house viewing - advice please

[jazzactivist]

Hi all, I have the first viewing for selling my house this Thursday. My house has 4 rooms that could be bedrooms. As there are only the two of us, we only use the main bedroom with guests staying in the second bedroom in which we have a futon and also use that room for the computer etc. I am not sure whether to lay out the futon to make the room look more like a bedroom, or keep it like a sofa. The esate agent says that it doesn't really matter. The other two potential bedrooms are used as a dining room and a hobbies / activities room. When you are looking for a house to buy would you want to see bedrooms or just rooms that can be used for a range of purposes? Thanks for your help.

[Crocus]

Hi Jazz, it probably depends on what the buyers want. From what I can remember from "Escape to the Country" and other programmes along these lines, most people are looking for maximum bedrooms. So perhaps Jazz, you could lay out the futon and make it into a bedroom. Best wishes for that first viewing and keep us posted eh? xx

[sheddie]

I think it is important to show they are bedrooms and my neigbour who sold her house last week after it only being on the market 2 weeks decluttered everywhere and showed all the space off to it's maximum potential, she also did her homework about schools etc. and she thinks that really clinched the deal.Good Luck. X

[Treehugger]

I agree with Sheds, I would really declutter the place, even if it means shoving everything into boxes and whizzing it to a friends or relatives. Make the place as bright and airy as possible and where there is the possibility for a bedroom, I would show it as such.

[lily]

Definitely de clutter. I think the futon gives the idea of bed or casual living- sort of emphasises versatility?
The TV house programmes always go for fairly neutral + no clutter, personally we always look at room sizes and how we could use the room not just as it is presented. Depends on how much imagination viewers have?

[jazzactivist]

Thank-you all for your feedback. I have had a thorough declutter - putting unwanted stuff on the side of the road for people to help themselves. So now I only have a few items left to take to the dump - currently languishing in the car - and every part of my house is completely clutter free, which is fab. I have taken your advice and made the
2nd bedroom look like a bedroom by making up the futon and raising it up on blocks, adding a bedside table, putting up some tranquil paintings etc. The laptop and printer are tucked out of the way on a corner table. The dining room has to stay a dining room due to the furniture, but I have managed to rearrange the big loft space so that there are two distinct areas - one for casually sitting or lounging around/sleeping on a collection of old leather beanbags, and the other part is set out with my best looking retro containers of hobby stuff. I think that I'll suggest different uses for the rooms as we go round. I remember some of the bizarre comments and total lack of any imagination from some people when we sold our last house, one woman couldn't get her head round the fact that we used our garage for hobbies and parked on the road and kept repeating "But I'll want to put my car in here". Another young woman bounced up and down on the ground in the garden exclaiming "It's nice and firm!". So I am ready for them this time. Thank-you very much again for your guidance. I'll let you know how I get on.

[Crocus]

My goodness Jazz, you must be exhausted! You worked like mad! By everything you've said above, your house certainly looks lovely and inviting for agents and potential buyers. All the best for tomorrow's first viewing and please let us know! xxx

[Treehugger]

Hope the viewing goes well Jazz.

[jazzactivist]

Thanks for your support. However my first viewing didn't go all that well at all. I think that the woman was just a chancer, as the first thing that she said on stepping through the door is that the house is over priced. It is a two bedroom, potentially 4 bedroom, house with an acre of land and off street parking at offers over £129000, so it is quite reasonable really. She then marched around commenting on every bit, and wasn't at all interested in the land and didn't even bother to go into the garden. So, that was that. It is quite deflating to have a first viewer like that, but hopefully someone else nicer will come soon.

[Ivy]

I am sorry to be late and sorry the first viewing didn't go to your expectations. I had a summer job at an estate agent's many moons ago. They show customers the most unsuitable houses if the haven't anything on offer that meets the customer's requirements , always hoping that the right house is put up for sale while they are wasting everybodies time. so don't be upset. Undoubtedly you will come across the most interesting (to put it politely) people while selling.Do you remember Exmoor Jane' blog about selling her house on Dartmoor (CL site)

As for the futon.Always make the room look as big as possible space sells! And if you put in fresh flowers or a basket of fruit that will always give you credit (don't ask I can't tell you why)

[jazzactivist]

Thanks Ivy, your insights are very valuable. I do remember ExmoorJane's house sale saga. It was a lovely house too.

I think that the woman who came to view mine just had very unrealistic expectations, as a few years back this village was quite derelict and property was exceptionally cheap, but it hasn't been that way for quite a while. I have followed the tips about the futon and it makes the room look good and tranquil, so long as no-one tries lying on it as I have raised it up on wooden blocks! When we sold our previous house we definately encountered some strange people, and also some lovely ones. One couple didn't buy it, but later brought us tadpoles for our pond, and the young couple that did buy it tried out everything in the house including lying down on the bed, picking some peas, and making themselves a cup of coffee and sitting down to enjoy it and then washing up! I was a bit surprised, but in a way that is probably the right way to do it to see if you would really like to live there.

[Crocus]

Hi Jazz, sorry to hear about your first viewing not going so well! Hopefully she's the last one with this kind of attitude. I know when we sold our house up in Krugersdorp to come down here, there was a man and his partner coming the Saturday afternoon to view the house. He came in, took a quick look here and there, all the time with his hands in his pockets, just kind of peeping into the rooms, didin't say anything really, and left. Then on the Monday morning early, the phone rang. It was the estate agent to tell us to please hold on to the house, because this same man was on their case since Sunday morning because he's crazy about the house, and "can we move in in 6 weeks' time"! He was the last person we expected to buy the house.

We had viewers who brought along in laws, tape measures to measure out where their furniture would go, the only thing it seems they had to do was to take the cash from their back pockets and pay us on the spot! Of course we never heard a word from them again! So it shows that many times those who are the less enthusiasic about a house, are those who sometimes buy. And vice versa.

Something which also happened quite a lot was viewers who made an appointment through the agent, to see the house, many times within the next hour. I then would run through the house like a mad woman trying to clear up toys (twins were 9 at the time) or whatever. And then they don't turn up! Ggrrrrrrrr! That made my hair stand on end! Anyway Jazz, all the best for the next viewers eh? xx

[jazzactivist]

Well, I have two more viewers booked in for tomorrow and Tuesday. One woman coming over from Ireland which must show some keenness! It is actually quite easy to get to and from Ireland from where I live, as the airport and ferry are only an hour's drive away, but I hadn't considered that anyone might want to so didn't put the Ireland connections in the blurb about the village for the estate agent - drat! If anyone wants to have a look at my house it is on www.remax-clydesdale.co.uk, click Biggar office, then click View Our Properties, then select the price range £100000 - £150000 and you will see mine at Offers Over £131000 in Leadhills - it the one painted grey with white trim. The photos were taken when I still had a wee bit more to do inside and out, so please ignor any unfinished looking bits!

[sandybay]

It looks lovely Jazz, and so much space for the price. I like the way you've incorporated your books so well into the sitting room.
The garden space is great too, I'm sure someone will fall in love with it.

We should have looked at Scotland rather than Wales - we paid £173,000 last June for two small bedrooms, small conservatory, tiny bathroom, even smaller kitchen and medium sized living room. The house is detached with plenty of parking space but no where near as much interior space as yours.

What's the weather like though - are you near the gulf stream effect or do you get really cold winters ?

[Primrose]

I just couldn't resist looking at the site. It is lovely and welcoming!

You must be pleased with the way it has been advertised because anyone coming to view have been given a real taster.

Good Luck! I hope the people from Ireland will go for it.

If you think the Ireland connection would help couldn't the estate agents add it to the Web Site details?

P.S. I didn't even notice any unfinished bits - did make me think I must go and tidy up.

[jazzactivist]

Thanks for your nice comments, Sandybay and GillyFB.My house isn't quite as tidy as that all of the time, of course. Although Leadhills is the second highest village in Scotland the weather isn't much different to anywhere else, because it is in the south west so close-ish to the gulf stream. We do get snow that is a bit deeper than elsewhere, but it looks great, sparkly and fluffy like real snow should do, and doesn't happen more often than anywhere else in the north of England / Wales. The roads are kept very clear here too. The only thing is that flowers take 2-3 weeks longer to mature, so when everyone else's daffs are going over ours are just coming out! We have enjoyed living here and will be sorry to move as it is a friendly and safe village, plus I like all the land and had great plans for it, but haven't managed to quite get round to it all. I would have liked to create an orchard in the spare plot and plant more native trees and flowers in the upper one. I'm proudest of my veg plot, but it is just outside the photos as the estate agent thought that no-one would be interested! Scotland and Wales are probably quite similar, sandy, but the main difference here when buying a house is that it is mainly offers over and surveys are done before putting in a 'blind' offer so it costs quite a bit, and you may not end up getting the house. The plus point is that there can be no gazumping. I think that I will ask the estate agents to add the Ireland connections, Gilly. I'm sure that it won't be too much hassle. Thanks again, I thought that some Rm-ers might like a quick 'neb'.

[franbee]

It's very CL, Jazz, love the loft. Hope you soon have some success with your sale.

[JacquiMcR]

Jazz your house is lovely and quite similar to my own ( ignoring the still ongoing building work). I live in North Lanarkshire(Wishaw) and I think the house is very reasonably priced. I love the grey and white trim (mine is the reverse, white with blue/grey trim). Your summer house is fab and the views great, so hang in there and I'm surf the right person, who really appreciates it, will come along. I'm also looking into getting a wood burner but will have to cost getting the chimney lined etc. Best of luck - Jacqui

[Crocus]

Hi Jazz, I only today went into the link you provided and your house looks lovely! Inside and out, and quite like your garden at the back! I think the price is very reasonable. Best wishes for the next viewing. The right person will come along! xx

[jazzactivist]

Hi Jacqui, thanks for your kind comments. You're not too far away from me then? Have you ever been up to Leadhills? It's changed quite a bit in the few years that we've lived here. When we mved in 7 years ago we were the only permanent residents in our terraced row, and there were lots of derelict houses, but not now. I used to work in adult ed. as an area manager covering North and South Lan, so am quite familiar with Wishaw. It always seemed a very friendly place when I was working there. Getting the chimney lined is the most expensive part of getting a woodburner. Luckily, the previous owner here also had wood burning stoves, but, unfortunately, the doors had been damaged and it would have cost almost as much to repair them as to buy new ones, so our chimneys were already lined. Good luck with your renovation.

[lily]

I've just had a look- must say I really love it- very impressively tidy too. I thought the website was excellent, the first one I've seen where the pictures just merge on their own. I can't see it taking long to find a new owner.

[sandybay]

How's it going Jazz ?

It's so nerve racking seeling a house isn't it ?
All that keeping it ultra tidy, my house never looked so good as when we were selling.

What frustrated me was that the estate agents sent round families with young children despite us saying we didn't think it was a family house.
Downstairs all the floors were terracotta or ceramic tiles - not baby friendly, and we had a very steep old stair case. You could see the look of disappointment on peoples faces when they saw how steep the stairs were to carry a baby up and down. They loved the big new fitted kitchen [freestanding solid beech units and double white ceramic sink], 20 foot front room overlooking a beautiful cottage garden, spacious back garden etc. but the stairs were a deal breaker as they say now-a-days.

We sold to a guy who was a mountaineer - he was an ice climber- so after scaling the alps the stairs were no problem ! There is a buyer out there for every 'problem' though that is the point of my message.

[jazzactivist]

That's really funny, sandy, our stairs are fairly steep too, although thickly carpeted for the noise so they are quite soft. However, there are 13 of them, which was apparently a lucky number for miners in this area who often worked in teams of 13 so that one person could always look out for any dangers, and all the staircases here are like that. Wouldn't you just know it but a couple of visitors have commented that they wouldn't want a staircase with 13 steps as it might be unlucky! At our previous house there was an old set of heavy, double doors between the road and the rear gardens of the houses and although it was very safe and there was no way that a child could get out of the garden, some parents thought that it was too risky. I wonder sometimes if some people are just too picky. I hope that someone will like ours enough to want to buy it. it is a bit nerve wracking, but at least the estate agent seems to be vetting potential viewers for suitability quite well, so far!