Putting my house on the market

My house-clearance person said "most books go for pulp"

Obviously the valuable ones will be removed but more "ordinary" academic books are "not so popular now" as a huge number are now online (where they can also be searched for key words)!

Aaarg!

There are no comparable houses in the area so even the valuations - I've had 3 and a home report are wildly different.
200k difference. I'm hoping for something in between.

I agree withNotSpaghetti regarding different levels of stuff!
We inherited not only furniture from both sets of parents and my DH DGM but from his cousin and even his ex boss.
Actually the books are proving the hardest things to shift. I have photographed them in situ for dealers and broken the car exhaust with the weight of them on the way to a charity sale.

I have phone numbers of house clearers who are expensive but say they will deal with your stuff carefully or sell some of it.

Grammaretto - Over the last 20 years I sold two (mine and my mother's) houses in a heritage village in the north, and bought a larger property in London, which was subsequently sold for another bigger property elsewhere in London, which in turn was sold to allow a move to the countryside. My tips coincide with all the good advice on this thread but a few other things:
1. all estate agents put their properties on rightmove and the vast majority of potential buyers go to rightmove before going to the estate agents in the area where they want to buy so make rightmove your first point of research because it's that website which will probably sell your house for you rather than the marketing done by the estate agent. The estate agent will simply deal with the introductions and viewings. with that in mind, compare the commission charged by estate agents and don't be afraid to ask the question of why one is charging 1% more than another. 1% more could be several thousand more on your costs depending upon your selling price.
2. you can go to the land registry to find out what comparable houses in your road/area were sold for in the last few years. Of course, the estate agent will also be doing that but when selling my last home in London I had one estate agent who said he would market my house for £800K more than two other estate agents because he'd sold a similar property in a neighbouring road. I was inclined to be sucked into that rhetoric but came to my senses and decided this was not likely. As it turned out the sale on that 'similar property' fell through so that estate agent's claim was unfounded. So, ask the estate agents you're considering to show you what they have sold, and how long those sales took etc .
3. If you live in an area of low crime, make sure that goes into your marketing as many people are particularly interested in the safety they can expect and also the types of crime. Also if there's an effective Neighbourhood Watch or neighbours whatsapp group that establishes a community feel, add that into the information you provide about schools, transport links etc.
Good luck with your decision. You sound as though you've thought long and hard about it. Personally, I've found it very hard to downsize from my last property, as pieces of furniture especially have held memories of people and times in my life, so well done for sending these to auction and for everything else you've achieved in the de-clutter.

NotSpaghetti

I just feel the need to comment...

Lots of people say they decluttered over A month...

I think SIX months is optimistic!
Even doing it every day, all day I know I couldn't do it in a month!

Those of us with stuff and those of us with not so much stuff are poles apart!


My mother-in-law thought she was cluttered(!)
She had kept almost nothing...
I think the only thing in her house that there are duplicates of (for example) are new light bulbs, wine, and rolls of toilet tissue!

I agree totally.
Have been decluttering for months now. I have never been a hoarder but my husband is, and we have deep cupboards and a big shed/workshop, is never ending.
On the other hand a neighbour of mine said she was decluttering prior to a move and it had taken her two whole weeks and a couple of trips to charity shops to get rid of it.
We should be so lucky.

I just feel the need to comment...

Lots of people say they decluttered over A month...

I think SIX months is optimistic!
Even doing it every day, all day I know I couldn't do it in a month!

Those of us with stuff and those of us with not so much stuff are poles apart!


My mother-in-law thought she was cluttered(!)
She had kept almost nothing...
I think the only thing in her house that there are duplicates of (for example) are new light bulbs, wine, and rolls of toilet tissue!

I downsized last year when I finally gave myself that final push. My estate agent was very understanding and didn’t put me under any pressure while I was still in my hesitant phase.

He suggested he could do all the preliminary paperwork and once I felt ready to put my house on the market he would have the photographer visit within 48hrs and my house advert online the following day.

He was confident my house would sell quickly and thankfully he was correct. I viewed a bungalow which was perfect for me. I made an offer on the bungalow and put my house on the market the same day. In the space of 7 days I made the offer on the bungalow, put my house on the market and accepted the best of 3 offers for my house. It all seemed too good to be true but I’m delighted to say it went like clockwork.

My only mistake was not allowing enough time to declutter and pack . I only had 5 weeks till removal date and it was utterly exhausting. I should have started months before. I made daily trips to charity shops and the local tip. I also offered some surplus bedroom furniture to my buyers as I was moving from 4 bed to 2. They accepted beds and wardrobes so that made my job a little easier.

Good luck Grammaretto. You’ll get there eventually and in the meantime keep at the decluttering and sorting. I completely underestimated that part of the process.

GrammarettonnYou can get help with decluttering by looking for local qualified ones on google. Their association is Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers
www.apdo.co.uk/. Review you options for your area and pick a person or company you like. Whoever helps ou will take away everything you and to go to charity etc. If you have them once a week or fortnight you will have thinking time inewtween to use their paid time profitiably.

That's a good idea Doodledog. When we bought it 46 years ago it was being sold for industrial or commercial use as it had been used for 30 of its 200 years as laboratories for the paper industry.
We had to get permission to change it back to residential use which meant meeting strict fire regs. We also incorporated a separate flat for my DM and turned one of the labs into a pottery studio for me.

It has the best advantage of its position and nothing will ever match up so whoever suggested compromise - yes.

I don't see the point in replacing kitchens and bathrooms for the purposes of selling. Tastes vary, and if you want your money back (never mind compensation for the trauma of having it done) your taste will have to match that of the buyer. Otherwise they will factor in the cost of removing/installing a bath or kitchen island.

I think the bread/coffee smells have been overdone and yes, are now obviously marketing devices, but bad smells, such as pets should be neutralised. Fresh flowers are great, and if you have a garden and display some from there, you will show the possibilities for new owners.

Overall though, it is location and layout that matter. Our house was a tip when we bought it. It was a probate sale, and the house clearance people had taken any 'finishing touches' and left things like soap on the bath and teabags near the sink. It had definitely not been staged, yet there was a bidding war because of the location. I think if two neighbouring houses are for sale and all else is identical, then tarting things up a bit will help, but as yours is a one-off from the sound of things, you might be wasting your time.

One thought though - you might think about asking the agent to list it as both residential and commercial property? It would probably be 'subject to permissions' for the latter, but if it could be used as an Arts Centre it might appeal to other uses (nursery? training centre?) as well.

Grammaretto, for your own peace of mind, frequently remind yourself of what fun it will be when all your unwanted stuff is gone, and you are happily making the new place your own.

I expect that in Scotland as elsewhere, buyers like a place with no upward chain, so be prepared to move into rented accommodation or live with a relative or friend for a short time----this too could be a quite pleasant adventure.

Sounds like your property is unique.
And your taste is not a modern, new build type place.

You will find the right property for you, I am pretty sure.

Thank you so much for all your advice although I don't agree with all of it. 😉

I viewed a flat last week where I was put off by the showroom perfection of everything.
The seller had proudly spent thousands, she told me, on a brand new kitchen with integrated appliances and a bathroom. The stark decor was off putting and when I wanted to see the outside communal space she said she didn't have the key. To be fair she'd probably realised by that time that I wasn't going to buy it.

I am still viewing places that appeal on Rightmove to get the feeling of living there, general layout, the views, the distance from bus stops, proximity of neighbours, shops etc. I am not to be lured by coffee or newly baked bread and might suspect it was to cover up a sewage leak or worse.

Declutter, yes. Spruced kerb appeal, yes
The house I'm selling is one of a kind so no real comparison. It will need to be rewired and probably new windows to meet the energy conservation standards by whoever buys it.

I am delighted that somebody wants it but is taking a very long time raising the funds to buy and restore it into his dream of a music and arts centre. I've had 2 birthdays since he suggested it Hence I have decided to put it on the open market.

Meanwhile another potential buyer has approached me with her plans to transform it into a development for old folk.

My DC and my solicitor think this the only way I can move.

I think it's not necessarily true that you have to have sold before making an offer, though preferable. I was refused a viewing of a property recently because there were several notes of interest from cash buyers.

I am still holding out for the one I like but bridging loans are not an option so it'll have to be a case of it was meant to be or not.

My house has gone from £260,000 three years' ago to £245,000 and have been told that properties are staying on the market a lot longer.

I would make sure the house is clutter free, smells nice and fires and lights are on. I usually put biscuits or something in the oven just to make it feel warm and inviting.

But then what happens if you haven’t managed to find a place by the time of your buyer’s completion date… At least if you make an offer on a property first and then put your own place on the market, they could wait for your place to sell

Any potential property you are interested in, check out the neighbours

Good luck

Declutter yes, but do not leave it bare. One or 2 personal photos are ideal - you do want them to think of themselves at home there. Pale off-white walls are very popular still - add colour only with bed covers, cushions.

Positive smells are vanilla and coffee.

Kerb appeal -I am told that the colour of your front door is important, but opinions vary as to what that is. I like wedgewood blue and sage green. As it is Spring, investment in some bedding plants is usually a good idea.

Look at other similar properties for sale to see what they look like. If you go onto RightMove an search your area, an click the include under offer, you will see what sells.

Vet the agent's pictures and description - do not put up with bog standard.

Yes, the Scottish system is different to anywhere else - you set what you expect to get and they bid that or more. Once an offer is received and accepted you are complete. I think you have to put a pack together - but an estate agent will talk you through all that. If you are buying too you put a note of interest in,subject to your own sale.

You already understand that decluttering is an essential first step. I did this ruthlessly over a period of a month, with regular trips to the charity shop, recycling centre and a storage unit I rented (unless you have a garage). I collected and purchased strong cardboard boxes from eBay, bought one of those tape guns and spent a few hours every day packing up my books, photo frames, ornaments, kitchen equipment, seasonal clothing,shoes/boots, spare coats etc. If you are having viewings your house needs to look roomy, airy and with rooms the viewers can contemplate living in. Boxing things up also takes the pressure off when you do finally move, as half the work has been done. I would only allow viewings on one weekday evening and the following weekend day, as I didn't want to give over my life to preparing for the agent. I was never present for a viewing, and never showed the property myself, why pay them unless they are doing the work! By the way you can put in an offer without having an offer on your house, the person who said that was wrong. However, I instructed my agent to only show my house to viewers who had sold, I refuse to be in a long chain. As your house is big too, you will find that unless you snaffle a cash buyer there will be a chain. Because of my previous experiences, I am always prepared to sell without another property to immediately move into. I put all my belongings into storage and rent a furnished flat, unless it is just a few weeks then I move into a hotel. The stress of collapsing chains in England are too much for me! My last and final move, six years ago, went swimmingly well, and although I did declutter I am still taking boxes to the local charity shop - you can never be too ruthless.

My massive downsize was helped by employing an acquaintance to take things to the charity shop, the local tip, to sell. She also made me focus. We took only those things we really loved and needed or it would be divorce not to take. No chipped crockery, mouldy books, endless Knick knacks, no to dozens of glasses and mugs and not needed sets of spare bedding, spare towels etc. we were ruthless. The best thing we had already done was file away all the paperwork on any changes in the house over the years we lived there.

Progress Grammaretto! Do a bit every day.

“In the UK you can definitely put an offer on a house when you don't yet have an offer on your own home” knspol

This is definitely true, my friend bought her current house 9 months before she sold the previous one. She had to pay extra stamp duty, but the extra was refunded as soon as the previous house was sold.
The issue about viewings and offers only when the prospective buyer has their house on the market or an offer, is purely the decision of the vendor. A poor one in my opinion, we are looking to buy a new house, but don’t need to sell our current one immediately. I am disinclined to view anything where restrictions are in place.

NotSpaghetti

We were told it had been the busiest Jan/February for 10 years.

Maybe not March though?

Rightmove have more hits on their site on Boxing Day and New Year's day than any other time, I gather.

As someone else said, staging is really important. It should look like a show home, if possible. Nothing on show in the bathroom like toothbrushes, towels etc. Kitchen worktops clear. Make-up/clutter taken off dressing tables. We've just put ours on the market and had a big box in each room in which to stash personal items that weren't to be in the photos. Amazing how much you then DON'T put back - that goes a little way to showing how much you don't need! Good luck!

I think you're doing great! Moving house after such a long time is no mean undertaking- so well done for how much you've done so far.

I'm not sure gimmicks like fresh flowers or baking smells cut it anymore in the market we have now.

Just do your normal cleaning and tidying- whoever is buying will know what they are looking for and whether the house will meet their needs.

I know nothing about buying and selling north of the border but just wish you the best of luck in your down sizing.

knspol

‘ In the UK you can definitely put an offer on a house when you don't yet have an offer on your own home’

That was not our DDs experience, estate agents in her area told them they could not offer on a property until they had an offer on their’s, perhaps other areas are different, they live in the south east.

You do sound like you are making very good progress Grammaretto.