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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why nobody wants to buy our flat?

300 replies

pimsandlemonade · 30/04/2015 11:26

or to even see it?
We are trying to sell our 2 bed flat in London zone 2.
We have already found a lovely house we like (out of London) and our offer is not officially accepted until we get an offer on ours.

When we listed the flat the estate agents made it seem like it will be superfast considering a fairly central location, very good condition of the flat, lovely views etc.
Before the listing was up on Rightmove we had 2 viewings booked - 1 was a rental investor, made a very low offer which we won't accept. The other one cancelled the viewing and now, nearly 2 weeks later we have not had anyone to even see it!
I just don't get it!
We have already dropped the price a bit as we thought maybe the initial asking price was too much (again, the initial price was recommended by the estate agent, I suppose to get up to choose them), but still nothing.
The estate agents are saying that because of the election everything has slowed down and they expect it will get better next week...
I'm struggling to believe anything they say at this point.

Any advice, comments?

OP posts:
CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 30/04/2015 11:28

Perhaps buyers are awaiting to see what happens in the election? Or you are vastly over priced.

CallMeNancy · 30/04/2015 11:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mrschatty · 30/04/2015 11:30

Hmm...house prices increasing- not in line with income? The difficulty of saving a deposit? The election is a good point because post election could be cuts to stamp duty or other legislation to help buys so people might want ti watch and wait xxx

ihavenonameonhere · 30/04/2015 11:30

What are similar properties priced at?

ChangingTiming · 30/04/2015 11:32

2 weeks doesn't and that long. Maybe post a link to rightmove, or if you're unhappy using current user name, change user name start a new thread if worried about outing self. You might get some honest opinions

WhoNickedMyName · 30/04/2015 11:32

Closer has it spot on, it's either one or the other of those two reasons.

RoganJosh · 30/04/2015 11:32

If you aren't getting viewings then I'd be wondering about the price and the Rightmove listing. Are your photos and description decent? Is there a floor plan?

shewept · 30/04/2015 11:32

Its only been up 2 weeks? Its bit soon to start panicking.

The couples who didn't actually come nay have found something else they want in the meantime.

Dropping the price after 2 weeks seems a bit drastic. Are you sure its not over priced?

TranmereRover · 30/04/2015 11:33

presumably you're not close to the £2m mansion tax level? that's' the only reason I can see for the election influencing viewings.
For it to not even be getting viewings, I'd say there's something wrong with the agent and the price. Give them notice immediately if you can't terminate immediately - that will often stir them into protecting their commission. And obv - LINK!

RoganJosh · 30/04/2015 11:34

More thoughts, Is it even appearing in a Rightmove search? Two weeks is a longish time in London.

Original poster
pimsandlemonade · 30/04/2015 11:34

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty
That's what the estate agent is saying, but does it really make a difference?

I know I can't be 100% objective but it's not vastly over priced.
I think it might have been a bit over priced initially, although a similar flat sold a month ago in a building next to ours for same as our initial asking price was (2000 less). Now our dropped price is less than that.
The flat sold in a building next to ours was a 4th floor flat and ours is 1st floor.

OP posts:
TranmereRover · 30/04/2015 11:35

lift or walk up? 4th floor with lift has the benefit of views over a first floor & would be more expensive but if it's a walk up, 4th floor would be harder to sell / cheaper... (what area?)

Monty27 · 30/04/2015 11:37

I'm with Callmenancy

Link Grin

Original poster
pimsandlemonade · 30/04/2015 11:40

We can't just change the agents, we have a 8 week contract. so we are stuck with them for another 5 weeks or so.
We are panicking because we are worried we will lose the house we really like and because there is no viewings at all (except for that first one).
The estate agents again don't think there is anything wrong with the pictures or price. We do feel that whereas the photos are ok, they could be better, certain angles are missing that would show the open plan space etc.., no photos of the bathroom or the 2nd bedroom at all, although the guy took them, they just didn't upload them. To me this indicated that the bathroom must look rubbish if no photos - but it's not the case, we actually have full marble tiles and it looks good!
Should I insist on more/ new photos?

It does come up in the Rightmove search.

OP posts:
TravelinColour · 30/04/2015 11:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 30/04/2015 11:44

Oh yes, a link would help...! Grin

It's not just the mansion tax , it's all the other fiscal changes a new government could make that could make a purchase affordable or not. Changes to stamp duty, help to buy, moving income tax brackets, changing VAT, scrapping universal credit, married persons tax allowance, pension changes etc etc

For the sake of holding on a week or so, if I were buying now I might well hold back too

Zinxie · 30/04/2015 11:48

Post a link on the property board and you will get constructive advice!

Original poster
pimsandlemonade · 30/04/2015 11:48

ok, I will link temporarily and ask to remove it later, please be kind.

link

Maybe it's the fact it says offers in excess of, that's offputting, but before it didn't (with the higher price)?

OP posts:
Nomorefilm · 30/04/2015 11:48

When I was house hunting I only viewed houses with lots of pictures, inc bathrooms and all bedrooms. I also only seen ones that had a floor plan so I could visualise the layout. The main reason for that is we were relocating and didn't have time to view lots and lots so had to narrow it down to our favs (we were a couple of hours drive away for each viewing) if a house didn't have pictures of all rooms I would assume there was something wrong with the ones not pictured.

shewept · 30/04/2015 11:48

My assumption would be that rooms not shown, were rubbish. If that's not the case, the photos need to be on there.

Elections aren't. Just about mansion tax. It could change all sorts.

Original poster
pimsandlemonade · 30/04/2015 11:50

The building has a lift.
I think I will ask them to add (redo) photos.
It does have a floorplan (which they got slightly wrong, bay window whoudl eb in the middle, but i'm not sure that matters to much)

OP posts:
fiorentina · 30/04/2015 11:50

You are paying the estate agent to sell your house. You should demand better service in terms of better photos of all rooms, rewrite their description objectively if you don't like it. Ask them if you should change anything, eg is it cluttered and looks like it lacks storage space.

Don't be afraid to challenge them. Refreshing on right move would help.

Original poster
pimsandlemonade · 30/04/2015 11:51

I do agree - I also find it suspicious if any rooms are not shown/ assume they are horrible.
This is really not the case. So I will ask for these to be included.

OP posts:
hellsbellsmelons · 30/04/2015 11:52

Wow - that is expensive.
Nice but you need more pics of the actual property inside!

VivaLeBeaver · 30/04/2015 11:52

I don't think the photos are great, especially the bedroom one and the kitchen one. I'm no expert in photos but surely a wide angle lens would give a better idea of the whole room?

Is your bed massive? It looks like it dominates the room but I'm guessing it's not an ordinary double? Can you put your bed in storage and put a double futon in to make the room look bigger?

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