To move estate agents?

BennyBee · 2025-09-19T14:15:06+00:00

My mum died a couple of years ago and my stepdad now wants to sell the house and downsize. It has been sitting on the market for 6 months. He has reduced the price twice. Can you give it the mumsnet once over: why isn't it selling? He is thinking about changing agents - would this make any difference? [[https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/159197123#/?channel=RES_BUY 3/4 Bedroom Bungalow near Worthing]] YABU - the housing market is slow, hang and chill YANBU - do something drastic asap

Original poster

BennyBee · 14/10/2025 13:18

Thanks for all your input. My stepdad has now moved agent, dropped the price, and re-listed with new photos/floorplan. Fingers crossed.

We tried to integrate all the suggestions for improvement we could. If there is anything outstanding that might be improved on, please let us know.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/168171725?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

OP posts:

Happyjoe · 23/09/2025 10:02

Fruitlips · 23/09/2025 09:05

And yours had already been on the market for 6 months the with only a few viewings and zero offers?

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Yes! We only had 2 viewings, ha. That's why I suggested it to the OP. We were stuck in between 2 branches of the EA, neither of them seemed to want to take over. The house itself was in a nice street but right next to a fairly rough area, and the EA just didn't seem interested in doing anything, thinking the other branch would do the job I presume.

After a few months I asked them to put the house details in the EA shop windows, and as I used to be a photographer I reshot all of the images, then asked for an open day and to be advertised in local paper. The open day is what sold it, we only had 6 couples come through on open, we received an offer on that day, then day after another couple bid too, resulting in a little bidding war which we stopped. We just wanted it sold.

Fruitlips · 23/09/2025 09:05

Happyjoe · 23/09/2025 08:58

Worked with us, thanks, and neither of those things applied.

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And yours had already been on the market for 6 months the with only a few viewings and zero offers?

Happyjoe · 23/09/2025 08:58

Fruitlips · 23/09/2025 06:39

This really only works for properties that are in highly desirable locations where the agent knows there’s going to be a buzz about it
or
absolute rock bottom price because vendors desperate to sell

neither of which seems to apply to this property

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Worked with us, thanks, and neither of those things applied.

Fruitlips · 23/09/2025 06:39

BennyBee · 22/09/2025 17:05

GREAT IDEA - thanks!

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This really only works for properties that are in highly desirable locations where the agent knows there’s going to be a buzz about it
or
absolute rock bottom price because vendors desperate to sell

neither of which seems to apply to this property

Baggyit · 22/09/2025 18:16

A big declutter of the bedrooms is needed before new photos are taken.
Update it with a clear out.
Good luck.

indoorplantqueen · 22/09/2025 18:04

It’s not a 4 bedroom and the 3rd is tiny. I’d take one if the beds out if photo 17 and arrange it differently. It looks bright and well maintained. Can’t comment on price but the layout would be a big no from me.

Original poster

BennyBee · 22/09/2025 17:05

Happyjoe · 21/09/2025 20:21

Open day. We had trouble selling in Leeds 13 years ago, estate agent awful. I redid all our photo's as theirs were dark and dingy then insisted on an open day. We sold it on the open day, in fact it ended up in a bidding war.

Edited

GREAT IDEA - thanks!

OP posts:

TranceNation · 21/09/2025 20:25

Yep lesson learnt from the house sale of my deceased auntie's is to not feel loyal to one agent. Take advantage of their early motivation for a sale, preferably with a tactic/change in asking price. I feel once it goes past a certain point agents lose interest and perhaps focus on other new properties they have listed.

Happyjoe · 21/09/2025 20:22

Ps, it's a lovely house that just needs an update in decor. Am surprised Worthing not selling tho, esp with B'ton being so expensive now. Good luck

Happyjoe · 21/09/2025 20:21

Open day. We had trouble selling in Leeds 13 years ago, estate agent awful. I redid all our photo's as theirs were dark and dingy then insisted on an open day. We sold it on the open day, in fact it ended up in a bidding war.

CarrotVan · 21/09/2025 20:15

photos 17 & 18 need work.

The decor is dated but it looks well maintained and clean so it will come down to price.

might be better waiting until after the Autumn budget

BellaVita · 21/09/2025 20:07

I would a take a lot of those pictures off the wall, makes it look cluttered. Also the chintzy bedroom needs de-chintzing.

Fruitlips · 21/09/2025 19:51

BennyBee · 21/09/2025 19:45

Thank you. He did initially market as three beds and home office but the garage conversion is more of a den/spare bedroom for guests and it also has a storage area associated (as you note). So he asked the agent to re-list it as four beds and call the fourth a "home office/fourth bedroom" on the plans - they changed the title but not the floor plan description. He has asked them three times to change the description but still nothing. There are other things they have ignored him over which is why he wants to change agents.

This is silly
list it as 3 bedroom
or
list it as a 4 bedroom

faffing around with the description on the floor plan is daft.

Original poster

BennyBee · 21/09/2025 19:45

Thank you. He did initially market as three beds and home office but the garage conversion is more of a den/spare bedroom for guests and it also has a storage area associated (as you note). So he asked the agent to re-list it as four beds and call the fourth a "home office/fourth bedroom" on the plans - they changed the title but not the floor plan description. He has asked them three times to change the description but still nothing. There are other things they have ignored him over which is why he wants to change agents.

OP posts:

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 21/09/2025 13:20

It doesn’t have four bedrooms, unless you re-label the ‘reception room ‘ as a bedroom ( but that is a long way from a bathroom and you have to tramp through another ‘living room to reach it. There are two rooms which have no outside light, the ‘dining room ‘ and the storage room, I suppose yet another example of the ‘ extension’ which doesn’t actually give anymore usable space.

Market as three and a home office and drop the price…..

Original poster

BennyBee · 21/09/2025 13:09

Thanks. Yes, I agree most marketing is on Rightmove but once you are on there a while, you drop down the lists into obscurity and agents need to get you promoted if you are going to sell. One way of doing this is dropping the price, which gets new eyes on the property, of course.

Anyway, looks like he is going nuclear: has two new agents coming round to value it and set out their marketing strategy, client lists, etc. Plus he is going to consider dropping the price, especially given the rumours about a new annual property tax for homes over £500K.

He has taken on board all the suggestions made here and is going to get a whole new set of photos done too, to emphasise the things overlooked. He now thinks mumsnet is superb! Thank you all x

OP posts:

Fruitlips · 21/09/2025 06:13

Goodadvice1980 · 20/09/2025 23:01

Only 10 viewings in six months? Seriously? That’s lousy. Can you give the agents notice and ask for a list of people they can legitimately claim to have “introduced to the property”?

Definitely need to change agents.

No, he needs to lower the price.

This will have very little to do with the agents. As long as it’s on right move and other search listings, that is primarily all marketing these days it needs

Goodadvice1980 · 20/09/2025 23:01

Only 10 viewings in six months? Seriously? That’s lousy. Can you give the agents notice and ask for a list of people they can legitimately claim to have “introduced to the property”?

Definitely need to change agents.

Original poster

BennyBee · 19/09/2025 16:27

Thanks for all the responses. Price and location seem to be the top notes.

The building at the back is a primary school, not flats. Some of the viewings (there have been about ten or so in 6 months) report back that the school is a problem but it is a good school so a couple of families with young children have also looked.

Points about the gate, the washing machine, and the garage (it has been converted into a 4th bedroom/store room) are all noted.

I just spoke to my step-dad and he thinks that maybe he will try dropping the price again.

OP posts:

Original poster

BennyBee · 19/09/2025 16:00

Fruitlips · 19/09/2025 15:31

This is your step dad’s? I thought he was utterly vile and abusive Op and your mum left him? Is he dragging his feet with the sale to stop you getting any inheritance?

What are you talking about? My mum died. My stepdad is lovely.

OP posts:

LifeBeginsToday · 19/09/2025 15:53

The floor plan shows no clear flow. To get to the living room you must go through the kitchen and dining room.

Goodadvice1980 · 19/09/2025 15:43

Price OP. Looking at the purchase price in 2018 the current price (even reduced twice) is quite a leap.

It does need some modernisation.

Overlooked by flats.

Also, there seems to be a number of new builds going up nearer the station. Developers will offer incentives to off load housing stock so buyers might be persuaded to buy a “barratts box” rather than an established bungalow.

What is the feedback from viewings? Have there been many viewings?

Sundaymorningcalla · 19/09/2025 15:42

Over priced

WeekendFreedom · 19/09/2025 15:41

butterfliesandbee · 19/09/2025 15:29

Personally I don't like a layout where the bedrooms come first when you walk in the house.

Does it have a gate to close off the garden from the front? Essential if someone has children or even just security.

Yes it needs some decor work but hopefully a buyer can see past curtains etc which would be removed.

No idea about area/price etc.

Says in the ad there’s a gate