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Original poster

Please critique my house - be blunt & honest

89 replies

UnexpectedUrgeToMove · 22/08/2013 12:13

So ... we were very happy in current house and was intending to stay in it for foreseeable. Then stumbled across a fantastic, ticks-all-boxes project house in another area. End result, we have rushed our house onto the market without much time for prep. The new carpets I'd ordered before all this happened aren't even installed yet (but will be done tomorrow).

So ... our house is on the market but it's been decorated to please us, not to sell. I'm concerned that the lack of prep and our "out there" colour choices are going to put people off. Plus we didn't have time to get a straight-talking friend in prior to the photos being done, and the pics were done in such a rush that in one of them is a stray filing cabinet which looks bonkers (am cringing just thinking about that).

I'm going to ask the agents to re-do that pic at least but please tell me, what else should we do to improve things before the first viewings?

Would really appreciate some feedback!

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/30162018?search_identifier=14d6eb12dc2dbc56fef5cc4a13048900

OP posts:
chesticles · 22/08/2013 12:41

Overall I think it looks great. The bedrooms seem a bit bare and uncosy though, perhaps a picture on the wall above the beds would make them feel a bit more lived in? Curtains would help with the cosy feeling too.

Good luck, hope you get a quick sale

gazzalw · 22/08/2013 12:44

Can I buy it? No seriously it's lovely. I like the garden and it looks quite large!

The only thing I would say is that it looks a bit 'empty' - it has a quite clinical look - I do know estate agents seem to be against personal touches and clutter but it looks less like a real family home and a bit more like a set in a TV drama/film.

fuckwittery · 22/08/2013 13:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AgathaF · 22/08/2013 13:25

Your home is lovely - clean and tidy. I agree with other posters that the blue bedroom looks a little dated. If you were considering painting any room, I would paint that one. I think though, that curtains or some roman blinds at the window would help and perhaps a picture or some flowers. Perhaps white or blue/white striped curtains and white bed linen? It looks like there is a piece of furniture in that room that is just out of shot, so maybe taking the picture again to show that extra furniture would help.

The advert definitely needs more images. I don't think it is being marketed effectively if potential viewers can't see more of what they might be viewing. It definitely needs a bathroom image, dining area and third bedroom. The lack of them really makes me think they must be in need of work.

The front garden image is lovely - really homely and appealing.

I wonder if you would be able to get better pictures if you took them yourselves? I often think agents photos are pretty amateurish.

Chubfuddler · 22/08/2013 13:39

I would expect a house of that price to have more than 7 photos up too. I've been looking at houses around 200K in my area and they typically have 9-12 photos on rightmove.

Chubfuddler · 22/08/2013 13:39

And actually less makes me suspicious the other rooms aren't worth looking at.

TKKW · 22/08/2013 13:39

Well done, its very attractive indeed. Sure the cabinets built in around the double bed are a bit dated but we bought our house with hideous built in furniture. Your spaces are cleared of clutter but inviting ad the buyer could envisage their things in the space. Its a stunning home. You lucky thing.

TKKW · 22/08/2013 13:42

yes, expect more photos too, a buyer might like to see the dining room from the living room angle.

vestandknickers · 22/08/2013 13:51

It is beautiful from the outside but rather dull inside. I must admit I don't think I'd go for a viewing because it all looks rather clinical and the lounge looks a bit like the inside of a battleship! The garden's nice though. Sorry if I sound mean, you did ask! It is impressively clean and tidy though.

MrsTaraPlumbing · 22/08/2013 14:14

I also thought it looked lovely - I liked the outside front as it is and don't think it needs anything done to it.

You wanted honesty so your sitting room is not to my taste - too dark in the photo but may look great in real life. I think selling it would help to paint sitting room walls white.

I am wondering if your agent is any good though. The photos aren't great, some use professional photos with fancy lenses that make all the rooms look massive whereas in your photos the rooms look long and narrow. The lights should have been on in kitchen & sitting room to stop them looking dark. IMHO

Also why not have more pics on the web. you can have lots If you have nice new bathroom it should be on there but needs prof photographer to get good image. And if you have lovely views they should be on there too.

Also - as it is new bathroom why doesn't it say that in the description. Modern bathroom isn't the same as new bathroom.

Original poster
UnexpectedUrgeToMove · 22/08/2013 14:17

This is very helpful to me and I'm grateful for the info! The rooms actually have quite a lot of stuff in them that aren't shown in the pic - sitting room has three bookshelves for example. Bed 2 has a computer desk, two bookcases and a chest of drawers. Bed 1 has a huge wall of wardrobes and a book case and a tall cabinet full of hats and shoes (in neat storage boxes, admittedly). But when I look at the photos, I now realise the agent has angled the camera to avoid showing 'stuff'.

Vest - I pretty much expected more people to say stuff like this, you don't sound mean, I am worried that people won't view! So now please tell me how to make sitting room look less like a battleship? (I'm working on getting the periscope removed but what else ...?)

This just goes to show me that I can't judge these things very well, which is what I suspected. When we bought the house it had HUGE Austrian balloon blinds in very dark colours on every window and I wrenched them down. Clearly I had an over-reaction to the excess of fabric and now our windows are too bare but I didn't realise. Will definitely fix. Same with pictures on walls, we have plenty but didn't want to personalise too much but now realising we are too far in wrong direction.

We have nice woolblend carpet going down tomorrow so I'll ask the agents to come back on Tues and take more pics once that is done. It's helpful for me to know that other people want to see more pics too, when gawping at houses online I feel a bit cheated if there aren't many photos so at least I'm not the only one.

AgathaF - the agent did actually have a very good camera, it was a huge DSLR, and I did try taking photos with my own (which is a small Leica). Alas the clarity and quality of the image is actually better with the agent's camera, so I need to ask them very nicely to return.

OP posts:
Original poster
UnexpectedUrgeToMove · 22/08/2013 14:25

Tara - I agree - the rooms look narrower in pics when compared to real life and the agent turned the lights OFF to take the pics sob

If they've got to upload more pics I'll ask again about improving the wording too, I don't want to irritate the agent, I feel like I've been demanding already, the front photo has already been re-done once. They have a lot of £2M type houses on their books and I wonder if we are a bit small beer for them? (purely supposition on my part).

OP posts:
sparklingstars · 22/08/2013 14:27

In the living room I would:
Put some flowers on the furniture next to the sofa. Try and find something to put on the little ledge thing on the floor - was it a hearth before? Also, angle the chair under the window so it faces more into the room, and I'd perhaps move that table off the rug.
You could add some brightly coloured cushions that can go with you to your new houses, maybe add some candles if you like that kind of thing - or a throw over the sofa to brighten it a bit?

Hazelbrowneyes · 22/08/2013 14:30

Gorgeous house but the bedrooms need something. A picture on the wall or some bright flowers in a big vase? Maybe some cushions on the beds?

Chubfuddler · 22/08/2013 14:40

The agent is working for you. Considering the hefty percentage you'll be paying they should be worried about irritating you.

DancingLady · 22/08/2013 14:49

Gorgeous! The bedrooms are a bit old-fashioned - the one with the champagne-coloured quilt was a bit off-putting - but no deal-breakers. Good luck selling, it's lovely!

Karbea · 22/08/2013 15:06

I think it looks fine.

But?!?! Don't you have curtains in your bedrooms????

Yonihadtoask · 22/08/2013 15:11

It looks lovely.

I would want to see a pic of all 3 bedrooms
Also a pic of bathroom.

Our house is on the market and we have about 16 photos on . So your agent is being awkward.

Do you really not have curtains up in your bedroom??

Is the price competitive for the area?

lalalonglegs · 22/08/2013 15:11

It's fine - really neat and reasonably neutral without being clinical or bland. Hope it sells fast.

racingheart · 22/08/2013 15:13

I think it looks good and is a fair price for that size, in that area (we live not far away, and houses round TW area aren't cheap.)

My only comment is that it looks a bit clinical. I can't imagine anyone really living in it. The living room is nice with the pictures on the wall, but I'd put the striped chair facing in with the table in front of it, so not all chairs are lined up to face the opposite wall. Put some warm, coloured throws on the beds. Maybe hint that the second bedroom could make a good child's room with a couple of bright prints on the walls. And flowers, glass vases that catch the light etc. Make it look like a good life can be lived there.

On house hunts I've visited houses where cakes had just been baked, or big trugs of freshly picked strawberries left in the kitchen. You can tell it's a trick but it still works. It makes the home look happy and friendly.

mignonette · 22/08/2013 15:16

You may get unimaginative people through your door who cannot see past the taste of others. I have never cared how the vendors have decorated especially as most people redecorate whether they like the existing decor or not. Your house has lots of kerb appeal for me and the garden is a really good size. Loads of space to do your own thing too and a bit of character too. I'd probably notice the lack of fireplace in the main room but again that can be sorted out.

Journey · 22/08/2013 15:21

House looks lovely from the outside. Inside the sitting room looks a bit too modern for the house though. The contrast took me back a bit. Kitchen is a very personal choice - not my taste at all. The bedrooms are very stark and a bit dated compared to the sitting room so again a bit contrasting. However, it all feels very fresh.

Toomuchtea · 22/08/2013 16:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AgathaF · 22/08/2013 16:16

Don't worry about being demanding of the agent. Their job is to sell your house quickly and for the best price. They need to work to achieve that, and if they do achieve that then they will earn oodles of money from it. Make them work for their cash!

I would say that just because they have a DSLR it doesn't mean that they know how to use the best angles etc to show the house off well. Do you know anyone who is good with a camera who could take some pictures for you?

What's the house you've seen like?

Clary · 22/08/2013 16:25

It's lovely OP.

I would only say there are not many pix - I'd like to see the other end of the living room IYSWIM and the third bedroom (unless full of junk!) an bathroom. Maybe another view of the garden too - looking back at the house perhaps? That always gives you a good idea of the layout which personally I like.

Oh I see you are not allowed more pix? That's a bit pants. Most houses round here have maybe 12-14 pix! I agree no bathroom suggests it needs work which it clearly doesn't!