Owning your own home

Yes. Tpyo, innit.

So I met with five agents yesterday.

Two local shops, two of the larger, techy, aggressive types, and the large national chain that is doing an new online only fixed fee to compete with PB.

The aggressive types suggested asking prices that weren't backed up by what has sold locally.

The local shops and the national were broadly in agreement with what I will get, but differed in how to get it - aim high negotiate down vs. firm honest asking price

And then there's the PB thing. But that might be tough to pull off given I don't live at the property.

Hmmm. None of them filled me with confidence.

My old next door neighbour sold his (well got an offer) in about a week too. He's not a satanist though, more into sweat lodges and tantric shaking.
His place is a dump though, people seem to be into that sort of thing (and knocking £50k off the price).

depends on the area. what's equally worrying is places we looked at in the area we're planning on decamping too haven't budged in 4 months. seriously considering editing our wishlist and upgrading more modestly where we currently are.

We have Vitsoe - nice but pricey. A word of advice, get them to come and fit it if you go for it. A handyman basically destroyed a plasterboard wall in our house before we got the pros in.

Show it yourself, the woman that showed us round a purple bricks property was a complete muppet, and is not the nice man who comes round and sells you the contract.

Ours just sold (completed) after being on since late Jan (and a short stint late last year). I think the offer was in mid-March, so not particularly long or short either way but it didn't really need any work to live in, whereas next door needs new windows/heating/bathrooms/kitchen and smells of damp. You won't get all that for the difference in price!

Thanks all. Like the idea of selling ourselves, but just wary of not being on Rightmove/Zoopla limiting the number of people viewing it.

Had Purple Bricks over yesterday. Even 'the nice man who comes round and sells you the contract' was a bit of a muppet so don't hold out high hope if he was the best they have. Also lowballed the value vs others, I guess cos they only care about selling it quickly since it's irrelevant to them what it goes for.

If the high St ones can help get a better price it pays for itself in a way... but just such a ridiculous amount of money, even at 1.5%, to show people round and keep on top of emails.

the PB lady that came round to see us was more knowledgeable on the area than the other three fat tie and mini estate agents combined. horses for courses etc

If the high St ones can help get a better price it pays for itself in a way... but just such a ridiculous amount of money, even at 1.5%, to show people round and keep on top of emails.

It makes a good case study in charging for value rather than activity

I used davey stone when I sold in bow 3 years ago. Got them down to one percent plus vat. They were nothing short of superb.

What does PB charge?

A quick Zoopla algorithmic "finger in air" brings this up for my flat: Value range £401,512 - £426,904, which would see me paying a standard estate agent £6,000 to sell it, which for taking some photographs (which I could take) and then showing people around (which I could do) seems spendy.

Good to know, thank you!

Are you selling? Because we're currently looking, and I know you've done a good job on that parquet flooring...

Yeah?

Not SE, so I probably can't afford it.

I have genuinely toyed with the idea of selling my flat on the classifieds thread of LFGSS. Not sure it's ever been done. Is it allowed? Mine's a 2-bed, decent size, and probably around £270k, so a first-time buyer sort of place. Could actually work.

Consider me surprised you can get a 2 bed flat anywhere in Ldn for £270large.

Bathroom refit starts on Monday. Am excite. 2 years with a shower fed from the bath taps.

Going back for a last look then seeing the bank this afternoon... We'll put in a final offer tomorrow, zero interest apart from us so far...

Good luck TS

Downham Way, BR1. About 15 minute walk to the nearest station and sadly lacking in any interesting shops/bars/restaurants. Having said that, my flat is spacious, tidy, overlooks a decent park, has an underground parking space, big hallway with plenty of space for bikes...

You're only a 10 minute ride from Bromley for shops/restaurants or Catford for whatever's in Catford.

It's the last little cheap slice of London left. This is a cracking flat for a first-time buyer - it's done me proud. We're just looking for more space. But I'm on a fixed mortgage until next October and also looking to change jobs, so we might end up being here for a little while yet.

Thanks, man... Spare room will be waiting for ya... 😊

You wouldn't need to take any photos, the internet is at capacity with photos of your flat... :)

We've had plenty of the before, and during renovations stage, some of the 'after' stage would be nice.

I believe it's like his cars, always a work in progress