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.

First thing that strikes me is that It's in an area that looks like it's about to be developed. The write up puts far too much stock in a view that looks incredibly likely to be obscured within five years. It's detached from its neighbour by a space that's too narrow to ride a bicycle down, but priced as a detached property. Most people consider that they want to actually walk all the way around the outside of their detached property and have some decent distance from their neighbour. That's the appeal of a detached home. The houses are all very close together. All your rooms seem pretty small on the pictures- especially the kitchen. Pricing per square foot and talking about how cheap it is is off putting. Nobody wants to shell out more than a third of a million on a small, cheap house that's about to look out over a new housing development, and that's exactly how it comes across. The drone photos are unnecessary and sunsets are a universal daily experience across the world, so aren't a key selling point to most people. And personally, I find exclamation marks in a written sales pitch to come across as amateurish or unprofessional, which immediately makes me feel that they're trying to throw glitter on a shit investment.

I'm not trying to be nasty, I'm giving you my honest impression of the listing

Not a helpful comment but I’m shocked at how much people in the South pay for houses vs the North.

"The North" is massive. In my part of "The North" this seems pretty cheap. If it were in good condition.

The really interesting thing is that the square footage of OP's house is much bigger than the other house that is so much nicer!!! It just shows what could be achieved.

Op. Some of the repairs do look minor, others look very concerning. And potentially dangerous.

It’s things like these, it all adds up, you get enough minor issues and they become something really big. And there are quite a few concerning issues that could be big.

Honestly giving it a good clean is a good start, this shower head, or the carpet would come up well given a good clean.

I had to really zoom in on the round "patio" to check it wasnt a trampoline sunk into the ground.

A photo taken here at sunset with the fire pit and chairs would go down well.

Haven't read every single comment but I'll say that one thing that put me off is, when looking at the room sizes on the description, the fact that the estate agent has written 'maximum' on every single one makes me think they're smaller than they are. If they're a funny shape then that's probably ok, but it's not necessary for a rectangular room.

I think saying that the things look worse than they are is a bit odd. They look bad because they are bad. Honestly no one wants to buy a house with damp patches on the ceiling, even if the underlying cause of the damp has been rectified. The damp ceiling is an issue in itself, and I wouldn’t dream of putting a house on the market without rectifying it, unless the house was marketed and priced as a doer upper.
Ditto the bad paintwork and dirty carpets. They are an issue.

Its beautiful
No chance those fields disappearing under concrete?

@Beaniecats yes. Another poster has already evidenced that they've been ear-marked for development.

@Beaniecats

Its beautiful No chance those fields disappearing under concrete?

Pretty much a certainty, going off the development plans posted by another poster.

I live in NW England, just having a look on Rightmove for 4 bed detached new builds.

For £350,000 you can just about buy a 20 year old house in a similar condition to the one down the road from the OP.

Totally new 4 bed detached houses are a minimum of £475,000. Below that you're in older semi and terraced properties.

So not a north/south divide. It depends where you are. Pretty sure areas of Dorset are not very salubrious and therefore cheaper.

Oh and all the new builds seem to have knock through kitchens.

@FaceyRomford

People are looking at the fields and saying "Future development land". Plus it's very close to next door. Virtually a semi. Anyone wanting a detached house wants one with a good amount of land on all sides. I'm sorry but I would not pay the asking price for it.

I agree. But in this area they would pay +300K for that.

I agree. But in this area they would pay +300K for that.

If they'd have to pay £300k+ for a properly detached house why would they pay £350k for yours?

Especially considering the current plus point of open views is going to become a huge building site where development could last years.

I'm also interested in a PP point, Op why do you want to move?

OP, I haven't read the entire thread but I think most of your house is fine (quite neutral, fairly clean and tidy looking) - it's just that unfortunately it seems that your competiton looks like they have more pristine decor/been better maintained.

I think you have three choices:
a) Do little/nothing to the decor and lower the price significantly to 329k - so you really drop into another price bracket on right move, more in line with what has sold nearby and hopefully get a lot more viewings (obviously put a photo up of the lovely bathroom though).

b) Spend a little money and time doing all the smaller/cheaper and maintenance jobs - filling in cracks, touching up any messy paint jobs, repainting white any discoloured ceilings/old damp patches etc. Put new modern lino in the downstairs loo and cover the pipes if you can. Plus get a neutral carpet for the stairs/hall/4th bedroom and consider repainting the dated pine banisters white and possibly neutralising the walls in the purple room too. Take out the dated overhead wardrobes (and maybe the mirrored ones too if they aren't free standing and going with you). You can't do anything about the access hatch in the loft but maybe you could rearrange the furniture to cover it better? Then powerwash the drive and put some colourful plant pots under the front lounge window, and a small bistro table and chairs on the round patio at the back (so people realise what it is!). Hope for the best, but accept you might still have to drop the price slightly if still no viewings.

c) Find out from agents/builders if it is worth knocking the kitchen through to the dining room, how much it would cost and if you would likely make the money back when selling. It also might be worth finding out how much it would cost to improve ventaliation in the ensuite shower so you wouldn't need a louvered door (which a lot of people dislike/find dated). I'd also consider asking about costs/plumbing to turn it into an loo (with small sink) instead - you already have a shower above the bath downstairs, but many people will be more put off having to go downstairs to the loo in the night. Even if you end up doing none of these bigger jobs, it could help you to have some ideas about costs if buyers ask. Good luck!

@Gwegowygwiggs

Can I just say OP, I think you have taken a lot of pretty harsh comments on very gracefully and I applaud your thick skin.

However, the house itself really does make me sad. It looks like nobody even lives in it, there's just no LIFE. No stuff. It doesn't have any sort of common theme running through the house and doesn't even look as though a single piece of furniture was chosen with any sort of thought, it's almost as if the house has been filled with hand me down furniture - "we need a bed / drawers / sofas etc" and just shoved in whatever you found. If you want someone to fall in love with your house, you need to sell them the dream and market it in a way that people look around and can see exactly what they'd do with it. It's uninspiring and although I quite like the layout, for me, it's a house that IMO would need to be completely gutted, walls knocked down etc. The lot. And I think it needs to be priced as such.

Either that, or spend a good few £K making it saleable and keep it at the price it's at.

This is true. I don't want to spend money on buying things that match when I have perfectly good furniture that serves a purpose. It's not good for the environment and I don't need to spend the money. Yes, it's mismatched and yes, it's old. But it's functional. Why be a consumer when you don't need to be.

We have a life, we have stuff. We have had a lot of laughs in this house. If purchasers can't see beyond a few cushions and throws then I feel sad for them. Yes I will repair the ceilings and freshen up the paint that makes sense, thanks.

Not rude. I agree. But again, surely the price reflects that? It would have been 3 beds originally. The previous owners put a 4th room in the loft

@StopSearching adding the 4th bedroom in the loft has meant adding stairs which have encroached on the size of the bedroom causing it to be reduced in size to 6'11" by 6'9" - this is too small to be labelled a bedroom.

This is your main problem, you have a three bedroom home for a four bedroom price. People looking for a four bedroom property are doing so because they want to use all the bedrooms. They can't use one of the bedrooms in your home. Try selling it as a three bedroom home, priced accordingly, and you will sell.

in this area they would pay 300k for that.

Yes. But what you have is essentially a poorly arranged 3 bed semi in need of a lot of improvements on the site of a future major development. None of us are buying it, you don't need to convince us it's worth the price you're asking. You need to convince people who would potentially buy in your area why they should part with £350k for what you have. And honestly, based on the development plans, the size, proximity to neighbour and general condition of the property, I feel it's fairly obvious why you don't have a queue of buyers anxious to get their offers in for that price.

Oh OP I have been exactly where you are, so my heart goes out to you. In the end and on recommendation of our estate agent I got someone in to help dress our house for sale. We spent £800 making the house less bland (mostly re-painting and some soft furnishings), we got some great hints and tips and ended up selling it for the asking price to the next couple that viewed it.
There are some real positives about your house, but the presentation and thus the photos are pretty uninspiring. I'll be really honest with you, anyone who buys your four bedroom house will want to knock through the kitchen/dining room, the decision you really need to make is if you want to price it to account of this work or if you bite the bullet end do it yourself before the sale.
Good luck and fingers crossed for a quick sale.

I think your house is nice but the front could do with some flowers, plants as it looks a bit plain. Other than that I would buy it if I had the money

@MrBullinaChinaShop

I’ve only just noticed all the exposed pipe work downstairs. Do you know who the builders were OP? It’s really shoddily done for a 20 year old house.

I checked, it's actually 35 years old. But yes, was a cheap build in those days.

* We put in new kitchen, new bathroom, new driveway (was just tarmac) and the garden room. Plus the general house price increase in the area. I think we will do all the repairs as even though they are minor they obviously come off as more serious in photos/video.*

None of that means it's now worth 110k extra & it isn't hence why it's not selling.

Estate agents said the price was good, they think it's good value. So did previous agents. But here we are.

2 yrs!!!!

‘ We have a life, we have stuff. We have had a lot of laughs in this house. If purchasers can't see beyond a few cushions and throws then I feel sad for them. Yes I will repair the ceilings and freshen up the paint that makes sense, thanks.’

You’re not going to lower the price?

If purchasers can't see beyond a few cushions and throws then I feel sad for them.

If the rest of your house was in excellent condition then you'd have a point here.

Yes I will repair the ceilings and freshen up the paint that makes sense, thanks.

But there's a lot more to do than that if you want to sell for 350k. The ceilings in the bathrooms look damp and mouldy. You have damp patches in the master bedroom and living room that both need repairing - probably a fresh plaster and paint job in both.

And you're still determined to sell it as a four bed and it's not. It's a three bed with a small study or storage area.

If it was worth 350k you'd have sold it by now.

I mean you can wait it out & see if the market rises & they stop building new developments in the next few yrs but anything you go onto buy will be proportionately more expensive as I assume you are trying to move up that ladder.