Selling my UK home

We've found the estate agents to be exteremely unmotivated. Mom once asked me how much commission they get and I said typically 1%. She said - No wonder why they wont get up off their asses!! They do NOTHING to actually SELL a house. They just sit and grunt at people until someone asks for details, in which case they hand them over and thats it! Where's the selling?

Martin and I are totally frusterated. We've decided to drop the price of the house AGAIN, after being told that Auction was not a good idea for our property type. So we're going to knock yet ANOTHER 5k off the price. This will be the second 5k off already. I can only hope that it'll get more interest when it drops. We're desperate to go.

So honey I feel for you. Im totally crossing my fingers for a quick exchange for you. It just DOESNT work like the US doesnt it? Not that the US has a flawless system, but at least the agents and solicitors there EARN their money.

Take care!!

I really hope that your pricing helps you to secure a buyer.  It's so hard to know what to do.  You know what your property is worth, so it must be incredibly frustrating to lower the price as a marketing ploy just because some people aren't doing their jobs.

You guys might appreciate this story.  This weekend at a friend's party, we were all sharing "house sale" nightmares.  Apparently, the neighbours of our friends had their house on the market for about six months.  They were perplexed as to why they hadn't had viewers for the last five of these six months.  Finally, they tried to get to the bottom of things and it became apparent that the estate agents actually ran out of particulars after the first month and didn't bother to order any more!  So, when people were calling to get particulars, the person taking the call couldn't find any.  And that person would ask somebody else, who didn't know anything, etc., etc.  Nobody figured out that there actually weren't any!

Well, our friends' neighbours obviously were furious so they switched agents and apparantly managed to sell at some point.  This story does not surprise me, though as a seller myself, I question why these people didn't figure out what was going on sooner.   But I'm the demanding American.

I'm sure that our agents regret the day they put our house on their books because I'm on them all of the time.  But that's their problem, not mine.  I shouldn't have to do their job for them.

Oops!  I've rambled!   So sorry, but Sarah,  this story proves your mom is right!

Your probably tired of "looking on the bright side", but once your place is sold, you and Martin will be able to catch the first plane to Houston.  I don't know how long you've been in England, but hopefully you guys have been able to benefit a bit from the strong market the UK has experienced the last several years.  Further, you'll be in such a strong position as buyers. 

Just shout if you need to vent, or, better yet, if you have some good news to report!  You guys have our support! 

Hiya!! Thanks for your support hun. You have ours two. We can whinge about real estate together!

Thanks for sharing that story. I couldnt help but laugh cos it seems so ridiculous, but on the other hand I had to wonder if our agents havent been up to the same neglect, which spooks me out totally. What a horrible thing to have happen!

I need to whinge because we still haven't exchanged!   :\\\'(

Perhaps Grievences is a better spot for this topic.....

I'm still stressed and still worried.  We spoke to our buyers today and to summarize, there is a glitch with their mortgage.  Basically, they were remortgaging their current house on a buy-to-let so that they could proceed on our house independent of a sale on theirs.  They found out that what they could expect to get in rent was not enough to cover the remortgage.  They have a formula that they work to, I think that the rent has be 130%  of the mortgage.  Or something like that...

So, now they are going to bridge.  Of course, this REALLY worries me because I didn't think that bridging loans were given out very easily...  but their house is currently under offer, too, so maybe they're happy to bridge for a short period...

It's just ALWAYS SOMETHING!!   [smiley=sad2.gif]  I'm not very optimistic about all of this....  I can't believe we got all the way to this stage, only to find out that there are glitches with their finances.

I'll stop there or I'll go on and on.  The whole thing is just doing my head in

{{{{{hugs}}}}} Kellie! Hang in there!!!

quite positive news for us. the chap that came by the other day wants to come again to see the loft space. he's already sold his house so thats good too. Hopefully he'll come by on fridayish. So everyone PLEASE PLEASE send me your biggest burst of good sale vibes. We really needs this. I would cross my arms and my feet and legs and teeth and eyes and fingers and toes for good luck but I would fall over and that never makes a good impression at a second viewing ;-)

I'm rooting for you Sarah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It would be great for you.  I'm sending those vibes already!

Keep us posted!

Best of luck Sarah....looking forward to hearing your good news!   

Good Luck Sarah!!!! 

We have had our survey done last week and the lady who is buying our house had hers done today.

Adrian wants to exchange contracts on the 18th of August, the day after his interview with the consulate.   We have already organized for the movers to come and get our stuff on the 19th of August.  It is finally all falling into place.  Sometimes I feel like I am in a dream.  Well, who knows Sarah, we may be on the same plane back to Texas.

Mel

hehe. if we were on the same plane back to texas there would be a new definition to the term 'drunk and disorderly' hehehe

oh!! and Im glad that everything is going smoothly for you so far Mel! Keep up the good luck!

Sarah and MelB -

How's the house thing going for you guys?  Just checking in really.  Hope you guys are progressing.

We still haven't exchanged.  But we're hoping that this week we will.  Our solicitor got a letter from our buyer's solicitor this morning saying that his clients are ready to exchange as soon as their financing is in place.  They've been approved so it appears as though it's just the paperwork now. "Just!" 

I hope nothing goes wrong now, having made it this far.

no progress really. thanks for asking and checking in Its nice to have someone thinking of me!
anyway, we've had another viewing since the last time you heard (different people than the chap from before, he never called for a second viewing btw). This new couple really liked the house but admitted they werent in a position to offer at the moment as her house as only just gone on the market and she wanted to wait til they had an offer. Fair enough. I appreciate her being honest. So we can only wait and see. It seems like we're getting one a week either at the begining of the week or at the weekend. So its nice to have SOME mild progress even if nothing seems to be coming of it at the moment.

no progress really. thanks for asking and checking in  Its nice to have someone thinking of me!

Hello there,We were down your way last week on our way to Hollybush garden centre to get my old fashioned cough candy (I'm addicted LOL).

Dave

no progress really. thanks for asking and checking in  Its nice to have someone thinking of me!

Hello there,We were down your way last week on our way to Hollybush garden centre to get my old fashioned cough candy (I'm addicted LOL).

Dave

sorry? I dont quite understand.