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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Why isn’t my flat selling??

198 replies

scranonstrangler · 28/02/2025 15:37

AIBU in thinking my flat should’ve sold months ago??
Had loads of viewings but no offers.

espc.com/property/10-1-chancelot-terrace-trinity-eh6-4st/36274227

OP posts:
Chesticles · 28/02/2025 19:36

i would agree with previous posters who say it’s the location. It’s not really trinity. It’s ferry road. The address hides it a little, but it’s right on the main road and therefore less desirable. It’s beautifully done inside, and people wanting a tenement property will understand the layout and rooms etc. what is the close/stairwell like? Dark and dingy and filled with bikes? Does the main door lock and have a working intercom? The lack of photo of the flat door off the stairwell makes we wonder if it’s not great. Some closes are lovely but others are less so, and with access straight off a main road I’d want a clean secure entry.

Livelovebehappy · 28/02/2025 19:42

It’s a beautiful layout, but I don’t like that it’s all magnolia/cream walls, especially the bedrooms, which makes it look a bit lacking in character. It has so much potential, and could look stunning if you had been more brave with the decor. But I get that often estate agents say it’s better to have a bland canvas.

PlasticineKing · 28/02/2025 19:43

Edinburgh market is pretty slow at the moment, lots of flats going on because of the changes to licenses for short term lets. Plus the impact of interest rates. If you’re priced a bit high and there is similar available for cheaper so you’ll be slow to sell.

owlexpress · 28/02/2025 19:51

AnnoyedAsAllHeck · 28/02/2025 18:07

Thank you! Is the laundry machine one that does wash and dry? They are showing up more and more in the smaller homes in my area. They save a lot of space, though I've never tried one.

Loft space=attic space. Again, thank you. On this side of the pond, a loft is usually a room built off a high-ceilinged room, with either stairs or a ladder for access. Usually, they only have three walls with the front of the room overlooking the bigger room below.

I also am loving the towel warmers in the bathroom. I want to get one when we redo our bathroom. Around my area, they aren't popular.

In the UK lots of people dry clothes indoors on a clothes horse (airer/drying rack) or if it's dry, outside. We're not as reliant on dryers as in the USA, despite our wet weather.

owlexpress · 28/02/2025 19:52

ExIssues · 28/02/2025 17:25

Surely people don't decide for or against a property based on the colour of the bed linen?

People are looking at location, parking, proximity to public transport, road noise, size of rooms, condition, aspect. Not what colour someone's duvet cover is

They might not decide, but an unmade bed or messy room can put someone off viewing, even subconsciously. You're selling a lifestyle. I agree with PP who said it reminds them of student digs, the living room and bedrooms do give that vibe

BunnyLake · 28/02/2025 19:56

It’s a lovely flat and I’d buy it if I was looking (in that area). I guess it depends who is looking and why, but had I been looking it would be as a single older lady who’s downsizing from a larger family home (kids grown). With that criteria it would be just what I’d be looking for.

owlexpress · 28/02/2025 19:56

empee47 · 28/02/2025 17:03

OP’s flat is in Trinity - one of the most prestigious areas in the city of Edinburgh so I don’t think it’s really relevant to mention lowering price. As a PP suggested, is want to know if it was unrestricted on street or permit parking if I was a potential buyer.

I didn't suggest lowering the price as such, I suggested changing the advertised 'offers over'. Are you familiar with the Scottish offers over system? Traditional rule of thumb was 10% over the offers over price (although recently it's been more, or as much as 20% over home report, which is actual valuation). If it's listed at offers over 285k people with a budget less than 305ish might assume they can't afford it, but it sounds like OP would accept 290/295. If she lists it at o/o 270k, she broadens her market.

scranonstrangler · 28/02/2025 20:40

owlexpress · 28/02/2025 19:56

I didn't suggest lowering the price as such, I suggested changing the advertised 'offers over'. Are you familiar with the Scottish offers over system? Traditional rule of thumb was 10% over the offers over price (although recently it's been more, or as much as 20% over home report, which is actual valuation). If it's listed at offers over 285k people with a budget less than 305ish might assume they can't afford it, but it sounds like OP would accept 290/295. If she lists it at o/o 270k, she broadens her market.

We previously had it at offers over 270k then had a pair of viewers really shocked we put it at that when we valued at 290!

Thanks everyone even if some stuff we can’t change, it’s definitely been food for thought.
I understand the price lowering but then alot of the comparison flats are quite different market to us. I wouldn't have gone for a new build and vice versa. It may be priced too high but we can’t afford to sell at below value so will need to think about the best next move.

Also it’s a working fireplace for people thinking it was fake! I assumed all fireplaces in Edinburgh were tbh.

OP posts:
latetothefisting · 28/02/2025 20:50

abracabarbara · 28/02/2025 18:00

@AnnoyedAsAllHeck
There is a pulley in the hall I think, you can just see the corner of it , in the hall photo

OP. its a lovely traditional Edinburgh flat, presented in a traditional way. Much of the comment is coming from folk who don't understand traditional Scottish tenement flats!!

Edited

Bit patronising, not to mention incorrect, most of the comments are about the size of the second bedroom/the way it's staged/the specific street. I didn't think small rooms, ground floor flats and busy areas were specific to Edinburgh.

Posters not personally being a fan of communal gardens doesn't mean they 'don't understand' the concept of them!

What on earth does 'presented in a traditional way' mean in this context? It's a flat with 2 bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bathroom, like any other flat in england, wales or ireland. I don't see what's so 'traditionally edinburgh' about it, its not like there are tartan throws and prints of highland cows all over it.

Mandylovescandy · 28/02/2025 21:02

How noisy is it? It looks lovely but I would be put off by being so near/on Ferry Road so probably wouldn't view but that doesn't explain the viewings but no offers. Have a friend who recently sold in Edinburgh and it was really slow so could be that they market is really slow partly

scranonstrangler · 28/02/2025 21:16

Mandylovescandy · 28/02/2025 21:02

How noisy is it? It looks lovely but I would be put off by being so near/on Ferry Road so probably wouldn't view but that doesn't explain the viewings but no offers. Have a friend who recently sold in Edinburgh and it was really slow so could be that they market is really slow partly

Not noisy at all because of double glazing. People have commented on this actually.

The second bedroom comments are definitely onto something. A few viewers have said “oh not as narrow as I thought” when coming to view. I’ll speak to my agent about that & also the floorplan etc being available.

Its funny some people are taking months to sell and others in weeks. I think it definitely is a buyers market at the moment.

OP posts:
caringcarer · 28/02/2025 21:24

It's a lovely flat in a beautiful old building with gorgeous views but the second bedroom is tiny, also long and thin so not good proportions. That's the only issue I can see. Does it have a parking space? You might need to lower the price. Is Scotland being hit by RR increase in SDLT or not?

EdithBond · 28/02/2025 21:35

Having read PP agree another big issue is the bedroom having french doors onto a communal garden. Most people like to sleep with a window open, especially in summer. But there’s no small window to open, so you’d have to have the doors open and that’s a security risk, given it’s accessible from the rest of the building, and also because the garden doesn’t look that secure (low fence at back).

Not easy to rectify, but you could create a sense of privacy with large planters around the french doors, including trellis planters, to screen you from the rest of the garden and create the sense of a private bit of space. Also, add hotel style full length plain nets, so no one can see in when the curtains are open. Ideally, I’d get the window above the doors replaced with a small openable window and (rules of communal garden permitting), build a little fenced or trellised deck (like a ground floor balcony) off the patio doors to make it feel more secure and private.

Friendlynortherner · 28/02/2025 21:35

RubyTuesday48 · 28/02/2025 16:01

It states it is freehold on the particulars, which is unusual for a flat. Maybe share of freehold?

Lessehold doesn't exist in Scotland, it's absolutely normal for flats to be freehold, nit remotely unusual, and no, it's not a share of freehold....
Edinburgh isn't in England!

Friendlynortherner · 28/02/2025 21:43

bakedFishandChips · 28/02/2025 16:40

I am bewildered that price for Scotland...here in Surrey is similar pricing but I am not a specialist.

Er, it's Edinburgh? Scotland's capital city and one of the most expensive cities in the UK? Prices are extremely high and you don't get a flat here for tuppence ha'penny!

Catza · 28/02/2025 21:48

caringcarer · 28/02/2025 21:24

It's a lovely flat in a beautiful old building with gorgeous views but the second bedroom is tiny, also long and thin so not good proportions. That's the only issue I can see. Does it have a parking space? You might need to lower the price. Is Scotland being hit by RR increase in SDLT or not?

I don't think that's the only issue. I actually think a kitchen without a window would be much more off-putting for the buyer.

smurfette1818 · 28/02/2025 21:56

agree with @abracabarbara people who are drawn to period houses would not want to buy flats in modern buildings, even if that would mean more space for their budget. Poster who said about odd shaped rooms and high ceilings being negative points are not one of those people. So in your shoes @scranonstrangler I would not worry about the competitions.

I also agree with the poster who said that these days you are partly selling lifestyle. Your flat looks well maintained but may benefit in some staging. Some easy wins:

  • as someone said upthread use white linen bedding, see how retailers such as the White Company stage bedrooms, also agree with the poster who said about plain tulle curtains around the french door
  • remove all photos and personal artwork, find artwork, mirror, lighting, ornament etc that would complement the flat (as opposed things that you like and have personal meaning to you, they are meaningless to potential buyers). See website such as Anthropologie, Nkuku for inspiration. maybe a big mirror above the fireplace? Rearrange the books in the shelves and put some ornaments, big books with large title letters that look good on photos, you can get pretty looking books cheaply from charity shops.
  • Bathroom: does the plant usually sits on the floor? Replace with plants that do not look awkward perching on the window sill
  • Kitchen: add a bowl of oranges, pretty jars with pasta, coffee beans in them (someone already mentioned this upthread)
  • Is the building backing onto a park (so no neighbours at the back), you need a photo that highlight this.
  • Probably best not to say about the kitchen being perfect for entertaining
  • Put some evergreen pot plants on the front window sill

You have had loads viewings so current photos/listing are decent but you would want to broaden your market as much as possible and get more people to view. Hopefully someone will fall in love with flat, someone who does not mind the small, windowless kitchen and the busy road. Someone who doesn't cook a lot might have no issue with the kitchen.

Friendlynortherner · 28/02/2025 21:57

OP, I think it's lovely, and most of the things people are mentioning are absolutely standard for Edinburgh. Yes the street is a busy one.
I would hang on a bit longer and hope things pick up in March. If it doesn't sell then, I think I'd look at remarketing in autumn with different photos.

I can't believe people are saying it looks like student digs. I agree wo the pp who says it's a lovely traditional Edinburgh tenament flat.

WhineAndWine1 · 28/02/2025 22:23

2nd bedroom too small, the whole flat is too dark for my taste, Ferry Road is a nightmare, picture of the shared garden isn't great.

SilenceInside · 28/02/2025 22:25

@scranonstrangler is there allocated parking around the corner, or is that parking area not to do with your block of flats?

Chesticles · 28/02/2025 22:49

These are your competition:
3 bed £295,000
2 bed £255,000
3 bed £300,000
The main difference is that all 3 of these are are not on the main road unfortunately, and have better parking. Yours is ground floor, with direct accss to garden, which can be an advantage, or disadvantage, depending on the buyer. All 3 also have better shaped bedrooms, and windows in the kitchen. Unfortunately, I think you are overpriced.

snoopyfanaccountant · 28/02/2025 22:52

To me, the photo of bedroom 2 looks like a typical estate agent photo which doesn't truly reflect the dimensions of the room. Could the bed be moved and turned 90 degrees to better show the dimensions of the room?

Internal kitchens are very common in tenement flats. My first flat was a Glasgow tenement which was a 1 bedroom with a large dining kitchen and the two bed recesses had been knocked into an internal box room accessed from the lounge (suitable as a home office or a nursery; the couple we bought from had planned to use it as a nursery but then decided to move closer to grandparents who were offering childcare - we used it as a home office). Other flats of the same layout have 2 bedrooms and the internal room is accessed from the hall and is a small kitchen.

Some PP have posted nearby flats listed at a lower price; tenements and modern flats are completely different markets and a 2 bedroom modern flat will be priced much lower than a 2 bedroom tenement in the same area.

steff13 · 28/02/2025 22:56

I think the listing looks really nice. But if you're getting viewings the listing is probably not the problem it's probably something people are seeing when they see it in person.

TheGoogleMum · 28/02/2025 23:02

Is the market currently quite slow? I look at some houses near me and there's a few perfectly nice looking ones that have been on for months

isaknowsbest · 28/02/2025 23:28

That looks like a double and a single bedroom to me. I don't know what it is but it looks very uninspiring. I love the blue kitchen though.

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