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Property/DIY

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Original poster

selling - only 1 viewing in 3 months! help!

15 replies

happygomucky · 05/03/2011 22:39

Hi, we're trying to sell our home. Got 3 valuations, top valuation 485000, bottom 438000, we put house on for £465000 3 months ago with the agent who sells most houses in our area.
We've had only one viewing, 2 weeks ago, they liked it, no criticism, but are going to look at a few more before making a decision.
I am getting impatient!

I'm thinking of dropping the price, maybe by £20000.
The house is on rightmove. House is tidy, clean, well decorated. A lot of people seem to be driving by and stopping at the sign.

Is there anywhere else we could advertise? Should we drop the price?
What would you do?

OP posts:

twosoups · 05/03/2011 22:44

Need more info before we can advise. Would you doa link for us?

Are you in a very quiet area (rural)? Just it seems very poor only one viewer in 3 months, but it could be a result of your location. We had five in 12 weeks, which I thought was low.

mamatomany · 05/03/2011 22:45

It's a slow time between Jan and March though isn't it, maybe once spring has sprung people will start viewing again.
That said according to the headlines if prices are going to drop by 20% maybe that's what people are waiting for and £20,000 is neither here nor there in your price bracket.
I'd leave it a while longer personally and see who comes through the door over the many bank holidays we have coming up.

Original poster

happygomucky · 05/03/2011 22:50

thanks for replying!
Yes, twosoups it's a very quiet rural area, in the national park. So that would make things slower to sell?

OP posts:

jenga079 · 05/03/2011 22:53

One viewing in three months? What's your agent doing?! I'd seriously consider contacting other agents and asking how they'd Market the property.

RachelHRD · 05/03/2011 23:07

Umm there is something wrong there. We are the opposite - have been on the market since late October and we have had 40 viewings so far!! Most of these have been this year so I think the viewings market is on the up.

We are South East which may be the difference but even so - 1 viewing in 3 months is not acceptable. Our agent feels the price brackets on Rightmove are key - so if you are dropping price make sure it is below #450k as that will take you down to the next price level (at 25k intervals at that price level). I would be questioning what the agent is doing to market your property - maybe it's time for a change of agent?

twosoups · 06/03/2011 20:25

that's good advice about the rightmove brackets. We were on between two brackets and for a while I was concerned that we were missing out on viewers as a result, but then I considered that these rightmove brackets are totally arbitrary and not a reflection of the value of a house so we held our nerve and sold for what we wanted.

I tend to think you'd get fewer viewers in a national park but still think 1 is very low, which suggests price might be a problem.

Are you near to amenities? If not, you really are waiting for someone who wants to be in exactly your area and you either wait that out or reduce your price to tempt people to compromise on location.

Original poster

happygomucky · 06/03/2011 20:49

thanks twosoups, we're not at all near to amenities. In fact, I'm not even sure what 'amenities' are, it's been so long since I've seen any!

I think you've put our dilemma really well and that's really helpful. We'll be dropping the price tomorrow.

I'm going to chat to the agent about marketing too...

Rachel - 40 viewings! I bet that was hard work!

OP posts:

lalalonglegs · 06/03/2011 20:52

How are the photos on the brochure and on Rightmove - do they do your house justice? Is your house a perfectly nice home but perhaps not that gorgeous cottage-y look people expect in a national park? A lot of people wanting to move to the NPs really want to live the dream so, if your house doesn't conform to that picture postcard look, if it doesn't have a view etc, it may not be attracting a lot of interest even if it compares well in other ways.

Original poster

happygomucky · 06/03/2011 21:01

The photos taken by the agent are good, but could be a bit better. After tidying for 3 days before my one viewing the house looked fantastic - wish I had thought to take more pictures then! I'm going to try to do some more photos this week, room by room.

The house is really picturesque, unbelievable chocolate box views etc etc, definitely 'a dream house', but not in a village so I guess not for everyone.

OP posts:

lalalonglegs · 06/03/2011 22:13

Bang goes that theory then ...

Original poster

happygomucky · 06/03/2011 22:20

shame, it was a great theory and all!

OP posts:

Fiddledee · 07/03/2011 08:35

Do you think that the property would appeal to downsizers and that given the market there aren't that many around. I would look into changing agents, why haven't they pushed it more.

artyjools · 07/03/2011 11:26

Honestly, I think it's a very, very tough time to be selling, particularly if the house is not in a "hot spot" and particularly if it is not a first time buyer's house. To be fair, it is tough selling a FTB's house too. I do think that people are concerned that property prices are about to crash, so many people have put any life plans involving a house move on hold.

But the point I'm trying to make is that where chains have to be built, it does become much more difficult. We have two couples who want our house (one has already made an offer) but neither have offers on their house. In turn, we would make an offer on a larger house we have seen if we had a complete chain beneath us. It's gridlock.

RachelHRD - have you not had any offers after 40 viewings? TBH, that would worry me just as much as not getting many people to view.

RachelHRD · 07/03/2011 12:07

I agree it's a difficult time to sell at the moment. There are plenty of people out there looking in our area and lots more houses coming on the market - but not that many committing to buying at the moment.

We have had several people wanting our house but not in the position to offer because they have something to sell. We had a fantastic buyer with no ties who was looking for somewhere for himself and his wife who works overseas during the week - he offered certain she would like it after a long discussion with her but then sadly she wasn't as keen when she saw it so back to square one .

We have just reduced the price for a second time as we need to sell by the summer - it's very stressful though.

artyjools · 07/03/2011 14:11

So, we are in similar positions, although we haven't had anywhere near as many viewings as you have . We have reduced our price quite a bit, but unless the houses we are looking at start reducing too, we might as well forget about it. I agree - it's very stressful!

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