Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Please give your opinions on why we have not had any viewings on our flat? Listing included

459 replies

househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 16:42

Hi there,

We are trying to sell our flat and have not had a single viewing. I know that this is typically either due to the price a property is listed at or something to do with the way it has been marketed.

I would be enormously grateful for any feedback on the listing and what (if anything) might deter you from booking a viewing?

It is a long lease - just shy of 999 years, and has a designated parking space in a private secure car park under the flat.

Is it the photos? Is the price too high? Something else?

Thanks in advance!

Flat listing

Check out this 2 bedroom apartment for sale on Rightmove

2 bedroom apartment for sale in Cunard Square, Chelmsford, CM1 for £325,000. Marketed by Beresfords, Chelmsford

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/162227357#/?channel=RES_BUY

OP posts:
Thread gallery
12
Original poster
househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 19:06

MumWifeOther · 02/06/2025 19:04

£325k for two tiny bedrooms and not a very nice view, it’s not really a luxury flat either

The bedrooms aren't tiny, they just have not been well photographed and that is something we intend to address. This is what a lot of flats in the area go for because people pay a premium to live in Chelmsford and other similar areas.

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 02/06/2025 19:06

BIossomtoes · 02/06/2025 18:11

There’s a laundry.

Show quote history

I doubt you iron down there and it doesn't help with all the other detritus homes need

BIossomtoes · 02/06/2025 19:08

Nanny0gg · 02/06/2025 19:06

I doubt you iron down there and it doesn't help with all the other detritus homes need

Show quote history

It’s a laundry room in the flat.

whitewineandsun · 02/06/2025 19:08

For the next six weeks make them do some work, OP. They are working for you and will be paid well if they achieve a sale.

Agree with this!

Gloriia · 02/06/2025 19:08

Hollietree · 02/06/2025 18:54

I live nearby @househelp2025 and I know the local property market well (I own BTL properties).

The price is fair for the area. Ignore people balking at the price, who don’t know the local market. There are plenty of other 2 bed modern flats for sale in Chelmsford at the moment at the exact same price. The ones listed lower at £300k are not as nice as yours or don’t have a parking space.

I note that you have only been listed for less than a fortnight. I think you just need to wait a little while. The market isn’t moving at a fast pace at the moment. I am selling a 1 bed at the moment and it is getting around 1 viewing a week on average, has been 4 weeks now. So hold tight for a bit.

Does the flat have its own designated parking space? It isn’t clear in the listing. It just says “resident parking” but it’s not clear what that means. I would get the agent to make that much clearer, as it’s a selling point for your flat.

As this pp says listed for less than a fortnight is not panic stage by a long shot. Give it 6 months then review.

Original poster
househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 19:08

OSU · 02/06/2025 18:32

It looks dark, the living area layout doesn’t do the space justice. Your balcony is too plain (get some lovely plants), clear the clutter off your wardrobes etc otherwise you give the impression of not enough storage. No idea why the pic of the TV with plastic drawers underneath. Again this gives impression of poor storage and the dangling cable is not a good look.

Your yellow bed looks nice and the sitting area looks cosy but for photos I would move the table to by the window for lots of light

All good tips - thank you. The window was in the window previously and we moved it as it was a little chilly there in winter.

We will also look to get some plants for the balcony and dress it a little. Yes, we do have a storage issue - primarily as I had an entire flat's worth of belongings of my own before I moved in with my partner so we struggled to fit it all in!

Agree with you about the TV cable and the plastic drawers underneath it - will address that too.

OP posts:
Original poster
househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 19:10

Gloriia · 02/06/2025 19:08

As this pp says listed for less than a fortnight is not panic stage by a long shot. Give it 6 months then review.

Show quote history

UH. 6 months feels such a painfully long time - but perhaps we need to also be a bit more patient.

OP posts:
GenerousGardener · 02/06/2025 19:13

Not an inch of green or a tree in sight. The inside looks fine but the outside is sterile and would make me very unhappy. Sorry OP not much you can do about that.

Verbena17 · 02/06/2025 19:13

I’m not sure why you e not had viewings - Chelmsford is a really good place for people to locate for London commute and has great schools and pretty countryside.

I don’t think the photos of the car park are very appealing but the rest of the flat pics (I think) are nice.

Genevieva · 02/06/2025 19:13

househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 16:48

Thanks for the responses so far - this is helpful. Re the price - this is in line with other two bedroom two bathroom flats in the area without parking, and ours does have parking, which is why it was listed at this price. We are 2 minutes walk from the station which is a 35 minute commute into London Liverpool Street, and about a 7 minute walk from the city centre.

We will have a deeper think about the price though.

This may reflect wishful thinking on the part of estate agents. Where I live houses are only selling when sellers take a 25%+ hit on the asking price or listing well below other similar properties. Even then they are struggling to complete sales because of chains collapsing.

BoldBlueZebra · 02/06/2025 19:14

Price, size - looks small, beds in front of windows says room too tiny for any other arrangement.

ReignOfError · 02/06/2025 19:15

I haven’t read the full thread, but my take:

it looks dark; I see the description says otherwise, so I assume the photos are dire - get them changed if so

having beds in front of the windows makes me think the bedrooms are tiny

you need to define your living and dining spaces more clearly, and make sure the photos show that you have space for a table (and enough chairs for it)

the balcony is just dreary; the lack of growing things reinforces my (possibly erroneous) view that the flat gets no sunlight

what is your target market? My sister lives close by, and for her it would be the commuting links, including proximity to both Stansted and London airports, as well as the City, but that isn’t the key info in your description.

Original poster
househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 19:15

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 02/06/2025 18:27

Under size it says ask agent, yes it is on the floorplan, but again lazy of agent to not both putting it on the actual listing? Some estate agents are really bad, and it would put me off to deal with one who can't be bothered to fill in all the details on a right move page, I would worry they would be difficult to deal with if I bought the property. If I loved the property I would have to put up with them, but if I didn't love the property it would put me off

Show quote history

Ah, yes. I had not noticed that. Kicking myself for these small details now that we appear to have missed which probably look bad to any potential buyers.

OP posts:
soupyspoon · 02/06/2025 19:15

househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 17:11

I am quite worried about this! It is not a car park (or at least it is not supposed to be - you get ticketed if you park there), but yes some people are taking their chances and leaving their cars there.

Show quote history

The area has marked out bays by the looks of it?

But equally, you pay all that service charge and yet something very simple, preventing people parking where they're not supposed to, isnt being attended to?

What are you paying for?

ReignOfError · 02/06/2025 19:16

Oh, and I wouldn’t rush to view an ‘offers over’ property outwith Scotland.

Original poster
househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 19:16

NeptuneOrion · 02/06/2025 19:12

You can buy a terraced house for that price.

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/162706061

Yes, you can. Although it is not within easy walking distance of the train station and this area does not have a good reputation. It also only has one bathroom and that bathroom is downstairs, so it is not a great comparison in my opinion.

OP posts:
Original poster
househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 19:18

soupyspoon · 02/06/2025 19:15

The area has marked out bays by the looks of it?

But equally, you pay all that service charge and yet something very simple, preventing people parking where they're not supposed to, isnt being attended to?

What are you paying for?

Show quote history

I agree with you, 100%. Those aren't bays, but they do look like bays you're right. We will have a think about this.

OP posts:
YouMustBeTheWeasleys · 02/06/2025 19:18

I think basically it comes down to the sort of flat it is. I know the area and fwiw I don’t think it’s particularly overpriced (could maybe come down £10k or so) but as flats go it is a big one and it has a utility area which is a real luxury.

And that’s kind of the problem - it’s too expensive for many FTB who would be looking for a flat. For people who are looking for a property at that price point, it will be easy for them to get a house a bit further out…which they are also likely to want anyway if they have families.

Essentially what you have here is a “family flat”, which I can see there might be a market for in London, but in Chelmsford I’m just not sure you’ve got enough people interested in this lifestyle

So it will sell, but it will take longer.

I would also be concerned about the service charge for the concierge and gym.

buffyandspikeandfaith · 02/06/2025 19:18

Didimum · 02/06/2025 16:53

I live in this area, OP. It's the price. the service charge is so high.

Edited

I’m in the NW and that’s virtually identical to my service charge - except I’m in a 4 apartment block with no gym or concierge and an apartment here is 100k!

MumWifeOther · 02/06/2025 19:18

househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 19:06

The bedrooms aren't tiny, they just have not been well photographed and that is something we intend to address. This is what a lot of flats in the area go for because people pay a premium to live in Chelmsford and other similar areas.

Show quote history

These are tiny to me. You can only fit 1 beside table either side of the beds?

Hankunamatata · 02/06/2025 19:19

For me it the lack of divisible eating and seating area. I would prefer some kind of partition/unit to segregate the room and proper table to eat at

Original poster
househelp2025 · 02/06/2025 19:20

Verbena17 · 02/06/2025 19:13

I’m not sure why you e not had viewings - Chelmsford is a really good place for people to locate for London commute and has great schools and pretty countryside.

I don’t think the photos of the car park are very appealing but the rest of the flat pics (I think) are nice.

Yes - the car park appears to be a large contributing factor as so many commenters have mentioned it. We'll get the pictures changed certainly.

OP posts:
Feelingstrange2 · 02/06/2025 19:22

Looking at it reminds of apart-hotel accommodation. You need to sell it as a home with a lifestyle that fits your type of buyer.

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 02/06/2025 19:22

I'd:

  • Clear some clutter (eg magnets on the fridge, bottles out in the bathroom)
  • Put some plants in pots on the balcony and something to make it look a bit cozier eg bright cushions on the chairs
  • get a couple of extra chairs around the table and move it out from the wall a bit so it doesn't look like there is only space for a couple to eat
  • re- list dropping the price slightly