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Original poster

Help me sell my house!

48 replies

Melindaaa · 17/10/2011 14:21

We have found a house we would like to put an offer in on, but can't proceed until ours sells.

Could someone have a look at our details and tell us what to improve? General feedback seems to be that the bedrooms are too small (four doubles), that the road is too busy at the bottom of the garden, and that here is no versatility to the rooms.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-31543672.html

OP posts:

Hassled · 17/10/2011 14:29

The only thing that really strikes me is that there's no colour in the photos - everything is white/grey/brown. It looks a bit dull - just some cushions on the sofa or a brighter duvet cover would liven it up a bit.

It's listed as a bungalow but yet has an upstairs - people looking for a bungalow may well have restricted mobility and so wouldn't see that as an asset. And people looking for a 4 bed house might dismiss something that comes up as a bungalow - in fact "bungalow" is a separate search term on Rightmove, so if they want a "house", they're not even going to see yours in the listings. I think take it out of the bungalow category if you can and more people will find it.

wahwahwah · 17/10/2011 14:35

It looks quite pretty.

Is anyone living there at the moment? I'd take some new shots with a vase of flowers on the table, few kids toys on the lawn... I seem to remember reading somewhere that people like to see a property 'lived in' so that they can imagine themselves in there. It is a bit beige (not that there is anythign wrong with that - a neutral palette is a good thing) and needs a bit more colour and things on the walls - maybe a mirror in the living room or some ncie pictures? I would move the cat scratching post - some people are a bit funny about pets (they assume they pee everywhere and scratch the walls).

I love the garden hut - is that the office?

KnitterNotTwitter · 17/10/2011 14:40

I think the photos are crap to be honest. Yes a bit of colour/personality will help but... if it's got 4 doubles why is there only a photo of one. If it has a 'large open plan kitchen/diner' why cant' you see that?

KnitterNotTwitter · 17/10/2011 14:42

oooh and the other 'killer' is the price. You're just over the £250k stamp duty threshold. Put it on at £249,995 and you'll be in with a much better chance of selling.

Lots of people will only search up to £250k because of the jump in stamp duty.

wahwahwah · 17/10/2011 14:54

Good point on the stamp duty. You can always 'sell' the contents (can't you?).

Original poster

Melindaaa · 17/10/2011 14:56

Haha, I have to laugh at the question whether anyone lives here. There are currently five children and two adults living here. Will add some colourful cushions and try and brighten the place up. I have to admit we are the royalty of magnolia ;)
The hut in the garden is indeed an office. It's split into two separate rooms and has full electrics and telephone/Internet access.
For viewings we remove all trace of pet bowls and beds etc. We also have a dog who is removed for viewings.
I agree that the photos need re-doing. We have had plenty of viewings though, and IMO it's better in person than on the details. So many places we have viewed have deceptive pictures.
Re the price, it was on at 269,995. I'd have preferred a fixed price of 249995 but the agents persuaded us that pricing it at 255 is better.

OP posts:

KnitterNotTwitter · 17/10/2011 15:02

Agent is a nutter then...

leothelioness · 17/10/2011 15:05

The stamp duty is a valid point as its only just over it will put a fair few people off. Also I think the photos are not great to be honest as they don't seem to show the house to its best potential.

Also I would second adding a bit of colour with some accessories like cushions in the living room , paintings/pictures, fresh flowers in the dining room, a fruit bowl in the kitchen and some hanging baskets and plants in the front to give it a more homely feel without being too personal IYKWIM.

wahwahwah · 17/10/2011 15:06

Too tidy! There's just 3 of us here and it permanently looks like a whirlwind has passed through!

leothelioness · 17/10/2011 15:08

You agent is crazy for suggesting you come in just above the stamp duty threshold as you will lose lots of potential buyers that way. Have you considered changing agents? The right agent can make all the difference.

ChippyMinton · 17/10/2011 15:11

Might just be a glitch, but on my PC the Streetview is showing a road in Bournemouth.

Find an agent with a wide angle lens.
And give the place a bit of personality.

ChippingInToThePumpkinLantern · 17/10/2011 15:15

Agent is a nutter!! If you are happy to accept under £250, then put it on at that - stamp duty is a big put off!!

I can't believe there are so many of you living there! It looks like a show home :) The only sign of life is the cat scratching post!!

I think you need more photos (of all of the rooms!) and better quality photos.

I love your colour scheme - but think it would look fabulous with some flowers around the place.

I would take the computer out of the bedroom. Having a room which is clearly dual purpose tends to make the house look 'not big enough'.

I would (if it wont hurt them - non green fingers here!) cut back the bushes in the garden (the ones by the verandah) so that you can see the garden better.

Could you do anything with the garden - it looks a bit 'empty space'ish' and not very inviting. Could you borrow a nice garden set & BBQ? Or put some of your kids things back there. There's a fine line between clutter & vacant :)

I would also put some plants out the front of the house - a couple of potted trees or something. It just needs a little life.

Good Luck!

Lizcat · 17/10/2011 15:40

Could you get some photos of the bedrooms that don't have desks in them. TBH if I saw these photos this bland with desks in the only two bedrooms shown I might think it has been a student house. Again the Price you only have to look at the price banding on right move to know that just below the £250,000 is the way to go.

humptydidit · 17/10/2011 15:43

I agree with the others. Does look a bit souless and tbh not v spacious. I thought at first glance the timber office was actually a bedroom, which was a bit of a turn off as I wrote it off as a 70's sauna style room

Garden looks nice tho and your furniture, just needs livening up a bit!

thinNigella · 17/10/2011 15:52

The bath is odd, squeezed into a corner like that.

FimBOOOOOO · 17/10/2011 15:56

What is that veranda type photograph with the railing and bit of a wall going round it? Sorry to be blunt, but if I was viewing with children, it looks a bit dangerous.

The dining area needs a picture on the wall and the cat stratching post removed.

minervaitalica · 17/10/2011 16:02

The kitchen looks tiny for a family! Is there a way you can change the angle on that so that it looks like you can "live" in it?

- Living room looks like the worst room - Furniture looks to big for it, yet it feels a bit drab. IMO that is the room that needs the most work. Nice picture on the wall, flowers on the table, perhaps less furniture?

However, if people are coming to view but no offers, I do not think it's only a problem with the internet. Given that you have taken the price down, is there anything else that you think puts the viewers off when they come? Noise from whatever source, Traffic issues at specific times of day, pet "smell" (I am not trying to be insulting, but a doggy smell in a house would personally put me off, despite actually having a dog...)?

DelGirl · 17/10/2011 16:10

I have a property close to there and though i'm not there now, I do keep an eye on things marketwise and it seems well priced to me for what/where you are. I wouldn't personally have an issue with that main road . Agree could do with brightening a little and from the pic the kitchen seems on the smallish side but apart from that? I agree, I think £249,950 seems better as anyone doing a search may put in up to......

catpark · 17/10/2011 16:13

There's only one bathroom in your house and it's a 4 bed. I'd be looking for at least a main family bathroom and a shower room with toilet. The bathroom you have seems really small with the bath being were it is as well. Think the price will put people off as 250k is a stamp duty threshold too. Better having ti just under it.

MelancholyAngel · 17/10/2011 16:27

The description doesn't have the sizes for the third and fourth bedroom.

Original poster

Melindaaa · 17/10/2011 16:44

Okay here is our plan. We will take better pictures ourselves, and add an accent colour to the front room.

I was thinking of changing the curtains to these www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005HDT1J6/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&psc=1 and finding co-ordinating cushions for the sofa, and a trio of pictures for the wall.

Will also add flowers to both dining table and kitchen.

Will get estate agent to change price, again, to 249995, no offers. We can't afford to accept any lower and think that's a fab price. Will people still look if it says fixed price?

Will buy some pots/greenery for out the front.

OP posts:

wahwahwah · 17/10/2011 16:46

take pictures from a low angle. Makes rooms look bigger aparently.

Original poster

Melindaaa · 17/10/2011 16:55

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005HDT1J6/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&psc=1. My link didn't work.

Can anyone find some co ordinating canvas/art for the wall? I am mcrap at this. That's why it is so beige.

OP posts:

levantine · 17/10/2011 16:57

£255 is a bizarre price!

Lovely garden. I would take out the picture of the inside of the garden office, it is qutie hard to place when skimming through iyswim

morelovetogive · 17/10/2011 17:06

I tihnk when selling houses you need to stage the house to suggest the sort of lifestyle someone who lives in your house could live. I agree with the comments above that it looks a little sparse but is infact a lovely house with some great features. Leave some luxury bath and beauty products on show in the bathroom, a bottle of nice plonk with a couple of glasses in the kitchen, a bbq and garden set that looks like you might do lots of entertaining in the garden, perhaps a couple of appropriate magazines on a table in the lounge a book waiting to be picked up and read by an armchair etc, set the scene. Also i think you need to show that the house has the space to do all of the things that a family living there would like to do so have some toys out in an area where they are neat and contained, make sure the office looks like someone actually works in there whilst still being neat and tidy etc etc.

Good luck, we are waiting for a date to exchange and complete at the moment, house buying and selling is soo stressful!

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