Why isn't my flat selling?

[ratemyflatplease]

Not really an AIBU sorry.

I'm selling my flat at the moment and not getting much interest. I know that ultimately it'll come down to price. But that aside, is there anything in the description or photos that would put you off?

It's in SE London. 3 fair size bedrooms, one tiny box which is only big enough for a single but perfect as an office (which is how I currently have it).

Top floor, so no chance of outside space, which I think lots of people are looking for. Lease has been extended.

Taking a deep breath and posting Rightmove link: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139866227#/?channel=RES_BUY

Thanks for the feedback everyone. It's really useful.

I could move things around to swap the main bedroom and living room but it would be a real pain. Plus there's nothing I can do about the kitchen. So if I moved it round, the kitchen would be a long way from the living room.

It's been a nice flat but it's very unique and is going to take a special buyer!

I think I would definately swap master bedroom for living room if I was moving there, it'd feel much nicer and brighter. Then Bed 2 as main bed? living room downstairs could be bedroom/office, freeing up the office for a single bed?

Also I've just realised how small the kitchen is. Our first London flat (1.5 bed, 2 adults!) had a kitchen of a similar size and it was hideous. Once you have a kettle, a knife block, and a microwave there's barely any space for actual food prep, and very little storage space for food (I'm mentally allocating the cupboards to cleaning stuff, plates, pans, mugs/glasses - that leaves maybe 2 cupboards). If I was in the market for 3 bedrooms, I'd want the kitchen bigger than my tiny starter flat.

The living room and kitchen is about as wide as my hall.

Probably because you can get this for the same price with a share of freehold in the same area plus a balcony and shared outdoor space, and people buying flats might not need three bedrooms but would like a larger living space.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/141074084#/?channel=RES_BUY

I think I would make the current reception room a dining room with some discreet office space. Then I’d try to make the current office a single bedroom (if that’s possible) and make the bookcase room into a sitting room.

I think you would need to market it as a 3 bedroom or a 3/4 bedroom and describe it as flexible space.

Like the others, I think people searching for a 4 bed will require a better balance between living and sleeping space. People looking for 3 beds might not mind the small bedroom so much if the rest of the flat works for them.

Agree it needs to drop down to a 3 bed plus office. The first pic should be the exterior - I always worry when I see a first pic that's a bedroom, it makes me think it must be grim outside.

For your living room issue I'd put the TV on the wooden cabinet and pivot the sofa to face it, and then have the dining table next to the doorframe - but right in the corner, not at an angle.

It's an awkward sort of flat for this sort of market - living space isn't ideal for either families or flat shares so your market is really young couples who can afford a bunch of space.

I think the price is good. It is a functional rather than inspiring property so I think you’ll get a few genuine viewers rather than lots of people who’ve seen it online and just think they want a look

I think that it looks like a perfectly nice and tidy blank canvas, but isn't memorable. The dining table in the living room isn't working, so I would stage a bedroom as a dining room, or stage the reception room as the dining room and have the lounge set up in the master bedroom.

This one is lovely!

I agree with the others; the living space is too small for a family. And I'd imagine it's families who are mainly interested in a three bed.

To make the lounge look biggest, I'd move the radiator to a tall column one tucked out the way and put the TV on the wall. I'd also remove the table and chairs. Lots of people, if living in a small space like this, would probably rather eat on laps (or toddler table) then use space up with a table.

I really like your inbuilt shelving in the bedroom and think it's decorated nicely. It's just the small lounge that I could live in with kids.

I would use a "styling service" which would massively make it look more modern & inviting .

Unfortunately now it looks more homely / dated - I think flats sell better when they are spun to look more modern .

I'd be tempted to make bedroom 1 the sitting room .

I recently bought a flat in London.

My solicitor advised me not to due to the cladding issues, and that flats in buildings over 11 metres could potentially have large charges on them to fix the cladding.

(I ignored him and bought anyway).

That might be hitting flats generally? The ones that are share of freehold aren't subject to the legislation and anything newly built will be compliant.

I did notice big bidding wars for new build flats.

The bookshelves are beautiful, but my first thought was where do all your clothes go? I agree with pp about the first picture being one of a slanted ceiling, that would make me stop looking straight away.

Whilst i think for the area its a good price- your target audience is the first time buyer market and they dont need 4 cramped bedrooms. id lower the price to 400k

But this is a 2 bed, so not comparable at all, really.

When you post stuff like this OP you get some bizarre comments, but skimming through here, I think the most important points are that its not a 4 bed place, and if it was, then the living space isn't enough. So what can you practically do? Re list as a 3 bed? (my 3rd bedroom is smaller than your 3rd and I'm in a big 1930s semi house so I def think 3 beds is ok to state). And what can you do on price? Has the agent listed it as 4 beds to try to justify the price?

The other thing is the service charge - that's a bit of a shocker, on top of a mortgage. You could try offering "first years service charge paid". However, it's a flat in London and I think fairly typical of that sort of housing stock. I don't live that far away, and it's what I would expect - might be some posters commenting aren't familiar with the area or the London market.

I love the bookshelves on their own merits, but they seem to be at the expense of storage space. Are there any wardrobes in that bedroom or just a chest of drawers?

I think you need to rejig it as a 2/3 bedroom flat with maybe 2 studies or one study and a dressing room. I would totally redo the sitting room for selling purposes. It looks cramped and unloved - huge contrast to the bedroom which looks so inviting (if lacking in storage space). My feeling on looking at the photos was: I wonder if there’s a problem with noise from below and so they spend time sitting in the bedroom instead.

Outside photo is awful and the cone needs to go (even if it’s not yours - assume it belongs to the downstairs people). It screams ‘parking wars’ to me.

But it’s close to 2/3rds the size of OPs, so yes it’s an attractive property, but the price I don’t think a balcony makes up for it being so much more expensive on a square foot basis

Your flat looks gorgeous imo. And spacious compared with lots of London flats. But I'm not sure it would appeal to families without having a garden. I could be wrong but for 3/4 bed properties, buyers with kids are such a big part of the market and outdoor space is so useful for kids. I hope you find a buyer one day. Perhaps someone with teens or lots of guests!

It looks like bedroom 3 has been created out of bedroom 2. How easy would it be to turn that back into one big room? Or even move the door and make it a dressing room?
I feel like the living space fits a generous 2 bed + office more than it fits 3 or 4 beds.

Obviously you're not going to bother doing any building type work before you sell but might give potential buyers an idea of how they could change things?

Mumsnet is full of people thinking they can talk the nation into a house price crash.

As others have suggested:

Reception becomes dining room/office
Bed1 becomes living room
Study becomes single Bed 3

It is comparable as it's in the same area, the same price and has a share of freehold, a shared garden and a larger living space. It's an example of a better proportioned and more sellable flat as people normally want more living space not a ton of bedrooms and no or a low service charge.

It's also the answer to "Why is my flat not selling?" The answer is because better flats are available for the same price, so you either remodel it and/or lower the price.

It would suit a young couple or a couple with one child, I agree it isn’t a 4 bed and it’s probably a not great 4 bed in a search but a better 3 bed.
So change up the living room, market as 3 bed, better photos. I honestly think with a nicer looking living room you’ll be fine. The price looks fine to me, we had a flat in Wimbledon years ago that was only a 2 bed and cost £350k.

It’s a lovely flat OP.
We re coming up to Christmas so the housing market will be slow but will pick up after.
However
Id weed the front of the house and repost another picture.
I would move the furniture around in the living room, it looks like an alleyway at the mo. Turn the sofa at right angles to the wall and move the Tv to the corner of the window wall. Then put the table and chairs behind the sofa nearest the kitchen.

However, ultimately I think you’ll be waiting till after Christmas till things pick up again if you don’t lower the price.