Looking for a new home

It took me a year to find my current house. I wasn't particularly picky, just had a couple of 'must have's'. I DID see a lot of nice houses, but they were all unsuitable in one way or another.

I've also recently been looking at flats to buy. Again, very very difficult. I've had to compromise in order to get one in a reasonable area.

I think that if you find a property that is the right type, you may have to resign yourself to getting quite a bit of work done. You could sell and go into rented while it was done, and you will be assured of getting the property you want then.

I had to completely 'redo' my house when I moved in (I was mid 40's then and able to do most of it myself). It was the right choice though. The area was about to become popular when I bought at a good price.

It is very rare to get exactly what we want in a property. Compromises have to be made somewhere.

I hope you’re not going to let her spend money on solicitors, searches and surveys, while you’re really still ambivalent about whether you’re going to move. Or at least let her know it might not happen and she’s taking a risk.

Coolgrqan two weeks in is hardly scratching the surface. Surely, when you first made the decision to move, you really went into ALL the pros and cons regarding this. It is, after all, probably the biggest single decision most of us make in our lfietimes.

Also, even really knowing to what you wish to move to, should ahve been very carefully researched, not waited until a few weeks before christmas to go looking for something.

Sorry, if I sound harsh, but I feel for your purchaser. They must also have had their journey.

I would also add that I do not feel that stair lifts are the real answer . Good, if nothing else is available. But not ideal. Living on one level as we age is such a good solution. Over the past week, I have been increasingly happy that I moved into my flat a couple of years back. I have had a bad week suffering from bronchitus and nto sure how I would have coped in my house, even with a stair lift . Just having the kitchen across the passage from my bedroom and esuite and next door to my living room has been a blessing.

Think you and hubbie need to sit down and really work out future proofing.

What you’re feeling is totally valid. It does get exhausting when you’re house hunting. I’ve been there and it took me almost five months to find a house from Ballymore Homes. You can just imagine how stressful those five months are. But in the end, it all paid off and we’re very happy with our home. Just be patient! Honestly, two weeks is still a short time if you’re house hunting. You’ll still have a long way to go, but you'll get there. Good luck!

I am feeling much better today. I decided that we are happy in this home and will consider any suitable property that might come onto the market but will not fret about it.
If there is nothing suitable…… there is nothing we can do about it.
I will feel very bad for our buyer who will have waited and if we let her down but it will be the result of circumstances and not us just changing our mind.
Thanks again for many enlightening replies.

I would just add one more thing. Not long ago there was a thread started by someone who had moved into a bungalow when she and her husband didn’t actually need to. They were thinking of the future. She hated it and wanted to move again. Longed for her old house and she was really unhappy in this place that they thought at the time was a good idea. She just wasn’t ready for living in a bungalow that she couldn’t do anything with.

Thank you everyone. A good idea to find out from a company regarding a stair lift in the future.

If it's anything like where I live, most of the bungalows that started off as 2 /3 beds have been enlarged both sideways and upwards so are now 2 storey.
I asked a local builder why they only seem to build single storey houses in places designed for the elderly and was told it's because they are not fashionable!
A friend of mine has been diagnosed with MS was looking for a bungalow for 6 months before she found her bungalow and only then because it had previously been her work colleague's grandmother's and purely by chance she heard about it going on the market during a chat in the office tea room !
Hang in there, register with all the local estate agents and you could always try posting on your local community Facebook group,

I feel compelled to point out that an MP who wanted to make builders include homes for “later life” on every new development got absolutely lammed for his suggestion.

There's actually nothing for sale locally where we live. Obviously Christmas does but a break on the housing market so I would be much more hopeful in the New year. Make sure that all the local agents know what you are looking for and the excellent position you are in. Make a list of your essential requirements and look at properties that meet them. I'm a strong believer in that you can't really tell from photo alone. Make sure that your purchaser knows you are keen and are actively looking.

I’ll be honest, the thought of moving house now, is soooo scary. I would love a Bungalow, but tbh it’s too mammoth a task to undertake now.

MIL had a very steep and narrow stairway and the stairlift fitted fine, next door had 2 small landings on her stairs and she had one too, both were bought back by the companies after they died.

Have you asked for a free survey ? Most modern stairlifts fit in anywhere, you could get someone out whilst still looking for a new bungalow, just to keep your options open.

To add a little more information. To extend would use up practically all of our back garden. OH not keen on doing an extension. There is no suitable space for a lift and our stairs aren’t the best for a stair lift. We’d prefer not to rent which would mean moving twice and would also be dead money.
We really want to stay local as our family are here. AC also feel it would be easier to help care for us, if necessary, if we were local.
Our house has no leeway for redesign.
I do think we need to accept that things will be more positive come February.

I echo what oldwoman says , save yourself the pain and sorrow of moving, spend the money on an extension or stairlift.
Your buyer might not want to wait too long for you to find something that matches your own home.

Have you considered having a lift fitted in your current home?
Not a stair lift, but a proper 1/2 person lift .

I have a relative who is having one installed in the corner of the dining room, rising into a spare bedroom.
The work will take 2 days and the cost is in the region of £17K which is considerably less than moving costs.

The trouble is the kind of property you want is the kind that people stay put in, until the end!

It is a bad time to be looking. Not much except new builds come on the market from now till February.

You could go ahead with the sale and rent but be aware it’s not easy to get a let of under a year because it costs so much to set up a new tenancy nowadays. A landlord will always chose someone who might stay for a while over someone who is definitely going to move on.

We had the same problem when downsizing. We wanted to still have large rooms but fewer of them. Absolutely nothing in our local area and we ended up moving quite a long way away but we love the house and the area so have no regrets. We were moving because our house and garden (3 acres) were just too big for the two of us, but it doesn’t sound as if you really want to move apart from thinking of the future. When you think of all the costs of moving, wouldn’t they be better spent trying to future proof your existing home? An architect could give you some good ideas that you might find exciting. Why not explore that instead of leaving your perfect home?

Firstly visit all the agents in your search area and tell them you will be prepared to pay a “ finders fee” for the right property.
This will mean that you will be the first to see a property as it comes on the market.
It could be as little as £250 but it will strengthen your position.

You could also have some leaflets printed and drop them through the doors of likely properties.

If you are considering a new build if you got in soon enough a developer could design to your specifications..

If all else fails store and rent.

Good luck.

X post with Oldwoman

The housing market is very difficult at the moment, houses being snapped up immediately, which for the seller is good. But the stock on the market is very limited as you have found out and it often comes down to compromise. You’re in a good position having an offer on your current house and a buyer who will wait.
An out of the box suggestion - have you looked into redesigning your current house to meet your needs?

Have you considered extending your current house (if you have the room). A small extension to accommodate a bedroom and shower room may be the answer. The cost would be around the same, or less, as the costs incurred when moving when you take into account agents fees, solicitors fees, stamp duty, removers etc.

Moving house is not for the faint-hearted. The fact that you had six offers straightaway shows how the market is at the moment. There are already five disappointed would be purchasers looking for a house just like yours. Selling is not the problem.
You have to be very flexible. Think again about not wanting to ‘knock walls down’. If it’s possible within budget then why not.
Time for big girls pants I think. Good luck

Don’t give up. They are out there. We are in the same situation, we sold in June and didn’t find until September. It’s still going through process now. Be prepared to look at anything. Don’t dismiss something that needs a bit of work, if you can get it cheaper pay to have it done up. Good luck.

This is not a good time of year for the property market. It tends to go very quiet until around February. Far more new properties are likely to come on the market in the spring.
I put my house on the market in October but none of the viewers offered and viewings dried up by mid November and nothing happened until late February when there were lots of viewings again.

Coolgran read the Help clam me thread below this one . And read the others parts of the thread. You will get helpful advice and support.

I put my house on the market March 2018 accepted an offer soon after found my bungalow in June. Should have exchanged in September my buyer pulled out on the day of exchange . Back on the market accepted an offer October should have exchanged March buyer pulled out 4 days before. Accepted lower price in March for quick sale . Should have been here in May but because of my buyers solicitor being a nightmare finally moved here in August 2019. Luckily the executors of the bungalow stayed with me and I got my dream home.

Don't believe cash buyers as they aren't always. You are going to go through hell. Many sleepless nights and stress levels through the roof. Until exchange goes through you are not safe. Always exchange at least a week before completion.

If your house sale is definitely going through can you rent until you find the bungalow you want? Quite a few on Help calm me thread did that so as not to lose the sale of their home.

You need to become a pest . You need to keep on top of your estate agent and solicitor and keep them pushing your buyer or seller when you find your new home .

After my move I could never go through that hell again.

Wish you luck you will need it.