This afternoon I will hear if my bid on a modern ground floor flat in a small, private, courtyard style development has been successful. If it is the 135 yo cottage with an enormous garden, which has been our family home for 48 years, renovated and extended by us will go on the market.
I know it makes sense, as the cottage is in need of upgrading and the once productive garden has sadly returned to the jungle it was when we first moved here. I am income poor, cannot afford tradesmen/gardeners. etc. whereas the sale will give me a nest egg, to be invested and the flat (2 bands down for Council Tax) will be much cheaper to heat, etc. Many sensible reasons to move, but it will be a huge change.
On balance I hope I get the flat, because I would hate to go through this turmoil again.
Fingers crossed for you, hopefully you will be able to show that you have a buyer and sale is going through and that will be enough. The searches often hold things up. Make sure you have all the necessary paperwork ready for the Solicitors. I wonder why this condition has been made?
Congratulations 
Congratulations on your offer being accepted it is possible for the 3 week exchange maybe not completion though time is very tight
Paying a wee bit extra for searches to be done by hand may speed up the process I have heard of this being done before to save time,wishing you all the luck in the world .
We downsized last year and now have just a balcony and a large maisonette. It was a wrench as we loved our house but we have no regrets and knew that we would eventually have to do it. Better to do it now whilst you still can rather than live in a deteriorating house and eventually be forced into it.
Sorry, have just caught up with your offer being accepted. So pleased for you - and the best of luck! I hope your family will rally round and help you.
Wishing you all the luck in the world x
Do hope everything goes through. Will be such a relief for you and you will enjoy life with less worry.
We moved from an old house in need of care and in the middle of nowhere, aged 60 and 62, to a semi detached town house- yes the bills are cheaper and there are advantages to being able to walk to the shops, and there are social groups we have joined - it was a”sensible move”, our children encouraged us and we have seen them more frequently as it is easy to get to- but…. We are two years on and still find the urban noise intolerable and having neighbours so close a bit cloying, but we are not moving again, we WILL get used to it, and our neighbours are really kind and friendly. Go for it Granny23, but expect quite a long adjustment time. I hope your bid is successful.
Apologies, just caught upon your offer being accepted. In Scotland most property details are now digital, you should be able to complete in 3 weeks. A friend did it in 3 weeks before computerisation and that was leading up to a Christmas.
4 years ago I sold a house that I had designed and lived in for 26 years. I had quite a bit of land- I moved into a condo with have the space. It has been a good change for me. My house was very private and remote. In the condo I see a lot more people and can walk to get to the store or my mum’s house. It is easy to clean because of the size. I had the condo totally redone before I moved in so it is fresh and modern. Selling big house gave me some $ to add to retirement $. No regrets. Good luck!
A new beginning definitely. It will take a bit of getting used to but I think the positives will outweigh the negatives. Enjoy x
Good luck, and my very best wishes.
I have done the same thing, I found waiting for a ground floor flat was worth it. It makes all the difference.
Congratulations Granny23 It definitely sounds like you're doing the right thing. Selling a house in 3 weeks is possible if you're prepared to hassle and harass your estate agent, solicitor and other parties involved on a daily basis, and I hear there is great demand for homes with large gardens, your description sounds very appealing. Remember to take lots of photos of your home to keep before you finally leave. Wishing you all the best.
All makes sense. My new home is a downsize and it is immensely reassuring to know that I have that nest egg behind me.
I am having a private appointment with my hip; have booked a holiday for next year; am having stuff done to the garden so I can manage it; I have enough money to replace the car if needed; and I can treat my family when I want to. It brings peace of mind for me.
Hope you’re successful Granny23. I was in a similar position 6 years ago and, although it was a bit of a wrench, I’ve never regretted the decision. Good luck
Definitely a New Beginning Granny23 - I hope it all goes through. I know the legal system for property is different in Scotland, so presumably the three week thing is doable if you get an offer.
As an aside, in England, certainly in London, no estate agent would let you view a property without your own at least being on the market!
Good luck to you Granny23. A new beginning for you. You’ll have so much more time to do the things you want, without having to worry yourself about gardening and decorating. ???
It's horrible - I am doing the same, but I have had to sell my pretty little cottage to buy an ex council very ugly house for cash (but great inside!) I am just waiting for a date now .... but in 5 years time my mortgage will run out and at that point as I have been unable too work now for over a decade, I will owe my mortgage company £60k, which obviously will not happen! I am terrified about the move really, although I have someone who is literally going to do it for me, but just the mess! Need to get someone in to give it a damned good clean as when all the furniture is out (and my garden pots!) I am certain as I have dogs that everything will be 'minging' behind, as I am disabled I just cannot do it, but will be mortally embarrassed if I didn't get something done! On the other hand, the cottage is now getting tired, I did a lot of work to it 16 years ago when I moved in, but lack of funds since has meant it hasn't really been 'kept up' sadly. Am in the process of selling my antiques as they just will no look right in the new house, which is sad, but needs must! At least the dogs will get a better garden to play in, but that too will require me to buy in help to do it!
Hope you get on alright Granny23, keep us posted!
It usually takes approximately three months from selling to completion.
And that’s only if you get an interested buyer almost immediately.
Seems a little odd to me,
Check and check again.
Good luck with it all. Sounds fantastic !
I think you are doing the right thing. I am also downsizing (haven't sold yet but it is on the market) and it is beginning to feel like a big weight off my shoulders. Look forward to having a bit of money behind you and don't waste time on regrets.
I did something similar in 2019, sold a period cottage with a massive garden to a couple in their late 30s and fit to do the work it required in the future. I now have a lovely little 2 bed single storey bungalow on the coast with a small garden, lots of pots and the communal grass areas are kept by a very nice gardener. It is brilliant, I got rid of a whole lot of stuff I didn't need and now I can do what I want when I want without having to think about it.
Congratulations on getting your offer accepted. The three week completion is do-able in Scotland. It took us three weeks from making a casual enquiry to an estate agent to completing on the sale of our Clyde-side flat. It was all a bit of a rush but very efficient! You will be fine.
Good luck with your move Granny 23. I am sure you are doing the right thing.
Congratulations, Granny23, and good luck with selling your house! I'm sure you won't regret your move to somewhere more manageable and warmer.
Registering is free, easy, and means you can join the discussion, watch threads and lots more.
Register now »Already registered? Log in with:
Gransnet »Get our top conversations, latest advice, fantastic competitions, and more, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
