[vixxann]

this is most likely nothing at all for me to get excited about ...but... I noticed a new house for sale in our local paper and i know its the house of some people that looked at ours in the summer. They loved our house but in the end decided to stay where they were and extend as he had planning permission granted. So now I'm wondering whats going on, they haven't extended and its back up for sale. Maybe??

[Mickstim]

Hoping so Vicki - as long as they can get a buyer quickly!

Cath - I do hope you are right. Have you noticed any changes with the prices (are they going UP?????)

Bxx

[Piper]

Ok, I'm coming in!!!!!!!!

Spoke to the estate agents today and I have 2 coming round to look at the place this week. :uhoh

The Home Information Pack applies to all property for sale from the 14th December 2007, so the EAs (and a solicitor) are reckoning it will be worthwhile to get it on the market before then, so I can save the possible recurring cost of an HIP- if it takes a long while to sell. Which it won't. Because I'm being POSITIVE!!!! :laugh :laugh

I wasn't planning on anybody looking at my house before the new year and I have no idea how they're going to photograph it with a zillion boxes about, but hey ho... time for a big tidy up I reckon! :eek:

[peebles16]

Welcome aboard Piper and best of luck - positive vibes all round :D
Karen

[Mickstim]

Welcome Piper! Where are you selling? Maybe if it's London you will get a quick sale and be there before you know it. If so I will be truning green :D like this!

Barb xx

[Ricky]

Our house is on the market for 6 weeks now and only one viewer :wah , I hope that the housing market will pick up in the new year after the interest rates will go down, hopefully :roll . Come on Bank Of England :nice1

[Mickstim]

Welcome to the frustration Ricky! I have just been reading gloom and doom in the Daily Mail - don't you just wish they would STOP? Where are you living now?

B

[Ricky]

Mickstim

I am living in Harrogate which should be in demand :o but maybe I have to put it down to the fact it is Xmas time :cheers . If you think about it who wants to move in December :no ?

[peebles16]

Humpff - have to rant sorry :mad:
Folks who put in offer at beginning of week 20K under asking price are driving me mad. They've been advised (by who I don't know??) that in the current climate that's all our house is worth!?! It's 10% less than the already reduced asking price :wah I don't know where they are getting advice from and I know the market is slow but I also know that prices certainly haven't reduced by 10% - cheeky so and so's!!

Rant over. Am gracefully declining their offer and putting the house back on the market in springtime - and then I can stick it to them when it sells for loads of money :D

Am I going completely loopy??

Kx

[Andy-Dee]

Think how long it takes to earn 20k let alone save it - I think you are right to turn them down - cheeky pups!

[cathgates]

Hi Mickstim, not really a great deal of change in prices, some are dropping a grand or so, but not huge amounts, the problem comes with the interpretation of 'a buyers market', it doesn't mean that they can offer silly money, just that there is more choice, and they can cheekily get away with asking for white goods, or wardrobes to be included.
If you are above stamp duty rates, and are already, or considering offering to pay stamp duty on the sale it may be better to lower the price by about the same amount instead, and it's always good to remember that internet searches go up/down in £5k amounts, so if you do drop, try and get within the next block down.
I'm sorry I don't have any better news, it really is a big waiting game at the moment. The market is waiting for the first time buyers to regain confidence in the market again to justify them paying around £550 a month for a £100k mortgage. My eldest is 21, rents a house with his girlfriend, they want to buy but currently pay £350 a month rent and finding an extra £200 a month is a big deal. They are starting to look again though, and, once they do, the dominoe effect will eventually start to take effect.
Cath X

[Mickstim]

Thanks for that Cath - very interesting! We are way above the stamp duty rate (but a bit below the next one!) but we have lowered our price since putting it on the market by £35 000 and really don't feel like dropping any more. The scary thing is that our neighbours started out when we did at £450 000 and are now down to £359 000 and STILL haven't sold. We have been told that their house has a very odd layout and smells of dogs, but that seems like such a bargain now.

Karen - good on you for sticking to your guns. Hope it all works out.

Good luck to you with your sale Ricky.

Posivibes to everyone

Bxx

[cathgates]

Hi Mickstim, you have to look at what else is on at the same price as yours, and decide wether you offer the same - look at a few, even view them, and decide wether you are offering the same. If you are, then sit tight, if not, then see wether there is anything you can do to compete, or if it is a case of you've done your sums, and can't or won't drop anymore, then wait it out. The situation we are finding ourselves in cannot last forever.
Make sure you have done the usual, declutter, depersonalise, look round a few showhomes for ideas, ask friends for honest opinions - mainly those in the same age / price bracket as the kind of people who will be in the market for your property. Our house is a 3 bed traditional semi, the type that appeals to second time buyers- young family/ starting family outgrown their 2 bed terrace, so anyone and everyone we know that is in that position, we have nagged at for their honesty as to the appeal and price. Ask your agent to be honest about feedback - if someone says that your house gave them a negative feeling, you want to know exactly what that negative vibe was and then how you can fix it. There are not many houses with problems that stop them being sold, as I say, it is just about playing the waiting game unfortunately.

Cath X

[Mickstim]

Thanks Cath - I think we have done it all and our agents assure us that we are very competitively priced. We so far have 3 couples who want the house and none of them are able to sell theirs! We have a 4 bed detached and the downside is that the living accommodation is not enough these days for a large family - and short of adding on an expensive extension there is nothing we can do about the lack of an extra reception room. So despite being a 4 bed (and the bedrooms are large) we are better suited to a family of 3/4 at the most. So far all the interested people are couples with no children and we have even suggested to the agents that they don't send families round unless they are people who want to extend.

So - I guess we hang in there and hope that one of our prospective buyers sells theirs and doesn't change their mind about wanting to buy ours!

B xx

[Rusty]

And interest rates are cut 1/4%

Bring on the sales!

[Ricky]

And interest rates are cut 1/4%

Bring on the sales!


I can see the buyers from miles away, not really :exit , Let's hope it make a difference.

[Piper]

Welcome Piper! Where are you selling? Maybe if it's London you will get a quick sale and be there before you know it. If so I will be truning green :D like this!

Barb xx

I'm just outside London. I'm also in complete shock at the moment.

The estate agent just valued my (ex-council) house at £30k more than I thought it would be and showed me a similar one in the area that he sold last week within 3 days for more.

He reckons there's buyers out there and serious ones at that. Hope he's right - I'll be over the moon again if he is!!! His company sold my last house within days for me after another agent had it for months so I think I can trust them.

BTW - he also told me that you don't need to renew your HIP if you don't sell quickly.

I've got another 2 agents coming round over the next few days so I won't get too worked up just yet. But blimey, wow, gosh! That 30k would go a long way in NZ. Amazing.

[Belmont Babes]

What a lot of postings in a day...can't keep up with it all.

Piper - welcome to the mad place, hope you get a sale. It is always great when anyone has any good news on here at the moment.

Vicki - hop something comes of that house being up for resale

Cath - love your positive postings and insight into the market. Keep them coming.

Karen - hope you have been to the nearest shop, bought a load of Paxo and sent it to the buyers to "get stuffed". Cheeky devils :(

Me - nothing to report. Not a sniff of a viewing.

Nat

[holland]

Posivibes as always....can't wait to read all of this thread when I have the internet!!!

J x

[Mickstim]

Piper - hope you get the price you were valued at! It's Location, Location, Location isn't it?? And now with the drop in interest rates maybe the gloom and doom merchants will bloomin' well SHUT UP!!

B xx

[Piper]

2nd estate agent's been round and valued it at 30k less than the one yesterday :laugh Kind of more what I thought. One more agent to see it tomorrow and then I'll have a better idea.
Mr 'Big Money' is gonna be hard to resist though :p

[Mickstim]

2nd estate agent's been round and valued it at 30k less than the one yesterday :laugh Kind of more what I thought. One more agent to see it tomorrow and then I'll have a better idea.
Mr 'Big Money' is gonna be hard to resist though :p

When we got valuations we had one that was £50 000 more than the other 2, we went with the price the other 2 quoted (which was the same) and have since reduced by another £35 000. I do think there are times when they quote a high price in the hope of getting your business - and then suggest a drop a bit later! Good luck anyway and hope you get the best price!!

B

[vixxann]

I saw the daughter of the family that liked our house earlier this year and now have theirs back up for sale - she said they hadn't been allowed to extend as they'd hoped so are back up for sale. Her first words to me though were about how much her parents loved my house! PLEASE fairy sell their house!!

[Mickstim]

Crossing everything so hard I can hardly breath Vicki!!!

B xx

[peebles16]

Best of luck Vicki and Piper - everything crossed :D
Just sending letter to estate agent now to terminate their contract and take house off the market for now - hope am doing the right thing??
Karenx

[cathgates]

Just a quick word about Home Information Pack's. When you are quoted a price for them, ask them to give you a break down of the cost, it costs about £365 including vat at cost price for the hip and the home energy report.
If they are charging more, then they are most likely making a profit on something that the government has brought in as legislation.
Also, if you decide to take your house off the market, you need to come back on within 1 calendar month in order not to have to have a HIP.
The government hasn't as yet given a date for all non HIP properties to get one, but the HIP's for 2 bedroomed houses come in to force on the 14th December.
If you are thinking of going on before January, my suggestion is to wait until maybe 7th January as you will be seen as a new property by those who have stopped looking until after Christmas.
If you are thinking of renting your property and are looking for a buy to let mortgage, it is often a good idea to get advice from a mortgage advisor. Make sure that you see more than one advisor, and also ask them if they have access to 'the whole of market', as some are tied to certain lenders, and are not able to search the whole market.

Cath X

[Mickstim]

Would you believe we have another viewing on Saturday? I had decided that I could let the house go to pot, spare bedroom full of pressies and mince pies & tea bags ready to take to daughter in Florida and suddenly we get a phone call. We almost took the house off the market for the month but it just shows that there are buyers still out there. Now I have to do another big clean and find somewhere to hide all that shopping. Glad I still have the fairy and hope she does a decent job of it this time!

Barb xx

[peebles16]

Best of luck Barb - get that fairy to work :D
We have taken our house off the market just can't be doing with the hassle and really have to start getting organised as packers come in 4 weeks!! That and the small issue of Christmas with 2 over excited boys - oh the joys!

Positive vibes to all :D
Karenx

[holland]

Hi all,

Good Luck with the viewing Barb, wouldnt worry too much about the mince pies...it will make it homely!!!

Karen...house off the market?? Packers in?? I need an overview as to wats been going on!!!! I will try and read all thread, but think ill be here all day!!

Nat- hope your well hunny bunch...is your still up??

Posivibes to all as usual xx

J xx

[peebles16]

Jade have PM'ed you it'll be quicker - good to have you back :D
Karenx

[holland]

he he...I'm bantering again!!

J xx

[Belmont Babes]

Hi Jade Honey Buns...how are you chicken?

Hi Folks

My chin is still up there with the house firmly still on the market. I have days where I am happy to enjoy Xmas with loved ones and other days when I am hacked off as we were supposed to be in NZ by this time if the house sale hadn't of fallen through. So still a bit of a roller coaster emotionally. Not a sniff of a viewing though.

Good luck Barb....get those fairies out!

Karen - know what you mean about two excitable children. My youngest informed me this morning "I definitely don't ever want to be in NZ for Xmas, in the Sun....how stupid". Looks like I have my work cut out hey!

[Mickstim]

Jade - how wonderful to have you back. How's you doing??

Karen - you must be so excited now. Are you leaving the house selling stuff until you are gone? I heard today that Scotland is the only place prices haven't dropped.

Mince pies may indeed add a touch of homeliness Jade - but not a dozen boxes of them on the dressing table. It's ok though - I have managed to shove all the shopping for step daughter under the bed!! Every Christmas we take a very large suitcase just filled with her grocery requests, and another one full of pressies. So guess what - we have to shop while there to fill the cases to bring home again. Tough life!

It's all going to happen in the New Year Nat. Just enjoy the holiday.

Barb xx

[holland]

Hello,

Im good thanks, over the rocky patch for the moment! I am aware it can change at any time! We have a rental sorted and are staying in Westshore, just above Napier, its gorgeous, the beach is at the end of the driveway and stunning views at the back...life is good at the moment!!

and sooo glad to be online...yesterday I was soooo lazy, I am in NZ in a stunning country and I spent the whole day on the computer catching up!!!!!!! Today it is cloudy in Hawkes Bay and forecast rain, so I will probably do the same again...but may throw in a walk on the beach!!!...oooo its a hard life!

J xx

[Belmont Babes]

Sounds wonderful Jade....look forward to some photos soon X

[holland]

Nat...check out my blog there is loads on, ja want me to PM you link again??

J x

[Belmont Babes]

No I have you under my favourites of course X

[peebles16]

Yep Barb have to leave it all in hands of solicitor not the best option and really worried about it but felt we had little choice so leap of faith required! I think the whole market will pick in the New Year despite all the doom and gloom in the media - it'll be the flights prices to NZ that will rocket too with all us selling and flying over :D

Nat my kids a hyper what with Christmas concerts, parties etc but I do have to say I'm glad we here for it - think it would have really hard to make it work for the kids if we had just arrived in NZ.

Right must get back to the to do list otherwise god knows what will end up in the container :)

Best of luck folks
Karenx
Okay maybe just have a wee look at Jade's blog :D

[Andy-Dee]

Hi Holland
Just noticed you are 'green'. Glad to hear you are so settled. We rumble on here - can't wait for the first sale of the New Year. PM me your blog spot would love to see your pic's.

The fairy is still doing the rounds - the envelope should be getting rather fat by now.

Have a great Christmas.
D

[speckythecky]

Some good news on our house selling.

2 weeks ago we hadn't heard anything about the house for a while so we e mailed the agents and got a response saying that the buyers were looking at exchange of contracts in early Jan and completion at the end. needless to say we were not impressed, these were supposed to be cash buyers who wanted to move quickly.
We e mailed back to make our displeasure known to the agents and suggested that we may have to take the house off the market and rent it out over the winter. This obviously made the agents panic and they made some quick calls to get things moving and came up with exchange before christmas and completion early in the new year.
Then on Tuesday we got another email saying that we should complete on the 14th. Confused by this, and not knowing which 14th I e mailed our solicitors.
They responded that it was 14th December and that we would hope to exchange Wednesday or Thursday and complete Friday, depending on a mortgage offer.
Got home from the pub at midnight last night to find an e mail saying they had just exchanged (11am your time) and would complete by mid afternoon. (I thought it took a week between exchange and completion).
Got up this morning to find that we have sold our house, so now off house hunting again.

[Andy-Dee]

You lucky, lucky bar steward!!!!!!!

[speckythecky]

You lucky, lucky bar steward!!!!!!!

Took a big hit on the asking price and the exchange rate is pants at the moment, but sucha relief to have it off our hands

[peebles16]

Absolutely fantastic news speckthecky - hope it's the first of many, many sales for us all :D

Well done you!
Karenx

[holland]

Yeaaaahhhhh congrats Speckythecky xx

[Mickstim]

Brilliant news John. Amazing what a bit of pressure can do. Now for the fun of finding a new home!!

Bxx

[Ricky]

We have had another viewer yesterday and they are coming back for a second view. Let's hope this is good news. :yes

[peebles16]

Best of luck Ricky - we could do with some sales to cheer us all up :D
Barb - how did your viewing go?
Karenx

[Mickstim]

Good luck with the second viewing Ricky.

Our viewing also went well and they are coming back for a 2nd look tomorrow, but the agent says they have issues about where the sun is in the garden (she is a keen gardener) and we know that the sun is exactly where she wouldn't want it to be - so not getting any hopes up there!!

b XX

[Ricky]

Karen

Thanks, the second viewing was over quickly, I am not sure if that is good or bad :uhoh .
So, lets wait what the estate agent has to say, hopefully good news :o .

[Belmont Babes]

John - that's great news. Let's hope times are a changing for us all. January sales all round please.

Barb and Ricky let's hope you two are next then. Maybe the fairy wakes up for Xmas

[holland]

Nat...of course the fairy wakes up at christmas...thats when she spreads fairy dust!!!!!

Good Luck to you both....I think quick viewings are a good thing....maybe they have already decided they want it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Barb...Didn't you tell them you could move the sun???????????????// ha ha ha

If shes that good a gardener...it would be a good challenge for her!!

Ok., I am getting giddy now!!!!!!!!! I am sat in the sun....determined to make myself Christmassy so I have Slade on full blast on you tube!!!!!!

Just been dancing around the kitchen to Mariah Carey, All I want for Christmas is you...Graham thinks I have finally lost it!!

Stay positive you guys

J xx

[Mickstim]

Jade - you are so nuts. I did miss you!

Well, we had the second viewing today. Her concerns were where the sun rises/sets and if the large maple tree is protected (no, she can chop it down!) and whether the kitchen door could have a cat flap fitted (yes it can) and where she could put the cats food (no answer to that one - we don't have a special cat food corner in the kitchen) and where the gym equipment will go (who knows??). He just stands behind her muttering that he just does what he's told. So we have no idea what they are thinking and are not letting it bother us either way - it's too near Christmas. They do have a sale with a completed and fast moving chain though, and are being pushed to get moving!

B xx

[peebles16]

OOh Barb sounds promising - hoping for good news for you soon :D
Karenx

[Kerry and David]

Barb,

Got everything crossed for you!

Kerry x

[holland]

Bard,

Im sensing good vibes from this viewing...the cat bowl!!!!!!!! Thats hysterical...made me laugh!!

When they are viewing their house as their own and trying to work out where they would put things that is VERY VERY positive...


ooooooo....I hope some good news comes soon xxxxx

Ricky how did your viewing go??

J x

[Belmont Babes]

Barb, that does sound positive viewing. She could always put a cat flap in the base of the tree and the cat could live/eat there. That may solve a few problems. People hey..what are they like? I would love a viewing at the moment. Wondering if our agents are doing anything at all.

Am I the only one without viewings? Please tell...................:confused:

[holland]

Nat...how are you going to get viewings when your agents are busy completing 'sold sign' christmas cards?????????????//:laugh

I really must stop with being sarcastic!!!

PS_ Keep your chin up NAt I am sure there are a few people on here without viewings xxxx

[Ricky]

We have heard from our Estate Agent that the couple who did the second viewing are still thinking about it. However they also told us if they were going to put in an offer it will be 25,000 less then the asking price :( . So we told the Estate agent that we will not go lower then 10,000 below the asking price. So it is still a waiting game.

However there was another viewer coming yesterday but they didn't turn up :wah . Not very nice as my OH did all the cleaning ;) !

Cheers

[Mickstim]

Very frustrating Ricky - I so hate these no shows!

The news from our agent is that our viewers are very keen but both have gone down with flu. They gave her a list of questions about how quickly we could move out and have said they will make a final decision by the weekend, so it's the waiting game again.

Don't worry Nat - the new year will bring viewers to your door!!

B xx

[Belmont Babes]

Feeling really fed up today guys. Feel as if people we know are probably thinking "I bet they never make it to NZ" etc. I saw someone in supermarket today and she said "I thought you'd gone". Made me feel very frustrated and I also feel that I have put so much work into emigrating and this house selling business is completely out of my control. Now really wishing that we had sold and were in rented before embarking on the whole process. Sorry but not feeling very positive about anything today.

[Mickstim]

Sorry you are feeling so low Nat. We spend a lot of time wishing we had done things differently but hindsight is always 20/20! I have had several of those 'thought you had gone' encounters and they are horrible, but one of these days you really WILL be gone and then you'll get the last laugh.

Have a mince pie and a glass of something good!

B xx

[holland]

Ricky...Grrrr...now shows.......so annoying!

Barb...the weekend???I can't wait that long!!

Nat....the woman you saw in the supermarket....if she thought you had gone...she obviously isn't that much of a good friend...so don't worry about what she thinks..

You'll probably find that people are behind closed doors thinking, 'I wish we could put our house up for sale and have the guts to move across the world...I bet their not here next christmas'...often, we worry about what we think people are thinking, when actually they are thinking the complete opposite or nothing at all!!

Keep your chin up chuck! ( The amount of comments I have had since being here saying I sound like I am off corrie!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

J x

[Belmont Babes]

Look forward to speaking then Jade...it has to be my favourite accent.

[Mickstim]

We are having a very tense afternoon indeed. Got an offer from the latest viewers but at £30K less than our asking price (which we have already dropped by £35k). So we said we would be prepared to meet them half way and drop by £15k. That was 2 hours ago and nothing has been heard since. We are asking ourselves what if we have made a big mistake, what if prices drop even further next year and this offer gets to look like a good one etc. etc. It's all nail biting stuff and I wish the bluddy phone would ring and put us out of our misery.

B xx

[peebles16]

Oh such a hard decision to make Barb I don't envy you - we made a similar choice and knocked back offer 20K under the asking price and I still wonder??? I think they'll be leaving you to stew to see if you settle for less so try to stay firm but blooming heck it is hard!!

All the best and hope it comes through for you soon
Karenx

[Mickstim]

They are obviously not going to make it easy! Our agent phoned a while ago and said she knows they are very keen on the house so let's hope they are keen enough to come up with a bit more dosh! Hope we get some sleep tonight!

B xx

[Belmont Babes]

Are they ready to complete Barb?

[Mickstim]

They have a far advanced chain - everything looking in good order, but not a totally done deal yet. We'll see what tomorrow brings!

B xx

[vixxann]

Barb - haven't been on for a few days so only just catching up...

good luck - keep us informed. Be nice if someone had a sale this year -although I'd make do with one in next few months on next year now!

[Ricky]

Barb

I hope it come through for you, it will be a nice Xmas present. In my case the people who did the second viewing hasn't come back either :no , it is just not fair if people don't give proper feedback.

Ricky

[Piper]

Sounds like maybe people are thinking it's the January sales already!

I was informed that my nosey neighbours who came to nosey round at the weekend have been monitoring my place since I bought it and thought that it was overpriced. If they had been in a position to offer (not having their own house on the market makes that rather impractical) they would have offered £20k less than the asking price.

Stick it where the sun don't shine is what I say. Blinkin cheek. Grrrrrrrr.
Just wait till January - the ones who had a horrible Christmas and are looking for more room will come out of the woodwork then...

(Ricky - maybe it's not always so good to get detailed feedback - to know that these people living across the road have been watching me and then came in to look round makes my flesh crawl)

[holland]

Hey all...

Barb, I bet you are not sleeping!! Can't wait to hear if you have any news in the morning....

J x

[Belmont Babes]

Hope the phone rings with good news Barb

[Mickstim]

Well the phone rang but not sure the news is good! They have upped their offer by £5000 but say that is definitely as far as they will go so we have a decision to make now. M is out for the day so I have told them there is no way I will be able to tell them today - they want to get moving NOW. If we did sell to them we could be in NZ by March so that makes it a little tempting. So decisions, decisions, decisions. I wish I had an expert to ask for advice but no such luck!

B xx

[Belmont Babes]

Oh Barb still trying to make that very tricky decision? I have to say I would be very tempted.....