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AIBU?

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House not selling (with listing)

319 replies

Housesale2 · 13/04/2026 16:33

Any thoughts welcome - awkward lay out? Decor? Anything else?

To pre-empt a couple of questions; it was originally listed at £400,000, and there is parking for two cars (one on the gravel, one on the right)

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/171873854#/?channel=RES_BUY

OP posts:
Franpie · 13/04/2026 20:27

I think that due to the size of the bedrooms, it’s a house that a family would grow out of reasonably quickly. In that respect, it’s quite bottom heavy.

But most of all, I think it’s just the market I’m afraid.

MadKittenWoman · 13/04/2026 20:26

Back garden is a mess and that fake fireplace is awful. Not a fan of the blue walls.

jenny38 · 13/04/2026 20:25

I would get rid of the blue on the living room wall, replace with a more neutral colour such as grayish green or a beige. Buy some cheap cushions and a rug. The rug needs to be a decent size, look at the Gabrielle rug in dunelm. Make the sitting room look like somewhere a buyer would want to relax. Other than this, weeding at front, tidying kids/ study rooms. Have pictures that dont include the animal cage.

Gleanzer · 13/04/2026 20:24

I think it looks fab, you've done a lovely job with the decor and design and made the most of it.

The main issue I can see is the size of the bedrooms. We once rejected a house purely because we couldn't get a cot alongside a double bed in the main bedroom. Here I'd have the same worry I think, plus the kids' rooms are small. But there's nothing you can do to change that.

It's a lot of house for the money for someone who can live with the small bedrooms. I think it might just take time to find that person, and you need to factor into the price that you are competing with spacious 3 beds as well as smaller 4 beds.

Maray1967 · 13/04/2026 20:23

Declutter throughout - and get rid of the animal cage. That’s my personal objection straightaway.

Bathroom with the tiled floor - gorgeous.

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 13/04/2026 20:21

On second thought, defo DEFO paint over the grey brick fireplace ? thingy? and the blue feature wall. It'll be a quick job if you and hubby get onto it and it will make a huge difference. The blue colour is not nice, sorry OP. Other than that it is really lovely xxx

Orchidgrower · 13/04/2026 20:20

You haven't said why you are selling, and its none of our business, but a cautionary tale, one property that I have seen come up for sale in the last year or so, which had good room sizes but very individual decor choices, started for sale as a property occupied by a young family, priced in line with other properties of a similar size that didn't have the decor issues. It didn't sell. It then reappeared relisted for 2/3 of the original price appearing to be a mortgage repossession and went under offer quickly at that price.

PILEALLTHEPILLSONTHEFLOOR · 13/04/2026 20:20

It's REALLY nicely presented, hard for me to comment on price as I'm not familiar with Swindon housing market but it is quite far from the centre of the town which is something that would be an issue for me. The market is down right now, you need to just hold your nerve and wait.

Redhairandhottubs · 13/04/2026 20:17

I’m an ex estate agent. It’s a nice house, but generally if a house isn’t selling it tends to be the price. However I’ve heard that the market is dire at the moment due to the global situation so could just be that.

How big is the main bedroom? It looks quite small in the photos (I can’t read the measurements on the floor plan).

Many people these days have busy lifestyles and are looking for a property that needs zero work. The fireplace and some of the decor may put some people off.

The front and looks a little drab and tired. Could you get some plants ans maybe take some photos on a brighter day?

WoollyandSarah · 13/04/2026 20:17

If you look at the "see similar properties" and "recently sold and under offer", I'd say it's the price/market.

People can see through cosmetic stuff. But they aren't going to buy an overpriced house in this market.

HotSoupBowl · 13/04/2026 20:11

The bedrooms were the photos that made me a little put off. They seem small - there’s a lot going on in them.

Orchidgrower · 13/04/2026 20:06

One thing that no one has mentioned is that the tenure is showing as "ask agent". That makes it seem it is leasehold, which would put off many buyers. If you're not sure of the tenure pay the small fee to the land registry and check the title. If its Freehold you want that in the listing. Its also link-detached, not detached, as you share a wall with next-door's garage.

That aside I agree with pretty much everything everyone else has said. It would need to be the best priced property of the type (including 3 beds as competition because most people who want 4 bedrooms want at least 2 good size doubles) to get one of the scarce buyers in the current market.

The outside needs tidying up, including the soffits and facias. It is clear looking at the previous listing that you have changed quite a lot, it looks like the size of one of the bedrooms was reduced to increase the size of a bathroom? You have improved some of the decor from the 2017 photographs, but its fundamentally the same house and while the market in most places is probably still higher than in 2017 if I were a prospective buyer in your market (which I am not), I would not be thinking that the changes made justified a price £100,000 more than it was in 2017.

I am in a different location and as someone who has always watched my local property market on rightmove, prices are currently nosediving, the properties that are showing as SSTC in my area are either very significantly cheaper than the competition or are issue free. A house near me the sale was agreed a few months ago within 2 weeks of going on the market and completed just before Easter, the property was very well presented inside and out, and was correctly priced on the day it was listed.

I would say you either need to drop the price significantly or take it off the market until the market improves.

IWishIWasABaller · 13/04/2026 20:06

I think your home is beautiful op and very well priced too

PussInBin20 · 13/04/2026 20:03

I think it’s really nice and good value (if not in a rubbish area).

Jewel52 · 13/04/2026 20:02

Dawnintheageofaquariams · 13/04/2026 16:57

Love the kitchen!
Love the shower room.
Not fond of the Lego fireplace, and it is a three bedroom, not four.
A lot of the photos are too cluttered and don't do the home justice.

Agree on the fireplace, it’s an eyesore and may put potential viewers off bothering when the market is stagnant and lots of other options.

It’s a shame as your kitchen and bathroom are great and thats where the real cost is in any refurb.

I think you need some comments from people who know the Swindon market as I think your house is a steal at this price.

Lauz841 · 13/04/2026 20:01

The main thing that would put me off is 2 full bathrooms upstairs but no downstairs toilet. Im not a fan of the decor but that wouldn't put me off, Im not against a lick of paint. It seems very small and cramped upstairs. Downstairs seems spacious and airy but the bedrooms are looking very small. Im not sure if thats just the way they're presented.

IndigoBlueMauve · 13/04/2026 19:54

You've got a lovely home. Really nice kitchen, bathrooms and the planet room looks lovely too. All the other pictures need redoing imo.

I suggest you declutter other rooms and get pictures with better light and angles.

I think you need to tidy the front by removing the tree and painting the fence to increase the curb appeal. It looks like there’s no parking so make sure that picture includes the driveway. Even better if you can style out front with some potted plants. Definitely worth mowing the grass out back too in the sunshine it’d look much more attractive.

User33857377 · 13/04/2026 19:53

I'm currently looking for a house and I'm afraid I veto any with brown pvc windows immediately.

DeathBanana · 13/04/2026 19:51

there’s nothing wrong with your house so you need to consider the wider market and Swindon, specifically, has seen LOADS of house building. You’re up against all the new new builds.

NotThereNow · 13/04/2026 19:46

Namenamchange · 13/04/2026 19:22

I wonder if it was originally a 3 bed with an on suite. Rather than a four, something about the bedrooms doesn’t quite look right.

Rightmove has the old listing from 2017. Beds 2 and 4 were one long room previously with back bathroom (smaller?) as ensuite.

catspyjamas1 · 13/04/2026 19:44

SweetMotherofAbrahamLincoln · 13/04/2026 19:37

Wow…I cannot believe a four bed DETACHED house is £375,000! You’d be looking at a two bed terrace for that where I live! 😭
Lovely house, ours isn’t selling either - think it’s just yet another rubbish time to move

Currently detached in my area is minimum £500k! And it's really not a posh area. I'd snap this house up at this price here tomorrow (not London)!

catspyjamas1 · 13/04/2026 19:40

I would buy this if it was listed where I am! Love your house, OP.

Dawnintheageofaquariams · 13/04/2026 19:39

ThatWaryLimePeer · 13/04/2026 18:15

Why isn’t it four bedrooms?

Because when a room is just the bed, like a London hotel room, it isn't a bedroom.

SweetMotherofAbrahamLincoln · 13/04/2026 19:37

Wow…I cannot believe a four bed DETACHED house is £375,000! You’d be looking at a two bed terrace for that where I live! 😭
Lovely house, ours isn’t selling either - think it’s just yet another rubbish time to move

Daisyinthegrass · 13/04/2026 19:34

I like the colour in the kitchen. I quite like the fireplace too. The garden is bare but id be happy with that as I could plant it up how I wanted.

The layout of the house would put me off though - the bedrooms seem very small and the one is an odd shape. Two bathrooms, neither of which is an en suite, also seems a little unusual. I don't like the fact that the downstairs loo opens effectively right in to the kitchen/dining area. There also doesnt seem to be a lot of natural light coming into the kitchen - just the one small window.

The room with the weights and helmet doesn't match the rest of the house (I quite like the rest of the decor but in here seems quite different) and the kids rooms look cluttered as though there is no space for them in there.