Why won't my house sell

[StopSearching]

My house has been on the market for nearly two years. Recently we took it off and remarketed with new agents. No viewings. We've been so patient for two years but it's getting me down now.

I just want to move on. Nothing wrong with where we live, it's a lovely little town but we have plans and this is all that stopping us. I've stopped looking for houses to buy as they are sold before we even get viewings.

Anyone else having similar problems? It's so frustrating.

Did you agent make you take the curtains down to further emphasise the view. No, we've never had curtains there.

It's becoming clear I'm not the homey types. I don't like cushions and throws and all that other stuff that people collect. I'm going to have to grit my teeth and girly up my house aren't I.

The more I look at the video tour (and spotted the downstairs loo that I hadn’t previously), the more I think I’d just knock a chunk off the price rather than trying to tart it up.

Apart from the main bathroom, which looks nice, I can’t see anything that doesn’t need doing. It’s basically a full refurb - the arcs, skirts and doors need replacing, the radiators are all chipped and need replacing, plus all the floorings, ceilings and walls need fixing and decorating. Plus all the staging of furniture - removing the overhead built in cupboards etc.

I’d be surprised if you had much change from £30k after you do everything to a basic standard and tart the front and back up a bit, plus the hassle it will entail hardly seems worth it if it’s just to sell for a higher price.

It doesn't look homely tbh. I would take it off the market, 'dress' it, and rephotograph it. The first photo should be straight onto the front door. An aerial shot does nothing for it at all.

By dress it, I mean: tubs of flowers or shrubs on either side of the front door, ditto in the garden. Pretty cushions on beds and sofas, flowers in the kitchen, etc. All stuff you can take with you. Make it look lived in, but not cluttered.

And lower the price.

Good Luck!

I can't believe you've not changed the price in 2 yrs tbh.
It needs more than staging so you either spend a chunk on it or reduce by a chunk.

Oh also - this is not a criticism at all, it's v much personal taste, but a lot of the decor is brown furniture/creamy beige walls.

This just isn't the style at the moment - I'd paint the entire thing a cooler off-white and downplay the early 2000s-ness of it!

The style at the moment is either greys (not for me but very popular!) or rich jewel tones like sapphire blue and mustard and emerald green.

So for example the dining room, I'd get rid of the tablecloth and the painting on the wall, replace with some black and white typography style or line drawing prints, put a vase with white flowers (or dried pampas grass, v popular at the moment!) and repaint. Suddenly that looks a lot more contemporary and relatable.

I'm going to upload the world's most hilariously bad paint job to show you...

@Onjnmoeiejducwoapy

Big cracks in the ceiling of one to the bedrooms too. Artex in another bedroom, with cracks too. Cracks all over the woodwork in the master. Looks like serious damp in the shower cupboard, screams ongoing mould issues.

Thanks. This is why I want the ceilings re-plastered. There's no damp in the house but the roof lost some tiles in a storm and water leaked through into the bedroom. It's all repaired and sound but I guess the finish is what needs doing now. Good to hear how it comes across on photo/video as it's not a problem irl but might put people off viewing. No mould.

The room in what was the loft would be a no from me - everything else is easily dealt with and I can see past a bit of decor, but I wouldn't want to be paying for that room as I don't like it - it doesn't look very well done.

Also (obviously) no loft storage.

That and the really squashed in nature of the estate would put me off at pretty much any price - but you bought it so someone else will.

If you decide to spend a chunk you need to be careful with what you choose as it may look nicer but still dated.

Imagine this isn't potato quality Paint editing...

That's a bit of white paint, a tenner's worth of print-your-own Etsy prints, and a tenner's worth of pampas grass. Plus removing your dining table, maybe chuck a couple of fancy looking candles on there (Aldi's Jo Malone knockoffs look and smell nice)...

I would be immediately more likely to see myself living there. The existing photos look like...I dunno, my friend from school's parents houses.

Could we see the estate agents website photos of your house op?

So we can what could be potential be hindering the sale of your property to potential buyers,for e.g clutter in the house ,could be obsuring )hiding the potential to people viewing it, or the decor could be bit too overwhelming loud or be a bit too dark deppressing etc

I guess the problem is that you're framing the field behind the house as the most desirable feature, but it raises questions for buyers - main one being are they trying to move because locals know it's about to become a building site?

I would leave the conservatory pic and the direct garden pic up, and take down the aerial pics and the one of the bedroom that frames the field. Don't make a thing of it.

The 2 main things for me are that the Ariel photos make it looked crammed in and secondly I would think that the fields will be developed on at some point.

I would agree with others. The pictures don't do it any favours and the decoration is so minimal, it lacks warmth. It's needs colour. It looks like nobody lives there.

@Onjnmoeiejducwoapy

Also an unfinished wall in the master?? Did you just board up a hole?!

That's the water tank and the board is removeable so that it can be accessed if need be.

@DontTouchMyHairISwear

I've just done the house tour as recommended by PP

I did too. Honestly it just put me off more.

I hate it. I didn't want it but dh signed us up. Yes, it's not a show home that's for sure.

Agree with all the comments about the drone shots, one simple photo of the front of the house and one of the garden is all that's needed.

I think it's fine to be uncluttered, but it does look a bit meh and unloved as people have said. I think the beige yellow colour walls should be white, might help it look a bit more updated.

I get what people are saying about the land also, it would be a concern if there's no 'non development' rule on it

I’m guessing it’s been on for higher also than the 350.

No, it's always been marketed at 350

It is a looks very poky for that price. And I would not class it as a four bed. The study is tiny, and would not be big enough for a bed. And it looks almost as if nobody actually lives there. Which is strange.

And the video tour puts me off, as do all of the outside drone shots. You probably need to give the place a lick of paint to tidy it up and change some of the worn out bits and pieces- so a bit of money spent on new carpets etc. Or take the video tour off.

You either need to spend some money on it. Or reduce the price.

@redcandlelight

what id that round thing in the garden? a manhole cover 'artfully' disguised?

I don't know what you mean. Is it the round patio?

I've just watched to video. Sorry but you really need to reduce it or do a lot of decorating, replace the carpets and lots general maintenance. It looks very unloved.

It looks like an unloved rental. That alone would put me off as I'd assume that there could be unaddressed maintenance issues. The watermarks on the ceiling confirm that. Anybody looking at those photos can see that a lot of work needs doing (and may be assuming that there are other horrors that aren't shown in the photos). You need to price accordingly.

I would have similar concerns about development the field out the back but it's a lovely view!

How have other comparable houses in the estate been selling?

I can appreciate you might not want to spend much on it if you'd like to move but a few things would make it more attractive to me, at least:

• lots of flowers and shrubs in pots outside the front to give it some colour and clean the paving if you can
• living room: add throws and cushions that go nicely together and visually break up the big sofa/chair, and add lots of lovely plants
• conservatory: add cushions and plants
• bedrooms: I'm not sure the cushions add anything, I'd remove them

In my opinion, the living room layout looks a little awkward - could you switch the position of the telly and the lighter brown armchair so it looks like people can sit and face each other/the tv?

Not a quick/cheap solution but could you knock the dining room, kitchen and even utility room into one and create a really big family kitchen? Would that add value?

I agree that the arial shots don't add much and you don't need so many shots of the field. Could you add a shot of the back of the house, and another of the garden perhaps with some garden furniture in to show how it could be enjoyed (just borrow some for the shots)? Move the plant pots from the front to along the back after they've been photographed out front! The "garden office" is intriguing, could you add a photo of that?

I think the photos could be taken from better angles and some with more light, could you have them retaken if you make any tweaks?

I think it's a fine house, it could just benefit from looking a little more lived in. I hope you sell it soon and find something lovely to move into :)

I hate it. I didn't want it but dh signed us up.

Why didn't you want it? I think it's helpful as it gives a very realistic tour for any potential buyers. With just the photos you may have had wasted viewings from buyers who didn't realise just how much work needs doing.

Another poster advised not doing the work and reducing the price to reflect the renovations that need to happen. I would agree with this approach, especially as it's been 2 years of trying to sell.

@Savethewhales

You might not care but others do, there's a reason why show homes sell, they have perfectly placed furniture in the right colour schemes and without the other homes even being built yet people snap them up, if people wanted a doer upper they'd go for a cheap home as they'd have money to spend doing it up, yours is not a doer upper as its to expensive. You need to look at the bigger picture.

This makes sense, thanks. Fuck I have a lot of work to do.