Looking for a new home

Stay with it Coolgran. Yes it can get dispiriting and exhausting but perseverance is key. Your perfect next home could, just might be listed tomorrow, so keep looking, you’ll get there! And good luck.

Coolgran65 I could of written your post your needs are my needs although I’m now on my own which is making it so much harder. I’ve not put my house on the market yet because I’ve looked for a suitable property for two years not too far from family so I’m not restricted too much but here in West/North London outskirts any house or bungalow is out of my price bracket. I’m becoming resigned to looking for an apartment which I know I’ll hate, having no garden even a tiny one I’m very sad about it.

Our own home is perfect for us except it doesn’t have the option for downstairs living

Is there no possibility of installing a stairlift in the future should you need it? It seems a pity to leave your perfect home and nice market town!

And the same to you Tanith! Is a stairlift not an option?

Don't despair about moving to a flat - I live very nicely in my ground-floor flat with private garden. Those on upper floors have good sized balconies with river views and have room for small table and chairs, plants etc. (No washing allowed!)

Just two weeks of searching? Don't give up, you've hardly started.

I do hope you consider those that could have a few alterations to make them ideal. Have a good look at the floorplans before you visit.

If you do decide to stay, instead of a stairlift, you could have an actual lift installed in the corner of a room.

Flats are a good option as you have all your rooms on one floor as with a bungalow.
Keep looking. I came upon my flat when I had given up finding anywhere.

Coolgran We feel exactly like you. We are looking for a detached house not too far from where we live now with a south facing garden. We would be cash buyers. You would think it would be easy. easy it is not! We have been looking for a few months now as well. We will keep going though. 'Our' house is out there somewhere. Keep looking and do not settle for anything less than you want. that is my advice. Good luck!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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?

X post with Oldwoman

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.