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Original poster

Trying to sell - Critique my house!

117 replies

WhoLivesInAHouseLikeThis · 31/03/2011 13:07

House has only been on the market a couple of months but I have seen a wreck I love and want to get moving (so to speak).

We have had about 8 people around and feedback has been very non-specific so I'm after honest opinions on my rightmove ad. I have namechanged so as not to out myself but am fairly regular here.

Thanks,

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32555795.html

I do have a man coming at the weekend to repaint the front of the house and the downpipe as I know it looks a bit tatty.

OP posts:
Original poster
WhoLivesInAHouseLikeThis · 31/03/2011 13:33

QS: do you mean bad presentation as in my furniture/tablecloth etc or in terms of pics? If its my stuff what would you add/remove?

Thanks.

Fab buyers insight from you all though, lots for me to chat to the agent about

OP posts:
pleasenap · 31/03/2011 13:33

Agree the pics need redoing. Some are not at the best angle (e.g. if you took pic from other side or front aspect of house then the hedge might not look as overbearing). Most of the pics are really badly framed - pictures not of the room but of a table or a cupboard door primarily. Can't get any idea of the dimensions or perspective of the room. Otherwise house looks clean and tidy - could maybe do with some tubs of flowers outside (take down or fold down washing line) and move slide out of way - actually probably take pic from bottom of garden looking towards house maybe?). Nice looking house though. Needs more details of dimensions/floor plan online. What's the price/decor of similar houses in your area for sale currently? Might be worth a nosey online!

QuintessentialShadows · 31/03/2011 13:38

and now down to business.

Give the hedge a good chop. It looks dark offputting at the front of your house. Tidy up the front, the plants look like they have no sunlight (possibly because they dont due to the hedge?)

Can you dismantle the slide, and put garden furniture instead? You want to show off your big garden as entertaining space, as this looks much more inviting. Parents of young children will still be able to picture play equipment.

The kitchen. Clean the windows, lol!
The dining room. Take off that table cloth, replace with nice fresh flowers, and take down your map of the world and replace with something less "interactive".
The playroom. Can you tidy the mess a little?

QuintessentialShadows · 31/03/2011 13:39

Sorry, the first post was ONLY dealing with how the agency presents your home. They do you no favours.

As for the rest, it is very minor. It is a very nice and neutral house, and very few things I would change (as per second post)

The photographer has position himself in such a way that you wonder if he is literally laying on your table!

Elizadoesdolittle · 31/03/2011 13:42

The photos are bad. They don't really give you any idea of what your house is like. I think you need more photos on the website. Certainly a better one of your kitchen (doesn't matter that it's a tiny kitchen, a picture of a window is pointless) and as other posters have said there needs to be photos of the main bedroom at least plus the bathroom.
Floor plans are great, my DH won't even look at a house that doesn't have one. He is a bit particular though!
I think you need to have words with your EA and if necessary change them. They really don't seem to be making any effort to try and sell your property and they will end up getting a load of commission for very little work when you do sell your house.

TheCrackFox · 31/03/2011 13:43

Quntessential has some good tips.

In the kitchen remove the stuff from the top of the units. It makes you look like you do not have enough storage. (clean the windo Wink)

Tidy up the playroom and take 50% of the toys out. When you move to your lovely new home your DCs will have fun getting to know their old toys.

I can see 2 sippy cups in the livingroom - you want this to feel like an adult only room.

You need a photo of the bathroom. If there is no photo every single buyer will think it must be grotty and will costs £thousands.

At least one bedroom photo.

FLOORPLANS! The software for this isn't than pricey and every serious, commited EA should have it.

Seriously think about changing Estate Agents.

TheSecondComing · 31/03/2011 13:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mousymouse · 31/03/2011 13:48

agree with most posters, the photos are not showing the house at its best. it seems to be a fairly standard house, but still a floorplan is essential.
anyway, good luck selling, it is a lovely house!

everyspring · 31/03/2011 13:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheCrackFox · 31/03/2011 13:55

The photo of the livingroom is hilarious. He has basically taken a photo of the Ikea chair and not (as he should have done) a photo to show off the whole room.

Francagoestohollywood · 31/03/2011 13:56

I think you only need to tidy up the front of your house.

The pictures are quite horrible and yes, I'd clean the windows.

Other than that, I've never understood why you should take away your stuff/make changes to your furnishings.

When I view a house, I look at the space, light, the condition of the flooring, bathrooms, electrics etc, I couldn't care less about flowers on the table or a tablecloth!

MooMooFarm · 31/03/2011 13:59

Your house is probably lovely but the photos are terrible! They don't show anything of the layout of the rooms, etc, and if I were browsing through house details I might give yours a miss on the basis of thinking the photos are trying to hide something!

Can you get the estate agent to do some better ones?

culturemulcher · 31/03/2011 14:03

Completely agree with everything DastardlyandSmuttily said. Looks like a lvoely house, but the photos aren't doing you any favours.

minipen · 31/03/2011 14:03

I was confused by pictures, where do the 2 doors go from picture 5? Is your bathroom avocado green, no photo makes me think it is!

Would like to see the bedrooms, also I think your kitchen photo either should have things removed from on top of units (even if only for picture) makes m ethink not enough storage, I know you say it's small but you need to pretend everything fits in easily!

It does seem very child focussed house, maybe a runner on your dining room table for the photo or just bare?

Good luck oh I think you are really brave posting on here!

lollystix · 31/03/2011 14:05

Floorplans - were looking to buy at the moment and the first thing I check online is the floorplan to see the space and room order - so essential. Also as everyone has commented the photos make it look so much smaller than it probably is. I bet you're rooms are quite generous with it being Victorian but the photos make it all look small abd cramped especially sitting room and kitchen. Could u get another agent round for a chat?

lollystix · 31/03/2011 14:09

Bloody iPhone predictive text.... Just seems dastardly's post. Bet your's could look just as big and lovely with the right photographer.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 31/03/2011 14:12

Get them to re-photograph your house - make them actually earn their commission!

I thought proper estate agents (which yours is!) used wide angle lens cameras! Really the photographer needs to be in the doorway and not in the room to convey space - also looks like your house (which from what i saw looks lovely and photos really don't do it justice!) has high ceilings - which you can't tell from living room pic as they were too busy photographing the floor Confused

(also would Land Registry have a copy of floor plan perhaps? Maybe worth finding out especially if there has been recent work done)

Good luck! Smile

LessNarkyPuffin · 31/03/2011 14:16

Agree with getting the photos redone and maximising the light coming in.

kitchen blind

You have competition

LaurieFairyCake · 31/03/2011 14:17

How odd that they've only taken 6 pictures Confused rightmove don't charge for any extra, most houses round here that size have 10/11

I love your garage Envy

Why are you moving ? your house is massive

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 31/03/2011 14:23

Que? What's the matter with the kitchen blind - I love it - it goes with the colour scheme (tiles and Robertson radio) - better than the metal 'rose gold' ones I have

notquitenormal · 31/03/2011 14:24

We're looking for a house of that style and that price bracket (different part of the country though) and I've seen a lot of these in the past few weeks!

If it was in my search area I would be thinking, 'Hmm, looks nice...but too small for us.' as the pictures are awful and make the place look very small...when actually the measurements show it isn't at all.

i think the big hedge out frint looks like it dominates the front of the house. A trim would help.

I'm also very suspicious when there is no shot of a room that is expensive to update...i.e. you have no bathroom shot.

I don't mind the slide in the garden. I'm after a decent family garden and that's what it looks like. I would change the angle slightly so that you can't see the window of the house to left of your garden shot. It's the sort of thing that puts me off in photo's but never bothers me when I'm there.

OnEdge · 31/03/2011 14:27

De clutter. Remove the climbing frame and washing line. Remove the kids paintings of the wooden doors and those block storage things. Take down all personal stuff and leave some blank space on walls and doors. (just store it until you move.)

Cut down hedge in the front Garden.

Take your own photos and replace the ones in the advert. Your House looks dead sell able, good luck !

LessNarkyPuffin · 31/03/2011 14:32

Nothing wrong with the blind, but if you're showing a small kitchen, you need to maximise the light coming in at the window. I'd remove as much as possible from the work surfaces/window ledge- stuff might be pretty but to a buyer it makes the place look cluttered = smaller and suggests lack of storeage.

LessNarkyPuffin · 31/03/2011 14:35

How you have a house to live in and how you have a house to sell are very different. I've rented a small storage unit before whilst selling, to declutter and to scale down the furniture. You might need two wardrobes to fit all your stuff in, but it might look better to show a bedroom with one.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 31/03/2011 14:40

Lessnarky....hmmm know what you mean now - the blinds blocks nearly all of the top window frame and light from it. Then what though? Maybe one of those self adhesive films you can stick on the glass?

I like a house to be 'dressed' though as a bare one (like the competition you linked) I find harder to imagine how day to day stuff would look/fit in it.

(Am loving this thread though thanks Wholives!)