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House for Sale With Kids

9 replies

Monkeymummy1 · 14/11/2013 16:21

So we are struggling to sell our house. It's been on for a while with very few viewings. Feedback is that it's too small. I have done a cull of pretty much all toys and child related rubbish that I can but being on the market for a while, it's so hard to tell DD that she still cannot have her play kitchen out of the shed!

Anyway, the remaining problem seems to be the bedrooms. It's a 4 bedroom place (3 doubles). But 2 of the doubles are kids rooms so one only has a toddler bed and the other a cot. I think that people are looking at them and thinking that a double bed would not comfortably fit in. I know that it does because we used to have it that way as a guest room before DDs but obviously I can't put a double bed in the rooms to prove that it looks nice because my kids need to sleep somewhere.

DH thinks that I'm crazy and doesn't see any reason to make alterations for viewings (to the point where he is happy to leave the jumparoo as the livingroom center piece). I'm just so frustrated!

Anyone have any suggestions or just sympathy!!?? I'm tempted to just take it off the market and start again in the new year!

OP posts:
Pootles2010 · 14/11/2013 16:41

Can you link? Understand if you don't want to!

What does your estate agent think about it?

If you really wanted to show a double bed, could you borrow a sofa bed/futon and have it out as a double bed? Or maybe do you have photos of the room with double bed in?

It is a dreadful time of year, spring is so much better.

Re the toys - we used to put them all back in between viewings! We had 4 of those huge flexi tubs, everything was chucked in then went in the car, which was hidden round the corner...

MoonlightandRoses · 14/11/2013 21:13

I'd move both children's beds into one of the doubles and turn the single into a playroom and make sure the remaining two doubles have double beds in. It also subtly implies that space isn't the reason you're moving.

Also, if the feedback is 'too small' has your agent overdone it on the stretch in the photos? Happened with ours that, even though the size/floor plan was available, viewers came expecting larger, due to the photos - still sold, just took a bit longer as a result.

AugustaProdworthy · 14/11/2013 21:17

I would keep it as it is. Most viewers will appreciate you are a family and you live there. When showing people round explain they are double rooms. I think people tend to look past 'stuff' if they are serious but perhaps look at location, garden size, parking etc that you have no control over.
I had viewings with my two DCs a d found it enormously stressful so I do have empathy with you! Our feedback was always stuff we had no control over such as road noise, lack of porch etc ( and we had a lot of bonkers viewers too which made me really angry as I'd spent ages tidying the house And children up)

TeaJunky · 14/11/2013 21:18

When I saw this thread title, I thought someone was selling their house with the kids as a complete set.

The idea seemed rather appealing.

It's been a long and tiring day Grin

staverton · 14/11/2013 21:24

A friend had this. No offers with the 2nd bedroom as a baby's room with a cot for 5 weeks. They took the cot out (baby slept in travelcot which was hidden away for viewings) and had 4 over asking price offers the next day!

OnePlanOnHouzz · 15/11/2013 07:38

If you buy an app like 'interior designer for iPad' you can draw up your own set of plans for the house with double beds in and give them to any viewers that come around ! (Or get the house drawn up professionally ) - but a morning with a tape measure and a couple of hours playing on your iPad could make a big difference !! I've added a drawing of a lounge that I did on the app I mentioned - to my profile so you can see what it's like ! It's only about £8 for the app !! Hope that helps !! :-)

AugustaProdworthy · 15/11/2013 08:55

Oooh, oneplan- what a good idea! We could do with that with our two children's rooms.

littlecrystal · 15/11/2013 09:07

I also thought you are selling your house WITH the kids :)
I normally think that the viewers can read the measurements so they would surely know if a double bed fits or not, though I quite like the idea above of moving both kids into 1 double, having a double bed in another double and leaving the single as a playroom.

Monkeymummy1 · 15/11/2013 14:46

HAHA! That's funny! You think if I throw the kids in as an added incentive it will help?!

I hadn't thought of a travel cot but it's actually possible. We could put a double bed in the smaller double room and the travel cot next to it and just remove the cot for viewings. I'm happy to do that for a few weeks but if it drags on and on it will be a pain!

I like the idea of an app too! DH would love messing about with something like that and it would help get him involved! I have a photo of the room with a double bed in it which I think I'll print out too for viewers to see but that's only if we actually get them through the door!

We've had a viewing today while I've been at work and they just called that someone wants to see next week too. Maybe things are picking up.... x

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