[Genie]

Congratulations Nat, what a bumpy ride you've had. Now the fun times can begin, well done to you.
Jeannie

[Kerry and David]

Nat - you sound so happy!

Our house is now officially up for sale - saw it for the first time on Right Move today which felt a bit strange.

Fingers crossed!

K x

[holland]

Kerry...

Posivibes to you.....Hopefully a quick sale xxxx

Im sure there will be other that will wish you well soon...welcome to this mad thread...

J xx

PS- Whats your faviourite biscuits??

[chocolate cake]

Thanks Catt as I say we know how painful selling your house can be as the last two we ended up doing part-ex because we couldn't sell them as buyers kept dropping out etc. Really hope it all speeds up for everyone here.

'....Buyers kept dropping out'
Yes, just had that, I thought I was really lucky to have a offer close to the asking price which I accepted. Sadly a few days later, the buyer pulled out having found somewhere else.
So back to square one, I'm already in NZ now and am intending to rent first in any case so not desperate at this stage but a quick sale would have been more than very handy.

[Belmont Babes]

Hi All
It is so frustrating to read that not much has moved on here. I almost feel horrible posting now that hopefully we are on the smoother path. I really am wishing lots of Spring time sales for you all. The blinkin weather isn't helping though is it?
We look to have a tenant sorted in our rental so fingers crossed. Will keep looking in when I have the chance. POZIVIBES :nice1

[Kerry and David]

Jade,

Is the this a trick question re the biscuits:D
In answer to your question since loosing 5.5 stone:raebanana :raebanana on my massive diet I don't do biscuits anymore, before diet days I would have to say any biscuit would do especially if covered in chocolate that melted when dunked in tea:o

K xx

[Andy-Dee]

Giving our agent notice - they have been ultra pathetic, feel really cross and cheated.
Really vetted the new one - so hopefully luck will change. Did everyone have a slow easter for viewings or was it just us??

[vixxann]

no viewings here - not had a whiff of one for over a month now
I think we are going to reduce price :uhoh

[Helsandfamily]

We had a few viewings, over Easter, but in my ultra optomistic frame of mind, was hoping for lots more. It was slower than I thought, and have not had a whiff of one since Saturday.

It has only been 2 weeks, but I am starting to feel quite desperate. I hate it as well when you have had a good viewing and you feel that the potential buyer is quite keen, and then they don't get back in tough with the estate agents, even if it is to say that they don't want it.

What a frustrating process.

hels

[Rusty]

No viewings in 3 1/2 weeks. The agent now says it is a bit slow 'out there'.
We still have time, but selling would be nice.
PS. I forgot about the buiscuits, that was about 60 pages ago wasn't it?

[Janey]

No viewings now for 3 weeks, :confused:
agent has told us not to drop the price not make a scrap of difference it did not help with everyones school holidays different the only possible tourists (sorry House hunters ) down hear over Easter were the Brummies (nothing against them one myself)
but most of the country not on easter break, also the weather not good who wants to go house hunting in snow, hail gales or rain, lucky not sumitted EOI yet.
Chin up everyone it will happen hey Summer is on the way clocks change this weekend yippee :raebanana lighter evenings!

[Helsandfamily]

Jade,

Is the this a trick question re the biscuits:D
In answer to your question since loosing 5.5 stone:raebanana :raebanana on my massive diet I don't do biscuits anymore, before diet days I would have to say any biscuit would do especially if covered in chocolate that melted when dunked in tea:o

K xx

Wow kerry really Impressed !!!!!!

[cathgates]

The market has slowed down again drastically. Your agent is right Janey, dropping your pri8ce won't make a difference. One of the biggest problems is the loss of 100% mortgages for first time buyers - no mortgage lender has them anymore. The banks are all scared wittless to lend money at the moment, and the first time buyers are the key to the market.
The banks will start to have a little more confidence soon - fuelled with the fact that lending money is how they make a profit!! But at the moment, they are happy to just tick over, especially with the recent scare with hbos shares.
There is generally a lot of choice out there at the moment which does slow things down for individual sellers, the threat of American recession isn't helping as many people do have links to them one way or another, and we often feel that what happens to them eventually happens to us.
Easter was dead for us aswell, we may as well have opened for a couple of hours on Saturday instead of all day.
We don't honestly know when the market will pick up, but we do know it will not be like it was a few years ago - house for sale Monday morning, sold 10% above asking price on Tuesday.
There's no words to change how we are all feeling - the limbo - we just have to accept that this is how it is at the moment - unless, of course, you drop your price by 50 or 100k - even then there's no guarantee

Cath X

[catt]

Well said Cath.....limbo a pain in the neck but there is nothing any of us can do but wait.........:roll

[Genie]

Talk about rotten timing....our house goes on the market tomorrow morning and tonight the laminate wood hallway has flooded from a leaking radiator. :uhoh It's amazing how much water they can hold!

I could always advertise it as an indoor pool I suppose :roll

Fingers crossed for everyone selling, I'm sending out my ju-ju to you all

Jeannie

[JandM]

Aww, what tough luck! All the best for getting it sorted soon, and easily.

[holland]

Hi Kerry...

Not a trick question about the biscuits! At one point, many moons ago on this thread, we all got a bit giddy and we're going slightly bonkers about not selling our houses and we ended up having a discussion re biscuits and decided that when we all sold, we would all meet up and have a biscuit fest in NZ!!!

I'm a jammie Dodger girl myself!

Congrats on weight loss xxx

Posivibes to all xxx

J xx

[Kerry and David]

Thanks Jade!

K xx

[holland]

I didn't tempt you to a biscuit did I??:confused: :laugh

[Kerry and David]

Not this time but next time I reach for a biscuit I shall hold you responsible:D :laugh

K x

[holland]

he he....Im off to the spa to work off my biscuits!!!!:D

[Paul Blears]

I've just put my Tauranga property on the market...400 hits on Trade Me, but no viewers yet...reckon it's the same as the UK....property market slowing!!

[cathgates]

Hi Paul - shows us yer link!!!:D

Cath X

[Genie]

Oooh errr, thats a bit personal isn't it Cath?? : )

[Andy-Dee]

Very forward Cath - but if you don't ask........

[cathgates]

I only wanted to see what He's got to offer:p

Cath X

[Janey]

Thanks Cathgates, I know you are right we will sell sometime , another wet weekend though no viewing booked if only we had dry weather we could go out and not think about it!
It also seesm to be one thing after another the toilet has not decided to play up, the oputside lights filling with water, the car headlamps gone will it never end, any money we do save goes back out of the door again!

[Helsandfamily]

well, after feeling very desperate, we have dropped our asking price by £25k, hopefully we will get something now, don't know where we go from here though.....?

[Rusty]

Well it's all very quiet on here at the moment. Hope all is well with the selling.
We actually have a viewer this evening, but the stupid agent has told them we are emigrating - expecting lots of questions about that.

[Belmont Babes]

Hi Everyone
I am still here. 2 weeks today...yikes!
Rusty, good luck with tonight :nice1

[Andy-Dee]

All digits crossed for you tonight

[cathgates]

Good luck Rusty:yes

Cath XX

[Rusty]

They came, they saw...and we err must wait now.
It turns out their chain has just fallen through and will want us to move quicker tham we want.
Well, at least one viewer has seen our house.

[cathgates]

Rusty, one bit of advice I give everyone who sells through my estate agency is - DONT loose your buyer - if they like your house and want to move quick, then put on your running shoes:exit you can always stay in rented, buyers are an endangered species:yes

Cath X

[Rusty]

Rusty, one bit of advice I give everyone who sells through my estate agency is - DONT loose your buyer - if they like your house and want to move quick, then put on your running shoes:exit you can always stay in rented, buyers are an endangered species:yes

Cath X

I do agree with you, except that we have not yet heard about our ITA. I know I could play the UK market and pull out any time pre-contract, but I hate anybody else doing that and would feel a (relieved) hypocrit.
You never know, they know about our situation and it depends what they want.

[peebles16]

Best of luck with it Rusty whatever you decide :)

Karenx

[thewoodies]

we have been on the market 3 weeks! no viewings market slow! have dropped price have a viewing this week! This is as stressful as waiting to give birth!!!!! I hate not being able to plan. Is anyone thinking of renting out their property if it doesnt sell?

[Helsandfamily]

Hi woodies,

really hoping that it doesn't come to that. We had given renting out a bit of thought a while ago, but even if we do come back, not sure that I would come back to this area. Fancy a complete change, also don't fancy the hastle of having to get the plumbing/ electric etc checked

Good luck with whatever you do!

Rusty - hope that you get a reply soon! I agree this is horrible. if someone comes and they don't like it I wish they would say so. THis is maddening!!!

hels ( off for another gin) :roll

[Genie]

Well you know that saying about buses....you wait for one then three come together, or something like that? We put up our for sale board on Thursday, the only house in the area at this price and this kind. Then over the weekend and so far this week another 3 have joined us!

I'm not sure if this will work for us or against us at this point. The other houses are IMHO way over priced, and haven't got the good sized, private garden we have, so am hoping (fingers and toes crossed) that there being others very close will work for us.

Yes, yes, I know I'm always this optimistic. Surprised myself!! : )

Jeannie

[Genie]

I think I'm going to join you Hels, chin chin ; )

[holland]

Ok...I am gin free having just come in from work!!!

Woodies...I think at some time every one of us have thought about renting the house out....a good person to speak to/pm would be Belmont Babes...she may be a bit busy for the next 2 weeks are she is emigrating!!!:D BUt I am sure once she is settled she can give some advice as she will be renting a property out....

PS- I always find bribing this forum member with a kit kat/bourbon works a treat!;)

J xx

[Janey]

Hi Guys
well 2 weeks on no viewings, the Estate agent now says quiet Easter not what we thought! might be wise to drop your price but needs to be more than £5k I recommend £10k em! is this not what I suggested 2 weeks ago and got told this would not help ! Please tell me I am not thinking straight.

On the side of renting we have all thought about it, not only is there a problem re gas, elec certs but also damage tennants might do, problems if boiler breaks down etc, also tennants not paying? We thought about it and one it would no where near cover costs of mortgage and being so rural not sure we would easily get tennants. or dealing with issues tfrom the other sid eof the world as we have no family close to keep an eye on it.

We rented a flat out 10 years ago to a housing association this was good as we were guaranteed the income regardless of occupancy (albeit below market rent)

[JandM]

Like I said on another thread, I've been looking into using an agent to look after a rental property after we go to NZ. Of course there are will still be issues of insurance to factor in, but the agents themselves charge 12% of the rent for a Total Management package, which means that the landlord doesn't have to deal with finding and supervising tenants, maintenance, repairs, inspections or anything. The agent does the necessary, and accounts to you for what they spend. In my case, I'm looking at a local firm that I know have been in business here for decades, and I'll be asking for references, so that will take care of the 'can I trust them from over there?' angle. In my situation, I think the fee is worth it.

[Belmont Babes]

Hello Guys,
Well I have been a busy bee. Sick to the back teeth of people just assuming we have nothing better than to drive around the Uk visiting them. The free food is good but we are sooo tired and emotionally drained, don't I sound ungrateful?

Well we had a tenant move in to our house yesterday to rent for 6 months. Don't know what she will be like but just have to hope it goes OK. Our agents are looking after it and I also have two Brothers locally who are builders etc and able to fix anything so that is also covered. Watch this space for whether or not it is a success. I have a couple of friends who rent out quite a few properties between them and never have any bother.

I notice the biscuit debate has stopped. Jade is right when she mentions that I am partial to the odd choccie bic, not too fussy to type, have been known to eat Jaffa cakes by the dozen.

Very much looking forward to that Biscuit BBQ when we all get to NZ.
Barb - you still up for it? Where are you and how's it going?

To everyone playing the waiting game, I know it's awful but hang in there. The next thing you know there is more emotional turmoil as you go through all of the goodbyes :wah
Nat X

[BkyMonster]

Not one but two offers on top of each other!
Not bad after 30+viewings, 3 months and nothing.
We didn't like the first offer and so counter offered on it (They wanted another 25k off our price reduced by 25k. Didn't even put earnest money down :roll)
Then we got a great second offer. We're itching to accept but have to get a formal rejection of the first counteroffer first (they verbally rejected).

Hope this turns out and doesn't fall apart :uhoh.

Good luck to everyone! Soldier through those viewings. Someone will like it...

[JandM]

:raebanana :cheers :raebanana to both of you.:)

[Belmont Babes]

:clap Becky, keep us informed

[Destiny]

Hi,

I think I can now officially join this thread. We went on the market today. Wow what a week so emotionally draining. I really do belive that we are going to make the move now. I seem to have my hand constantly attached to the hoover and we haven't even shown the house to any buyers yet. First had to get the house spotless for valuation and then again for measuring up and photos. The external photos have had to be taken again because the whether is foul and the sky is cloudy but fingers croosed all should go online tomorrow.

All I need now is for our first viewer. Really hard to keep the house tiny as our three children are on Easter holiday until next week but bless them they are being incredibly good about the whole thing.

Will keep you informed,

Destiny.

[Sam B]

5 weeks on the market now and not a snifter of interest. How are people going to fall in love with my house if no-one actually looks at it? Totally fed up with raking up leaves, mowing, weeding and tidying. The housing market is dead here, we have no hope of selling it.

I don't much like biscuits.

[Andy-Dee]

...then eat cake :laugh Sam B

equally fed up this side of the pond :wah

[marshanite]

Oh yes :raebanana :raebanana . Had a phonecall on the mobile & then the landline at approx 2 am (luckily they didn't wake the twins!) & as I lay awake speculating, I felt sure it was the estate agent. sure enough this morning they upped their offer to £230,000. We wouldn't have considered it a year ago, but right now - we are going to snap their hands off :yes

Thank you all so much again for your input (on my other thread), I found it really helpful & encouraging. Who knows whether it will all go through. I am certainly going to keep every available appendage crossed :laugh

The agent says that they are not in a chain & have their finances arranged - so it sounds good so far.

For all those still on the market I am sending out some of our good luck to all of you.

All the best, Fi.

[holland]

Fi...

Have some of these!:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

[Helsandfamily]

Thanks for the luck marshanite,

We have an offer on the table, but have rejected it as too low. We have already dropped the asking price £25k, and they want us to drop again by another £20k. Just hope that we don't live to regret it.

It does appear that things are starting to happen in the uk though so fingers crossed for everyone!

Sam B - hang in there ( forget the biscuits - have a bar of too of chocolate!!!! )

hels

[Rabbit]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10501887

perhaps win at the other end, timing coming this way is an issue to consider.

So rent for a while and buy in six months?

Rabbit.

[Genie]

:clap :yes Thanks for the luck Marshanite, it worked!! We went on the market a week ago and have our first viewing on Monday. Slight problem....our kitchen is stood in the living room at the moment :uhoh

The only room we've finished is the bathroom and it looks fab. Everywhere and I mean everywhere else is in so much need of decorating and replacing at this point I'm really unsure if having a viewing will be a good idea or not?

Hey, nothing ventured and all that. Fingers crossed.

Jeannie

[nickydwuk]

Well, we sold a few weeks ago but nothing else has happened. Our solicitor sent us the contracts to sign - which we did. We also had a call from the agent to say that the buyer had paid for her survey and it should be done within the next week - but that was over a week ago and nothing has happened. So we are still waiting and hoping she doesn't get cold feet and change her mind. I hate all this waiting but it has to be done to achieve the end result I suppose. :(

[Pip]

AAghhhh.. flipping british press. Our buyers have just pulled out of buying our flat because they've got cold feet about entering the property market after everything in the press this week. And that was despite us agreeing to sell it to them for less than we paid for in 2004..

I can't even drown my sorrows due to this pregnancy lark.. ah well, at least we hadn't got carried away and started spending the proceeds at this end. Sure makes me appreciate the NZ approach to buying houses... none of this pulling out because you changed your mind lark.

Right.. where's that chocolate...

[JandM]

Sorry to hear that - maddening.

[Janey]

Hi Pip
sorry to hear your news frustrating I Know I have a friend down here this has happened to 6 times now she is almost suicidal! I fully agree the HIP has done nothing for UK Housing market what we need is buyers to be tied in on offer bassi unless unable to obtain Finance or survey bad! as is the case in most other countries.

[Helsandfamily]

Hi pip,

I am really sorry to hear your news very frustrating.... keeping fingers crossed for another one for you very soon!!

hels

[Alan]

Hope you get someone else soon Pip

[Peter&Liz]

Sorry to hear about your buyer Pip, I much prefer the Scottish system of house buying, you have an offer accepted that’s it, pull out and you face heavy penalties.

Time for us to join the rollercoaster ride of trying to sell a house in England, we
put our house on the market today and have our first viewing tomorrow.

The viewer is a cash buyer who has had offers rejected on a few other properties, so I guess he’s going to try and get something cut price, so I doubt even if he falls in love with the house we will get an acceptable offer.

Peter

[holland]

the English approach to house buying is mega stressful glad we are out of that,NZ is a lot quicker and once you say yes IT MEANS YES,hope you all sell soon G

[peebles16]

Pip is a nightmare the whole UK press doom and gloom really is slowing down the market :( Hope you get another buyer soon

Best of luck to folks and posivibes :)

Karenx

[Pip]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the support. Our agent says that most of the market is actually doing o.k, but our flat is classic first time buyer territory and those are the people who are spooked right now and not buying.

Blimey - I can't believe its happened to someone six times.. my heart goes out to her. she must be at her wits end...

oh well at least we've only lost a month, rather than being three months down the track and the day before we were due to exchange...

(and for the record, even when pregnant, the max no of chocolate hob nobs you can eat in a row before you start to feel sick is four :D )

[mossum]

(and for the record, even when pregnant, the max no of chocolate hob nobs you can eat in a row before you start to feel sick is four :D )

packets ? :laugh

[holland]

Lmao

[Rusty]

Well, our viewer put an offer on another house. Can't believe its been 6 weeks already. We are at the point of guessing our next move and can change agents as we only had a 6 week contract, but not sure if that would help - or have 2 agents?
Where did the fairy end up?

[cathgates]

Sorry to hear that Rusty, I don't think changing your agent will make much difference, and 2 agents can sometimes appear desperate and encourage low offers. You may want to impress upon your agent that in no way do you want viewers knowing you are emmigrating. The only thing you can do is wait, or reduce your price drastically. There is not much confidence in the market at the moment, and with all 100%mortgages having been withdrawn a few weeks ago, this has stopped quite a lot of the first time buyers being able to buy, and with them being the key to the housing market, everything has more or less ground to a halt. Many investors are also waiting to see if prices drop a fair bit, I don't think they will, as people are in general tied in to a high buying price to start with, so that is another sector of the market not buying, stopping the domino effect happening. The banks will eventually start to offer more mortgages, after all, that's how they make their profits, they are happy to just tick over for a while untill the full impact in America is laid bare, they will eventually lick their wounds and get back on the ball.
I know this doesn't help you at the moment, but you can do nothing other than wait I'm afraid, I know this doesn't help, but the market is stagnant, and there is no evidence of a change very soon. I don't mean to be doom and gloom, just trying to be realistic. We are selling a few houses at work at the moment, but every time we have an offer in, it's approached in a way as if someone has just offered 30k above the asking price instead of someone's just offered a fairly realistic price. Our rental department is partly keeping the sales side of the business afloat at the moment. I'm at work at the moment with more than enough time to write this and surf the net - looking on NZ real estate sites!!!

Good luck to you Rusty, and everyone else

Cath X

[colin stuart]

:raebanana Hi all this is my fist time be gentle
could anyone help we are looking to move to nz and would like to know how much its going to cost for a container to get all our things over there from the uk and how long will it take to get there?
lots of things to ask if any one can help with any thing please let me know
thanks colin:clap

[JandM]

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16404

Hello, Colin, and welcome.:) The link above goes to a quite recent thread where people were talking about shipping costs. That should start you off.

If you go to the 'Making The Move' forum from the main menu, you'll find lots of threads on all aspects of the practicalities. And have you found the 'Search' button on the blue bar up above? - that ought to give you access to more possibilities, every time another of those, 'Oh, what about...?' questions springs to mind.

[BkyMonster]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the support. Our agent says that most of the market is actually doing o.k, but our flat is classic first time buyer territory and those are the people who are spooked right now and not buying.

That was the problem with my house as well. First time buyers aren't confident right now.
At least I'm in a contract in the US. There are lots of places the deal can fall apart but both parties are protected.

Good luck!

[Genie]

Oh boy am I beginning to feel the pressure of this moving malarkey and we haven't even had our first viewing!

It's Sunday afternoon, 4pm, B&Q (where we live half our lives at present) is closed. So we're on our own now until 8am tomorrow. OH has been fitting new sink today only to find he cut the hole too big. :exit

So he has returned with a new worktop, and is outside cutting another hole. Please let it be the right size this time, my ears couldn't take that shade of blue again :roll

In our kitchen today we have a fridge freezer, a cooker and...errr......well thats it actually. What do you think the chances are of us getting it done by 2pm tomorrow, in time for the first viewing :wah

I need some chocolate, it's no good. I'm full of cold, nearly amputated the tip of my left index finger, pre-menstrual and on a diet. A ticking time bomb? :laugh

[JandM]

Awwww.... hang in there, and good luck for the viewing!

[Pete & Sheila]

We have been trying to sell since last November. After dropping the price considerably. We found a buyer but are scared of them pulling out. We are coming close to exchanging contracts when the buyer at the last minute decided to go for a full homebuyer’s survey. Had a surveyor round for two full hours the other day going through the whole house making a report on the slightest of things. Hope the buyer doesn’t try to drop the price any more or else will have to go through the whole process of trying to find another buyer.