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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How can I sell my house?

162 replies

challacombe · 22/11/2014 18:25

I am very frustrated as I have a lovely large family home which I need to sell quickly due to my husbands business. It has everything going for it including 4 reception rooms and 4 bedrooms 2 of which are masters with lounges dressing rooms and with ensuites. The reason I mention this is that it would be suitable for so many potential owners as offers dual living so grannys, teenagers or business use would be great for someone. What I can't get my head around is that the agents just do not know how to market my house. As it is unique and doesn't hit the tick box way they work it is being disguarded. So many times I have had to return the details as being wrong and as for some of the photos...! We are close to the beach and being just one hour from London I decided today to phone agents closer to London who may have applicants wishing to move out slightly. Honestly you would think i had asked them to transport their applicants to the moon! The answer was that if they had anyone they would look on Rightmove. My argument is how will they find me if they don't know Thorpe Bay exists? They won't and therefore they are not being offered a good all round service by agents or Rightmove. I just wondered if anyone has any has any suggestions how to get around this. I find that if something doesn't fit a tick box then it stands no chance. How would someone know to look in an area if they don't know that area exists?

OP posts:
pigsDOfly · 22/11/2014 19:19

Ah, see post is moving on rapidly and have to agree with other posters OP it is beginning to look as if you're doing a good job all by yourself.

thereinmadnesslies · 22/11/2014 19:20

If it is the one I've linked to above, IMHO the layout is really offputting. You have to cross the lounge between the kitchen and dining room, and upstairs there are two disproportionate dressing rooms while bedrooms 3 and 4 are tiny. HTH Grin

Original poster
challacombe · 22/11/2014 19:21

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32808582.html

I'm sure I will be in trouble now! Comments welcome. You will see that we have tried a different approach re photos too

OP posts:
Bearbehind · 22/11/2014 19:21

it looks very dated.

Scary blue tablecloth, artexed ceilings, velour sofas......

Some people can see past that but not many.

It looks like an 80's prefab to me.

I've know idea on house prices round there but I wouldn't want to spend half a million on that.

Bowlersarm · 22/11/2014 19:22

Blimey there are a lot of houses for sale in Thorpe Bay, is there a motorway about to be built through it??

Is it madnesslies link one? I love the 3D floor plan.

ShatterResistant · 22/11/2014 19:23

If I may say so, I've had a look, and I think your photos are in the wrong order. You need the first one to be knockout, and I just saw a floor plan.

Bowlersarm · 22/11/2014 19:23

Oh yes, it is.

thereinmadnesslies · 22/11/2014 19:23

Yay I guessed right (pats Sherlock hat) Grin

Mintyy · 22/11/2014 19:24

Op, to be fair, how many London estate agents will have buyers on their books who want to move a 1 hour commute away? Not many is the answer.

In the age of the internet it is totally unnecessary to try and reach every agent and buyer individually (such a luxury). You just need great photos and a realistic price.

Original poster
challacombe · 22/11/2014 19:26

The tv room is actually the dining room which we choose to use as a tv room. The room we use as a dining room could be a lounge sun room. We use it as a dining room as it has a private terrace which is great for pre dining or after dining. We have also had gazebos on the lounge door/garden the sitting room lounge patio door and dining room doors alllowing excellent entertaining space. The 2 master suites are huge and are idea for teenagers or aupairs/nannys etc. The other 2 bedrooms are good sizes but obviously look smaller due to the large bedfrooms with dressing rooms/lounges. The room with the childrens toys is actually a double bedroom.

OP posts:
Tobyjugg · 22/11/2014 19:27

If it's the one with that postcode on Zoopla, it's a nice house but I agree with FluffyMcnuffy that you need sexier photos.

WaroftheRoses · 22/11/2014 19:28

Clue is in the OPs name I would guess?

WaroftheRoses · 22/11/2014 19:29

Oh-post has moved on a bit quicker than I thought!! Blush

Mintyy · 22/11/2014 19:29

Unfortunately, when you link your house on here you do run the risk of getting incredibly rude and fuck-witted responses like bearbehind's.

Mouthfulofquiz · 22/11/2014 19:29

Bearbehind - that was fairly rude! But I guess you already know that...

pigsDOfly · 22/11/2014 19:29

Don't want to be rude OP but if I were looking to spend £500,000 or so those photos would not make me want to go and view this house.

If I'm honest, even if I had seen those photos for a house at the price I was looking at when I was viewing houses I still wouldn't have been interested and it was a lot less that half a million.

If your house is not selling is it possible it is being over valued?

Pradaqueen · 22/11/2014 19:30

Hi there I think the 'artist impression' pictures of the actual house are doing it no favours. You have two pics of the same room but none of most of the others? As others have stated maybe freshen up the decor maybe reupholstering the dining chairs to a paler fabric might help the dining room. Ditto I would maybe chalk paint some of the heavy pine furniture in a pale colour to increase the feeling of space? You also have no bathroom pics? Small changes like Getting rid of the red dominant lampshade in the main bedroom and more careful coordinate the kids bedroom? It may match in RL but not in the pics. In Essex I would recommend Beresfords as proactive and maybe consider using one of the new internet agents such as Sarah Beeny's on or emoov? All told, IMO for the money there is better available closer to London such as Billericay and Brentwood with the same access to the Grammar Schools which is a major draw for Southend. Hope this helps!

Bearbehind · 22/11/2014 19:32

I'm not being rude or fuckwitted mintyy just honest- there is a difference.

The OP's house isn't selling which means people don't think its worth the price.

There are 2 choices- reduce the price or make it more desirable.

The photos do it no favours whatsoever, people generally can't see past the decor and it doesn't look like a half million pound house.

Original poster
challacombe · 22/11/2014 19:33

Thanks for the comments about my furniture!

The house is realistically priced as you will see from the other houses in the area.

Point taken re London commuters but it can actaully take longer to reach London from an area nearer than from Thorpe Bay. The train is direct and fast. I contrast tubes can take forever. Also a place such a Romford although on the direct line stops at every stop. Also living here you do feel as if you get away at the weekend plus property in London is silly prices for tiny places.

OP posts:
Mintyy · 22/11/2014 19:34

You are being extremely rude and fuck-witted.

specialsubject · 22/11/2014 19:34

wow, who wrote all that non-information?

you have to go through to the brochure to find the room sizes. Who will bother?

  • lose the cartoons, especially as they are there twice. Why does it need an 'artisists impression'? (sic). You only have those for unbuilt houses! Where's the decent sunny day photo?
  • does it have heating? No mention although I can see radiators.
  • does it have double-glazing? No mention?
  • which way does the garden face?
  • EPC is fairly shocking for a modern house. Why?

you've only been on a month though and it is a quieter time of year.

Mintyy · 22/11/2014 19:34

It looks like a bargain to me, but then I am looking at it from a Londoner's perspective.

thereinmadnesslies · 22/11/2014 19:34

OP I understand that you think rooms are a good size and can be used in different ways etc, but I'm not seeing it in the photographs. The 3D floorplan makes bedroom 4 look like a study, so at a glance it looks like a 3 bedroom house.

WaroftheRoses · 22/11/2014 19:36

But to be fair if one person is thinking something, then other potential viewers will be too. When you sell your house you have to no longer think of it as your home but as a thing to sell. You have to listen to people's views and then change things accordingly. The only way to sell quickly is either dirt cheap or create a complete blank canvas than doesn't offend anyone.

Bearbehind · 22/11/2014 19:37

In your opinion mintyy but if there was no truth in what I'm saying the house would have sold.

People looking for houses on the Internet having nothing more than a few photos to go by and these photos don't create the best impression.

Loose the clutter and show the rooms to their full potential, ie if the TV room is a dining room then display it that way.