It's all in my head I know but I've just this morning had my buyers surveyor round to do a Homebuyers Survey. I know there is one patch of damp in the house and whilst it wasn't hidden my buyers didn't spot it. The house is a 110 year old victorian terrace and the damp is in the rear breakfast room... it's my little guilt thing I know cause I didn't tell them about it... then had they moved the door that was opened onto it they would have seen it. It's not bad, will cost £300 odd to fix (slate damp proof course has crumbled for about an inch outside but has cause the plaster to darken for about a foot by foot and a half inside as it's got into the house. Will need injecting and replastering). The other thing that's bothering me is that nearly a year ago the shower leaked inside the wall, it's all been fixed, dried out and no longer a problem but there is evidence that it happened if you know what to look for and I'm wondering if this will be reported and worry them.
Aww crikey I feel like I'm committing a major sin and that as the surveyor was doing his report on the houses condition... flaws that aren't of any concern due to it being an old house and just being noted as a comment... will all in all make my buyer run to the hills and pannick. I knew I'd worry like this as they currently live in a brand new house and mines over 100 years old. Roll on next week when they get the survey report and I hear that everythings still proceeding to completion.
Anyone else feel like this about awaiting your buyers reaction to their survey on your house ?
You're always going to have this little issue to get over, whoever buys (and I appreciate ex-new-bulders are likely to be a little more naive than someone with experience of period).
Only way around it is to do what I did when I recently sold my previous house - have the work done yourself. I had damp in the rear kitchen wall and spent £700 having properly sorted before it went on the market. Also had it decorated top to bottom. OK - so I may have got away with it, but once in a chain I wanted to minimise any possibility of delays or disputes.
Still got knocked down £1K for re-pointing of rear walls - you can never win 100%.
Still broke the price ceiling on the street by over £30K, mind.
------------------------------ 35% constitutes neither a majority nor a mandate
If they live in a modern house, they obviously are now looking for something with 'charm and character'.
These 'flaws' are part of your house's history. They are part of the appeal which attracted your buyers in the first place. If a few little things like damp patches put them off, then maybe they should be looking at another new-build. They aren't, so just relax Lillie...
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