chrisw

I am REALLY glad for you guys who have recently had confirmation that your UK property has sold, or that things re purchasing in Spain are progressing well! (Liona, you are now in the more favorable second category YEEEAAA!)
But as our house has been on the market for AGES, it got me to wondering about how long it took other people to sell theirs. I have to say, that since regularly reading and replying to posts, I don't feel so isolated, and look forward to sharing everyone else's experiences. The ups and the downs. It is a lot easier shared!! Thanks guys! Give it to me on the chin, I can take it!

Lionda

Hi Chris

Wish we were also in the first catagory, we have had our house on the market since last February (2006!) and have taken advice and redecorated, even replaced all the curtains throughout and have gradually reduced the asking price by £8,000 Haven't even had a viewing in 3 weeks!!! We even have a 2 bed flat for sale which we were renting out, it has been empty since last April and we have redecorated and reduced the price by £3,000 and are in the process of having a couple of windows replaced in the kitchen and bathroom, more expense! There is a glut in our area as there have been a lot of blocks of flats built recently and now we have the prospect of Haslar Military Hospital being sold off to a developer!!!

So all in all - the housing market is bad here!!

Got to go, we are replacing a fence panel so have to get out there before the sun goes in.

chrisw

Hi Lionda, sorry to hear still not sold! Ain't it a pain? Our house has been on the market since last March. Not just decorated right through, but kept it decorated, and ready for viewings! (What are they?) Fingers crosse for both of us! Don't forget to paint that new fence panel now! Designer colours only please!

Mitzyboy

Ours took about 3 months to sell last year and we reduced the price also by over £10k to sell eventually.
Apparantly if your house has been on for quite a while its a good idea to change estate agents as a new estate agemt gives a property increased footage / advertising for a while.

I also put mine on one of the internet sales sites and although it didn't sell through that, we did get enquiries from it.

Lionda

Changing estate agents on Monday, putting it on with Brite-move who are internet based but have also just opened a shop in a street nearby. Fingers crossed!!

Mitzyboy

Put it with a local well known high street company as well ..... you can't get enough exposure .... and make sure they take decent pictures of the houses best attributes, I took a lot of trouble over ours and it did get people through the door.

chrisw

Good luck Lionda! Our house was with one agent for about 4 months wasn't impressed to it is on about 6 internet sites which also feed the major daily and weekend broadsheets and all local newspaper websites. Got it on a couple of free sites as well. (Let me know if you want the web address and I will PM them). Worked it out that we have potencially exposure potentially, of12million globally! Put it back on with another local agent again last August! Might make enquiries as to putting it with a second agent. Any one had experience with that?

chrisw

Hi Mitzyboy, thanks for replying! Got the exposure, pictures, vitual tour, just no feet through the door!

wheatsheaf42

In the 2004 market which was very quiet we had an offer for mum-in-law's house which the wife and her brother refused as it was several thousand below the price a neighbouring house had achieved. Many frustrating months later it was sold for very much less than the offer they had refused. At the end of the day the market price is what counts so pricing at a level which is attractive is probably the best bet, and not a price based on what you know next door went for last month/year- even if you think your house is better for whatever reason. One way of looking at it is to ask yourself the simple question that if you were looking to buy, would you buy your house at that price or not. The market price is, of course, not what it says in the estate agents window but what someone is prepared to pay for it.
More people are looking at the land registry numbers to see what other neighbouring properties have actually been sold for.

chrisw

Hi Whearsheaf42. I agree wholeheartedly with you re market forces dictating, and that properties should be valued according to the market. I recieve regular email alerts advising of what local properties have been registered as sold with Land registry, and for the amount paid. Last house sold as you would imagine, for less than ours. Two others have taken their property off the market, and there is only 1 other property like ours for sale at an asking price of £2,500 lower than ours, but we have the advantage of being in a cul de sac and have a large 21" X 9" conservatory. But are otherwise of similar condition. We are one of 3 properties on a development of about 75 houses in a sought after location. (Or so I thought!) We have lowered the asking price twice but are not prepared to drop any lower as we will need as much equity possible to relocate as we will be retiring, and it would be financial suicide to concede at this point as market forces do, always, recover given time. Unfortunately that is the void we are stuck in!

helenp

Tell me about it, ours was on since last May took it off in new year and put it back on again. Lots of timewasters in between I think the market is picking up though as all the other houses that were on last year have now sold. It is frustrating though as we just want to get out there plus can't even sell our caravan either. :curse:

Helen

Miss Naughty

As a estate agent once (the shame of it ha ha) the best time is easter to put your houses on the market.
Also i found if people put offers on there houses like 5% deposit paid or stamp duty etc etc that also worked especially for first time buyers you can add it to the price so you would not actually lose out. Also ask your estate agents to have an open day where they advertise your property in the paper and tell people they can view say 10am to 6pm on that day.

jdr

I first saw that in Canada over thirty years ago ;-)
They advertise it and put direction signs to the house from the major highways.
They sent you out for the day and the agents stayed and showed the potential buyers round.
You dont mind paying the fee when they actually do something for it.

Miss Naughty

Well sometimes people pay a lot for the estate agents to sell there house, me i make them work for it. when i had our house up i got a lot of the fees as i said i would not pay that much, i also made them do the viewings rather than me.
To the estate agent you are just a commission xxxxxx

chrisw

Thanks Missnaughty! (you are forgiven! lol!) That is a good idea, it may be worth working out the sums to see if it would be plausable. But not in 1st time buyer's market so would leave stamp duty option. Not sure how much it is but almost certain that our estate agent told us (that was such a long time ago now, difficult to remember the details!) and did some mental calculations and nearly died of shock! Didn't know that they did open days in this country, that may be worth checking out though. Will keep you posted on that. Although our main concern has been getting viewings at all. One couple refused to answer agent's calls for feedback, another lady said garden too small (that is the only valid reason as garden sizes not given!) another said lovely house and conservatory but was too big for her needs (HELLO! you knew there were 4 bedrooms and house dimensions! Earth to viewer!). Another man, recent divorcee, decided to go for something smaller! (Hello again!) Another couple, with 3 children and the only ones I would have said fitted the house, decided against it, as they found out after the viewing that the schoolbus did not run to their children's school????????? Eh?? And I can't even remember the others but can't be more than 8 viewing in the past 12months! Heres to Easter! Keep your fingers crossed for us!