Houses

[Izzy]

2 hours ago, FoxesDeb said:

Presumably you haven't got the option to extend where you are?

We've done all we can over the years to maximize the space we've got. Garage to office conversion, small conservatory at the back etc.

 

Bottom line is it's a 3 bed terraced with one main bathroom and small bedrooms. Fine when the kids were little but now it's like having four adults in the house and we're tripping over each other.

 

Bit of a pisser really as we've practically paid off the mortgage and I was cruising to early retirement. The thought of taking on another mortgage and having to work another 15+ years makes me sick but it is what it is.

 

We have to stay around here really until the kids finish school/6th form but the jump up in cost to a 4 bed detached is huge and house prices take the piss down here.

[Izzy]

On 07/05/2023 at 09:39, Nick said:

There's two types of estate agency:

 

1. Agents  and agencies that get paid commission or fee up front for getting the listing on their books where they say you'll get ££££££ for it but it stays on the market for ages but they don't care so much as they already have their commission - this includes all your purple bricks types online agencies etc too.

 

2. Agencies that only get a percentage of the sale upon completion. These are more motivated in selling your house, chasing buyers and solicitors. I would go with one of these but try and get a good percentage rate around 1.5% is perhaps average depending on size and worth of the property. These agencies actually want to sell your house and get nothing until they do but may value the property at the price they think they can realistically sell it for but will likely agree to start at your top end of the valuations to give the property 'a go' at that price and reduce if necessary with your agreement if it doesn't ping out straight the way.

 

On 07/05/2023 at 09:52, FoyleFox said:

Declutter is definitely a big one, showing the house has storage space. Adequately spacing furniture so the house flows well. Each room should show its purpose.

Make sure it's clean and tidy. Particularly include a tidy garden. Repairing anything which isn't quite right or hide it well. 

If you've got any ultra bold feature decorating, change it to neutral.

 

On 07/05/2023 at 10:18, FoxesDeb said:

Maximise the kerb appeal so it looks appealing as soon as someone pulls up, and in the exterior photos on the listing. Make sure your front door is painted/clean, if you've got a garden and/or driveway make sure it's as immaculate as possible. Even just a pretty hanging basket outside a terraced house can make a difference. 

 

Presumably you haven't got the option to extend where you are?

 

On 07/05/2023 at 10:26, Chelmofox said:

Nothing useful to say on maximizing valuation.  Just try to make everything look as spacious as possible without obviously being made to look like a showroom house.  I found local estate agents were strangle useless at pointing out any benefits of our location. We got more interest when we helped with the viewings.

 

After going through this myself, what i will say is that Estate Agents are the overly optimistic bunch of *&*S* around.  We got swept along with some overly optimistic valuations before selling for what i originally thought was a reasonable price. There will always be someone nearby who has managed to sell at a high valuation, and that swept us along a bit. Estate agents were always saying 'we will be getting loads of interest even at that price', only to have a handful of viewings. The mass viewing were only a 'week or so' away. They never came until we dropped.

 

I know its hard, but try and build a realistic picture of what you think the price should be. If they go above that and you get very little interest, then it will mean you wont be disappointing if you have to reduce to get interest.

 

This is the 2nd time ive sold and im convinced more than ever its a process of people being in the right mindset at the right time.  Houses are bloody expensive, and there aren't thousands of families financially or mentally ready to buy your house.  

 

As for solicitors - hope you get good luck with that! The buyers of ours used the biggest bunch of charlatans going.

Thanks for the tips & advice folks - most helpful.

 

Looks like we've landed on an Estate Agent at 1.35% fees which seems reasonable. Valuation not as much as I expected but the market doesn't seem as buoyant as I thought.

 

Started the mortgage process, got the window cleaner booked in before the photo's are taken, started doing a few minor decorating/touch up jobs, EPC certificate to do, blah, blah, blah.

 

20 years since I've done all this bollocks so lets see what happens...

[FoyleFox]

Lender reintroduces 100% mortgage for renters.

 

https://propertyindustryeye.com/the-return-of-no-deposit-mortgages-could-prove-a-lifeline-for-buyers/

 

Not going to be useful for everyone, but could certainly be helpful for a good number of people.

[Raj]

Leak from small manhole cover in our drive whenever we flush a toilet.

Have told 7 Trent but no doubt it will be my responsibility🥺

[Raj]

[kenny]

1 hour ago, Raj said:

Leak from small manhole cover in our drive whenever we flush a toilet.

Have told 7 Trent but no doubt it will be my responsibility🥺

It's your responsibility if the drain serves your property only.

 

If it's shared with anyone else then it's on them.

 

If that manhole serves you only, check the next one that will serve others as it's most likely that it's that one that is blocked. (Unless it's your family that are flushing the nappies causing havoc for everyone else)

[Raj]

24 minutes ago, kenny said:

It's your responsibility if the drain serves your property only.

 

If it's shared with anyone else then it's on them.

 

If that manhole serves you only, check the next one that will serve others as it's most likely that it's that one that is blocked. (Unless it's your family that are flushing the nappies causing havoc for everyone else)

Nappy days are well and truely over so it's not that!

Sent a video to 7Trent and they said 

We’ve looked into your issue and a job has been raised for a repair team to fix the issue.

Our team should be with you in 72 hours to fix the problem.

 

 

fingers crossed

 

[kenny]

14 minutes ago, Raj said:

Nappy days are well and truely over so it's not that!

Sent a video to 7Trent and they said 

We’ve looked into your issue and a job has been raised for a repair team to fix the issue.

 

Our team should be with you in 72 hours to fix the problem.

 

 

fingers crossed

 

Double check, if it's not a shared drain they may charge you , it's around £100.

 

To be honest, it's cheaper than another rodding company, so it's not the worst if they do charge.

[Raj]

6 minutes ago, kenny said:

Double check, if it's not a shared drain they may charge you , it's around £100.

 

To be honest, it's cheaper than another rodding company, so it's not the worst if they do charge.

Not a shared drain I do not think and like you say it's better they fix it rather than looking for a bob a rod!

[kenny]

2 minutes ago, Raj said:

Not a shared drain I do not think and like you say it's better they fix it rather than looking for a bob a rod!

Often, the guys that come out will warn you that they are supposed to charge but don't bother. Make them a cuppa and hopefully they will be nice!

[FoyleFox]

5 minutes ago, Raj said:

Not a shared drain I do not think and like you say it's better they fix it rather than looking for a bob a rod!

Always worth investing in a set of rods for minimal blockages. We've got a wire and jet for the jet wash too, that's very effective on blockages. 

[Raj]

22 minutes ago, FoyleFox said:

Always worth investing in a set of rods for minimal blockages. We've got a wire and jet for the jet wash too, that's very effective on blockages. 

I'd ruin things!

Knowing my luck I would do more damage than good.

I'd flood the bathroom with a reverse blockage(If that's possible!)

[Guest binic16]

Are you sure thats a drain that looks like the outside water stop tap.

[Raj]

1 hour ago, binic16 said:

Are you sure thats a drain that looks like the outside water stop tap.

You might hopefully be right, and fingers crossed its 7 Trents responsibility to fix(Hopefully!!!)

Edited 14 May 2023 by Raj

[Raj]

[Spudulike]

5 hours ago, FoyleFox said:

Always worth investing in a set of rods for minimal blockages. We've got a wire and jet for the jet wash too, that's very effective on blockages. 

I chucked mine away after losing an end rod somewhere in the drain. Wouldn't ever try it again. The drain expert got it out somehow. 

[NAKC20]

2 hours ago, Raj said:

Pretty sure thats not a drain cover from your toilet, looks more like a rodding point for a waste pipe from a kitchen sink or similar. They are most likely connected to the same drain so more than likely it is an issue somewhere further down the line and this is the point that its showing. If your drains/wastepipes are 'gluging' when you flush the toilet or empty the sink its definatly blocked somewhere.

[VLC86]

7 hours ago, Raj said:

Bit of a pisser

[Raj]

9 hours ago, NAKC20 said:

Pretty sure thats not a drain cover from your toilet, looks more like a rodding point for a waste pipe from a kitchen sink or similar. They are most likely connected to the same drain so more than likely it is an issue somewhere further down the line and this is the point that its showing. If your drains/wastepipes are 'gluging' when you flush the toilet or empty the sink its definatly blocked somewhere.

It overflowed yday when my daughter had a shower in the ensuite and it overflows when we used the ensuite toilet.

Ensuite is located directly above the front upstairs on that picture so it must be something  to do with that.

Hopefully  7 Trent can sort it soon

[Otis]

1 hour ago, Raj said:

It overflowed yday when my daughter had a shower in the ensuite and it overflows when we used the ensuite toilet.

Ensuite is located directly above the front upstairs on that picture so it must be something  to do with that.

Hopefully  7 Trent can sort it soon

Is there a manhole cover on the road nearby?

[Raj]

16 minutes ago, Otis said:

Is there a manhole cover on the road nearby?

yes and there are 3 on my drive too

[NAKC20]

28 minutes ago, Otis said:

Is there a manhole cover on the road nearby?

Not allowed to call them manholes now. They are inspection chambers 🙄🤣

[Raj]

All sorted.

7Trent been and gone and sorted out the blockage.

As they were in a good mood, no charge!

result....now hope we get another tonight!!!
COYB!!!!

[Mickyblueeyes]

On 07/05/2023 at 13:11, Izzy said:

We've done all we can over the years to maximize the space we've got. Garage to office conversion, small conservatory at the back etc.

 

Bottom line is it's a 3 bed terraced with one main bathroom and small bedrooms. Fine when the kids were little but now it's like having four adults in the house and we're tripping over each other.

 

Bit of a pisser really as we've practically paid off the mortgage and I was cruising to early retirement. The thought of taking on another mortgage and having to work another 15+ years makes me sick but it is what it is.

 

We have to stay around here really until the kids finish school/6th form but the jump up in cost to a 4 bed detached is huge and house prices take the piss down here.

Do you need to buy ? What I am saying is the bigger house seems a necessity (rather than a want) and in the long run where you are might actually be better suited to you. 

 

If you are very near paying off your mortgage, why don't you consider renting a bigger place for a few years and renting yours out in the interim. You get what you need right now without tying yourself down to a bigger mortgage. Taking rent on your current place which at least contributes to the larger rented premises and when the kids in a few years do move out, you simply move back to your old place - you remain on your current fast track to earlier retirement without the need to downgrade in few years looking around trying to find the perfect home. 

[Izzy]

1 hour ago, Mickyblueeyes said:

Do you need to buy ? What I am saying is the bigger house seems a necessity (rather than a want) and in the long run where you are might actually be better suited to you. 

 

If you are very near paying off your mortgage, why don't you consider renting a bigger place for a few years and renting yours out in the interim. You get what you need right now without tying yourself down to a bigger mortgage. Taking rent on your current place which at least contributes to the larger rented premises and when the kids in a few years do move out, you simply move back to your old place - you remain on your current fast track to earlier retirement without the need to downgrade in few years looking around trying to find the perfect home. 

That's a really interesting post and has made me think. Thank you.

 

I guess the question is when will the kids move out!?

 

They'll soon be 14 and 17 so it could be a few years I suppose, but then you hear about kids staying at home until their 30's because they can't get on the property ladder.

 

Definitely something to discuss with the wife later. Thanks again.