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Any thoughts why this isn't selling? Just too expensive?

30 replies

JenniMoo · 06/08/2014 14:09

My inlaws are trying to relocate from the midlands to be near us down south, but after being on the market (with a short break) for over a year they've still not managed to sell I think they've had one or two low offers, so wonder if it's just too expensive.

Any thoughts?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42641953.html

OP posts:
wowfudge · 06/08/2014 16:05

I think it's that kitchen above all else: very dated and looks a big room therefore expensive to change. Paint the tiles (get a professional in) or replace them with plain white with a border to break up the space from worksurface to ceiling, replace the work tops, sink - for stainless steel - and cabinet doors (or paint those if replacing the tiling) for a modest amount compared to re-doing it completely.

Also, the photos have a gloom about them, giving the place a dull look: it feels like it needs brightening and warming up with some new curtains perhaps, touches of warmer colour here and there. It's almost as though it's been de-cluttered too severely (I suspect everything is behind the doors of all the fitted furniture Wink).

The presentation of the other rooms could be improved as pp have noted - for example there's too much furniture in the conservatory; it should be either a relaxing sitting room overlooking the garden or a dining room, but not both. It needs a clear purpose.

In the living room, with all the furniture pushed back to the wall the fireplace is on, it has an odd waiting room feel. Maybe a rug and a coffee table would help?

The bedroom with the gilt beaded fitted furniture would benefit from new, modern doors or freestanding furniture instead. Or even just some very simple, more modern looking beading.

Replace the yellowed bath panel with a new one.

Hang the picture in the kitchen instead of balancing it on the radiator! I don't know if it is hung, but it doesn't look like it.

Also, looking at the photos, you wouldn't know there is a downstairs WC.

Looking at sold prices, it isn't off the mark, but if the competition looks as though you could move straight in, then unless someone loved something particular about it, it's not going to shift.

Clobbered · 06/08/2014 16:07

Get rid of all the unnecessary furniture - what's with all those pouffées?? Also surface clutter in bedrooms.

mandy214 · 06/08/2014 16:59

Have you looked at Zoopla for sold properties in the same road? The last one sold in Sept last year for £285,000 and was a 4 bed property (although different style). Very nice kitchen, bathroom, modern throughout.

I think therefore with this, as other people have said, its a combination of the target market, the stamp duty threshold and the requirement to do a lot of updating. Whilst its a good solid house, and is very similar to my parent's house actually, it really doesn't appear to the younger market (who I guess will be the target market).

I'd bet that anyone looking at a family house will think that every room needs to be redecorated (you can't see from the photos but am guessing its anaglypta and woodchip wallpaper throughout), the fake fire, green carpets, a fully tiled kitchen (!) and a very dated bathroom. You can imagine buyers thinking they'll need maybe £15,000-£20,000 easily to re-style it. If you add in the £8.5k or thereabouts for stamp duty, you're going to end up paying around £300k for the house.

Even if you think it is worth that, you have to have about £25k of that as readily disposable cash (i.e. not as part of your mortgage) and I'd guess perhaps there are not many potential purchasers looking for a house at that value in that location with the readily available cash, and willing to live in a house (potentially with children) whilst that level of refurbishment is done.

JenniMoo · 01/11/2014 08:22

Just an update. We (diplomatically) gave PIL some of your ideas and they did listen, and dropped the price too when they saw a house they really wanted (1 minute walk from us!) and have now sold.
Thank you for all the honest views!

OP posts:
mandy214 · 01/11/2014 09:03

Great news.

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