Thread: Moving Board: All Saints / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Over on Heaven we had a thread by Miss Amanda on suggestions for moving. She is now in her new home but as I plan to move soon and am going through the struggles, of house hunting, bank loans, and getting a house ready to sell I feel I must not be alone. So join me if you are going through a move, recovering from a move, or have advice on how to make things easier.
 

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Posted by Pangolin Guerre (# 18686) on :
 
Well, I am being forced out by a rapacious landlord who has decided to take advantage of a market that has gone bonkers. I know that I have a great deal, well below market price, but I've been here eleven years (longest that I've had an address since the day I was born), and in my neighbourhood for 20. My move is attended by more than the customary nostalgia and stress, but by the stress of paying 20-50% more for a good deal less, of leaving my carbon-based social network, and having some very dark thoughts.

Fortunately, I've had enough warning that I am so packed that what remains can be be done by me, alone, in four hours. Granted, my flat is not in a condition to be in Architectural Digest, but its's serviceable. I learned years ago that physical comfort means not a great deal to me, and that's something that cuts both ways, but in this instance, it serves me well.
 

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Posted by Pangolin Guerre (# 18686) on :
 
Sorry for the double post.

To make it easier moving out:
1) Purge. Be ruthless. Easier said than done, but you can't hear that enough.
2) In purging, set goals. "Today, the office files." If you finish and still have time and energy, cast about for a small, easily addressed task: pack the small bookcase by the wingback, the liquor cabinet (perhaps the two simultaneously ), pack some things pictures in bubble wrap.
3) Allocate areas for things packed. Books here. Art there. Donations there. Etc.
4) In selling my mother's house (where, admittedly, I did not spend a great deal of time as I was away at school), I treated the process as antiseptically as possible. It was OK to engage memories, but not to give myself over to them. They can be a drag to progress. They don't consume space, but they can consume time.

To make it easier moving in:
1) On arrival, set up the bed.
2) Set up the kitchen.
3) Order in whatever or bring something prepared, like an antipasti plate. Make sure that you have beer. And wine. And coffee/tea. And toilet paper. (Actually, you can order in while taking care of the kitchen.)
4) Eat and drink.
5) Now, being fed and watered, spirits and electrolytes replenished, you can unpack at a more civilised pace. The rest will eventually fall into place. The stress is over.

Good luck. Stay calm. Be brave. Wait for the signs.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Pangolin Guerre Thank you good advice. Sorry you are having to move not of your own decision. We are moving from our home of 12 years to be nearer to family as we are approaching that age. . Also country living if we no longer drive will be hard. So it is from house to mobile home we go. Interesting inside of mobile home not so important to me as outside. Found one which backs up to a grove of trees, and looks very nice and kept up but it has many repairs needed per inspectors report, also space rent is high.
Going to see another one this weekend. space rent is low, but garden is large, perhaps to large to want to care for, but backs up to walking path which is nice. I feel much like Goldie Locks,looking for the one that is just right. Also the juggling of both buying and selling at the time time, leaves me feeling.

 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Master S has put in an offer on his Very First House Purchase (at 36) across the Severn Bridge.

The former Miss S and her family want to move to a larger place - you guessed it - across the Severn Bridge.

The Dowager has reluctantly consented to move into a care home (NOT across the Severn Bridge, phew)

Mr S and I are, in consequence, thinking about considering the possibility of moving across the Severn Bridge, as otherwise we'll be right out on a limb, and if I am ever to be useful as an emergency childminder that Just Won't Do.

So, no-one is happy where they are and stress levels are rising. We want to move from our home of 26 years to somewhere just as large - otherwise we'll have no space for visitors - and quieter. If we go now, that'll make us declutter, and we should still be young enough to make new friends and settle into a whole new life elsewhere. If we stay, we may just fossilise here, like the Dowager, who's been in the same house for 50 years

So wish us well. I will join in when there is anything to report!

Mrs. S, excited but apprehensive
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
As the regulars on other threads here will know, D. and I moved last year from Newfoundland to New Brunswick.

The most stressful thing about our move was the atrocious state of the housing market in Newfoundland: we had to accept an offer on our old house of about half what the rates assessors said it was worth.

Once we sold the old place and (almost immediately) found the new one, things began to look up. We were house-sitting for some friends for three months at the beginning of the year, and we got the keys to the new house about half-way through that time. When we got our belongings out of storage, we actually had a few weeks to get everything sorted out before we moved in, which turned out to be a very good thing. We'd go to the new house most days for an hour or two, and do a bit of unpacking and sorting, and when our house-sitting stint was over, we had the place looking very much as we'd like it and all we needed to move at the last minute was our suitcases, a few bits and pieces of kitchenalia and a large teddy bear.

One word of advice I'd offer to anyone who's selling: don't make an offer for your new place until you've got the cash for your old one in your possession. We thought we'd sold the old house - contracts had been exchanged, D. had gone back to Newfoundland to pack everything up and the movers had taken it away - and our buyer* kept asking for extensions to the closing date, finally pulling out of the deal after keeping us on a string for nearly a month. This meant that we had to pull out of the deal on a house we'd offered for, and we hated treating the sellers the way we'd been treated.

* may he rot
 

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Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
I have just moved my daughter twice in three months. First time unplanned and in an emergency, which was instead of a planned holiday at half term.

She's very allergic and cannot safely share a kitchen. The way her landlord had got around this for eight months was to leave her in an empty flat. But come June and pre-sessional students enrolment, they gave her three days notice of moving pre-sessional students in. Now pre-sessional students come to learn English so they can study in September. Allergies that had deteriorated to anaphylaxis and sharing a kitchen with students with no English when nuts and shellfish are going to kill her did not seem a safe option. Her doctor agreed.

We were in Scotland, on the boat back from Arran when we found out. I was rearranging a trip that was to be around Arran and Islay, as seashores also have enough shellfish to trigger anaphylaxis, or so we found. This was Wednesday. Thursday we were back in her university town, viewing studio flats, after spending the night in Glasgow. Friday morning she signed the contract as I finished packing up her flat. Friday afternoon we booked the van to move her. Friday night and Saturday morning we unpacked. Saturday afternoon I went home.

That contract was for three months, to the end of August, so daughter organised a new flat and picked up the keys ready for last weekend. I came up on the Saturday, arrived early afternoon, saw the flat, then went to the old, via a purchase of two plastic crates, and packed up again. We booked the van to move her that evening and finished unpacking in the new place on Sunday. I left Sunday evening to be home for w*rk on Monday.

Advice: make sure you can lift anything easily. I really struggled to carry the box I'd packed her kitchen equipment and food into up the stairs to the first new flat. My toenails bear evidence of me dropping it at least once. The second time the kitchen stuff went into two smaller boxes.

Purging is good, sadly we did this after we moved the first time.
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
I haven't sold my condo; hope to by Christmas. I may be moving soon however, and thankfully, thanks to an old thread on the Ship, circa 2006, I have purged. This morning I purged my trousers and t-shirts (partly due to my luggage missing in England, I have rather more clothes than I would heretofore) Now I am casting my beady eyes over my kitchen, and will purge tins that I know for sure I will not eat or use before I leave.
Sometime this weeks I am going to organise an indoor rummage sale to attempt to sell a lot of things at fire sale prices.

This is because moving is inevitable. Planning a bit ahead.
 

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Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :
 
I tried an interesting experiment on my recent move and it turned out to be successful.

Rather than wrapping dishes, glassware, fragile ornaments, etc. in paper before boxing them, I wrapped them in clean furniture throws, t-shirts, towels, etc. It worked beautifully, and there was that much less wrapping material to discard after unpacking.
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe:
Rather than wrapping dishes, glassware, fragile ornaments, etc. in paper before boxing them, I wrapped them in clean furniture throws, t-shirts, towels, etc. It worked beautifully, and there was that much less wrapping material to discard after unpacking.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Moo:
... the curry powder got all over his underpants ...

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That is all.

When D. was packing up our stuff, he used some of our large collection of teddy bears as padding. I don't think they minded.

As it happened, the only things that got broken were a few plates and dishes* that the professional movers packed up when they were getting antsy about getting everything finished and offered to help ...

* fortunately, not any of our favourite ones

[ 27. August 2017, 15:23: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by LutheranChik (# 9826) on :
 
We intend to move to a community about two hours away from here. We are still getting our financial ducks in a row to make this happen, but that will be happening soon, and we want to be ready to house- hunt in earnest.

What advice do you have for long- distance house- hunting? We have been skimming through Zillow and Realtor.com, but strongly suspect that there are more properties out there than what we can find there. Also: What are some things you wished you had asked about the last time you bought or rented?
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Get a real,decent house inspector who doesn't have his head where the sun don't shine. We took the guy recommended by the realtor and he missed approximately 20,000$ worth of repairs needed.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
I second the inspector and read the report before falling in love with any place. You need to think with head not heart when buying a home. Well maybe a little heart, but you can almost always make any house your home style.

Location, location, location. You can not change the location so make it a priority. Ask if you are on a flood plane.

Graven Image who is off today to look at two mobile homes. Fingers crossed.
 

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Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 
There's house inspection, then there's structural engineering and also hydrology (water drainage). Depending on what you're buying and where it is you can need all three. I have learned to ask if they have insurance, which means if they are negligent, there is money to get to fix it.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Also, depending on where you are, whether the building is rated for earthquake-resistance. If it is anywhere near a body of water, find out if you need flood insurance and how much it would cost you. And many realty listings now have a walkability number, if that is of interest to you.
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Yeah, the "am I in a flood plain" thing is huge.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Especially this week. The flood-insurance people can always tell you if a site has ever been flooded -- they keep track of these things. But this week Houston has had the highest water ever. I would hesitate to ever invest in real estate in any Gulf state. Rent, visit, but never buy.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Putting in a bid, depending on home inspection report. Also going to get a separate roof inspection. Home looked so much better in person then it did in the ad. I have found it is usually the other way around.

Beautiful garden on three sides that backs up to a walking path.
Nice glassed in garden room.

fingers crossed inspections come back with little repair needed.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Oh, another tip: if it's a hurricane area, be sure that the roof has hurricane straps built into it. (To hold the roof on, when the wind tries to take it off.)
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by LutheranChik:
... What advice do you have for long- distance house- hunting? We have been skimming through Zillow and Realtor.com ...

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When we were looking for somewhere in Fredericton (a city we didn't know at all) we started with Realtor.ca and then engaged the services of a local estate agent who found the house we eventually bought.

A few days after we'd exchanged contracts on our old house, she told us she'd found just the house for us. It was so newly on the market it wasn't on the web-site yet; she took us to see it, we loved it and put in an offer straight away.
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
I'm not very materialistic at all, so maybe that's why I just don't get it - but why do so many people these days expect everything in a house (kitchen, bathroom, carpets, decor) to be spanking new, before they will consider buying? If I was going to put in a new kitchen or bathroom, it would be so I could get the use out of it, not so that I could immediately sell and risk the next person ripping it right out again!

I would value any thoughts from other movers as to what they would consider essential to look for in a house as opposed to what are extravagant 'extras'.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
My needs are good structure. No termite or water damage not repaired.
Most other stuff can be upgraded or replaced. If things are not in good shape, example I looked at one house where kitchen cabinets were really in bad shape as was the counter top and would need refinish or replace. Much more then a simple coat of fresh paint, In such a case I would expect to get discount on price.

I would look for clean house as that is a sign that people care about their home and have most likely taken care of it. Cleaning costs nothing and makes a place show better.

On the other hand you painted your living room day glow green. No problem I would simply paint over it

Older appliances fine if they work but do not expect to get the same price as a home with all new appliances. If I liked the house and the price was right I would be happy with older ones.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Talk to your realtor about this. If you're selling, you do what you have to do to get it to sell, depending on your market. If you're buying and mention these concerns, your realtor will appreciate the guidance. There are people who insist on everything new, and there are those like us who don't much care.
Not every buyer/seller can distinguish between the things that can be fixed (paint, carpet) and the things that are immutable (location, weather, commute distance).

[ 28. August 2017, 23:21: Message edited by: Brenda Clough ]
 

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Posted by Amorya (# 2652) on :
 
I moved recently, and am having some major refurbishment done on the new place — a new laundry room and a new fitted bedroom, plus having air conditioning installed. The laundry room was a significant job — the room in question had water supply, but no waste outflow pipe. Turns out that, when the house was extended, the waste pipe was rerouted and now goes nowhere near that room.

So, they dug up the concrete floor of my dining room to lay a new pipe.

I'm nearing the end of the project now, touch wood: the cabinets are in, I'm meeting a carpet fitter tonight, and the painter will be along soon. Which is good, I want my house back!
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 


So impressed that you were able to remain sane while living in the house during such a major remodel.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Given the headlines in today's paper, it would be worth considering this sort of thing if you're buying a house anywhere near the coast in the US.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
We wouldn't *necessarily* expect to have everything 'just so', but it can be really hard to see past the decor in online ads. For instance, wildly patterned carpets (Bill Bryson described them as looking like woven vomit ); far too much furniture, crammed in just everywhere; the mandatory guitar/drum kit combo, and a telescope in every conservatory.

Plus, every house I see has a kitchen exactly like the one I finally managed to replace 2 years ago *sigh*

Everything *can* be changed, but it all costs money!

In other news, Master S and his wife have had their offer on a house they love accepted - it's a court-ordered sale as part of a divorce settlement so I hope nothing goes wrong

Mrs. S, crossing everything
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I can understand both sides of the "just-so" spectrum. Our last house was a bit of a fixer-upper (and in 13 years we didn't get everything done that we'd have liked), so it was rather refreshing to move into our present one, which needs nothing except the colour of the paint in the kitchen changed (and that's only because I don't like yellow).

I don't know how old the appliances are, but they all seem to be in good working order, and everything that I'd want is there - stove, fridge, dishwasher and laundry machines. If I'd had a choice, I'd have had a stove with a ceramic top, but that's going to have to wait until the current one goes phut, which may be after I do ...


 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
We wouldn't *necessarily* expect to have everything 'just so', but it can be really hard to see past the decor in online ads. For instance, wildly patterned carpets (Bill Bryson described them as looking like woven vomit );

Everything *can* be changed, but it all costs money!

Mrs. S, crossing everything

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quote:

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Originally posted by Graven Image:


So impressed that you were able to remain sane while living in the house during such a major remodel.

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Luckily, one reason I chose this house is the amount of space. It has a converted garage which is a self-contained flat (2 beds, kitchen, lounge, bathroom): I'm living there while the work is done in the main house!
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Master S's offer on the house was accepted now comes the roller-coaster of surveys, mortgage deals, and scraping together every last penny.

The stamp duty alone is just ho-rrendous

Mrs. S, apprehensive
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Piglet:
It was rather refreshing to move into our present one, which needs nothing except the colour of the paint in the kitchen changed.

I don't know how old the appliances are, but they all seem to be in good working order, and everything that I'd want is there - stove, fridge, dishwasher and laundry machines. If I'd had a choice, I'd have had a stove with a ceramic top, but that's going to have to wait until the current one goes phut...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
... the old [stove] took about three weeks to heat up ...

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The oven on ours heats up so quickly I can almost forgive the hob for not being ceramic - the first time we used it I didn't quite believe it when it bleeped to let us know it had reached the desired temperature!

Looks like I'm stuck with it ...

[/tangent OFF]
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Our hob is gas ... which we prefer, even to ceramic.
 

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Posted by Gracious rebel (# 3523) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
Our hob is gas ... which we prefer, even to ceramic.

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I used to think that, until I was persuaded to splash out for an induction hob when we were replacing the old gas cooker we inherited in this house (with a dreadful oven that didn't work properly).. I soon became convinced that the induction hob has all the advantages of gas (easy to control, heats up fast) but is also so easy to keep clean (no nooks and crannies for spillages to seep into) ... and for us since we have solar panels, it makes sense to cook with electricity rather than gas, as we can get free energy that way on a sunny day. The only downside was having to replace most of the pans we had before with ones that are suitable for induction hobs.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Sorry I need to ask What is a hob? I gather it is some kind of a cooking stove, but is it unique in some way?
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Graven Image:
Sorry I need to ask What is a hob? I gather it is some kind of a cooking stove, but is it unique in some way?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Pangolin Guerre:

Why is it that you need different cookware for induction? What sort of material is the new cookware?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ethne Alba:
Well this year alone, four home moves on our street have involved the drama of watching bathrooms and a kitchen being hauled out and new ones installed.
Sale goes through.
Brand New Kitchens and bathrooms get ripped out and new ones are installed.

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What a terrible, terrible waste. As long as the kitchen and bathroom are serviceable, I'd stick with it - for several years at least. What I look for in a home is a comfortable, cosy, lived-in one, where I can leave my hiking boots and wellies in the porch. But maybe this is what, in the market, is called 'niche'.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
It's wasteful for the homeowner, but it's their money, after all. And the appliances/cabinetry can be donated to places like the ReStore, which sells homebuilding stuff to benefit Habitat for Humanity.
 

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Posted by Tukai (# 12960) on :
 
The Marama and I have twice had to buy a house as part of move interstate (long distance), and I have a few tips on that. We have also moved three times internationally, which is another order of complication, but unless someone asks, I won't go into that here.

I should say that, like many posters on this thread, we look for somewhere available and liveable, not for a "perfect" dream home.

The interstate moves were because I got a new job in the new place. Since I had to go to the new place (call it X) for an interview , I arranged to stay a day or two beyond the interview to look over the house market there. As my father (an army officer) had taught me "time spent on reconnaissance is never wasted".

Step 1 was to get a map and identify areas (suburbs) that were not too far from the new workplace - no point in setting up a long-distance commute if you don't have to. Then I looked at the classified ads (now it would be real estate websites) to see what sort of houses were in each suburb and what sort of prices they commanded (websites may only give broad ranges but that info is better than none ). . If possible take a drive around some of these neighbourhoods, ideally with a friendly real estate agent who can answer questions as you go and knows the way, but even a taxi or rental car would do, to check out shopping, schools (if relevant) , parks, etc.

Step 2: Back at home, discuss the finances, allowing for the place you propose to sell (for which banks will give you some credit even if that sale does not go through ahead of your purchase, although it's best to sell first as Piglet noted upthread. If there's time, a mortgage broker or banker can give you a rough figure for what they might lend.

Step 3: Pack up your stuff and get a removalist to store it for a month or so until you're ready to receive it(can be near your old or new place). This is the first serious cost. All major moves have costs! Other posters have given advice on packing.

Step 4: a week or so before your new job starts, arrive in the destination city. Rent a serviced (or at least furnished) apartment , for that time (renewable if possible) . This gives you a time margin. You don't need to move your stuff in to this place so it can be quite small, but a hotel room is a bit too restrictive , in our experience.

Step 5. Spend a whole day or two with your agent seriously looking at houses that are for sale and essentially ready to move into . Look inside the more promising ones. You can do 20 or so in one day, and once you've given him some guidance ("that one was too small/ too expensive/ had features we don't need/ or didn't have something we do need / too derelict/" etc) they will all be reasoanable prospects, at least for people (like us) who are not too fussy. On each occasion, on day 2 , after careful thought overnight, we went back to the 2 or 3 most promising and then made an offer - subject of course to structural inspection and finance.

Step 6: If the house is already vacant , you can move into it as a renter as soon as you're ready, or you can line up any necessary tradesmen to do minor work, or purchase missing appliances.

Step 7: now get the removalists to deliver your stuff and move in.

We were lucky on each occasion that it went so smoothly, as many things can go wrong, e.g. contracts fall through, finance insufficient (which means you need to pull back or look elsewhere) or prevailing sales by auction (which can make it hard to get what you want when you want it, especially as auctions are more common in rising and competitive property markets).
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
ISTM that there's a sort of half-way point with replacing kitchens and bathrooms or not. When we moved into the second house we bought, it was despite its avocado bathroom suite, but in the eight years we lived there, D. refused to replace it as it still worked.

Needless to say, it didn't add anything to the re-sale value of the house ...

At some point in the future, we're likely to have to dispose of my dad's house, in which the kitchen and both bathrooms (one of which is - guess what? - avocado) really need to be replaced*, but will it be worth our while investing in the cost to make the place more sellable, or should we cut our losses and try and sell it "as-is"?

* most of the elements are at least forty years old, and the kitchen cabinets even older
 

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Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :
 
As has been noted upthread, and as has been my experience, the new owner will rip it all out anyway. So you might as well pretty up the existing stuff as best you can (certainly it should all be spotlessly clean) and hope for the best.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
In my case it will not be rip out but replace. The house we hope to get has a smallish kitchen which is just fine with me, but previous owner for some reason required a very, very, very large refrigerator. Now mind you this is a very fine appliance with all the bells and whistles a refrigerator could have, but has the problem of being way to large to fit in the kitchen so they installed it in the living room.
As I do not wish to adorn my living room with a refrigerator I will be trading it in on a smaller model.
Yes, I find it very strange as the rest of the house seems normally laid out.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Good advice Tukai. When divorce went through, I began considering what I would like in regard to features, location etc and price. When the house was sold, there was an extended settllement time of 12 instead of the usual 6 weeks. The price we obtained by agreeing to this was worth the wait. I looked around, checked sites etc and found this. The while block had been built as serviced apartments but each was being sold having been converted to strat titles.

Then came the hiccup. Our purchasers had bank problems and settlement was extended by two weeks. I told the manager of the company, an old family firm, what had happened. He repied that he had given his word and the place was mine. Being used to hearing scam stories, I was dubious but have since heard similar tales from others here.

It had all my requirements, location, transport, shops, size etcc. The kitchen needed a spruce up, and still does. The shower was over the bath where i would prefer a separate shower. I could change it but haven't as it is servicable. The units are quiet and well built. No gyprock, all brick or concrete blocks. One criterion was no western facing windows. I had lived with heat for many years. This faces north east. Even better is that in winter the sun is low enough to come into my lounge room till early afternoon. Visitors are surprised I have not had heater on. This alone has saved me money. In summer, the sun is higher and does not come in.

Rooms are a good size. When I bought it, balcony blind was replaced, a wardrobe was built in to second bedroom and the whole place was painted by vendor.

It has been a good buy, the block is well run and very quiet. I have fire escape and then a corridor on one side so it is extra quiet. The price was good and has allowed me to have money left over for helping others, donations etc and just generally to feel comfortable about life.
 

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Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
I've always found the 'feel' of a place to be important. I don't totally let my heart rule my head, but if there is something that feels a bit 'off', I'm not keen. Our previous house was a wreck, bathroom and kitchen just about usable, polystyrene tiles on the ceiling, cork tiles on the wall, a seller that couldn't do decorating (paint on carpets and curtains, and a a wall that was mostly green apart from where he hadn't moved a bookcase so it was blue). There was something about the place that I liked though, and I could see it would look good when done up, which it did.
As for new kitchens and bathrooms. I'd much rather buy a place where they need to be replaced (though not right away) than one where they've just been put in. Ripping them out would be a waste, but only once have I moved somewhere where the kitchen was to my taste.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
We spent the last two days cleaning the house from top to bottom. I clean each week but not windows and such. It is sparkling. I told Mr Image that we are not bathing, eating, or using the bathroom until the house sells.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Piglet:

At some point in the future, we're likely to have to dispose of my dad's house, in which the kitchen and both bathrooms (one of which is - guess what? - avocado) really need to be replaced*, but will it be worth our while investing in the cost to make the place more sellable, or should we cut our losses and try and sell it "as-is"?

* most of the elements are at least forty years old, and the kitchen cabinets even older

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Consult a real estate agent. That sort of question depends utterly on where the place is, and what the market is like at that moment. They actually have an equation which tells you what percentage of a home improvement investment you are likely to get back at sale.

[ 03. September 2017, 00:02: Message edited by: Brenda Clough ]
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
We're going to have the same issue when the Dowager goes into care. The house is 50 years old, the bathroom and loo* are the same age and the kitchen a few years younger. So far, so 'you can replace all that'.

BUT - for a large four-bedroom house, it needs at least an en-suite and possibly two, to be able to sell it as a family home. And there's no simple way of doing that.

It sits on a third of an acre in a quiet village cul-de-sac, which means the garden is way too big really, so the chances are that whoever bought it would either knock it down and put two or three houses in its place, or, at a minimum, demolish the garage and build another one it *its* place. And as an Attorney, I would need to maximise the return from the sale, so I have to consider all this - especially the effect on our dear friend, the neighbour next door.

What a pickle...

*Mercifully, both blue

Mrs. S, confused
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Realtor came today and took pictures of our house. Still, and video inside, and then a drone airplane flying all around in the sky. Amazing. It keep the neighborhood children entertained for a good 30 minutes He was very nice and even let one of the children press the start button on the plane. Real Estate is nothing like I remember when last we sold a house.
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Graven Image:
Real Estate is nothing like I remember when last we sold a house.

---

When I bought my current house 13 years ago, the sellers' Realtor posted one very unflattering exterior picture of my house on the MLS* page. I was actually glad, because with decent pictures, someone might have bought it before I even knew it existed.

* MLS = Multiple Listing Service
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
The English house selling system is broken - so many tales of chains which fall apart and so many tales of other countries which have a much better system.

Time for a radical overhaul methinks.
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
I have accepted a place at a retirement home. They made me an offer I could not refuse which lessens the impact of carrying a mortgage and condo fees and the rental costs, both.

Leaving in 3 weeks. I do thank the Ship for making me declutter ruthlessly for more than 10 years. Still a lot of stuff to shift though. Happily I have identified the furniture which I will be taking and know what is left.

I am slowly going mad.
 

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Posted by MaryLouise (# 18697) on :
 
Uncle Pete
 

---

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
I am slowly going mad.

---

Sounds like you are being very sensible to me. Knowing when the time is right to admit that you need to move on to a new stage, where you don't have to struggle on doing everything by yourself any more, is the sign of a strong mind, not a weak one. Kudos.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
What Chorister said. Good luck with the move, and health to enjoy the new place.
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Packing truck day Sept 23 afternoon; physical moving day 24th, stuff in unit, and hotel for the night


On Monday the Eagle lands. New territory. Please pray for me.
 

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Posted by Pangolin Guerre (# 18686) on :
 
My mother (GRHS) was very reluctant about making the move that you're about to undertake, Uncle Pete. It was the best thing for her. It helped that she knew a number of people there (not that she socialised a great deal, but it made for a softer landing), but, nonetheless, she loved it. It was her idea all along, she said (HA!).

For the eagle
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Uncle Pete, may your move go smoothly, and may you find your new home a joyful blessing.
 

---

Posted by Zappa (# 8433) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
I have accepted a place at a retirement home. They made me an offer I could not refuse which lessens the impact of carrying a mortgage and condo fees and the rental costs, both.

Leaving in 3 weeks. I do thank the Ship for making me declutter ruthlessly for more than 10 years. Still a lot of stuff to shift though. Happily I have identified the furniture which I will be taking and know what is left.

I am slowly going mad.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zappa:
... I have by my calculation moved house 28 times in my life ...

---

Crikey - that boggles the mind.

I've moved five-and-a-half* times (the first was when I was not quite four years old, so possibly doesn't count), and honestly, if I never have to do it again, it'll be too soon. As the present château is all on one floor, with any luck it'll last us into our dotage.

* I reckon the move into and out of the flat in Fredericton when most of our stuff was in storage only counts as a half, as we didn't have much actual stuff to move. Mind you, what we did move had to go up and down four flights of stairs ...
 

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Posted by mark_in_manchester (# 15978) on :
 
Hang onto those avocado bathroom suites, folks. Mid century is very 'in' - recycling the 70s is only just around the corner

What is it with en-suite bathrooms? We've a 4 bed house with one bog and one bathroom. I did leave the loo on its own in the little room it's always been in; having a wife and two daughters, I didn't want to have to book a crap in around their lengthy ablutions.

I did wonder if some folks got really dirty in the bedroom to the point an en-suite was a necessity, but my imagination wasn't up to it.
 

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Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 
Mark: I think it is the daily showering practice, versus the Saturday night bathtime. Everyone has to (a) remove all bodily oils and sweat, (b) replace the bodily oils and sweat with manufactured oils and sweat from small plastic bottle bottles.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by mark_in_manchester:
... What is it with en-suite bathrooms? ...

---

I'm honestly not quite sure, but now that we've got one, I wouldn't be without it.

It wasn't a priority when we were house-hunting, although a second bathroom was (the shower-room just happens to be en suite). Our last house had a shower-room on one floor and a bathroom on another, and we got used to having his-and-hers - he likes baths and I like showers.

Until the mid/late 1990s, most ordinary three-bedroom houses in the UK didn't have a second loo, let alone an en suite. About that time, we added a downstairs loo (just loo and wash-basin - there wasn't room to add a shower) to the house we had in Belfast, and the bloke who installed it reckoned we'd added about £2,000 to the resale value of the house - for the expenditure of £450.

It seems to me that the more house-improvement/buying-selling programmes we watch (especially ones from this side of the Pond), the more we're going to expect en suite bathrooms as standard.

What I can't understand from such programmes is the number of people who will reject a house out-of-hand if the en suite bathroom doesn't have two wash-basins.

How many people - even the most devoted couples - both use the wash-basin at the same time????



[ 12. September 2017, 21:27: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
What I can't understand from such programmes is the number of people who will reject a house out-of-hand if the en suite bathroom doesn't have two wash-basins.

How many people - even the most devoted couples - both use the wash-basin at the same time????

---

I have always wondered about that.

Moo
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Mr Image and I looked at 4 mobile homes today. We ended up finding one we could live with. It needs a few minor updates but all and all a snug little place. Wonders of wonders for a mobile home it has a fully fenced small back yard with small patio and little water fall. The one problem is the stand alone shower is small and Mr Image needs to be able to use a shower stool and sit down when he baths. We have decided to go with it anyway as the price is right and there is plenty of room to have a larger shower installed.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Our new house is a mini-mobile, and while it wouldn't have been our first choice of house style, we're really pleased with it. It's very cleverly designed, and has everything we wanted, albeit in a relatively small space.

Wishing you and. Mr. Image all the best in your new place.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Graven Image:
Mr Image and I looked at 4 mobile homes today. We ended up finding one we could live with. It needs a few minor updates but all and all a snug little place. Wonders of wonders for a mobile home it has a fully fenced small back yard with small patio and little water fall. The one problem is the stand alone shower is small and Mr Image needs to be able to use a shower stool and sit down when he baths. We have decided to go with it anyway as the price is right and there is plenty of room to have a larger shower installed.

---

Sounds like a good find. Somewtimes a bit of compromise is needed, especially if you can see a way around things. I hope all goes well with this for you.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Ensure: useful if you have children, since then you can potter in from the bath or shower to select clothing. No bathrobe called for,. Two basins are nice if you are a working couple, and both parties are having to get out the door to get to work at the same time. Also this allows a his-and-hers clutter arrangement; all his shaving gear stays over there and doesn't get mixed up with my materiel. He never accidentally brushes his teeth with the eye cream.
If you were refitting your bathroom in any way, consider installing grab rails, either for old age or simply for thet period of time when you have sprained your ankle. In a cold climate underfloor heating and heated towel racks are a luxury handed down from on high, although I warn you that the angels are not going to pay for it. But the essential in my book is the ventilation fan. No, a window that opens does not make an acceptable substitute if you life in a cold climate.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
$10,000 dollars worth of pest and water damage, and there may be more once they open the walls up. This did not include inspection of the roof.
Guess we will keep looking.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Oh, that is a bit of a bummer, GI. Better to have found it before you signed any contracts though.

Better luck next time!
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
No, pest plus roof is a killer combination. You are well out of it.
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
posted by mark_in_manchester

quote:

---

I did wonder if some folks got really dirty in the bedroom to the point an en-suite was a necessity, but my imagination wasn't up to it.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by L'organist:
posted by mark_in_manchester

quote:

---

I did wonder if some folks got really dirty in the bedroom to the point an en-suite was a necessity, but my imagination wasn't up to it.

---

Three words: Chocolate Body Paint

---

Three more words: too much information.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Lasat week in my home. Loading truck on Saturday. Moving to a hotel on Saturday late afternoon, and leaving on Sunday morning (me and my stuff, truck driven by my lovely Queen's Scout, William.

My friends are crying all over me. A tea party on last Saturday afternoon to say bye helped but made me realise how much I will miss my home and my life for the last 45 years here in Ottawa.



Ah, well - on to the next step!


 

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Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Good luck with all the last minute packing Uncle Pete. How far away from your friends are you moving? I hope it isn't too far so you can still meet up from time to time.
It seems such a sensible if hard thing to do.
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
About 500 kilometers, Sarasa, and Toronto to get through before heading to Guelph. 6-7 hours.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I hope everything goes smoothly, Pete. It seems to me that 6-7 hours is, in Canadian terms, almost next door*.

Several people have said to us that now we're on the mainland, we're but a hop, skip and jump from all sorts of exciting places - 10 hours from Boston, 6 from Quebec and so on. We're compiling a bucket-list ...

* It's the same length of drive it would be from Edinburgh to the very north tip of Scotland and the Orkney ferry. In the UK that would be regarded as quite a jaunt, but it's not really.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Best wises for your move Uncle Pete. I hope it goes smoothly for you.

Huia
 

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Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Best wishes for the move Uncle Pete, that is a move and a half. Since returning to London in the mid-eighties the longest move I've had was this one, which was thireen miles. The previous one was about three miles and the one before that about 500 yards.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
500 yards? Seems hardly worth moving ...

Ours have (all but one, which was about 13 miles) been quite large: about 500 miles and two stretches of water from Orkney to Northern Ireland, then across the Atlantic to Newfoundland*, then another 1000 miles or so (again across a stretch of water) to New Brunswick. As I may have said up-thread, if I never have to do it again, it'll be too soon.

* Our belongings took the scenic route:
Belfast -> Rotterdam -> New York -> Halifax (where it was held up by a hurricane) -> St. John's

[ 20. September 2017, 18:54: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Piglet said:

quote:

---

500 yards? Seems hardly worth moving ... [Big Grin]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sarasa:
... we got drunk one lunch time and went into an estate agent.

---

 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
We've so far bought four houses, over about 40-some years, and never had to pay any of our own costs ah, the joy of company-funded house moves!

So if this next one comes off it's likely to be extreeeeemely painful in terms of stamp duty, estate agents' fees, solicitors' costs

Mrs. S, wondering if it's all worth it
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Down here, vendor pays agents' fee, called commission here. There is a set scale of percentages but often a lower rate, especially on an expensive house can be wangled. Stamp duty is paid by purchaser on the sale price. That is also set on the price. All houses are expensive in Sydney. Median price is regularly reported as having risen again.

[ 21. September 2017, 22:22: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 
Best wishes on your move Pete. It's a big one when you've lived in one place for a long time; and it is the people. May you form new connections with some others, and touch them with your charm, wit and goodness.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Down here, vendor pays agents' fee ...

---

I was massively relieved to find that we only had to pay the agent who was selling our house (no matter that she was only able to get half of what the rateable value was ) and that we wouldn't have to fork out again as buyers.
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Ottawa has been my beloved home for 44 years. My friends are here. This building has been my home for 29 years (Two different units - 1 for 4 years, this one for 25 years.

Southwestern Ontario has been my home for 6 very happy years. (1967-1973) The next generation of my family has gravitated there for the most part.

I never thought I would leave Ottawa. Yet last night was my last sleep in my home, today I load the truck, tomorrow morning, I leave Ottawa.

A new adventure, you might say. A new stage. So why am I teary, why am I sad and wondering if this is the right choice?

See you on Wednesday.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Uprooting yourself is always a two-edged sword, and the longer you were in the place you're leaving, the harder it is.

Hoping that the next stage of your life will be a happy, exciting one and your move goes smoothly.


 

---

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Here's to a great new life in a new place Uncle Pete. Hope the move goes as smoothly as these things can and that nothing gets broken on the way.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I hope the move went well, Pete. No sign of Australia being obliterated by flying planets down here, so hope they missed Canada too. I have moved three times in the last ten years but spent most of my life with only one move. It has been a shock to the system and I realised only a week or so ago that I was finally beginning to relax in what is my place.

Take things easy, accept help, be kind to yourself.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
It would be my place, if only the staff here didn't have a master key to pop in at their convenience (which never seems to be mine). However, since it is Saturday, and I got up at 4am, I made a cup of tea and had some toast from my private stash (Breakfast is 3.5 hours away, then 4 hours till lunch, then 5 hours till dinner). I will say the kitchen is doing their best to accommodate my lactose intolerance and vegetarian diet, though, so far, there seems to be a preponderance of things drenched in tomato sauce. However, I bought some chili flakes yesterday, so the taste should improve a little. Still looking for a proper container for my garam masala.

Like BL's Mama, I have taken to wearing pink, because I know it irritates some people. Happily not (yet) my table.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
... I have taken to wearing pink, because I know it irritates some people ...

---

Not even in there a week, and already starting a revolution ...

Good on you!
 

---

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Glad you got there safely and have got back on-line. Hope you settle in really quickly and they think of other things than tomato-based sauces for you to ear.
 

---

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
We are still waiting for our house to sell. The last two who looked stayed for an hour, as we drove around out of sight. I had high hopes but alas no offer. We are lucky as we are retired and have no time frame when we need to move, but I would like to get on with it. Time to bury St. Joseph in the yard upside down I am thinking.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
*bump* to avoid any Hostly Hoovers

/tangent/

I had to get rid of my hoover, it was only gathering dust

/end of tangent/

In other news, the house that Master S and his Lovely Bride had set their heart on proved to be in need of a new roof and damp-proof course, for starters so they have to start again in their search *sigh*

Miss S and SiL have sold theirs, STC, at what seems an inordinate profit, and are now poised on the builders' doorstep, as it were, to put a deposit on their chosen home. Unfortunately there are others keen on it as well *sigh* so it is by no means a foregone conclusion - AND it would mean their moving twice *sigh*

And having cleaned, mowed and tidied till I am exhausted I am now awaiting a visit from a friend, an ex-estate agent, to advise us on what else we should do before getting a real live estate agent to come and value the place. Houses round here seem to be selling fast, so we are anxious not to miss the boat

Mrs. S, whose hoover has certainly been gathering dust!
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
I foresee moving in a couple years, when my husband retires. Seeing the train coming down the track does allow for prep. To this end I am trying to get rid off the masses of stuff in my house. (A link to the Decluttering thread could go here except that I'm to lazy to put it in.)
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Luckily she sees no reason to do anything other than put a few photos away *phew*. In fact she described Chateau S as 'palatial', which only goes to prove that estate agents must see all sorts of old tat (with rabbits running round, in one case, according to my friend!)

Mrs. S, eschewing rabbits for the foreseeable future
 

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Posted by Pangolin Guerre (# 18686) on :
 
This book on "Swedish death cleaning" might be of interest. web page

[fixed broken link - there was an extra "http:"]

Piglet, AS host

[ 31. October 2017, 23:53: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Pangolin, Piglet pointed out the extra http://. If you use the prompts for UBB code below the thread, there is already an hrttpl in the place for your URL to be pasted. Get rid of that and paste yours in. All should be well then.
 

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Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Well change of plans. We are not moving after all. The day we received an offer on our house ( much below what we were asking) Wildfires here in California ravaged the areas all around us. . We have decided to stay put, as there is now a housing shortage where we were planning to move. We were blessed as our house is fine and we were only on stand by not mandatory evacuation. I feel so sorry for all who have lost their homes, and businesses as well as family members.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Well, the opposite is true for us! We have instructed an estate agent, and I have told my vicar that my tenure as churchwarden may be shorter than he was anticipating!

The house has never looked so tidy and clear of clutter - I hope we've learned something from all the hundreds of houses we've 'viewed' over the interweb. Sadly you can't say the same for the garden, which - as it is autumn here - is now covered in wet leaves *sigh*

Mrs. S, who can't now find anything, because it has all been tidied away!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Good luck with that, Mrs. S.!
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Had our first viewing yesterday - embarrassingly, it may be someone we know (only embarrassing because not many people are aware of our intention, and I don't want them to find out via the back door, as it were).

No feedback yet *chews nails*

In other news, Master S's current house purchase seems to be going more smoothly than the first and they may yet BE IN FOR CHRISTMAS *prayers ascending* Not sure about Miss S's yet *more prayers*

Mrs. S, in a state of subdued panic
 

---

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
When my mother in law sold her previous place there were quite a few viewings from people in the village she knew vaguely. Not because they were interested in moving but they were curious to see what the house was like. Hope you get a buyer pronto. Mrs S, found anywhere you'd like to move to?

We have emails about properties we'd might be interested in in the place we'd like to move to in a year or so. Every now and then one looks really tempting, but we haven't done anything about it yet.
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
There's a word for that in the US. Realtors call them 'looky-loos', people who are coming in to look (often from right around the neighborhood) with no intention to buy.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I wonder if they're called "looky-loos" because they want to see how clean (or otherwise) the bathroom is ...

I'll see myself out.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
When the house next door to mine was on the market and had an open house, I went to see what the place was like inside. I explained what I was doing; the realtor seemed glad to see me because she was bored; there was no one else there at the time

Moo
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
It's not a bad thing to be a lookyloo next door. When we were scouting out houses for family who might have been relocating, of course we went looking in our own neighborhood. It would have been awesome to have relatives so handy.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
One estate agent offered to put our house details through the letterboxes of all our neighbours - I was horrified, though I can't explain quite why! And here, the Open House is not exactly that - it seems that potential viewers still have to make an appointment to view, so there is no overlap.

Had one viewing already and the details aren't even published!

Mrs. S, crossing her fingers
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
In my experience (on both sides of the Pond) estate agents tend to be very quick in getting the first few viewers - probably people on their books who are looking for what you're offering (x bedrooms, y bathrooms etc). After that it tends to drop off a bit unless you're in a very desirable area with a smoking hot market.

I don't want to rain on your parade though - I think we were just rather unlucky.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Auctions are popular down here. But there are also other ways of selling. The old idea of being shown through a house by an agent is almost gone here. Most places have several times advertised for inspections. Different days and times to suit different people. 30-45 minutes and the finished.

Depending on various factors very many groups can see through the place in that time and can return for a second look if needed. Most vendors clear out for the vuweing times.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
... Most vendors clear out for the vuweing times.

---

Over here, you don't have the choice - your agent phones and arranges a time for a viewing and you get off-side and let them get on with it.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Things used to be like that decades ago. I remember my mother keeping fresh teatowels and towels on special shelf in linen press. Come a phone call and the ones in use were swiftly hidden and fresh replaced. Now it is several scheduled inspection times over about a month and everyone piles in.

If sale is by auction, then there is usually an inspection time allowed immediately before the auction .
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
When we were selling our house in Belfast, I remember going into a panic because the estate agent phoned me at work and said he was going to take someone round that afternoon and I couldn't remember whether I'd emptied the ash-trays* before I left the house.

* back in the day when we smoked ...
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Well, Piglet was right We had four viewings in a week; the first one couldn't really afford the house, the second didn't like the sloping garden and the trees behind, and the third - get this - wanted fewer rooms, but bigger! Now call me picky, but with a floor plan and all the dimensions, wouldn't that have told you what the house was like?

Anyway, the fourth one loved the house, and then offered £50K below the asking price on the somewhat specious reasoning that 'there are other 4-bed houses round here for that price'.

Fine, say I, go and buy one of those - but they won't have all the rest of what Chateau S has to offer.

That's why you have an agent - so you don't wreak actual bodily harm on stupid people trying to knock you down after a week on the market

Mrs. S,
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Sorry to hear that, Mrs. S. It's early days yet.

When we were selling our first house, at the end of one viewing the prospective buyer spent five minutes ranting at us in our driveway about all the things that were wrong with the house ("why haven't you painted the exterior? Fitted double glazing?"). They didn't put in an offer ...

When we sold our second house (after Northern Ireland prices had begun to catch up with the rest of the country after peace broke out) the estate agent gave it what I thought was a wonderful valuation, but as we were in a hurry to sell, we ended up dropping the price by (IIRC) £10,000. It was still double what we'd paid for it, so we weren't too upset.

These days most people will offer below the asking price, just to see how desperate you are to sell (and to see if they can get away with it). If they really want it, you can "beat them up" (as Blackadder put it*) to a higher price.

* "Credit where credit's due: it was Baldrick who actually beat them up".
 

---

Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Intrepid Mrs S:
Now call me picky, but with a floor plan and all the dimensions, wouldn't that have told you what the house was like?

---

Perhaps not. Some people need to stand in a space, and can't get a good feel for what it's like from a plan.

Or perhaps they're just looking at every house in their price range.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I can understand the desire for fewer, but bigger, rooms. Our last house had lots of rooms, but most of them (except the main bedroom) were really squitty. Given the choice, I'd have much preferred a decent-sized sitting room.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Understood - and even that was better than the chap who stood in our lovely kitchen-breakfast room and pronounced that it was a funny shape, and he'd have to knock down the wall into the utility room! It wouldn't be my choice to have the boiler and washing machine in the breakfast room, but hey, YMMV!

We've had two offers, neither of them enough to make you bite their hands off, but the latest one is more promising We've also actually VIEWED some houses, which at least lets me think that there may conceivably BE the right house for us somewhere in the area!

Mrs. S, a bit jaded
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
That sounds a bit hopeful, Mrs. S. Hope it comes to something (and happy hunting!)
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Two pieces of news here - first, we've accepted an offer on Chateau S. The prospective purchaser hasn't actually sold his house, but even at this stage of the year they are having second viewings, which sounds hopeful

Second, The Former Miss S and SiL have had an offer accepted on a lovely cottage, not at all what they were intending to buy, but it really appealed to them on Saturday (even under some snow and ice!) It's very rural, but has all mains including gas, a lovely big garden, and the rooms are arranged sensibly - sometimes in old cottages they are more, ahem, organically grown. At least we have them pinned down now and can adjust our area of search accordingly.

Typically for us, we have identified two possibilities - one at each end of the search area, one in need of everything doing to it and one in need of almost nothing! And we each prefer a different one... ah, well.

Mrs. S, conflicted
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Sounds good, Mrs. S. - here's to further progress for both you and your daughter.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Thanks Piglet

Typically, Mr. S's favourite is more sensible, closer to Miss S, near a nicer town/city, needs less doing - but I do still hanker after 'The Old Vicarage' *snif*

Mrs. S, still not sensible after all these years...
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
After watching (at a distance) the complications of house hunt for both my youngest brother and his estranged wife I am so glad I don't need to house hunt - my plan is to be carried out of here feet first -if a large tsunami from an earthquake zone off the coast of central NZ doesn't get me first.

For all the house hunters
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Fingers crossed and don't breathe a word, but we've agreed revised terms with our purchaser, to allow him to sell to a first-time buyer; and we've had an offer accepted on a cottage, not far from Miss S's, which we fell in love with on our last trip.

It didn't tick half the boxes that we we had deemed essential, and the rain was persistently raining, but even so we fell for it so heavily - Miss S as well, she'd come along for the fun - that I haven't dared think about it too much in case I jinxed it.

Given that there are four households moving, if you include the Dowager going into care, I suggested we hired a barn for a week and put all our belongings in it. Then we could divvy them up between us as goodness knows how many fridges, freezers, washing machines and the like we will have

Now the fun really begins...

Mrs. S, making lists and drawing plans
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Mrs. S. and family
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Well, we seem to be making steady progress towards moving - our purchaser has his mortgage and all the searches and the survey have come back clear

HOWEVER, Master S's purchase has stalled because the 'new-build' that his vendors were buying is not some Redrow or Wimpey house but a self-build owned by a couple getting divorced The agent has known this all along, apparently, but didn't think to mention it -
it's infuriating that people are so deceitful

And as if that weren't bad enough, Miss S's purchasers have decided that rather than complete in February they don't want the house till May Their vendors, OTOH, still insist on moving at the end of February But, as their solicitor pointed out, if they hold that line too hard and the family S pull out altogether, it'll certainly take at least 8 weeks and more likely 12 to find another purchaser and go through the whole mating ritual again. Grrrrrr

Mrs. S, thinking there must be a better way
 

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Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :
 
When I moved from London to Oxfordshire seven years ago, the whole process took five months, and that was a killer. Yet my good friends the solicitors told me that this was a normal period of time in which to go from advertising a property to actually moving house. And that "short" time of uncertainty and flux caused enormous anxiety and stress.

Mrs.S, I can only wish you all the best, hoping that your move goes smoothly, and the others get sorted reasonably quickly.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Thanks Jacobsen - Master S is certainly up to 5 months already and Miss S well on the way. Perhaps this was the wrong year to give up booze for Lent?

Mrs. S, twitching already
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Lent hasn't started - no need to give it up quite yet, and you could always give up something else.

I find giving up Marmite very satisfactory ...
 

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Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :
 
A little wine for your stomach's sake; not to mention that you have to stay sane for your children's sake.
 

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