Can I break contract and what's wrong with my house?

[holmessweetholmes]

Grrr! I'm tied into a 16 week contract with Chancellors. House went on the market at the end of Feb so I've got about 4 weeks left.
Chancellors have been pretty rubbish and not pro-active at all. Have had few viewings in spite of the market being very active. According to them, they do not know why the house isn't selling. Any suggestions (dropping the price, re-doing the photos) have come from me, not them. They occasionally claim someone is interested in a second viewing or might make an offer, but then claim that the potential buyers haven't got back to them and aren't returning their calls.
Sooo... is breaking contract a bit early a complete no-no? And can anyone look at my house and tell me why nobody wants it here

Thanks.

There are seven properties on your link, which is yours?

which house it? there's seven on that link.

We went with one estate agent who were crap, when the tied period was up we appointed another estate agent to sell the house as well, first estate agent were pissed off but we said 'you've had your chance, now commission goes to the first one to sell it' (it sol about a month later and the commission didn't go to them)

Oops! Weird - when I clicked on the link only my house came up! It's in Sutton Courtenay, on at £325 000 and has a white front.

OP I could of just written your post. I'm in exactly the same position with the same agent. We had 10 viewings the first week then nothing since. We get 1000s of views on line but no actual viewings. I think the photos are not good enough and the price must be too high. We are contemplating dropping price and requesting an Open House. Has anyone tried this? We are on the Berkshire/ Surrey borders but admittedly have a marmite house.

I would suggest swapping agent as soon as your fixed period is up OP, get a new agent to start preparing the details now.

Don't think the photos are the best, it looks like it needs some work ie new bathroom , flooring in the sitting room. It just doesn't seem to 'flow' and I think it would be benefit from neutralising in colours to help it flow better.
But however I so think it is a well proportioned house in a desirable area so probably with a few tweaks and a more proactive agent might be the key.
Good luck x

I think it does look like it needs a little bit of work - the bathroom particularly, and just is right in that it doesn't seem to flow that well with the different coloured spaces. I love that parquet floor though and the garden is great. I think a lick of paint and some better photos (leaving the bathroom off) would be a very quick fix. The floor plan shows how well proportioned it is and it's lovely and tidy so either you've decluttered or are naturally neat! Is it priced right for the area given the cost of a new bathroom?

Sorry to go off on a tangent but where did you get your TV stand/bookshelf? Been looking for one like that for ages...

The garden looks like a keen gardeners delight but not very family friendly . TBH its a house of a certain age that is going to have limited appeal . I agree that the bathroom needs changing ( or most buyers will think so) and the curtains in all the photos are a bit off putting . The flooring in the lounge just doesn't work . On the plus side it does look roomy .

I think it might be a bit overpriced tbh but I don't know the area very well.

www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatching.html?prop=4779702&sale=25581887&country=england

This house sold at the height, just before the crash for a lot less (it was the nearest comparable I could find), house prices are on the up again and probably slightly above where we were at the last crash, so I would say £300k is probably a more realistic price....but it is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay and if you think you can get it then keep holding on.

The other 3 bedroom houses are £75k less (ignore the bungalow they always attract more being one storey and usually a larger plot)

But yes, you can give notice to your agent now so that that you can switch at the end of your notice period. If you break your contract and go to someone else who sells you may be liable for two lots of fees...

Thanks for your comments! Interesting - some people love the parquet flooring and some people hate it! The bathroom is a bit rubbish but would it really put people off buying it? We've already had the photos re-done, including the front one.
It's really getting mr down now - the agents were all full of how easily it would sell, how there aren't enough houses for the buyers, that it would sell in a week etc.
I got my parents to 'mystery shopper' the agents btw. Chancellors haven't bothered to call them back or send them any details.

Incidentally, we are relocating to the other end of the country. Dh's new job starts at the beginning of September.

Oh and the wood thing in the garden is a hammock frame with a vine growing up it.

The bathroom would put me off a bit.

I love the parquet flooring though! That would cost a fortune to put down from new.

Hmm, is there any way you could use the mystery shopper thing to make a formal complaint and say you're dumping them for not keeping to the contract - as in not following up enquiries?

I think it has a lot of potential but not all viewers are able to see past the vendors stuff.

The kitchen curtains seem a bit random. Wrong material and confusing colour.
The lounge is very orange with the matching floor and furniture.
The bedroom is very orange too. When we sold our previous house we had orange in the lounge and I am sure it put people off. We painted it cream in the end.
The green carpet in the bedroom is a nice colour.
The bathroom is horrible. Sorry.
The garden could do with a tidy up and some colour. Even sharpening the edges can make a huge difference.

Nice size and proportions. With a young family I would want grass not veg parches. I would want to re-do most of the house.. Big job

Also hate parka flooring

Bathroom would really put me off, first things I check when looking at houses are kitchen & bathroom, they're the most expensive things to re-do. The kitchen is lovely though I really like it, but not enough to make up for the bathroom. Otherwise lovely spaces, could imagine my things there. Don't know about price though, I'm up north and could get a lot more for that price here!!

I really love it. My dream affordable house near me is exactly the same design. Get the agent to take the pic of the bathroom off the listing.

Only real reason could be the price but you should still be getting viewings

I genuinely don't think it's the price, having looked at others nearby. You certainly can get more for your money up North - we are moving to Cumbria, partly for that reason! I know the bathroom is awful - I had hoped we would get away with not doing it! Not quite sure what someone meant about the curtains being confusing though...?

Picture 2

Add some flowers or a fruit bowl and brighten it up a bit
Tidy the curtains so you can see out properly

Picture 3

Add a rug for some colour and maybe you can change the curtains so they don't hang down over the radiator? It looks like something is propped up against the wall at the end - can it be moved? Maybe put a throw over the sofa in the same colour as the rug to add some extra colour? It's a lot of the same colour with the floor and the sofas.

Picture 4
I'd move the drawers from under the bed and add a small sofa or blanket box at the end of the bed. I'd also move the desk out while the photo is done and maybe add a comfy chair and a small table with flowers on it - the room looks quite big and a relaxing area as well as the bed would be a lovely idea in my opinion. I love the colour of this room.

Picture 5

Add a picture to the wall above the bed to add a bit more interest?

Picture 6

Add some window dressing or a vase with bunch of flowers on the window sill? It looks quite plain and I can't imagine relaxing in there.

Picture 10

Add some colourful pots? What is that frame thing?
Cut the grass and wood stain the fence?

Picture 11

Add a table and chairs and bright pots to the patio
Maybe people are concerned about the flat roof? I would be.

It looks like a lovely house that the photos don't do justice to.

SpottieDottie - thanks for the very detailed comments! Definitely some things there that we could easily do. What did you mean about the flat roof? It's been recently re-done.

I love the floor as well, I just think a rug would add colour.
I am just put off a flat roof because of having seen them leak and that gave me an idea that I wouldn't want one. We used to have a flat roof but had it replaced with a pitched roof.
No problem about the comments, I was avoiding ironing!

Thank you everyone. There are some really good simple suggestions which might perk the rooms up if we get new photos with a new agent. I see what people mean about the living room - the expanse of parquet together with the sofas does rather give an excessive orange effect. It doesn't look so orange in real life, honest! A rug would be good.
I really want to avoid doing the bathroom as it would be expensive. But a vase of flowers etc mught cheer it up. Might get dh to knick the hammock frame down, or maybe hang the hammock up for the photos so that the frame doesn't look so random!

So excited about our relocation, and the sliw house sale has been really getting me down. Thanks again all...