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.

@Weepingwillow22

Checked the local plan, the fields behind the house (orange on the map) are allocated for employment and residential development (SHER 6 in section 31 of the local plan). I think the house needs to be priced cheaper than those linked to to take this into account.

We used to live in a similar situation and bought and sold our house for 10 to 20 percent below others which we not adjacent to the fields. We moved before the development started, the planning took 10 years and the development 5 plus years to build and is still being built. It is the uncertainty and disruption that is the real issue. Once the houses are there the price will probably go up again.

This is likely to be the biggest factor, and the first thing I checked too.

You might have to resign yourselves to the fact that your house is worth less than you think because the field behind will be developed, and not only with residential but also employment uses. So you have to stop thinking about it’s having an idyllic countryside outlook and instead think about what it’s worth with several years’ worth of building activity and subsequent overlooking/noise/activity behind.

Given the other shortcomings of the house which you also can’t change (small kitchen, downstairs commensurate with a small 3 bed rather than a 4 bed, the slightly shoddy loft conversion) I think you need to drop the price and sell it sooner rather than later, before there are outline planning applications in for the development behind you, which might leave you stuck with the house for some time.

Sorry I haven't read all 16 pages but looking at the video tour, the first thing you see as you enter is the downstairs loo which is very tired. Looks like a mismatched coloured loo and white toilet seat? At least find a matching seat, or replace the loo which really wouldn't cost much. I would change the flooring too, an offcut of vinyl or even self adhesive tiles would cost very little and brighten it up a lot.

There are quite a few marks on the walls. Hard to tell from the photos but a magic eraser might get a lot of these off and make it look a lot cleaner without the need to paint. But generally it just all looks unloved and not like a home that anyone cares about.

Things that would put me personally off but other people might be less bothered about:

I have a real dislike of a living room that's essentially a corridor to other rooms. I don't want to have to walk through the living room to get to the kitchen. Definitely a personal thing but I've turned down houses for this reason.

The kitchen would be too small for me. The living room also looks small for the size of the house, especially if other rooms lead off it.

Bedroom 4 is not a bedroom.

The round thing in the garden is weird. Is it a patio or a pond cover or what? If it's a patio, put furniture on it so people can tell it's a patio and not a manhole.

Agree the exterior shots make the estate look very cramped. I'd remove them completely.

The panel thing in the loft would bother me. It looks ugly and unfinished.

Hi op. I haven't read the whole thread but I'm certain that you've received excellent advice and opinions.

As a potential buyer myself hopefully sometime this year, I would look at how much money I would need to spend to make it more modern and suitable for me
and then look at the price of the house. So if I need to spend 30k for a new kitchen maybe open plan, floors, bathroom changed everything basically updated, I would expect that 30k to reflect the price of the house. I would also look at the price increase.

So in 2016, if a similar house sold for 285k, I'm wondering what your house and the area achieved so much so to put up 65k within a few years. So to me it seems that your house is minimum 30k more expensive. If your house had achieved any of the works beforehand to suit the majority of buyers liking, yes your house would have sold 2 years ago for the price or just under the price you have stated and maybe spent a couple of thousand to personalise the house.

The house is lovely, nothing wrong, it's just I wouldn't pay that much money to live in it and if I am I would offer 310k and use the rest to change layout and modernise it and if I ever decided to sell it soon, I would then put it on the market for 350k. You see where I'm coming from?

@Onjnmoeiejducwoapy

Anyone else seriously concerned that OP seems to have taken away a message of “girly up the house” when she’s actually being told “sort out the holes in the walls and huge damp patches”

Exactly! Complete denial!

[quote OhCaptain]@StopSearching I think you’ve jumped on people’s ‘easy’ suggestions but a few throw pillows aren’t going to help much at that price.

It’s too expensive. There’s too much to be done to it.

You’re putting too much emphasis on location - it’s not a forgive-all!

It looks damp, musty, unloved and old. The kitchen is no good for a family. And there really is no 4th bedroom!

Most any house will sell if the price is right. Yours needs thousands of pounds of work to come up to scratch against some of the ones posted here and the sale price should reflect that.[/quote]
Agreed. Jumped on the easy suggestions of cushions, flower pots and new photos. Completely ignoring the only realistic suggestion being made - lowering the price - because that’s not what she wants to hear.

Why does everyone think fields will be developed? I have fields behind us in suffolk, as does most of suffolk lol

Same I never just look at asking, over the summer properties near me started selling like hot cakes & other neighbours thought oh I'm going to sell up & added another 50k or so to the asking price. What then happened was the people who sold early last yr started to have their sold prices start appearing. Cue a load of sales falling through when buyers realised next door had actually sold for 100k less then the one they were buying.

@FedNlanders

Why does everyone think fields will be developed? I have fields behind us in suffolk, as does most of suffolk lol

Because they’re zoned for development on the edge of a massive housing estate

@FedNlanders

Why does everyone think fields will be developed? I have fields behind us in suffolk, as does most of suffolk lol

It’s something easily checked... the fields being this house have been allocated for development.

I was just about to post what @FTEngineerM posted - what is going on under the window of the loft room OP? That and a couple of other things in the loft (eg around that square part of the wall with the bolts) makes me think the loft work is a little shoddy.

Houses with built in garages always tend to be a bit top heavy, the loft conversion just makes that even worse in this case. The living space is just too small for a 4 bed and the size of the outdoor space means there's not a lot you can do about that.

I can't see any reason why it's not selling.
But I wouldn't want to proceed without a real viewing.

Here are a few things that I think need immediate attention OP.

You have what looks like a damp patch in the master (?) bedroom with the blue linen on the beds, as well as the one mentioned upthread in he living room - both of those need sorting really, else you'll have to drop the price quite a bit, I think. It looks (to me) that you either have issues with damp, or that the house hasn't been well taken care of.

The paintwork in a few places looks a bit slapdash so will need re-doing by the buyers (I used the blue paint as an example but it's in a few places - also in the bedroom with the reddish walls).

I also think it's a bit cheeky to market it as a 4 bed when the 4th "bedroom" is as small as it is. Three bed plus office space would probably make it more appealing.

It really hasn't got much going for it and the pictures are awful. The things that would put me off are.

How close it is to the neighbours, you would be as well with a semi
The outside is unkempt and needs a good tidy up, powerwash it if poss.
The overall first impression reminds me of houses you see come on the market that an elderly person has lived in for years. They probably haven't decorated or updated anything in several decades and the end result is an unloved looking house.
The kitchen is small, dated and cramped. You then have a small dated cramped utility next to it with what appears to be plastic brick effect wall?
It is very dark inside.
The artex on the ceiling.
Watermarks on ceiling.
Very dated downstairs toilet and that shower ina cupboard needs to go. It looks awful.
The banister / handrail is dated.
The room where there is unfinished plasterboard just looks like you gave up halfway through.
The extension / conservatory thing looks cheap and has no character, it looks like one of those UPVC conservatories that you can pick up at B&Q and pretty much stick on yourself.
It looks unkempt inside as if nobody really lives there.
The finish eg paintwork walls etc looks like it hasn't been touched for years.
The patio circle in the midle of the grass looks a bit out of place. Even a few slabs leading to it and a small bistro table and chairs would make a difference.
The only selling point for me is the new and modern looking main bathroom but there are no pictures of it so unless you look at the video you don't know.

How do we know they’re zoned for development? Can’t do anything about it anyway.

Agree the price must be too high going be the other house in the street which is cheaper and in better nick.

The most offputting thing is the damp in the ceiling I think. This is going to put a lot of people off.

I also think, don't wedge all your furniture up against the walls. It does make it look like a rental home. Centre the dining table in the dining room. Big vase of flowers on the table. Move some of the sofas so they face each other with a table in between, like the ideas below, dressed with flowers, plants, coffee table books etc. Make the house look like it's full of life and that you enjoy living there

@Onjnmoeiejducwoapy exactly!! As my grandad always “denial isn’t just a river in Egypt”.

Sorry op I wrote a list earlier in the thread but I’ve got more to add. You need to look at your lights. Spends some money on new shade or even new fittings. I agree with other about skimming the ceilings. I would also dress the dining room table, buying a matching dinner service, a runner and nice wine glasses. A bowl of lemons is also a good touch.
In all honesty I’d get rid of that patio and lay new turf. It’s too small for garden furniture and feels oddly place which is why people are thinking it’s covering something up. I think 15k is needed to then market your house at 325k

Also this in the top shower room.

@ilovesouthlondon

House looks fine to me. I like the fact that it's neutral because I'd put my own stamp on it. It literally ticks all my boxes and the ensuit is a bonus. 2 years is a long time so I'd change agents if I were you.

We have. These are the new agents.

I’ve now looked at this house on RightMove more than I looked at my own before I bought it I think .
It’s odd because the condition of it makes it seem older than it is. Mine is 8 years older and in far better overall condition. We do keep on top of maintenance though. The cracks like those on the woodwork/walls on the attached picture are easily fixed and would make a big difference.

If you don’t feel like getting rid of your 3 pierce suite then buy elasticated sofa cover from EBay

Hi OP, I really respect posters who have the balls to link to their home and ask why it’s not selling!
I’ve just got two things to add.
One is, what attracted you to the house in the first place? If you could max out that aspect for other buyers, it might attract other people?

Secondly, you’re obviously a very practical / utilitarian type. Therefore I would suggest you see this as a work project, with the aim of making money on your main investment. Work out what you could spend to get the largest return. A £5k cosmetic spend could get the house sold. A £15k spend sorting out ceilings / loft room loo etc could get a sale at £375k (possibly). You’d have to do your research and spend the money wisely.

Lots of great ideas here. A little goes a long way. Could also get nice blankets for furniture, which in the future could be repurposed for picnics / wrapping up warm / dens etc, so it’s not money on nothing.

Good luck!

I agree with @user1471462428—a big bit of spending is needed to get it to 25k under asking.

You could alternatively list at 305 or so as a renovation opportunity? It’s clear you hate doing these things—otherwise you wouldn’t live in the bedroom like that for years—so why not save the pain and cut off a big chunk?

@FedNlanders

Why does everyone think fields will be developed? I have fields behind us in suffolk, as does most of suffolk lol

A precious poster has already shown the link that says they're part of the local plan as for housing/industry.

First thing I’d do on purchase is new windows and doors! So, I’d be taking the cost of that into account when making an offer.