[Ian&Lisa]

Hi All

We have just submitted our ITA with clear meds, police checks and everything else and can see no reason why we shouldn't get decision succesfull given we also have a job offer and contract of employment all signed.

So the question is should we put our house on the market as we havn't told anyone of our intentions and obviously people are going to ask questions and we feel the kids may crack under questioning from neighbours, family and friends. We also have a business to sort out and employees to tell.
We didn't want to leave it until the last minute because of the slump in the property market and have had valuations and prices to get the house moving quick, but we don't want to say we are going until we are sure we can.

Has anyone else been in this situation. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Lisa

[macuser]

We put our house on the market almost a year ago now and are still waiting for a buyer.

We explained to the agents that our families weren't aware we were moving and didn't want a sign up outside, or in the local paper, until we had a chance to tell them. We wanted to do it face to face and we have family scattered over the country. So initially it was marketed in the agent's window and website only. No way our family would find it there.

I would advise putting it on as soon as possible as you just don't know how long it will take.

Our friends can't believe ours hasn't sold yet and we've had plenty of viewers/interest but they all have a house to sell too so here we are, PR in hand and stuck because we can't sell the house.

Good Luck with your ITA and house sale.

Helen

[victoria24]

Hi Lisa

We're in a similar boat regarding house and business/employees etc.
We have always let anyone know that we plan to emigrate at some point and being quite truthfull have always said we have no idea of when it would be.
We put our house on the market 2 months ago at 7% less than it was valued last year to be realistic and the house is totally refurbed so is in mint condition.
We have had 1 viewing and have another tomorrow with 3 agents on the case.
So I would crack on!!

[Rusty]

Completely agree with both comments above.
We were in a similar position regarding telling friends and work finding out, but put the house on the market without a sign up.
At the moment, get your house for sale as soon as you can. Houses just are not selling at the moment - even at silly prices. Ours is priced similar to those with 1 bed less.

[IanW99]

If you don't want to tell anyone that you are emigrating just yet, then don't tell them.

Just say you are selling the house because you want to move to a bigger house / smaller house / better area etc.

You can always tell them later that you've decided instead of a new area it will be a new country.

Ian

[Red Devil]

I appreciate timescales may be out, however we could see the writing on the wall in 2006 with regards the way the UK housing market was going go, so decided to sell our UK property then... from putting the house on the market to moving out, it only took 4 months :D... just need to sell our farmhouse in France now :roll

Based on your personal circumstances, I'd go for it and put your property on the market and see what develops... nothing ventured, nothing gained!!!

Good luck with everything :nice1

[victoria24]

interesting post from D&J on the anyone on the market thread about part ex-ing your house. looks like a sound idea and something a bit novel.

[Ian&Lisa]

interesting post from D&J on the anyone on the market thread about part ex-ing your house. looks like a sound idea and something a bit novel.

Our estate agent mentioned that as an option for us because we said that if we ran out of time we would consider renting it out, but he said we would have more problems trying to rent it than trying to sell it.

Thanks for all of your thoughts so far, I will try and convince Ian to get it on the market, but he says he can't believe we are going until he sees it in writing. We have taken many risks in our life but I guess this move will always be the biggest.

[Janey]

Lisa,
with the current market even if and a big if you get refused into NZ so are in such a good bargainng power in the UK you might even get a bigger better house for less those of us that have our proerty on the market (ours 9 months £55k drop) are desparate for buyers if you had money in the bank sellers would fall over themselves for you plus you could earn interest on the capital.

[Ian&Lisa]

We instructed the estate agents today and they are coming on Wednesday with the paperwork for us to sign. We are doing what Macuser suggested and not having a board or doing any newspaper advertising until we are certain we are in (thanks for that advice). Valuations were for £365k but we are starting at £325k to see how we go but we expect to take less. We will see.

Thanks again.
Lisa

[victoria24]

remember the only upside of our rubbish legal system is that you can pull out of the sale right up to exchange :-)

[macuser]

Good Luck. Here's hoping for lots of viewers for you.

Helen

[3littlepikes]

good luck - our is on the market , we have sent ITA in ( just ) family and friends know the truth - we have lied to all others - arnt we horrid - nosey neighbours !!! had too the estate agent put a sign up even though we did not want one !

[lnz]

We put our house on the market around the time that we sent our ITA documentation and sold before we had confirmation that we were approved in principle. It has certainly taken a lot of the pressure off the application process, although it made for a busy time sorting our medicals and paperwork at the same time that we were getting the house ready to sell.

We didn't tell people why we were selling (just said we wanted to be flexible when OH's IT contract ended). When we finally got round to telling our family that we are emigrating, they said they had assumed as much when we sold the house (something to do with 2 trips to NZ in the last 18 months). It seemed to make it easier for them - they had time to get used to the possibility of us moving before it became a fact.

That, or they are just glad to see the back of us!

[jasonelsa56]

Good luck. We have been on the market since Nov 07. Dispite realistic price and further price drops no luck. We have decided that if neccessary we will rent ours out (we have enough equity, so that the estimated rent will cover our costs). Might be worth looking at, you can then wait for the market to pick up an sell at its true value. Also no capital gains for the 1st 3 years.

[BkyMonster]

My advice to anyone doing the process is sell the house first.
Even if you sell quickly you know the area and can get a rental until you go.
Having your house sit on the market is no fun when everything else is ready.

[Beeblebrox]

Based on my experience and what is going on (or not) with the market at the moment I would suggest putting it on the market as soon as possible. The estate agent dealing with our house reckons things may get a lot worse in the next 3 to 4 months but I am hoping that is just estate agent speak. Buyers are definitely very few and far between at the moment. Although we have had viewers and people are interested in placing an offer no one is proceedable and have the same problem that we all face.

Now someone mentioned a house sale fairy elsewhere....must go and look for it.

Cheers and good luck with the sale and move

Beeb.

[Hejwitch_uk]

Ours went up on Friday - a bit of a risk, as although we have a case officer, we have been advised that our medicals have been referred for comment to the Consultant Physician. Hoping nothing or very little will be required once they're checked (a few minor but managed issues). In the current climate, we reckon that we're unlikely to sell before we get a definitive answer on PR one way or the other. Feel better now we have a board up in the front of the house. Spent the weekend waiting for the hoardes to turn up, but reality has now set in and we think we may need to wait a wee while for viewers..... we live in hope!!

[Ian&Lisa]

We put the house on the market and had photos and HIP pack done last week and we couldn't believe it when we had a phone call from the estate agents to say they had someone who wanted to view it. They phoned us at 9.30am monday and asked could they come at 5.30.

They came and viewed then asked could they have another look so we left them to look around by themselves. They were here for 1 hour and said they were in rented accomadation as they had sold there house months ago and were having trouble finding something as there is no choice out there as people aren't putting there houses up for sale, they are sitting on them waiting for the prices to go back up.

I spoke to the estate agent yesterday who said they really liked the house and will be contacting us again for another viewing. They also said they have dealt with these people before and they are very thorough and particular about what they want. So we will just have to wait and see what happens.

Lisa

[Red Devil]

... sounds very positive, best of luck :nice1

[IanR]

Put mine on the market on May 9th, sold May 14th and received the money June 7th... the HIP was done on June 1st which was of no interest to either myself or the buyer and neither of us saw it...what a waste of money!

I priced it ahead of the market back down to it's apparent 2006 price ... according to the agent yesterday, whom I know reasonably well, I would not get that for it today and she tells me that it was the last property they completed on (office with 5 staff and no sales in a month!!)... so, maybe the moral is that it's not too difficult to see where house prices are going and it's of no benefit dropping prices behind the market..

[Ian&Lisa]

We had another viewing on Wednesday and they came back last night for another look and made an offer this morning and we accepted it. We can't believe it they are in rented and are looking to move in October time which is perfect for us. So fingers crossed it all goes through o.k. Good luck to everyone else on the market.

Lisa

[catt]

Ours was put on the market on the 22 February 2008 had interest and offers but none of them have sold so still waiting for that elusive buyer........:roll