Feedback for London flat

I really like it. I think she needs to put a few houseplants (in those seagrass type vases) around just to soften everything up and give it a more 'airy' feel. She could hang some by the living room window.

The bathroom being off the kitchen wouldn't bother me, I have this myself downstairs in my house.

The offer to sell it furnished isn't an attractive proposition. The carpets are hideous, and although the yellow/wooden kitchen is quite charming, it's incredibly small, and from what we can actually see of the cabinets, very dated.

It's in a fantastic location, and would make an amazing crash pad for someone, but really it needs a full redecoration to make it much less studenty and much more modern.

800k really is not going to be taken seriously by any buyer now.

https://blockonomi.com/global-bond-markets-plunge-as-japanese-yields-hit-historic-3-milestone/

800k for a student HMO next to that is ridiculous.

As if Battersea was anything like Covent Garden. 😄

@PacificState
https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/73684793/

Aw OP, I really like it. These threads are always rough! Unfortunately I need more bedrooms and I don't have £800k, but in another life I'd be interested, and the decor wouldn't put me off. (I wonder if this is part of the problem; the kind of people who can see themselves living in a curio artist's flat in Covent Garden are exactly the people who will never be able to afford it.)

I've had a look on Rightmove and I can't see your relative's flat on there -- is this a Foxtons thing? (Or am I just missing it somehow?) It might explain some of the lack of interest. Or maybe I'm being a twit. Worth checking though; a lot of people use Rightmove.

And get her to have a look at other two-bed flats in that price bracket in that area. I can see one in Marconi House on Aldwych about a ten minute walk away, two beds and two bathrooms no outside space, but twice the size and also on for £800k. And one in Villiers St that's the same size as this one (i.e. weeny) but has a fitted kitchen and a separate entrance to the (rather nice) bathroom, and is on for £755. I know Covent Garden is lovely (even on the Holborn side), but I do think the price might be taking the piss a little bit.

These days there's plenty of instagram-perfect spacious flats featuring underground parking, pool, gym and spa on the opposite side of the river, so I can't imagine wealthy foreign offspring choosing unremarkable pokey flat because of the postcode or low service charge.
https://www.zoopla.co.uk/new-homes/details/42530358/

Way overpriced. That kitchen is really outdated.

It’s a great central location but the local streets are full of drug addicts and undesirable behaviour https://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/open-dealing-and-drug-taking-its-save-our-street-all-over-again . I work a few metres away and my colleagues and I have experienced people openly smoking crack in front of us, attempted office breakins and more.

Odd layout bathroom/kitchen.
Lease only 89 years she should extend it or find out cost
Foxtons notoriously over price
Might suit rich overseas investor f9r their LSE attending off spring but declutter

Flats are not selling well at the moment but that's in a good location. Interest rates are higher than they were in 2020 so maybe the type of buyers ( young professions?) are priced out .

Its probably a bit over priced as decor is a bit dated.

The dark carpets in the lounge do nothing for the space.

Also how many years left on the lease,?
Most property will sell if the price is attractive enough to entice buyers. Has she had many in person viewings and any offers. If no,then it's probably the price

As long as there's a basin in the bathroom/toilet it meets current building regs.

I think the rental market is still strong as there are fewer properties available due to landlords selling, it’s no longer as lucrative as it once was, especially if you have a buy to let mortgage. Tax implications and the new Renters Rights Bill has also resulted in landlords selling.

It’s very hard to have internet strangers critiquing your home but I agree with the others about the decor.

Buyers need to be able to see themselves and their own stuff in a new home and the best way to do that is by going as neutral as possible. If your friend has some cash to spare, she could paint the kitchen and remove all the shelves with clutter, swop out the carpets and with everything else, think ‘neutral, neutral’ - neutral duvet cover and neutral curtains. All the dark colours make it feel like it’s a bit grubby (hopefully it’s not!) but at that price, I’d just want to be able to buy and walk straight in.

I think if she's living elsewhere, strip all the clutter and furnishings out, neutralise the colours and try to make it appear a little bigger.

So 1 wardrobe for 2 bedrooms and still nowhere to keep food!?!

I thought it was a typo when OP said there was “so much storage” and asked the question but not had a response.

I've just spotted them as can see the mirrors from one of the living room photos. But I had to really search 👀 for them.

Too much like hard work is my first impression - I would have to extend the lease, modernise it …all a bit of a ball ache and the small second bedroom is unappealing. I don’t think it’s great value at £800k.

Your relative needs to bland it out a bit, change agent and drop the price. The location is terrific, there’s outdoor space and the ground rent and service charge are low, so even in this generally grim market for flats, it will eventually sell.

Definitely the short lease, the bathroom location and the shape of the kitchen, which doesn't appear to allow fitted cupboards. For 800k one might like a fitted kitchen and modern bathroom.

For airbnb it doesn't matter if the price is right.
For a rich person to live in it's a very overpriced 1 bedroom needing a lot of reno on top so an unlikely choice.
I can't see who else might be interested.

I wouldn’t buy somewhere with the bathroom off the kitchen either. I thought there had to be 2 internal doors between them? Or has that changed?

Flats with reasonable SC and price still sell quickly in London. People stop and think when SC+grount rent hit I'd say £3500 a year, and most relatively new properties in London are already there unfortunately.

Even my local very small chain of estate agents does videos of their properties. I thought Foxtons was a high status (albeit a rip off) EA, so why such rubbish photos and nothing else?

The first three key features are rubbish: bright reception room, separate fitted kitchen and bathroom with window. These are to be expected! I stopped reading the ad immediately. Change estate agents.