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Original poster

Viewers saying flat is too small

236 replies

AlabamaArkansas · 26/05/2020 10:11

Has anyone else selling received feedback that their property is too small?

Our flat went on the market the day before lockdown so obviously no viewings. Since estate agents were allowed back to work we've had loads of viewings but consistent feedback that the flat is too small. Slightly confused as to why anyone would bother coming to look at it really as you can clearly see the size of it in the floorplan.

To be honest we didn't think there was much point keeping it on the market as we thought it'd never sell in the current climate, but as we had so much interest thought we might as well keep it on the market. But not much I can do about the size of it, is there! We've already decluttered as much as humanly possible and put stuff in storage.

OP posts:
Jenasaurus · 26/05/2020 11:42

I know you dont want to link to it but could you post the floorplan so we can have an idea of what is too small, eg kitchen, etc

Original poster
AlabamaArkansas · 26/05/2020 11:43

What attracted us to it? It was right near the station, we loved the area, and tbh i just loved the flat. A little victorian conversion was exactly what we were after. The master bedroom is big too, and it isn't overlooked.

OP posts:
Frlrlrubert · 26/05/2020 11:45

Make sure that second bedroom
Is being marketed as a single, then they'll be pleasantly surprised that the weird shape gives them extra space rather than disappointed that it's too small to fit a double?

I always think it's better to have people be pleasantly surprised on viewing due to slightly underselling it in the listing than the other way around. The house we bought this time we viewed blind, had no idea except 3 bed and the address, so when it turned out to be larger than average and actually a 4 bed we were pretty much sold.

BlueJava · 26/05/2020 11:48

Decluttter and then declutter again, use external storage if necessary. Make sure you have enough light coming into the rooms - floaty curtains not heavy fabric, pull back curtains, blinds up. Maybe consider repainting a dark room (I did this when we sold and it worked wonders).

BreconBeBuggered · 26/05/2020 11:48

This isn't uncommon. The last property we sold was a 2 bed bungalow that was actually quite spacious compared to others in the area, but a lot of the viewers were looking to downsize and were concerned they wouldn't be able to fit the contents of a 5 bedroom house into a 2 bed bungalow. It sold for the asking price when the right buyer came along.

BlackberryCane · 26/05/2020 11:48

Def agree frlrlrubert.

scoobydoo1971 · 26/05/2020 11:51

I have bought and sold a lot of properties over the years. You need to develop a thick skin, and not take feedback personally. I tell estate agents not to ring me with feedback as, at the point of marketing, I am not going to make drastic changes. I usually buy fixer-uppers. Lockdown heralds a challenging time to sell property. You could think about throwing a lot of cheap white paint on every wall to give a perception of space. Lots of people view properties with no intentions of buying anything. An estate agent who knows the family told me this, she has regulars who view compulsively and she calls them 'pipe dreamers'. I would say don't take the feedback to heart as you will find the right buyer one day.

sunglasses123 · 26/05/2020 11:52

When we sold our last house (3800 sq ft) someone said it was too big. They said they would be frightened their two year would get lost! Someone else said they didnt want to over look woods and wanted to see neighbours.

The best one was someone who didnt like our dog who was in her crate and rarely barked at anything or anyone!

I wanted to say the dog would be coming with us when we moved......it wasnt part of the sale

SingingSands · 26/05/2020 11:53

It's hard to please everyone (as this thread shows!).

Some viewers might just be "browsing" and you need your EA to weed these people out. Maybe ask your EA to screen for viewers who are only in a genuine position to offer to be allowed to view?

But then, people are just weird. We were selling a 3 bed house and had more than one couple give feedback that they were actually looking for a four bed. Time wasters!

sergeilavrov · 26/05/2020 11:56

Might be a stupid question, but are you in the property when they view it? If so, that will make it feel a lot smaller as that’s two additional adults and a child in a space that is at a comfortable capacity with 3 people alone. I’d take it off the market until after things calm down and you can go out, and once you husband has gone back to working anywhere beside your child’s room. It would help with the feeling of space. Don’t sell for negative equity!!

Also, might be worth increasing the price. My parents were quoted 250k by one EA and 350k, 400k by two others. They live in the North East. They got no interest at 200, took it off the market. Put it back on at 375 with a different estate agent, and they had 11 viewings and five offers over two weeks. Bidding war ensued, and it sold for 410. Price points demonstrate value to some people.

Original poster
AlabamaArkansas · 26/05/2020 11:59

Might be a stupid question, but are you in the property when they view it

No, we always go out.

OP posts:
PenfoldsFive · 26/05/2020 12:00

Who are the viewers? I wonder if any of the 'too small' people are single and wanting to rent the second bedroom out to help with the mortgage, so they're wanting to see with their own eyes that a double wouldn't fit.

Original poster
AlabamaArkansas · 26/05/2020 12:02

They are all FTBs, we've had some single women and men and some young couples.

OP posts:
ChipotleBlessing · 26/05/2020 12:03

Put a massive mirror up in the hallway if they’re finding it too narrow.

Bluntness100 · 26/05/2020 12:03

A video would do it though.

It sounds like a decent size but the second bedroom is really no more than a box room due to the shape, which is likely putting some folks off. As it’s an odd shape it also makes it difficult to tell from the dimensions.

Just shove a video on and be done with it.

Wibblewobble99 · 26/05/2020 12:05

Some people (like me) are really pants at visualising spaces and size and as such I need to physically experience it.

MaybeDoctor · 26/05/2020 12:06

I suggest:

Taking some of your own photos with a normal lens and asking the agent to add them to the profile. Do what you can to make sure that the perspective in these photos gives a realistic idea of how big things are: for example if you have a three-seater sofa make sure that you put three cushions on it. If your table comfortably seats 4, put 4 chairs around it - don't try to cram in 6. Put out a tape measure if need be!

Asking the agent to highlight the good things about the property. 'Off street parking' should be one of the first things they read as it is so rare in London!

If you really want to rule out time-wasters you could use a phase like 'Small but beautifully formed'.

Camphillgirl · 26/05/2020 12:18

When I was selling my small flat I put in the blurb

Very tiny flat for sale.........

Get estate agent to add these words to the description it eliminates time wasters and people coming to your flat for an outing as they are bored. They then have to find another reason to reject it which my be legit and gives you an opportunity to address.

Toomuchtrouble4me · 26/05/2020 12:21

I've looked at house and said too small - sometimes you need to feel the space and the flow and often you want to look at potential - can it be er-organised or extended to make it work. We're looking now for a 5 bed but we've viewed a few 4 beds to look for extension potential. You can't always tell on paper. If you're getting views and the only feedback is too small i think that's a good thing - it's not too dark or on a main road or damp. it's lovely - just too small but it will be the right size for someone. Get as much furniture out as possible and let as much light in as possible and for someone it will be perfect. Good luck.

MitziK · 26/05/2020 12:27

Considering that you're selling it because it's too small, is it really surprising that other people are looking at it and thinking the same?

Original poster
AlabamaArkansas · 26/05/2020 12:30

MitziK

Well obviously it wasn't too small at the time was it. People outgrow places.

OP posts:
LisaSimpsonsbff · 26/05/2020 12:36

When our house was on the market the feedback from every viewer except the ones who put in an offer related entirely to things that we couldn't change and that were clear from the advert - either the area or the parking. I did get a bit hacked off and say to our estate agent that they should only show people round if they'd said they were ok with the parking because I was tired of tidying up for people who were too fucking stupid to read AND too fucking lazy to walk up a short path from their car (I didn't put it quite like that, you'll be glad to know) - but tbh I assumed that time-wasting people complaining about things that were perfectly obvious about the property was probably an annoying par for the course when selling?

RandomMess · 26/05/2020 12:36

I wonder if the toddler bed makes people think you can't get a full single in it?

I wonder if most people were hoping you could squeeze a double in for visitors. Do the details need to stipulate "generous sized single bedroom due to shape" - weed those people out?

Peridot1 · 26/05/2020 12:40

People are just odd sometimes. Our neighbours were trying to sell. It’s a 7 bedroom house. One couple came to view and said there were too many bedrooms. Like it wasn’t obvious from the floor plan.

Another person said she loved the house but it wasn’t near X village she wanted to be near. Which was sort of obvious if you just looked at a map.

I think some people just view houses as a hobby.

DogInATent · 26/05/2020 12:41

It sounds like you're in a high-priced area where people look first for what they can afford and second at what that gets them.

Your asking price may be too low. If yours is seen to be one of the cheaper properties of its type and in its area then you're going to get all the tyre-kickers having a look to see what they can afford. Up the asking price and you'll get fewer viewings but of better quality because these will be people that already know what to expect for the price.

*as we had so much interest thought we might as well keep it on the market"
Stop making decisions based on misinterpreting lots of "interest" and lots of viewings as success. It's not. Success is achievement, not activity.

  • One viewing that leads to an offer you accept is success.
  • Forty viewings and no offers is a failure.