Three views in three months and absolutely no offers!

[VendorZilla]

The EA was very much over excited with our Art Deco house and expected it to sell well. We didn't sign an agreement as we went on a handshake. The listing missed huge swathes of info about the property and the plans were all wrong - they under measured by over 200sqft. It was put in the hands of a drip who didn't even respond to messages and left the house unlocked after 2 viewings. (He's since been sacked.) We've just told them to take it off the market and feel desperately disappointed. I want to get a different agent in now but DH is still trying to be nice to the rubbish agent in the hope something happens.
Thing is, it's a unique house. The only similar one in the area - right next door - has been un-characterised; roof terrace converted to pitch roof, windows changed, all the Art Deco soul (features and appearance) has been sucked out. All other houses in the area are pretty much bog standard 30s mock Tudor. EA reckons planning permission to extend upwards (convert part of the roof terrace to a master bedroom suite) will be a real draw to potential buyers. Don't really know what to think/do about that one!
What to do..? Tearing my hair out and just want to move.

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

Change agent.
Not signing an agreement would be a red flag for me.
Did you get 3 agents to value it when you put it on the market? Do you have any idea whether the price is right?

[Mintyy]

So, what are you asking?

[VendorZilla]

Had 2 agents look. One suggested it wouldn't appeal so much to some potential buyers because it's a very multicultural area and certain ethnic groups "can't get their heads around a flat roof" quite sweeping, I thought, but I'm no EA and a buyer is a buyer no matter what.

[ivykaty44]

There are ten couples for revert house up for sale, its a sellers market so something is seriously wrong

[WhoNickedMyName]

Change agent.

Look at the pricing of similar properties (same number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage) in the area.

How far is your price off theirs?

You might expect and want a buyer to pay a premium because its an 'art deco' house but only someone specifically looking for that style will pay a premium.

[VendorZilla]

Fair point, Mintyy;
Obvs we go with another agent, but why no viewings?
Price isn't overboard or suspiciously low
Do we spend 3 months & 3 grand on planning permission?
Is Art Deco so unpopular?
I should add that it isn't really a first time buyers' property...

[VendorZilla]

No premium - priced slightly lower than one in the same street;
in comparison, we have similar room numbers/sizes to that one although our gardens are bigger by far and feature landscaped, and there's a treehouse, summerhouse and shed

[Mintyy]

Well, arts and crafts houses are extremely popular in London.

Any chance you could post a link?

[HauntedNoddyCar]

Saying it's at a niche house so it's a tricky to sell to the locals is just spineless. If it's advertised correctly then surely it's not such a limited market. The EA just wants to sell a standard house, not yours.

If it's proper art deco then I assume there are web sites for enthusiasts and possibly magazines.

[edamsavestheday]

Sounds like crap agents, take it off them and get it on with someone who is at least half-professional. Were the pictures crap as well as the information?

[MrsCosmopilite]

Change agents - their job is to sell. Your house being unique should be a selling point.

Make sure when you change agent that you get good photos, that the information and the measurements are accurate, and that you pre-approve what they put online.

We've just sold and the EA we used were very good. Told us how to 'stage' rooms for most flattering photos, used our genuine comments on the blurb and corrected some minor errors in their first draft.

Ask the new agent if they can do an 'open house' day.

[VendorZilla]

We were offered an 'open house' day but they got a bunch of religious people round who were looking to buy somewhere to use as a temple - essentially 'one' buyer (which went nowhere)

The photos were good - the only good thing they'd done

Not sure I'm allowed to post a link as it's my own house - aren't ads/self-promotions frowned upon on here? Also, I've pretty much slagged off the agent so probably not wise as they have no right of reply, not until it's too late, anyway.

We were on a specialist site although not entirely an agents' site, it's more of a 'Wow, look at this period property that's for sale' site. We tried to push to get in mags like Period Homes, to no avail.

[thepobblewhohasnotoes]

Was it listed on the standard sites, like Right Move?

[thepobblewhohasnotoes]

FWIW I posted a link to my flat when I was selling and it didn't get deleted. I expect no one reported it.

[Monty27]

I adore Art Deco properties. Went after one once but offer was turned down :(

Whereabouts is it OP?

[HomeIsWhereTheGinIs]

Can I just ask for clarification on your point about the contract? My understanding is that you didn't sign one, is that right? Why was that? Don't get me wrong, I'd never use an agent myself, I prefer to sell privately. But if I were an agent with a property with no contract I wouldn't bother sending buyers there when I had no way of forcing the vendors to pay my commission if I sold it. I think you'll find that salespeople are motivated by money, and that if you sign a contract agreeing to pay them, they'll have an incentive to make an effort.

Handshakes don't stand up in court.

[VendorZilla]

I've just checked Zoopla and it thinks the house is worth more than our asking price. It also thinks the other house I mentioned earlier in the same street is worth £100k more than ours.

Monty, I'll DM you a link to the enthusiast's site - it's off the agent's site now.

Regarding the agent; the director is the husband of an acquaintance (I didn't know this until he knocked on our door. He passed our file on to the boss of a different office, but I guess that's why they trusted us and why we had some faith in them.

I'll be getting on to other agents later today and on Monday. I also have detailed info and measurements that they can use.

I just want to sell and move on!

[Madmog]

I'd go with another agent. We actually had our house up for sale about 10 years ago, got five viewings in five months - one person was interested but couldn't sell their own. Anyway, have just put house on the market and sure we want to move this time. We're with a different agent, who obviously did a phone around to people on their books as soon as we signed up. We've had six viewers within a week, giving us one offer which was too low and chap wouldn't increase it, a second viewing which nothing came of, another second viewing tomorrow and a lady who loves the size and colour schemes and has one to sell. Okay we still have to sell it, but this is a massive difference to the last time and I feel it's down to how proactive the agent is, so try and get a feel for this.

Even if you haven't got planning permission to extend, this is something the agents could point out is possible. Our present agent actually asked me what we were proud of doing to the house and any good points we thought were mentioning to viewers, so get a few around and see what they say.

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

There was a tv show on earlier in the week with some fab Art Deco homes being made over (bbc2 great interior design or something like that ) so you may find that there's a little wave of fresh interest !!! Don't give up just yet !!
Fingers crossed for you ! :-)

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

People post links on Mumsnet to the houses they're selling all the time, not in a 'Buy my house!' way but as a 'What can I do to make it more saleable?' or 'Why isn't it selling?'
If you didn't want to do it because it would make you identifiable I would understand, but I don't think MNHQ have a problem with it.

[kitsmummy]

yes you can definitely post a link to it here, that's what the property section's all about. We can then all nose give you some helpful pointers as to why it may not be selling!

I love art deco houses, please let me see it!

[VendorZilla]

www.wowhaus.co.uk/2013/11/14/on-the-market-four-bedroom-1930s-art-deco-property-in-kenton-middlesex/#more-6432

[Mintyy]

clickable link

[Mintyy]

Its absolutely beautiful. They look to be a specialist agency, though. Do you think it is being seen by enough people?