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Critique my house please! Why aren't we getting more viewings?

72 replies

NinkyNonker · 17/10/2011 14:05

We have been on the market for about 2 months and have had only one viewing. We lowered the price a fortnight ago (we were on below agent recommendation anyway) and are now very well placed on Rightmove we think but no bites.

The Rightmove stats (click throughs etc) are very good, and apparently there have been a fair few enquiries but nothing further.

Is there anything glaringly obvious we, and the agents have missed?

We have had the house repainted (this is an old shot bizarrely) and have a sign up, but the agent has yet to retake the exterior shot...

Here

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Deliaskis · 17/10/2011 15:09

Agree the photos are honestly a bit rubbish and probably don't do it justice. They all look a bit cluttered and untidy, and all the rooms look small, which I'm sure they're not, that's just the way the photos have represented them. The thing is, the agent might not like wide angle pics, but most properties do have wide angle shots (whether subtle or sledgehammer!) so comparatively, this is going to look cramped.

I would get all the shots done again, and really de-clutter everything - hardly any personal items at all. E.g. the shelves in the living room instead of stereo and CDs and books and basket and other random stuff, just put one thing on there. The mantlepiece, just one vase. I would move the chair out of the room for the photo and get rid of the little grey coffee table, the pink box and the rug - it looks like you might have a nice wooden floor under there which people go mad for, but you can't see it. Can you put a blind or curtain at the window, it looks a bit bare without anything.

Kitchen - move out of shot everything on the work tops except the toaster, fruit bowl, and maybe put those three jars (tea & coffee etc.?) on the other side of the cooker. Move all the things that are on top of the cupboards. Move everything on the window ledge.

Dining/conservatory - get rid of table cloth thing, and just put place mats on the table or nothing at all. I would prefer the table properly in the middle of the room rather than at one end, as it suggests lots of nice lovely dinner parties etc. rather than fishfingers in a hurry at 5pm. Take down that bunting. Move the BBQ out of shot and close the door. Consider taking the shot from the door looking into the room.

Patio shot - put the chairs in and sweep away all the dead leaves.

Garage/car shot - don't see the need for this. If it says there is parking for two cars, don't put a picture in there. Nobody is going to come and see the house on the basis of seeing the gravel, and in general it all looks a bit scruffy. People will be glad of the space, but the words are better than the pic in this instance.

Bathroom - move everything off the window ledge and move further out of the room for the shot. If necessary do two shots, one from each end.

Bedroom shot - just a badly composed photo. This is going to sound really weird, but the focus on the (wardrobe) door reminds me of the patio door, both photos seem designed to show someone how they can escape the room, not how nice it would be to live in it.

Nursery - looks lovely (I have an 8mo!) but it needs de-personalising a bit. Take away the changing table, the blanket on the back of the chair, the toy on the floor near the cot, if possible the thing hanging on the wall at the end of the cot (not the mobile), the bag hanging on the door, whatever that is hanging on the higher up door, the radiator drying rack, basically have nothing in the room except the cot, the chair with one cushion, the stool, the rug and the mobile.

Sorry if that's all a bit blunt, and people may disagree, but those are just my impressions as somebody who has never been there. Don't be sad, it's nothing that can't be fixed, and nothing that's even going to cost any money, but you've been badly advised re photos to be honest. The agent should have been recommending you get some done if he couldn't make a decent fist of it himself.

HTH
D

bigTillyMint · 17/10/2011 15:11

NinkyNonker, I have to say that I clicked on this when you first posted, but didn't want to say anything that sounded negative Blush However, Notjustclasic said everything that I was thinking!

I would have thought that the house (thinking of the size) would appeal more to a single person, or maybe a couple - difficult to make the nursery into a !study" or whatever just for selling though!

Deliaskis · 17/10/2011 15:12

Oh no I've been photozumped! eeyore s ideas are probably all better than mine, but I think we are coming from the same angle!

thinNigella · 17/10/2011 15:16

That's Ok, i live in a cheaper area. I am currently selling a 3 bed house with large plot of land and garden with planning permission... but for less than £200K !! Two for the price of one - bargain!

House is a project though in my opinion...

NinkyNonker · 17/10/2011 15:20

Your house sounds like just what we are looking for! Would be at least twice the price here sadly.

The photos must be bad as it certainly isn't a 'project', it is freshly decorated inside and out and ready to go...but I take the points on clutter.

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ChippingInToThePumpkinLantern · 17/10/2011 15:23

Ninky - are you OK?

It's hard to have people pull a house apart when it's your home - even when you asked for it :( Sadly that's what viewers will do.

I think a lot of decluttering, just leaving a few well placed items, a bit of a trim/tidy up in the garden and some much better photos will have you getting lots of viewings!

I don't know the prices down your way - are you happy with how it's priced? Described?

Deliaskis · 17/10/2011 15:28

Sorry Ninky I do feel like I've been a bit mean. I am moving house in two weeks so went through all this a few months ago, it's crap and hard and disheartening for a bit, but look at it this way, you only need one person to like your house - friends of ours had their house on the market for a few weeks, got one viewer, who liked it, offered and bought.

D

ANTagony · 17/10/2011 15:29

I think you might have over reduced. I've just done an area search and you appear to be £20k under similar properties. I accept you want to sell and the house is straight onto the pavement but it is a nice house fairly well presented, good garden, parking etc. Is the risk when you're in a fairly densly housed area that people have broad search terms so you may just not be seen. I wonder if a price of £210 or £215 would put you at the bottom of the set of similar properties to get those viewings?

I'd also question your choice of agent searching 1/4 mile of Purewell not an area I know Richard Godsell appear to have similar style properties on the market and several in that price range under offer. Your current agent don't appear to have similar style in your area or much in the price bracket.

As all say particularly the exterior photo could be perked up a bit. Hanging/ window baskets, pots by the door etc. They don't even have to stay - just give the appeal for the photo. You could possibly borrow some of a friend/ family to get the shots.

If your agent wont do fresh shots have you got access to a camera to take some of your own and if you like the result send them into the agent?

I'd go for glamming up the master bed shot - think hotel suite, fresh linen maybe fresh flowers or orchids around the place.

NinkyNonker · 17/10/2011 15:29

Oh no, do I sound defensive? I really didn't mean to, I really appreciate everyone's feedback. I think it is on at a good price for the area, the agent recommended £220k! Shock I'm just torn between wanting to go all out to sell before the next little one appears in May and staying put and doing work here. Agent annoys me too, he was so keen to sign us up but didn't mention any of these things which has wasted time.

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NinkyNonker · 17/10/2011 15:31

We were on at £215k up until a few weeks ago, we did have one viewing but it was a single lady who felt the garden would be too much for her. The agent is one of the bigger local ones, but that doesn't always mean best I guess...

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bluebump · 17/10/2011 15:33

This is a similar size house which I really loved when I saw it online (though much cheaper in my neck of the woods and I never saw it in the flesh because I'm not looking to move, I just live on Rightmove!) but it looks more spacious because it's so clutter free. I like your house and think maybe the pictures don't do it justice.

eeyore2 · 17/10/2011 15:33

It's a great house. The problem is that generally when people sell a house they take all the individuality out of it for the photos as it's just the done thing. So if you don't do the same it looks very cluttered, even though it's just a normal, nice house. Don't worry about putting everything in storage, you can always just move stuff for the photos and put it back again.

oohlaalaa · 17/10/2011 15:33

You can take the photos yourself, and email them to agent. I think the client's often take better photos than agent, as they take a lot longer over it. Have you got a friend who is keen photographer?

I have seen properties with fabulous brochures and professional photographs not sell, despite having countless viewings. It's usually because they are not in a very good location (e.g. busy road, power lines), and/or client has unrealistic expectations on price.

I remember a colleague selling a farmhouse, and looking through the brochure, and thinking it was very disappointing (I knew the farmhouse well, as it was a good friends property). I felt cross with my colleague, that they had not taken better photos, and taken longer over preparing the details. I needn't have worried, the property still sold very quickly, and in excess of the asking price, as it was in a beautiful location, with superb views, and realistically priced. The poor brochure did not make any difference.

I do think most purchasers go on on the location, and overall condition of property (any damp, structural defects, rotten windows, lack of central heating, does it need re-roofing or rewiring?).

With decor, it's obviously advantageous to have a beautiful property to sell, but most purchasers want to put their own stamp on a property anyway.

If major expense is needed, and price does not reflect this, then purchasers are put off. If the bathroom is dated, then most people can see past this.

KnitterNotTwitter · 17/10/2011 15:36

Think of it more as 'styling'... I wouldn't say your life was 'cluttered'... have seen a lot worse!

NinkyNonker · 17/10/2011 15:36

Structurally all is fine, we only moved in 2.5yrs ago and survey was clear. My brother in law has a good/wide angle lense that would fit our good camera, maybe we should have a go on the next sunny day...

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StarryEyedMama · 17/10/2011 15:37

Looks fab! First things first, I would get the estate agent to edit the first paragraph do its not all in capitals - it looks silly and is not needed in my opinion !

Deliaskis · 17/10/2011 15:37

You don't sound defensive, you sound a bit sad about it all. And honestly, although this is actually completely impossible, it's almost like I could tell from the photos that you were a bit half-hearted about selling - you don't want to get rid of the personal stuff cos it's your home and you're comfy there!

Agents are crap, never give them the benefit of the doubt, or the benefit of anything really! We have one agent in our area who are local but massive, and they definitely felt they didn't have to put any effort in to get our business or to do any work to keep us happy.

D

BalloonSlayer · 17/10/2011 15:42

It's lovely!

I think the big problem might be that the nursery looks as if it is only big enough for a cot.

I can see that a bed (what size?) is supposed to fit in the hole in the fitted wardrobes. If there actually was a bed in there for the photos it might make a difference.

ChippingInToThePumpkinLantern · 17/10/2011 15:43

No - you don't sound defensive at all - just sad :( I wanted to hug you!

Maybe you are priced too cheaply and people are wondering why?

ivykaty44 · 17/10/2011 15:46

bluebumps house has less clutter and less photos of the house so still a need to go and view.

KnitterNotTwitter · 17/10/2011 15:47

Good point on bedroom 2 - can you take out the nursery stuff and put in a real bed - just for photo purposes. Obviously a major hassle but will help people visualise the room...

Apparently buyers have no imagination - always remember this. We don't have a TV but were recommended to get one to put in the lounge as otherwise people wouldn't be able to work out where they'd put their telly apparently! (Bought a broken one off ebay as wasn't going to pay any more than I had to [cheapskate emoticon])

SugarSkyHigh · 17/10/2011 15:52

I really like it and it doesn't look cluttered to me! I love the armchair in your sitting room - if you are decluttering can you let me have it? Grin

humptydidit · 17/10/2011 15:54

tbh, the outside shots look terrible, especially the one with the car parked outside and the one of the front of the house looks dull.

The rooms look nice but the pictures make it look at bit cramped. Ask the agent to take more pics at more flattering angles to make it look bigger. Garden looks nice and big but a bit overgrown, again, I think it's fine but maybe not looking at it's best?

Kingsroadie · 17/10/2011 16:20

This will no doubt just reiterate what others have said but I worked as an agent for a year recently and have sold two London flats (as in, our flats, not work ones). I agree with eeyore and Delia. Remove all "clutter" (ie normal everyday items) and make it look as uncluttered as possible. You will probably think it looks bare. Take everything off kitchen and bathroom and living room surfaces. Best to photograph on a sunny day if possible (given our weather perhaps not to easy).

When we sold out first flat the photos looked really cluttered. I didn't realise this until working as an agent, when we moved again we shipped a lot of stuff out to my parents' house until we sold. And removed even more for photos. Every surface was clear, apart from some flowers in the bedroom and some on dining room table. It may be worth investing in some nice quality fake flowers (I have some that don't look fake at all) as they last forever and having flowers at a viewing just lifts it a bit. Agree with some cushions on the sofa too (I would go with neutral ish ones though).

It is a lovely house and good luck selling - our second flat was on the market for nearly 6 months (Admittedly in a bad market - similar to this one) until we got an offer, and we nearly gave up hope, but sell we did and now we own a lovely house! Grin

AgathaCrusty · 17/10/2011 16:21

Agree with others that the quality of the photos let the property down. De-clutter a bit and try to take some of your own photos - or get your brother-in-law to do them if he is a decent amateur photographer.

Also, have you thought about advertising with 2 agents (sorry if anyone has already suggested it). We've found in the past that it can make them work a bit harder on promoting your house as both want to get the commission from a sale for themselves.