[Belmont Babes]

Well done Cath. was thinking about your sale today :cheers

With regard to shipping insurance, ours came to approx £250. We didn't go too mad on the form. Think we insured the house goods to the value of £14K.

With regard to flights, we booked and are due to exchange next Wed. We booked with Singapore Airlines and are allowed 1 date change.


Catt wishing you and any others a sale really soon. Anyone know where Vicki is?

[catt]

Good news Cath.......such a relief for you........:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

[nickydwuk]

This house selling lark is probably the worst part of emmigrating.I can cope with the forms, police checks - even the medicals but selling the house is the biggest nightmare. I know our house has only been on the market for just over a month - we have had a few viewings and one ridculously low offer 13k below asking price). Oue sole agency contract ends at the beginning of April so I will have to bite the bullet and pay higher fees to list it with multi agencies. The hopefully the increased competition will result in better marketing and hopefully a sale.

Congrats to all who have recently got good offers - just hope the fairy starts working for me. I have been feeding her well but she just does not seem to be working :wah

[peebles16]

Congrats folks - things seem to be moving at last :yes

Shipping insurance we went with Letton Percival - really easy to organise and by far cheaper than using the moving companies.

More sales please :D

Karenx

[holland]

Hi,

Conrats cath

Not long now Barb and Nat...

This thread has suddenly take off hasn't it!!!! Its all go, go , go!

We went with Letton Percival...insured ours about $17,000 I think, similar to Nat. The insurance I got ( standard?!?) didn't include jewellery though ( I found out at a later date), so bear that in mind...and maybe go to the airport like Mr.T!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

Posivibes to all xxxx

J xx

[nickydwuk]

After much dithering we have received a final offer from our neighbour - she is offering £8k below the asking price (£3k less than we had hoped for) but is willing to wait for us to move when we want - i.e. mid September. She is a first time buyer (no house to sell). Should we snap her hands off or wait? We are tempted to say yes but keep it on the market until such a point as she can't back out. The if we get a better offer we could negotiate. Any thoughts from those of you who have had more experience?

[Mickstim]

Nicky - whether that is a good offer or not really depends on your starting price. £8k off a £400k house is not at all bad, but off a £120K house it is almost 10%.

The trouble here is that no-one can predict which way the market is moving and I would imagine that if you were still advertising it and showing it then your neighbour would see? How friendly are you with her?

It's a really tricky situation and I'm not sure what I would do in your place - except perhaps to have a very frank discussion with the neighbour and let her know your feelings and find out how definite she is (i.e does she have finance in place etc?)

Not very helpful I'm afraid but I will be interested to see what suggestions every one else has here!

Bx

[catt]

The question i would ask myself is how important that £3k is to the plans we have and what would we have to cut back on if we accepted it. If after that you can still live with it without too much pocket ache i would ask the questions about how positive she is she wants the house. What her financial situation is like and most estate agents worth their salt will do that for you as its in their interest to get the sale through to achieve their commission............Good Luck in whatever happens.......i have everything crossed for you :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

[holland]

Nicky,

I agree with Barb...totally depends on what what your house is on the market for as to whether £8,000 below is acceptable.

Good Luck with whatever you decide!

J x

[sizzlingbadger]

If she's ready to move in the next 4-6 weeks I would move out and in to rental. I know 'dead' money for the next 5-6 months but that way you will have secured a sale and be ready to move in mid September, not waiting for a house offer. Also moving twice but we did it and it really isn't that bad, found it was definitely worth it in the end as we wouldn't have got the house sale in time if we hadn't have taken the offer :nice1

In the mean time and trying not to sound pessimistic she could find a better property and pull out of yours between now and September.

[Rusty]

If she's ready to move in the next 4-6 weeks I would move out and in to rental. I know 'dead' money for the next 5-6 months but that way you will have secured a sale and be ready to move in mid September, not waiting for a house offer. Also moving twice but we did it and it really isn't that bad, found it was definitely worth it in the end as we wouldn't have got the house sale in time if we hadn't have taken the offer :nice1

In the mean time and trying not to sound pessimistic she could find a better property and pull out of yours between now and September.

The money isn't that dead if you come away with enough equity from the sale and put it in a good savings account. We are tempted by this as a way to wait for a better exchange rate as well.

[Carey]

Could you suggest a private sale and therfore save on the estate agents fees and count them in, in the lower price?

[sizzlingbadger]

Good description in it not quite being dead money Rusty, especially if you're in a better position to move quickly :D

[3littlepikes]

this has been like reading a novel . I just can not put it down . We are just about to put our house on the market . We last moved 9 years ago . It was a horrible process and after 16 weeks our chain fell through - the first time buyer of our house was not a first time buyer and her sale had fallen through 3 weeks earlier . our estate devil did not tell us for 3 weeks . its put me off till now . I just hope the nightmare does not return . anyway a few questions for you guys in the process . I obviously HATE estate agents . I will not use the one we used last time.

I plan to negociate the fees - they charge to much anyway ( 2.5% in our area ) . I also plan not to have anyone shown round that is not proceedable . played that game last time ( do people have nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon ) .

Has anyone tried a sell it in **** wks for % fee and then the fee goes down if over this time frame . Has anyone got any other top tips before I invite the estate agents in for a grilling .

[Mickstim]

Good luck there 3littlepikes! We negotiated a rate of 1.25% but I do think there are people on here who have managed to negotaite better than that!

Bx

[catt]

Hi 3littlepikes.........if you check back a few pages you will see that i negotiated with our estate agent when we signed up with them and have cut and pasted what that negotiation consisted of below:

"Managed to get the agent to give us a sliding scale for their commission they started at 2% and we said 1.25% if you sell it for the price we want it within a month and for every week after that they reduce it by .25%. We have signed up for a 6 week deal. Interestingly he didnt seem phased but did say that a lot of people just accept what they ask for and never ask for a deal. Also said that it would make them work harder.....we will see but i am not holding my breath."

They do seem to be working at it as I have had more viewers than i expected in the last 10 days and each set want it but they are still on the market 2 have put in offers but its staying on the market until the sold sign goes up on one of theirs....3rd wants it but wont make an offer until hers is sold........4th has said she likes it but has not come back yet with any offer and she has indicated that she wants to keep her current house to let out and buy ours to live in..........we have another interested party coming in 15 minutes to view and again they are on the market. Our estate agent has said to us that our house being a family house will attract people who are either wanting to move up or someone who is looking to downsize either way those people will have property to sell.

Good luck with whatever you do.............:)

[Jennispink]

Hi there,

I'm sure I read on this thread someone had managed to negotiate a sliding rate. We negotiated a fixed price instead of a percentage which obviously will work out better for us the more we manage to get from any buyers (not that any have appeared so far:uhoh )

Good Luck with it all. Stand your ground and be firm with the agents. Tell them exactly what you want:nice1

[nickydwuk]

Thanks for all your advice regarding our offer. The actual offer works out at less than 5% of our asking price. Although we had hoped for £3k more than the offer it would just mean we would have £3k less for start up costs - but on the plus side OH's redundancy package is likely to be more than we had hoped so that should even things out. She has also agreed to wait to complete until we are ready to move out - she is buying the house (and land) as an investment and not necessarily to live in. I don't think she was actively looking for a property but ours is in the right place for her & family to make use of the house & land so the chances of her getting impatient and finding another property are non-existant. So it would save us the hassle of finding temporary rental & kennels until we fly. We have decided to accept but will keep it on the market until contracts are exchanged. Then she can't back out. :clap

[catt]

:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana well done i am so glad you got it sorted and everything is still crossed for you.......wooohoooo

[JandM]

Great news!:raebanana :cheers :raebanana

[Jennispink]

Brilliant news, well done:cheers

[Mickstim]

:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

Well done Nicky - sounds like the perfect buyer and worth dropping a little for!

Bx

[Belmont Babes]

Great News Nicki, the little guys are for you :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

Who's next?
Where is the fairy?

[Mels]

We haven't had any interest for three weeks now. There must be someone out there who would love our house.

Need a little fairy dust here please.

Mels

[catt]

Nicky sent me the fairy but i will pass it on to Mels for a short while if she will return it if i get really desperate......have kept a little fairy dust back though.........here you go Mels :exit :nice1

[Mickstim]

I need to mention, as far as the fairy is concerned, that she seems to work her magic some time after you have passed her on. I kept her for quite a while but only after I stuck her in the post did the magic work. So keep heart!!

Bx

[holland]

Nicky...congrats:raebanana :raebanana

[BkyMonster]

I'll trade some of my viewers for a buyer...
Getting tired of having so many people going through my house...
Why do they look if they aren't going to buy? :(

[JandM]

I swear for some people it's just a leisure activity, being nosy about how other people live.

[benandclare]

I swear for some people it's just a leisure activity, being nosy about how other people live.

The house we bought here was just a fill inbetween 2 other viewings so yes we were being nosey but ended up buying it :p

[Perksy]

Haven't had a chance to log on for a while but good to see things are still moving in the right direction for so many. We've had a stressful week. Don't you think buying and selling would be so much easier without all the middlemen like solicitors and mortgage companies? Our buyer has been on our estate agent complaining that my solicitor is being slow and has been told in no uncertain terms that it is her own solicitor who keeps writing to mine asking for informatin he already has. Apparently her solicitor refuses to accept the information he has in the electonic version of my HIP, like the land searches, and is requesting them again the old-fashioned way. It is nice to know we are paying out nearly £300 for documents that are supposed to speed up the process but that some solicitors won't take any notice of. In addition our mortgage company has admitted to losing our house deeds so we now have to pay to apply for copies of all the planning consents. The aim was to exchange next week with completion two weeks later. I now have a week off to pack everything up and hope I'm not tempting fate. Kim

[Mels]

Thanks Catt, how do I know when she's arrived?

Mels

[JandM]

The house we bought here was just a fill inbetween 2 other viewings so yes we were being nosey but ended up buying it :p


LOL - At least you were intent on buying something! I was thinking when I wrote that about when my parents were trying to sell, and they had several lots of people who, it became obvious, were just passing the time. One man spent all his time telling his 10-year-old to stand up straight, stop picking his nose, take his hands out of his pockets, etc., while his wife told my mother how she didn't like the curtains here, or the wallpaper there, and asked her what she'd paid for her dressing-gown that was hanging on the back of the door!

[Andy-Dee]

Hey Mels - the fairy arrives in the post in what must be a weighty package by now.
Its fun - so enjoy.

[peebles16]

OOOh - we've got an offer :D :D A real one not a 20K under asking price one - yippee!!! ABout time too as it's been over 7 months now - fingers crossed for the survery going okay!! Off to dance round the kitchen some more :yes

Best of luck folks

Karenx

[peebles16]

Oops congrats to Nicky too and have some more:raebanana :raebanana too!!

Mels I made the same mistake the fairy is real and put together by the lovely Dee and Jade - must be huge since I last saw it :yes

Good luck folks
Karenx

[holland]

Karen,

FANDABBYDOSEY!!!!:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

J xx

[Mickstim]

:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

Karen - wonderful news. WOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bx

[Jennispink]

Have one of these:cheers
Or even three:cheers :cheers

[vixxann]

Karen - fantastic news - very happy for you :clap
keep us up to date with proceedings - hope it all goes through quickly and smoothly.


no news here :(
what else can I say

[catt]

great news peebles have some :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana hope things go smoothly for you.

[JandM]

Congratulations, Karen! :cheers :raebanana :cheers

[Andy-Dee]

So many congrats Karen have a couple from us :raebanana :raebanana

Still nothing for us :wah Must be our turn soon Vixxan :(

[Belmont Babes]

Kim - How frustrating for you. Hope it all goes through OK, I'm sure it will.

Karen - way to go girl! Have a few, you deserve them :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

Vicki and Dee praying for you too, it is definitely your turn now, fairy are you listening? Maybe you ought to have her back again to jog her memory. :yes

[nickydwuk]

Well done Peebles - hope all goes smoothly. :cheers :cheers

[Carey]

Fabulous Peebles!

News from sleepy Suffolk; we agreed a price with our private buyers this afternoon! They are happy to wait til July which is when we hope I'll get a place on the ECE course at Auckland Uni. Wow, know we are lucky but suddenly the need for a job/place on course is HIGH!

[Mels]

Great news Carey, have some of these :cheers :cheers (bananas have vanished!!!)

Hope it all goes smoothly

Mels

[Smiler]

Sounds like things are really moving now Carey. I hope the housing market starts picking up for everyone.

Have some banana's, I nicked Mels ;)

:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

[Perksy]

Karen, Carey - Great news, have some more bananas:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana . Kim

[Mels]

That's OK Smiler, you can be more bananas than me :D

Mels

[Kerry and David]

Congratulations to all who have had success this week!:raebanana
The next door neighbours scafolding is still up but they are making progress with their building project so we did get the Estate Agents out to value on Friday and that was positive, so they are going to set up the paperwork to go for when we get back from NZ in a months time.
The Estate agent we have chosen to go with is going to hold an open day which they are going to promote in avance and hopefully we will get a few people through the door on the one day!

K x

[catt]

well done carey :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

good thinking on your part too Kerry & David have a great trip to NZ :cheers things should be looking much sunnier when you return and hopefully your neighbours scaffolding will be down

[peebles16]

Well done Carey things seem to really be moving on for you - before you know it you'll be here :D :D

Karenx

[Belmont Babes]

Well my friends, just to let you know we have EXCHANGED today and will complete 19th March. It really is happening and I can't believe it :D

[Helsandfamily]

Fantastic news - :clap :clap

[Kerry and David]

:raebanana :raebanana Congratulations!

[benandclare]

:raebanana :raebanana for the happy house selllers :D

[NZ Hopeful]

Well my friends, just to let you know we have EXCHANGED today and will complete 19th March. It really is happening and I can't believe it :D

There must have been times when you thought you would never get to this point! Well done! :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

[JandM]

Oh, GOOD news!:raebanana :clap :raebanana

[Mickstim]

:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

Nat - that is wonderful news. It really is happening!!!! Fabtastic!!

Bxx

[M&J]

What a relief have a few more of these:raebanana :raebanana

[Carey]

Good things come to those who wait or some such rubbish! Fab news!

:clap :clap :cheers

[catt]

Good job NZhopeful have some more :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana woohooooo

[peebles16]

YaaaaY Nat - well done you and have some more :raebanana :raebanana
All moving so fast - hold on tight to that rollercoaster :D

We've accepted our offer which buyer upped slightly and subject to survey that should be it signed and sealed - good thing about Scottish system is when offer is in and accepted in writing the deal is done :)

Positive vibes to all

Cheers
Karenx

[Andy-Dee]

Nat and Karen

REALLY, REALLY PLEASED for you many many :raebanana :raebanana

please send some luck to the North West - Vixx and I must be next!!

[JandM]

:raebanana :cheers :raebanana MORE good news.:)

[Jennispink]

:cheers for you
:wah for us
or maybe I'll force myself to:laugh instead
:nice1

[cathgates]

So pleased for you Nat :cheers :raebanana

Cath X

[nickydwuk]

Seems the buyers are coming out of the woodwork. Congrats to all who have sold (me included :) ) :cheers

[Janey]

Hi All,
Have read this post with interest, I have been on the market in Cornwall since Late September with total of 4 viewings, we have a unique house as it is an upside down house with views over the moor in Cornwall, 4 beds etc.

The current estate agent details show a floor plan and numerous photos and yet we still get comments like I did not like it as we could not go outside easily from the lounge!:D I ask you do people not look at particulars or its too small for 4 adults and 4 children:D :D.
I do not know what else to do, we have dropped the price by £40k now cheaper than some 3 beds in the area! we approached a buy back company who did not want the risk as we are unique so offered us a £85k under the asking price, we are on every website going what more can we do lost 2 jobs because of this and are now very fed up!


Having said that I have a friend who is selling a victorian terrace to go out to NZ and her sale as fallen through 6 times in the lsat 12 months you do fell sorry for her.

love feed back, Property is on rightmove in cornwall in Bathpool:(

[nickydwuk]

Looks lovely Janey. Can't see the problem. Can you still get out the back without having to go through the bedrooms? I like the 'out of the ordinary' type houses.

[Janey]

Hi Nickydwuk,
yes you can get out of the back via the sun room and an external flight of stairs also can walk all they way round. Where are you headed? do you work in the L & D I used to do Internal Audit work there so know it quite well!

[cathgates]

Hi Janey, I've looked at your house on right move - I think your estate agent needs to talk about the benefits of having the house in such a way. The description of bedrooms being on the 'lower ground floor', makes it sound like you have to 'sleep in the basement'. Is there any way the house would work by swapping a bedroom to allow for a downstairs second living area? Even if this is done as a suggestion by you at viewings? Have you approached your agent to find out why you haven't had many viewings? Have you thought about getting a friend to 'mystery shop' your house with key questions and comments being made to see what kind of answers the agent gives? Have you considered swapping agents or offering an incentive to get it sold quickly? - a hundred quid to the agent who clinches the deal on completion?
I hope you get a sale soon.

Cath X

[Mickstim]

Hi Janey - very frustrating I know, but your house looks lovely and the views are obviously great! Be patient - some of us took 9 months or more to sell and I am sure it will happen for you. We too dropped our price dramatically to sell (and then sold it to someone who had seen it at it's original price and would probably have paid that!!)

Good luck

Bx

[Janey]

Hi Cathgates,

thanks for the comments,:nice1 there is no access from the downstairs outside although we did consider it! we have swapped agents, perhaps we are a little too impatient! I have considered multi agency however does this look like I am desparate, with now having had 4 lots of agents through the house and all saying we will have no problem selling I think the all talk a load of b**s**t! by having the living area upstairs one its bigger, two its gains the best of the views and three its level with the front door.

Personally I think this was an estate agent make up excuse of why they did not want it.:D I think we are giving this agent a couple more weeks and then look again but to be quite honest I am fed up with the lot of them. Down here they shut at 4.30pm Mon-Sat and not open on Sunday unbelievable most houses of this nature are bought by those from other parts of the UK how can you provide a service when you are not open on a Sunday! (having lived in Bicester prior to this the Estate agents there never closed and certainly that the impression I have of the real estate agents in New Zealand), I will stop ranting now and climb off the ceiling and go and take it out in the gym tonight who knows we might have another viewing lined up when I get home!(did I see a pig flying then!):raebanana
thanks once again for all your comments
regards
Jane:roll