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.

Is the wall between the kitchen and dining room a supporting wall? If not, some friends simply removed the upper part of the wall, down to just above counter level, which really opened up the space. Was a dusty job but not a huge job.

Tricky!

I don't understand people saying they won't buy because hey don't like the kitchen units. These can be changed as can the decor.

What you ought to look at are the location and the layout in the house.

Other things are cosmetic.

I don't like the bedroom on the 2nd floor. A shower without a loo is well is a bit useless as en suite.

The kitchen is small.

But outside you could do more to make it look inviting.

I'd say it's the pictures. Go to home bargains and buy some nice looking bedsheets with throw pillows and a couple of lamps here and there.
Rearrange furniture.
Clean your driveway and add a few potted plants.

You say you don't want to spend money on it if you're leaving but if you do actually want to leave, you're going to have to spend a bit.
It just looks a bit bland and unloved.

I think it's overpriced, I would rather buy the newbuild. There's no point with all the shots from above if the land behind is going to be built on, that would put me off too.
The photos are rubbish I would change agents and get new photos.
It looks like a rental and not very homely.
I would drop the price and dress the house.
Hope you manage to sell soon.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/78059091#/

This new build is £35k less than yours - yes, 3 bed not 4 as no loft conversion, but, better family kitchen, downstairs loo, homelier more spacious feel (sorry). And they get it all brand new with guarantees. This is your competition I think.

Basically there is nothing "wrong" but nothing to spark emotion/excitement with a potential buyer

Is that a shared driveway?
That would put me right off

Yes too many drone photos. The top floor window isn’t v attractive so definitely ditch the outside photos which show it

It's a doer upper, which might put some buyers off.
Dark photos, in a weird order.
No kerb appeal.
Get rid of most of your junk and put it in the garage, or put it in storage.
If you can't afford a full refurbishment then a lick of paint is a cheap way to get your property noticed. Put out some (cheap) nice rugs, throws and new cushions out. It looks barren at the moment.
The other house looks brighter, with a modern kitchen and has open-plan living. It's much more desirable and I'd offer the asking price. It's ready to move in.

Totally unhelpful but wow Sherborne has changed. I was at (a now closed) prep there in the 80s...so just been having a nose around. And for Sherborne, that seems a reasonable price, but if you haven't had anything for 2 years then I would think you will have to reduce.

@WheeshtTheNoo

Photo's are bland, it needs updating. As a pp said it looks like a rental. It looks like it would need a lot of money spent to make it more modern. Also this on the ceiling would put me off...

oh WOW just did the house tour—you have artex ceilings that have huge leaks and stains on them. A big brown patch on the ceiling!! Sorry but unless you’re advertising at a doer upper price you really cant expect to get away with this. Zero chance I would view unless it was literally 50 or 100k under budget.

it's the price.
the house seems nice enough inside, but the front is dire - no street appeal at all. sorry.

any issues with the fields behind? are they part of a development area, i.e. will there be a building site soon?

good luck.

You mentioned new builds coming up in a different part of your village. Can you check what would 350k buy at the new build? Perhaps people can buy a similar house for this price but a shiny new build rather than a 20 year old house?
New builds lose value when they are new, have you factored this in your price?

@LemonViolet

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/78059091#/

This new build is £35k less than yours - yes, 3 bed not 4 as no loft conversion, but, better family kitchen, downstairs loo, homelier more spacious feel (sorry). And they get it all brand new with guarantees. This is your competition I think.

That’s quite a busy road that it’s on though.

It's overpriced. That's it. You think it's good value but it isn't - otherwise it would sell! It's dated inside for my taste but it wouldn't matter if the price was right.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Maybe get the drive jet washed and put some tall potted plants down the bit that adjoins it to next door - then get a close up of the front taken on a sunny day and send it to the agent to put as Pic1. Try not to have too much of the other houses in the pic.

But doesn't that just mean that when people come to view they are unhappy about how close it is to next door houses?

Artex in hall too. Old fashioned textured wallpaper to be stripped. Carpets look like they needed replacing a good while back. Another ceiling damp patch in the hall. Artex in bathroom.

It's blah and kind of dingy looking. There is nothing memorable. I know you say you don't want to spend money redecorating but 2 years of your life have gone by. It looks unloved and if you look like you don't want to live there, no one else will either. It is overpriced as well.

Yes the leaks and stains on the ceilings are a definite no no. It gives the impression that the house hasn’t been looked after. I’d be wondering what else was ‘wrong’.

and rewrite thd description. it's VERY SHOUTY

but @StopSearching that property hasn't sold so who knows if it's realistic. Offers over would maybe suggest not.

It looks cold and has no character at all.
It really doesn’t look like it’s had much love due to mismatched furniture, literally nothing matches and overuse of magnolia.

I know you’re buying the house and not peoples furniture but people browse rightmove and imagine themselves in these houses and fall in love with that first. There’s literally nothing to fall in love with here.
The estate agent is over using the view out of the windows because of this.
Sorry to be harsh.
Give it some love and get them back in for photos.

Someone would make your dining room and kitchen into one room, possibly extend and get rid of the conservatory.

It's really a 3-bed with a loft conversion but no en suite, so you'd need to go downstairs to the loo. Not great if someone is ill in bed.

I'd sell it as a 3-bed with a loft conversion as an office.

Hmm- I see two problems there:
First one is the photos- they are badly taken, wrong angles, bad lighting, positioning etc.

Second one is- that your house looks rather sad and unloved.
I can see it is having good bones, but all what I really see is magnolia paint, black leather, outdated mismatched furniture and artwork.

The house is missing the kerb appeal.

Front of the house isn't inviting at all.

You need to add coziness and warmth- the house have to call- I'm home, not just another house.

I know you said you don't want to invest in to this house, but think about little changes that you can do.
Take a look at YouTube how to create kerb appeal, add some freshly cut flowers, bowls with fruit, some throws, cushions, candles- try to get a coffee table, doesn't have to be new one- stage it.

Put some flower pots at the front of the house, nice welcome mat, maybe door wreath.

And then take the photos again, and better less then more.
Try to add photos of your bathroom as well.

Hopefully it'll help a little bit.;)

It's a sweet house but utterly bland. You need to sell a lifestyle as well. It's not old enough and cheap enough to be redeveloped so you need to sell the dream. I'd spend at least a grand putting in a some nice decor, paint, curtains and lighting, soft furnishings like cushions. You'd make that money back. Won't take long or much but get it done asap. Worth spending evena £200 on a fixed price interior designer for the living room if you're not confident. Worth the investment.