so i can give up work and live on hubbys wage not possible here due to size of mortgage. I currently have a 4 bed and use 1 but when i look at the 2 bed ones i struggle with the size. Does/did anyone else have this problem

dreamdaisy

That is a concern, I know that the difference between selling for cash or not can be huge but if you are going to come out if it all with a reasonably plump money cushion then I would say to ahead. I, however, am in a very different situation in that I have a Spouse and have not had to fully-support myself for many years (you have my intense admiration for so doing). Your thread has reminded me about 2013, the year we sold three houses and bought one: it had its moments. DD

daffy2

You are being very sensible in your approach to this Slosh, prioritising what your needs actually are and how much you need from the sale to fund them, rather than focusing on getting as much money as possible. Some people seem to get so hung up on maximum price they become blind to how much it is costing not to accept an offer and get on with the move. A £5K or £10K price drop isn't much of a percentage of house price in hotspots, but nor does it take long to rack that up in mortgage payments which may be a major reason for the move in the first place. Another risk is that houses stuck on the market in a hotspot become the focus of suspicion for potential buyers who, not unreasonably wonder why it hasn't sold.

Slosh

I am so relieved. I had an offer today, accepted it and although it's a bit lower than I originally hoped, that is offset by the fact that the property I am buying is also cheaper than I originally budgeted for.

I'm moving from a three bedroomed semi to a two bedroomed bungalow so I'm decluttering and deciding what's worth keeping. It does help that there is a garage which I am planning to turn into a store/studio.

Having been in this house for 16 years I've got a lot of stuff to sort through but I've decided to adopt the wise words of William Morris.
" Have nothing in your home which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

Starburst

Phew, sounds like it’s all finally coming together. Moving house is near the top of the list of life’s most stressful events. Decluttering can be very cathartic, I find. Good luck with it. Take it easy though and do it slowly. I hope life is otherwise ok with you, Slosh. x

Slosh

Thanks Starburst, it's been a bit bumpy so far with some unwanted effects but fingers crossed I'm on the home straight. I love a good sort out, like you I find it cathartic and there are lots of ways to get rid of stuff which is in ok condition but just not wanted these days, charity shops, freecycle and the like meaning that someone else can benefit.

I am going to be sensible, as well as planning to get a removal service that will offer packing I have a good friend who is going to come round and help and on the day itself (whenever that is), my daughter informed me today that not only will she and my SIL be coming to help, but their friend Josh who I know, is going to hire a small van to help out and take up any last minute bits and pieces.

My thing to plan is another trip up to Yaxeley so I can do some measuring up!

stickywicket

Oh Slosh, that does sound better. And you have a plan Of course, the kettle, mugs, tea, coffee and milk are the moving day essentials. You're getting there. And I'm so pleased for you.

Nanny2507, we moved two years ago for the first time in about 35 years. We found many differences between similar-looking bungalows as people have often adapted them to their own needs. Of course, it's usualy either a third bedroom or a dining room but dimensions vary quite a lot too. Where we are is now perfect for us and I hope yu'll have similar luck.

Slosh

Thanks Sticky. I love having a plan and then crossing things off it, makes me feel accomplished.
I am going to be sensible and having help both ends will be great, I have learnt (finally) to accept help when it's offered. I am even accepting the offer of help with measuring up next time I visit from a good friend of my daughter's who lives nearby.
It will take a toll on me but I will do all I can to minimse that.

dreamdaisy

Congratulations, Slosh, I am very pleased for you. We moved from a four bedroomed house on three floors to a four bedroomed on two BUT two bedrooms are on the ground floor and both en-suite: many moons ago a doctor and his wife lived here and both were in wheelchairs, they did much in the way of preparing the house for disability. The physical quality of my life improved once the stress of moving was done and, as we made changes and improvements to the fabric of the building, that improvement continued. Now I hate going anywhere else. DD

Slosh

Thanks DD, I didn't start out planning to get a bungalow, my thinking was I can still manage stairs and if/when they get too much I can get a stairlift. I did decide it was worth keeping an open mind though and there was no harm in viewing one.
What I hadn't really thought about is that I'm used to my stairs if that makes sense, they are not as steep as in more modern houses and they are straight.

I did view a couple of other properties, one was a modern "box" on an estate with lots of turnings and just left me cold and the other was lovely and had stunning views but I would have needed to make a few alterations, the garden was overlooked and just a square of grass, and it was very much a family house. It was also more than I wanted to spend.

The bungalow was the one where after viewing it once kept coming back into my mind and after a second viewing I was starting to think about where things would go. And the one where both heart and head were in agreement.

I'm now having fun on-line window shopping for furnishings and next week (this week is half-term) I plan to do some more serious window shopping at my nearest shopping mall which just happens to have a John Lewis!

stickywicket

I'm so pleased you can now relax into some fun planning. I'm trying to think of ways in which we tried to make our move easier.

Of course, there's nothing beats having family at 'the other end' to help and to feed you on arrival day We found balloons tied to the tree in the front garden

We tried to chuck out all unwanted furniture but were in the happy situation of having a garage, loft and spare room in the new bungalow so two/three pieces we weren't sure about we could take with us.

It was also handy to have things we'd probably want to get rid of but which would tide us through until we'd lived n there a bit and could be sure what we wanted instead.

We aimed for basics only in the new place at first so, the first weekend, Mr SW and our son created 6 shallow steps with railings at the back of the house rather than the 3 enormous steps we had both back and front.

We have only just, two years in, decorated. I'm glad because living in the place made us realise that the living room is the darkest room and the beige walls, one with dark red flowers, wasn't helping. So now it's not only white but light enhancing white and it makes a big difference.

The big thing, for us, is meds. My old GP was brilliant. He gave me two month's worth of everything and told me to tell the new one to get in touch if there were any problems. There weren't. But docs are to be sorted asap. Take a prescription as it will make it easier and, if you see any consultants regularly, ask to get an appointment when you first see your new GP as it could take time.

That's all I can think of for now but do ask away if you've questions.

Slosh

Thanks for the advice Sticky.
I have some removal services coming round next week to give me quotes I'm going to request packing (and some unpacking) plus reassembly of my bed.
Not sure if I'll have balloons when I arrive (what a lovely touch) but as well as my daughter, SIL and their best man (who I know) who are coming to help on the day and give me emotional support as this house has seen me through a lot and I've been here 16 years, a friend of my daughter's who lives nearby is also coming to help.
Take-away for dinner, and I am considering staying a night or two in one of Sir Lenny's purple hotels, especially as I will be buying new kitchen things which will need to be delivered.

The main thing I need to research now is the best way to move my two budgies...and how to get them from their large cage to a small one for travelling!