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Honest opinions needed please!

55 replies

Slowlybutsurely · 02/05/2015 20:12

Desperately trying to sell our house and need some honest advice. How can we gain more viewings- and obviously an offer? We have had viewings with very vague feedback- never anything we can do anything about.
Not sure if I'm brave enough to do this but would anyone be able to look at the link and offer some honest advice?
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?searchType=SALE&locationIdentifier=POSTCODE%5E163182&insId=1&radius=0.0&minPrice=&maxPrice=&minBedrooms=&maxBedrooms=&displayPropertyType=&maxDaysSinceAdded=&_includeSSTC=on&sortByPriceDescending=&primaryDisplayPropertyType=&secondaryDisplayPropertyType=&oldDisplayPropertyType=&oldPrimaryDisplayPropertyType=&newHome=&auction=false

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LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 02/05/2015 20:26

Bedroom - It looks small without furniture, people will think there's no space for a wardrobe so it's a small room. You could do with a picture on the wall above the bed, it will make the room seem taller.

Dining room - having the table against the wall gives the impression that the room is small so there's not enough space to have it in the centre. Are you able to pull it out a little?

Kitchen - you need to make it feel lived in.

The layout from the pictures is confusing. Some have been duplicated and there's no real flow to it. I think you could do with some mirrors/pictures on the walls in the main bedroom and the bottom of the stairs. It makes the rooms look taller and gives the impression of space. I'm not a fan on the first picture. It makes your home seem dark, giving the impression that it's cold and dark. A buyer may look and think 'dark + cold = higher heating and electricity bills'. Your little girl's rooms are lovely but the angle of the pictures makes it appear small, likewise with the others to. Maybe retake the pictures?

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Slowlybutsurely · 02/05/2015 20:36

Thank you, these are the sort of things we need to hear. The bedroom has wardrobes but obviously buyers can't see them so don't know they are there. We now have pictures in the hall but haven't updated the photos. I feel a a bit of furniture arranging and photo shoot coming on!

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ancientbuchanan · 02/05/2015 20:38

I am amazed at how little clutter you have! V impressive.

Ok, the only thing I wasn't too hot on was the colour of your garden fence. I would honestly consider repainting it.

I'd also want to redo your bathroom, nothing wrong with it and I expect I would be too lazy, but not my sort of bathroom. Prob not worth doing though, as someone else will have their own ideas but could you put new white fluffy towels in it? Think about how you might make that sill prettier or more stylish? Some shells in a bowl ?

That said, and I've also looked at the neighbouring houses, I'd want yo know about schools. It's not clear what your catchment is - indeed how your daughters get educated! And what will happen at secondary. I think your agents need to do more stuff on that. Can they say nice things about local transport? Because it sounds like a location issue. Or idle agents, have you thought if changing them ? Going to multiples ?

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LadyCybilCrawley · 02/05/2015 20:39

actually i think it looks lovely to be honest - is it priced right? is your agent soliciting feedback or being lazy?

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LadySybilLikesSloeGin · 02/05/2015 20:39

I think they are just not good pictures (sorry). They make the rooms look small and people will be wondering where they can put their things. Usually people want to look at a house and imagine where their things will go, but they can't do that if the rooms look tiny.

Hope this helps. Good luck Smile

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Moreisnnogedag · 02/05/2015 20:39

First you have a beautiful and really tidy home. There are little things with the listing like duplicate photos and furniture layout choices but nothing that made me think 'oh god no'.

But I did look at listings within a couple of miles of yours and there are multiple bigger properties going for less. Admittedly some needed work but were on for ten grand less. With 'offers in excess of' you might be pricing yourselves out. I don't know your area though - honestly look at your price and your intended market. Are you realistically priced?

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Cassie258 · 02/05/2015 20:40

I'm no pro but I'd buy it in a heartbeat. It looks near, tidy and well decorated. I'm shocked you're struggling to sell it.

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JassyRadlett · 02/05/2015 20:44

Some of your pics make the house look quite dark - and the big shadow on the external pic isn't grat either. Could you get pics retaken with better light or just better exposure on the camera?

I'd also get room dimensions and total area added to the floor plan - useful when people are deciding what to view.

Good luck!

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Slowlybutsurely · 02/05/2015 20:45

Thank you again. Will look at the school thing. We are in catchment for two primary schools, but these are not shown on Rightmove for some reason. Similarly, it says there are no local secondary when there most definitely is!Very strange.

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MrsJamin · 02/05/2015 20:46

I agree, the photos need to be retaken. The master bedroom and Hall need more on the walls. Nearly all photos have a weird perspective on them so that lines that should be vertical are diagonal into the centre of the room - makes me think they are very small.

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OwlBeeBack · 02/05/2015 20:56

It looks very well presented. The only oddity is the duplication of lots of the photos.

I think the issue is the price. Looking on a RightMove you can get bigger 3 bed semis for the same asking price.

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MisForMumNotMaid · 02/05/2015 20:57

Its beautifully presented and well maintained. You have a lovely home.

The advert shot doesn't sell it, its in shadow over the door which makes it look dark.

You're really right at the top of three bed semis of that style for the location. They start at about £120k. You may achieve it. It really depends how quickly you need to move.

At £135k you'd be more likely to move quickly as you'd be closer to middle of the pack and being so well presented stand out well against the others at that price buyers are viewing.

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Slowlybutsurely · 02/05/2015 21:04

Thank you, definitely going to get the pictures changed. Sadly, we don't have much room for movement on the price, I really wish we did. We bought right at the peak of the market and may be in danger of ending up in negative equity.

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Lweji · 02/05/2015 21:06

A small thing in addition to what has been suggested.

I'd put the dinning table in a central position, so that it looks like you can actually sit people around it.

And I think it actually needs some more colour. It is looking a too white and neutral.

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ZenNudist · 02/05/2015 21:17

There is nothing wrong with how it's presented. It's lovely and tidy, neutral decor but not dull, everything modern and not cheap cheap looking. I suppose the finish becomes more apparent on viewing but photos seem fine.

It's going to come down to price. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how well presented you are if you're overpriced.

Do you need to move? Perhaps hold off til market picks up?

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Hexbramble · 02/05/2015 21:19

YY to put dining table central.
Flash or pic edit / brighten the photos.
Some colour - whilst neutral is good, warmth in pics is needed.

I actually really like your home.
Mine looks like it's been ransacked - even after a good tidying!

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Slowlybutsurely · 02/05/2015 21:54

Thanks for all your comments. Looks like husband not going to get the quiet bank holiday weekend he was looking for! Really helpful, needed some impartial opinions

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Devora · 02/05/2015 22:04

It looks very nice, but yes I agree with others it looks a little dark and cold. Could be down to the time of day it was taken? Or the exposure used?

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PigletJohn · 02/05/2015 22:10

looks perfectly pleasant to me.

Some of the blinds are part-way down, and windows cluttered, which makes it less bright and open, and makes windows seem smaller than they really are.

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RebeccaCloud9 · 02/05/2015 22:11

I like your home and think it is well presented and I LOVE the bathroom! I agree that the photos make it look a little dark, especially the front of your house and the garden. Also, more info re catchment. No schools showing puts me right off properties in my area. But it sounds like price is your main issue.

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BumWad · 02/05/2015 22:16

I think your home is beautiful

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RoganJosh · 02/05/2015 22:20

I think the bedroom looks a bit bare, which isn't a huge problem but isn't great as the first indoor photo. Otherwise, looks great I think.

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ChippyMinton · 02/05/2015 22:26

Open the blinds, especially in the bedroom as it makes the window look small. Move the bed and nightstands away from the window.
Paint the fences!
Move dining table.
Small bedroom stands out because it looks oddly cluttered compared to the rest of the house.
Reshoot the exterior without the shadow.
New towels in the bathroom.
Otherwise it looks lovely.

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Agrestic · 03/05/2015 00:03

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it. Clean, tidy and everything looks in good condition. It will just come down to the price.

That said, if you want to feel proactive I would paint the garden fence and retake the bedroom photos.

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CarcerDun · 03/05/2015 00:10

Move the flowers in the kitchen, they are off centre and make me wonder why? Is it odd shaped window sill? Where they are, they block out light. The perfect place to put them would be on the side in your hallway, to break up the colour.

I would take the coats off the small rail in your hallway. To me it reads, I'll have to remove that rail, therefore plaster/repoint. It says work to me.

Also move the pink furniture in the garden. Fine in a corner but there is an over riding small pink person feel. As someone without a small pink person I can't imagine myself living there.

Having said that, you have a lovely home, good luck.

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