Thanks for the good wishes all. I'll keep you posted! I guess renting for a while would make sense in the market we're in, but at the same time I think it would be quite hard psychologically to go back to renting once you'd owned, and it would also be a bit of a gamble. And I'm already eyeing the amount of stuff I've got to move with dread, after five years in the one place...not sure I'd want to do that twice in six months!

I don't which is right but after months on the market and no offers and having a 'throwing the toys out of the pram' conversation with the estate agent for sending round time wasters they arraged a viewing for someone whose house was not on the market. Obviously our reaction was 'whats the point in giving them instruations if they are going to ignore you'. However, they fell in love with our house, put theirs on the market at less than market value and it sold in three days. We are now hoping to complete beginning of June. So I don't know if you are meant to buy first or sell first but I would try to go with the flow. We did tell them we would accept their offer but it was subject to no one else buying it first, we were not going to wait for them to sell to be in a position to buy our house.

Some people are wondering if they should buy or sell first. I guess the best approach to that would be to do the most difficult first.
Gauge the market to see if its a buyers or sellers market. In parts of Scotland for example it is still a sellers market so it might be best to buy first. In most of the UK however, it would obviously be best to sell first.

Personally I'd sell first. That way you are attractive to more vendors when looking to buy. Try to drag it out long enough to find somewhere. But be prepared to exchange quickly if forced into it either by an annoyed buyer threatening to pull out or a drop in prices.

If you do have to complete before you find a place then renting isn't dead money if you have to do it. Indeed it can be a very good strategy right now. But the downside is of course the usual need to sign a six month contract (although try negotiating this downwards if you can).

quote:

Originally posted by Karen1:
I don't which is right but after months on the market and no offers and having a 'throwing the toys out of the pram' conversation with the estate agent for sending round time wasters they arraged a viewing for someone whose house was not on the market. Obviously our reaction was 'whats the point in giving them instruations if they are going to ignore you'. However, they fell in love with our house, put theirs on the market at less than market value and it sold in three days. We are now hoping to complete beginning of June.

You're not selling in London SE13 are you? 'Cos that's exactly what's happened with my situation!

Nope - rural back water up in Northumberland. 'Where men are men and sheep are worried' Hopefully moving back to civilisation.