to expect some interest already?

[Homebird90]

Name changed just incase.. Long term poster.

We've made the rookie error of finding a house we love in the village we've been planning to relocate to.

Cottage in Cornwall has been on the market for a week - not a sausage.

It's priced well (189K), 3 bed, lovely views, 10 mins drive from sea, peaceful village, no-through road, brand new woodburner.

I can't see why no interest.. Am I expecting too much in 7 days?

As it might appeal as a holiday home to some buyers, could you include some information on likely holiday rental value in peak season? Might help convince that kind of buyer they could afford it?

Oh I can see it now.

When I did a search typical of your prospective buyers, I scrolled straight past. That first photo is awful, and yes your proposed replacement is much better. Or the one of the kitchen.

I agree that the photos are a huge issue. Suggest shoving furniture out of the way before retaking as the rooms look a bit overfull (and therefore small). Make sure you are taking the photos from as far back as possible (eg standing just outside the door) and high up. Seems to make a difference.

Is your dream house worth that extra £2k?

The photos are awful... and some of the arrangement of the furniture is odd.

I know your stuff shouldn't matter but I would be thinking wtf have they got a wardrobe next to a bed is that the only way it would fit in

I don't mean this to sound harsh as I think you have a lovely home, but it looks a bit stark to me. It might look more homely and inviting with some flowers, fruit bowl on the table, maybe a lamp or ornament in the single room, perhaps a coffee table book on the coffee table, simple prints on the walls... It's just that there's nothing on any surface so it looks a bit bare (clear and clutter free is great, it just looks a bit too clear IMO!) When you say cornish cottage, it suggests cosy and the pictures don't look that cosy. This is just my personal opinion!

I love the colour of your furniture BTW.

When we were selling ours, we found estate agents did fuck all tbh. And we sold ours in November, in fact we had more interest in September/October than we'd had in the previous months.

Good photos are a must though. And maybe use a wide angled lens

Try a traditional local estate agent. They will know exactly how to market your house.

IT looks a nice little house, OP, but two other houses on the street sold earlier this year for £40K less than your asking price, according to the Rightmove ad. If I were looking for a similar property, I would be wondering if yours was overpriced.

It is lovely, OP.

Suspect that it is only the economic uncertainty that is keeping them away unfortunately.

I think the online agent is your problem. Realistically, how many people from outside the area are going to be searching a specific location small enough for your property to stand out? Surely the target market is going to be people who already live in the area and, say, want to move into the catchment of that outstanding primary? I don't think the pix are too bad, though the shot from the front is never going to be great, and agree that it is a terraced house more than a cottage. It looks bigger inside than the front view suggests so the inside pix and floorplan are quite helpful. I'd change your agent though rather than just changing the photo. It's going to be a bit needle in a haystack if they don't have contact lists of local people seeking properties and to expect a hit within a week in that situation is idealistic at best.

Btw - is that a kids' safety gate stopping people falling out of the upstairs doorway?? Am thinking it must be a juliet balcony but doesn't look like one.

It looks very nice, but I would agree that the photos are not great. A bit of dressing up wouldn't go amiss either e.g. some cushions and table lights. All stuff you can take with you! It would make it look more 'homey'. A bit fake, but it makes the photos look better.

I notice a lot of houses have been sold on the same street this year - many for less than you're asking. Is this turnover usual?

Loads of places have sold in the local areas using online agencies. Haven't the days of EAs having reams of people on their books disappeared, in the age of RM?

It might look more homely and inviting with some flowers, fruit bowl on the table, maybe a lamp or ornament in the single room, perhaps a coffee table book on the coffee table, simple prints on the walls...

You might like the Stunt Pineapple thread. People talk on there about selling their houses using bowls of shiny green apples. Maybe some seasidey props (not in a pantomime way - you know what I mean).

That one with the stair gate over the window is a bit weird - maybe a different angle would help?

I think if you would have advertised this coming up to summer someone would have bit your hand off, but as winter is nearing you might find it harder.

I'm no expert but looking at the other houses advertised locally their photos seem to be more colourful they seem to pop more perhaps try looking at your direct competition?

Haven't the days of EAs having reams of people on their books disappeared, in the age of RM?

I think professional buyers (eg landlords and other agencies) have different requirements from homebuyers IYSWIM.

We certainly benefited from some assertive active marketing.

It isn't a cottage so I immediately think the seller is lying. What else are they bullshitting about? The pictures are really dark which makes the space look tiny and cramped. provide your own pics, ask friends who have a decent camera to take! Good luck

I think it's a good thing and important that the new first photo shows just how close to the road the front door is. You can't tell that from the first first one. IYSWIM?

Also i would have an issue with the word cottage. If i were looking for a cottage i wouldn't expect to see a terraced house to come up and vica versa.

Ask a local agent to price your house realistically because you want to sell.

First, have you asked the agent what the market it like? My opinion, gauged by reading articles, is that Cornwall has become tourist-ville. Every property has become a second (holiday) home and some towns are like ghosts towns during the winter months. With brexit (banks exiting UK) and GB£ in free-fall, I wouldn't think there would be too much interest in buying a UK holiday home at the moment.

Second question: is the price comparable to a local STARTING salary. Given that you are

• terraced
• on road parking

Unless there any redeeming features like, walk to town centre, catchment to good school, this is not a sought after type of house IYKWIM. So you had better be near to the cheapest thing in the area so appealing to first time buyer.

I did a search 180 - 200k in Camborne. Top of the list at just below 200k was a 4 bed detached with garage and drive parking. It is described as realistically priced (ie not interested in cheeky offers) and was entered in early September.

In comparison to this, your property seems very expensive.

I don't know that area at all, but I am giving you a buyers perspective. I would also say, as someone who has spent 6 months or more looking to buy a home, I wouldn't worry too much about photos, clutter. Floor plan is important and nice shots of kitchen and bathrooms, but anything else I would overlook / not care about.

I think you might be being slightly overambitious trying to get the same price as you paid for it in June last year, especially as pointed out above that other houses on the same road have sold for 40K less.

Also agree that the photos not doing it any favours - the angles are all a bit odd and you don't get a feel for the rooms. It does look nice though!

I agree the first photo is awful and I would scroll straight past, your proposed replacement is much better.
Also your living room is a decent size per the floor plan but the photo makes it look a lot smaller than the dimensions.

for what its worth and having just downsized from a 5 bed house to a 2 bed flat for £230,000...I would have snapped up your home and moved to Cornwall :) xx I could have taken early retirement