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Why hasn't this house sold in Kent?

64 replies

MrsTaraPlumbing · 22/08/2013 14:27

Any thoughts on why this has not sold? It is one of the most expensive 3 bed houses in Ramsgate.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39458086.html
But it is reasonably priced for its location in the best part of Ramsgate. Other detatched houses on that street and in that area (westcliff) selll/sold for much higher.
Are people just not buying by the seaside or is there something that would put you off?

OP posts:
PostBellumBugsy · 22/08/2013 15:18

Sorry - more thoughts. I'd also remove some of the pictures. 18 pictures seems OTT and could be interpreted as desperation. I would definitely remove the through the round window shot & also the shot of the back of the house. The extension does not look attractive, so lose that picture. You could also lose some of the kitchen shots too and pics 16, 17 & 18 too.

Being hypercritical, the conservatory shot with the covered sofa isn't great either, as you have the aircon unit showing reminding everyone that the conservatory is going to be like Death Valley in the summer and Antarctica in the winter. Either lose it, or take a different angle.

MrsTaraPlumbing · 22/08/2013 15:33

Onestep
You are right the houses in my area really don't sell so hard to get a good idea of price. Often on market for well over a year but sellers just aren't willng to drop the price much lower.
One very similar to mine in my road did sell just over a year ago. It had a garage and slightly different layout making it 4 beds even thought the same floor area. It sold for £350.

Just a stones throw from me is this house I think is lovely 4 beds & garage - www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42489353.html

OP posts:
Rooners · 22/08/2013 15:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rooners · 22/08/2013 15:38

Saying that some of the houses there are really awesomely nice,

it's just, the area, yunno?

That sounded horribly insulting and wasn't meant to be. It's not you, or the house. It's ramsgate.

hettienne · 22/08/2013 15:39

It looks lovely, love the kitchen. Definitely needs a floor plan though and a few cosmetic things - looks like the owners have half moved out already with tiny kitchen table and random chairs, decor could be toned down.

I think it is going to be the price more than anything though.

OneStepCloser · 22/08/2013 15:39

Ooo that garden is idylic, but with two dogs and a LO can you imagine! I`d have to stand lifeguard all day.

I think yours is really lovely, theres some good suggestions on here, good luck with selling Smile

Rooners · 22/08/2013 15:42

That last one is gorgeous.

I still wouldn't move to Ramsgate though.

MrsCakesPremonition · 22/08/2013 15:48

Without a floor plan I'm struggling to understand the layout of the kitchen/sitting area. They look like really big spaces - but you only have a tiny table in the kitchen and one small sofa. And the other reception room only has space for three people to sit.
So the downstairs is at odds with the upstairs. Upstairs you seem to be sleeping at least 5 people, but downstairs doesn't look like a usable family space (even if it is in RL - the photos probably don't make it clear).

The photos of the feature at the end of the garden don't make it clear what it is for. The particulars say there is an office and a potting shed - but I don't understand where they are. I'd expect a photo of the office rather than some of the artier shots.

Charleymouse · 22/08/2013 16:02

I wonder if the fact people can see you paid £210k for it in 2004 and are now asking for £105k over what you paid for it might be an issue.

This might not be an issue at all but I have been affected by this issue as we traded in our previous house to a builder and when you look at the land registry stuff it only shows the additional amount we paid for our new property not the total including value of our former house which we part exchanged. How have properties in your area risen/fallen over the last 8/9 years? How does yours compare.

Properties sold nearby
16 Mar 2005 £190,0005 M** Road
21 Sep 2004 £225,00012 M** Road
24 Mar 2004 £210,0003 M Road

Just a thought as a floor plan is listed on the previous sale so it should be no great shakes to add it to your current listing.

MrsTaraPlumbing · 22/08/2013 16:05

Great feed back - be blunt!
15 & 16 show the office.

The kitchen table is quite large, comfortably seats 6 can sit 8 but there are only 3 seats at it and with funny camera lense makes it look small - I had not notice this.

The room in pic 4 does have doors that shut so it is not open plan t conservatory but I guess you cant see that.

OP posts:
MrsCakesPremonition · 22/08/2013 16:09

I think you need in shot of the office interior.

CockyFox · 22/08/2013 16:14

If the doors were marked on the floor plan, then I would probably look if it was in the area I wanted.

Periwinkle007 · 22/08/2013 17:15

ok I have no idea of the area or price so am just looking at the pictures. def a floor plan needed. I would get some of the pictures retaken. Perhaps showing how you could close off the conservatory (make the doors visible) as it gives people more options. I always think the photos should be in the sort of order you would walk through the house in, these seem jumbled up and without a floor plan it it just confusing. You don't walk in the front door straight into the middle of the kitchen.

Bright colours are ok as they can be changed but if you want to sell then I would neutralise the walls. Bright bedroom carpets wouldn't actually bother me if the walls were neutral. BUT I don't personally like white everywhere as it can look cold and uninviting so I would go for pale neutral shades of some sort. beiges/creams etc. So lounge would become all neutral and then maybe a rug. You seem to have 3 lounges to me, no real indication of which room does what. If one is more of a quiet reading type area then put books on a bookcase in it to give it a distinct personality, if one is more of a family room then make it look like it, doesn't have to look messy or cluttered but I am looking at it thinking - ok 3 lounges but what are they all for, they just all have a sofa/chair each. Having one more like a study/library style might help add some distinction.

I would hang some towels on the towel rail.

Kitchen wise I would do something with the table - personally it looks a little like a decorating table and some kids chairs if that makes sense. I would get a different table cloth - a fabric one, and some place mats to make it look a bit more grown up or like has been said a bigger table and chairs (wood would warm it all up a bit) might just change the focus a little. For all the bright colours in the other rooms the kitchen just looks very shiny and clinical (but lovely - you should see the kitchen WE had when we moved in, it was first on my list) The hallway along to the kitchen photo 18 looks very bare to me, a console table or something might help. I would just think, great lots of storage but nowhere to put things when lifting them in or out etc.

bedrooms - make the walls in the purple and red room neutral and it will change the focus from 'oh heck this needs repainting and recarpeting' to 'oh ok bright carpet but we could just pick up the colour with patterned curtains and bedding. (red needs about 7 coats of magnolia to cover it up completely if I remember right from when we moved house when I was a child so it would put a lot of people off IMO). In the yellow and blue room I would paint the yellow to cream or white. the blue carpet then will seem easy to live with.

Garden - hmm the bit down the bottom isn't to everyone's taste. I would get some pots and pretty plants and put them down there to soften it all. You can take them with you when you move. Something with height perhaps so tall sticky things and some lower flowers. Front garden could do with some flowers in too.

hope that doesn't seem too rude, I don't mean to but if I was looking to move then I would be looking for somewhere I could move into without needing to do too much (kitchen and bathroom are good in your house), somewhere that looks like it has been a cosy, welcoming, happy home not cold and clinical and where I can imagine living as a family hence my comments about giving identities to rooms. Your kitchen is enormous, the size lots of people dream of but it just doesn't look as inviting/exciting as it probably should and certainly could. For the purposes of selling to dress it up there are different things you could do, make one of the other spaces a dining room with a nice table and chairs so giving it identity rather than another sitting room and then get an island type thing in the kitchen that is movable. Not sure if you know what I mean but it might show the space off better. Obviously you don't want to spend a fortune if you are moving but you might be able to come up with something.

Jan49 · 22/08/2013 17:43

As you say it's one of the most expensive 3 bed houses in Ramsgate, maybe people who could pay that price would be looking for 4 bedrooms?

mootime · 22/08/2013 20:22

There are lots of great things about the house. I think the thing that would put me off is that there is only one relatively small window from the kitchen into the garden which makes the kitchen seem quite stark.
It's also so difficult to gauge without a floor plan and the photos make it really difficult to place yourself. I'd be worried that with the extension on the rear of the house and so few windows on the rear (even with the roof lights) the plan might be roof deep.
It would be relatively easily solved, you could put a window in the rear above the work surface for not too much money.

Otherwise I would maybe tone down the decor in the really bright rooms.

cerealqueen · 22/08/2013 21:27

I like it but I would neutralise the all deco, particularly the wallpaper in the conservatory, make the kitchen more welcoming, add a rug in living room and lose the throws - they look messy and 80s.

littlemisswise · 22/08/2013 21:42

I've no idea of the price or the area, but I wouldn't buy it for these reasons. Downstairs is absolutely beautiful, it would suit our family down to the ground. There is plenty of room to have an area for the kids to have somewhere to play Playstation away from the main room, enough room to sit in the kitchen, have a massive table in the kitchen and the conservatory would be ideal as a reading room.

However, upstairs is too small. The third bedroom lets it down. It is okay as a Nursey, or for a younger child but too small for a teenager IMO. So maybe people are discounting it as a forever home IYSWIM. Also, DH wouldn't buy a property where there is no garage.

Good luck with selling though, it will be the house for someone.

PeteCampbellsRecedingHairline · 22/08/2013 21:50

I personally would be put off by the thought of painting over the bright colours. I do hate painting though. Grin

Also the last bedroom photo looks like it belongs to a totally different house.

I love the kitchen and the garden although I would like to see a photo of the inside of the office.

Definitely need a floorplan.

Viviennemary · 22/08/2013 21:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MotherOfDragon · 22/08/2013 21:54

It reminds me of the big brother house! I do like it saying that.

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 22/08/2013 21:58

I think I like it, but the pics have been taken with one of those estate agent cheaty cameras haven't they? All the rooms are bigger in the pics than in reality? No? These pics always make me suspicious.

The weirdly shaped walls in the garden would make me go Hmm too.

I do like it though. I think.

ihearsounds · 22/08/2013 22:18

Floor plan.
The front needs a bit of curb appeal. Looks really bland that the moment.
Kitchen table is out of place with the size of the kitchen. Also close the doors between the kitchen and conservatory.
The blurb also mentions a dining room with door leading to the conservatory. Would this be pic 4 which looks like a living room (floor plan really needed because now I am confused) Then where do the utility room feature.
The toilet, maybe I do really have short arms, but I think I might fall off when trying to reach the paper. Also needs towels. Without the towel it is screaming eewww, people don't wash their hands. Will cost xx for intense deep clean in whole house.
The weird circle thing. Just why would you take a pic from that position.
Red and purple room, tone down the red a bit. Same with the yellow.
Need to see inside the office.

Periwinkle007 · 22/08/2013 23:06

sorry but had to have a giggle about the towels indicating people not washing hands - that is exactly what I thought ihearsounds! mind I am a germ freak. never even looked at how far away the loo paper was though.

MrsTaraPlumbing · 23/08/2013 08:09

Thanks for your feedback it is so interesting to hear how others see the pics.

Of course there are towels in the bathroom but were taken out of camera shot for the photo - gosh what eyes for detail you ladies have. Would you really think we don't wash hands? Would that really knock a house off your short list?

If you were in my kitchen you would see it is a big table perfectly proportioned for the room - yes it is the fancy camera lense that makes it look small/ strange - I wonder if that would put people off viewing the house?

Pic 7 The loo roll holder is right next to the loo about 30 cm from loo but again fancy camera makes it loo more than 1 metre away!

We bought the neutral paint for bedroom months ago but not got round to doing it yet!

As for the stark garden - I totally share your views. My husband thinks it is wonderful as it is - his design.

We can address the missing floor plan easily - seems that is most urgent/ important.

Fortunately I don't need to sell/move. May do a loft conversion instead - making it a 4 bed house that perhaps people want in this area for the future.

Any suggestions as to front of house kerb appeal would be most welcome.

OP posts:
Periwinkle007 · 23/08/2013 09:01

wide angled photos have a lot to answer for. I always find it strange that estate agents do them because they often make rooms look strange.

loft conversion might be an idea - make the upstairs space match the downstairs space a bit more.

front gardenwise - I would say is there a little flowerbed space along the edge of the lawn next to the back wall? I would go to B&Q or somewhere and get a big pack of bedding plants (get winter pansy or cyclamen (is that what they are called?) and put them in.

you have a nice bit of trellis on the wall so I would plant something up it, perhaps a winter jasmine - green all year round but lovely yellow flowers in the winter, or a semi-evergreen honeysuckle - we have a gorgeous red/orange one.

you don't need loads in the front but some flowers or bushes will help soften it all.