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AIBU?

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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:
addictedtosugar · 22/11/2014 19:39

Have you currently got it on with 3 different agents?? That screams desperation to me, and I'd ditch 2 of them - or all three, and get a new one.

Unfortunately, I don't like the way the house has been extended, and that would stop me pursuing it further. There is nothing you can do about that, and it is personal to me. The floor plan obviously works really well for you, and I would imagine people with older kids or a live in nanny with all the spare living space upstairs.

So you really do need an agent with the personal connections. If you look at sstc in your area, are there any agents who stand out as shifting stuff at a reasonable timescale? Round here it is obvious who can sell houses.

ILoveSimonCowell · 22/11/2014 19:40

Looks like a bargain to me too... so much space (though badly used in my opinion). Wish house with that much space existed/was affordable where I live! It'll be the right house for someone. Tidy away ornaments/personal stuff. Make it look as simple and empty as possible. Not the best time of year to be on the market really... can't you wait until end Feb/March?

Original poster
challacombe · 22/11/2014 19:40

Thanks Pradaqueen for your constructive comments which I take on board.
Bearbehind I do think your comments are a little unnecessary. People are buying the house not my furniture and therefore will be bringing their own tastes with them. We are all entitled to our own choice of furniture and thank God we are not all the same. I will ensure in my new home I take your comments on board!

OP posts:
Original poster
challacombe · 22/11/2014 19:41

Can I just say the house has only been on the market for less than a month!

OP posts:
Thewrongmans · 22/11/2014 19:43

I think the major problems are that the house is very dated and the extension does not flow with the rest of the house. The other is location.

WaroftheRoses · 22/11/2014 19:44

The layout is quite non conventional-the bedrooms with lounges mean although you do have lots of space upstairs it is only marketed as a four bed but could be more. There is a lot of reception room space but the kitchen is relatively small. This will put lots of people off unfortunately.

Bearbehind · 22/11/2014 19:45

Sorry OP, the bit about the velour sofas/ blue table cloth was probably a bit unkind but honestly- it's what your eye focuses on in those photos.

Have a major declutter and get it re- photographed.

It's a massive property and people could see more potential if it were more of a blank canvas whilst still showing what the rooms could be used for.

pigsDOfly · 22/11/2014 19:46

If you're house price is right for the area then as pp said you need to get different photos on rightmove; it may be nothing to do with your furniture or the colour schemes of your rooms, if the photos are bad people will just pass it over.

Most people now look on rightmove and similar sites before contacting agents and if your photos are not arresting enough to make people stop and look twice you will get no viewings.

That was another problem with my first agent, the photos were crap and made my house look pokey and generally rather depressing.

It's all about image now. Your photos need to play up the good points. It's not just about showing what the house looks like, your photos need to lure people in.

Unfortunately now is not such a good time to sell either as the market is not what it was earlier in the year and of course November and December are bad months for selling anyway.

Pradaqueen · 22/11/2014 19:46

Good luck OP there will be a buyer but if you need to sell quickly and you also need maximum £'s it will be a difficult line to tread. All the best!

Original poster
challacombe · 22/11/2014 19:48

Thanks for all your comments. I went with a couple of the agents as I was recommended to them. The third I have asked to remove but they still haven't done so. I will follow this up on Monday.

I agree that there is too much 'stuff' around. One agent actually asked me to put the cushions back after I removed them. As for the table cloth that was another agent idea. There isn't any particular agent this way which stands out as such.

The idea of the floor plan was to show how people could use the space themselves. It works for us but wouldn't for everyone and I understand that. The way the extention was designed was so that various walls could come out easily too if someone wanted open plan. The idea was for the space to be versitile.

OP posts:
Tobyjugg · 22/11/2014 19:48

Another issue is the travel. Trains from Thorpe Bay come into Fenchurch St don't they? That is a notoriously bad line. Think that might be limiting you market as far as Londoners wanting to move out goes. FWIW I think the price is reasonable for a house that size.

Mrsstarlord · 22/11/2014 19:49

It's difficult to say as obviously prices are very different here than where you are. But I would say that you could really do more in the photos to add a wow factor. At the moment it looks a little impersonal, like no one is actually living there. It's obviously very spacious but the risk of having such a large space is that without lots of softening touches it doesn't feel very homely. If I was spending that amount of money I'd want something very welcoming with lots of character.

WhyBeHappyWhenYouCouldBeNormal · 22/11/2014 19:49

Your description needs a lot of work - buyers don't want to know that you've been happy there for 30 years - a buyer wants to be able to see it as their house, not yours!

Also agree with get rid of the artists impressions, you've got the floor plan so they are not needed.

Also, i can't get over your sofas, I'm sorry to be rude but they are the only thing i'm fixating on in the pics and I hate them.

I agree with others that it all looks cluttered and small - can you move some furniture out? The kitchen is your strongest picture at the moment but I want to see where all this space is!

ticktactoegivemeago · 22/11/2014 19:52

It's only been a month! It's in a great location. Near 2 good primary's (st George's and BG) great local pub. Good price, my family have recently bought a similar size for a tiny but less.

itiswhatitiswhatitis · 22/11/2014 19:52

IMO people who think they are honest and like to 'tell it as it is' generally are just rude and fuck witted

DoItTooJulia · 22/11/2014 19:53

What about an incentive? Pay the stamp duty offer?

But the rooms do appear smaller than they are in the photos. Less furniture would help.

And yy to those wierd 3d things being first...get a knockout photo to go first!

GoodKingQuintless · 22/11/2014 19:54

You are asking the wrong questions.

You seem to be asking how to make sure that more people search for houses in XYZ, but you really need to turn it around and ask:

"How can I ensure that people who wants to move to XYZ will want to come and view my property".

That is addressed by:

Good and uncluttered pictures of your property
Good floorplans and measurements
Good (no nonsense) information about the house and the area.

Artists impressions are pointless, you need good floorplans, with information about room sizes.

If people were to chose to move to Thorpe Bay just because a particular house is for sale (as opposed to coming there because of family and work) it must be a truly splendid house, like this This is the kind of house that might make me think "Yay, I must move to Thorpe Bay"

WhyBeHappyWhenYouCouldBeNormal · 22/11/2014 19:54

Was that directed at me itiswhatitis?

Bearbehind · 22/11/2014 19:57

itiswhat firstly, mintyy has already said that and secondly, telling the OP the house is fab isn't really going to help is it?

Ok, I could have been more tactful story of my life but that house isn't displayed to its full potential.

itiswhatitiswhatitis · 22/11/2014 19:58

Most of the photos need scrapping and re-doing. I think you need less photo's too, just enough really good ones to get people interested but not too many so people can start picking fault and dismissing it out of hand. I think floor plans are great because it give people an idea of space and lay out which most photo's don't.

Most of the photos are really just photo's of the furnature and don't show the rooms off at all so scrap them.

I would re-label the bedroom/lounge as bedroom with dressing room and would put the bed in the 'lounge' area and turn the bedroom area into a nice dressing room with just an armchair.

MyOneandYoni · 22/11/2014 19:58

I'd buy it.
Good luck with the sale. Looks like a great house but I agree with the 3d images - just no! Floor plans and photos are what I look for (and right move is my hobby).

BigPawsBrown · 22/11/2014 19:59

So the "preview" picture on search results is the plan. I would presume no actual photos are available and not click. That may be your problem.

Original poster
challacombe · 22/11/2014 20:01

Sorry about the sofas but can't change those until we move. Will de clutter a little and dispose of the artists impressions.

The house is one which really needs to be seen. The photos do no justice at all.

Yes we are on the fenchurch Street Line but I believe it has had improvement over the past year. My son commutes and has only had a couple of problems recently.

Again thank you for your comments which i do appreciate.

OP posts:
itiswhatitiswhatitis · 22/11/2014 20:01

Think you're missing the point Bear, didn't say you had to say the house looked fab. It's possible to give advice in a kind and constructive way rather than a sneery 'god I wouldn't buy THAT' way

itiswhatitiswhatitis · 22/11/2014 20:03

I agree with you OP, if I was just looking at the floor plans I would think 'Ooh this looks interesting' but the photo's would put me off which is why I think a few really good photo are better than lots of poor ones.

The kitchen photo is a good one, plus the outside ones.