Feeling brave, critique my house please MNers!

[passmethewineplease]

Ok so we rent from DPs mum and dad, we want to move so they've offered to sell this house and buy another and we continue renting from them.

House been on for just over a month, one viewing, no feedback been left as far as I'm aware.

Here's the link:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-47734199.html

The bathroom isn't on there, in all honesty it needs updating but don't think there's money to do it. Also have a downstairs toilet and shower, again not pictured as it is quite difficult to get a good picture. Quite modern though, nice shower.

I personally think the price is a bit optimistic but I don't think they'll mind dropping it a bit, already been dropped by £5k.

Any help greatly appreciated!

link here

Thanks Horten

Can I ask why your rug in the sitting room is pushed up to the fireplace? Just looks a little odd to me It looks fine, if a little over decluttered in some rooms.

Actually scrap that, it isn't overly decluttered just very tidy. i think its fine. Good luck.

Okay it's a lovely house... nothing awful really. I agree re the rug - make it more centralised. I also think the kitchen tiles are pretty hideous (sorry) but I'm not sure you can do much about that - painting them perhaps? If I bought the house I would have them redone.

The rest of the house is nice. I'd maybe add some colour to the garden - some nice pots of flowers perhaps just to make it more homely.

It looks fine. The main thing I would say, without knowing the area and therefore the local market/pricing etc,is that the tiling is the kitchen is very overpowering and probably a bit off putting to people.

I would disagree with the 'cluttered' thing, I think it looks quite pared down. The living room is the only room with accessories in it, really - lamps, photos, rugs. It doesn't look overdressed to me, in fact in some rooms it looks a bit bare to me - the conservatory looks very beige with table shoved into the wall & office blinds, even a vase of flowers on the table would help to make it looks more welcoming.

The garden is very empty too, just fence to fence grass. Some might like that - none gardeners, families with footballing kids, gardeners wanting a blank canvass, but some will want a bit of flora & fauna.

That said, those things are very minor and the house looks clean, tidy and well presented.

Is it overpriced?

Looks a lovely house. The only thing I can think is the price as I don't think it can be the house.

House looks nice. Don't like the tiles in the kitchen but that's it. I think it could be the price too.

I completely agree about the kitchen tiles, they're awful. I'd get rid personally, I might suggest painting them or something, it doesn't help they are ceiling to floor.

I think it might be a bit over priced in all honesty but I think they didn't mind aiming high first and then reducing it if needs be?

I also think we should ditch the office blinds! I don't feel they say family home really!

Do you know what I don't really know why the rug is in that position.. I'll move it and take some pics to compare I reckon.

Will ask inlaws about some flowers in the garden, there only down the side bit at the minute.

Now how do I say all that nicely to DPs mum and dad. might get him to tell them

It's a totally blank canvas. Which is what it should be, really, as people ought to put their own stamp on a place when they move in. Unfortunately, lots of people don't have the imagination or vision to be able to do that so I would say, being brutally honest, that it feels quite chilly and not very homely. Too much laminate floor and not many fabrics to soften it all up. But the buyer wouldn't be buying any of that so it's probably a moot point.

Trouble with "aiming high" is that it doesn't get people through the door. People just don't view it. They will view the million other similar style new builds on the market at the more realistic end of the price brackets.

Then by the time your house has been reduced, it has been on the market for a while, buyers have seen it on the net/in the paper/in the EA window plenty and rather than seeing the reduction as a "bargain", start to see it as "What's up with it? Why hasn't it sold yet?". It's a risky strategy.

Especially when you don't have a "unique" style of house to sell

All looks good. I would say that looking at the details I was surprised how big the kitchen was actually as the first picture of the kitchen makes it appear quite small which it isn't really. I would push to paint the tiles in the kitchen and to have those shots retaken from a different angle.

I'd say price, kitchen tiles and bathroom. All of those things affect my decision greatly when I'm buying because kitchens and bathrooms cost a lot to do.

I'd almost prefer the bathroom situation knowing I'm going to redo it rather than living with what is essentially a nice kitchen with not so nice tiles. However price has to reflect the fact that you want to do both. If you did both how much would it cost...knock that off the house price because that's what your viewers will be doing.

Sorry but I would change the kitchen tiles (or paint them).

The garden has real potential but looks quite bare at the moment. Could you add a few boarders and add anything?

Other than that or looks great. Best of luck.

the thing that would put me off is the overpowering trees in the garden next door; to me that spells, blocking out light, roots growing into foundations/ drains and leaves, leaves, leaves. Pond also would be a 'no' for many people with families

It's fine. Pretty sure the next people will take down the tiles in the kitchen but any buyer will expect to do something. They'll probably repaint the children's bedrooms too, but again that's not a problem.

If you want people through the door bring down the price.

Nice house. I'd warm it up a bit with grouped sets of pots in garden along fence and at front too, paint the tiles in kitchen, remove the drawers from window in bedroom, remove tv in bedroom, maybe think of curtains in bedroom. Ask estate agent to retake photos. It's a nice house, just a conservatory and your bedroom are a bit de cluttered and needs warmed up. If money is an object, ask friends to borrow whatever for a set time.

I would re-order the pictures, so that, for example, the 2 kitchen ones are together. Also the Hello Kitty bedspread is a bit gendering, with the pink walls. Can you use a neutral one for the photo/viewings.

Lovely house.

But I only noticed it had a downstairs shower room when I looked at the floor plan, that should be a key feature and listed on the front where the bullet points are.

The interior is lovely except the kitchen tiles. I would move the bins and the scooter and put a plant or a bench in front of the pipes at the front of the house and retake the picture.

It's the first impression people get and I think it lets the house down.

I would also, as already mentioned, centre the rug and put a bit of colour in the rear garden.

looks fine, but lack of bathroom photo means 'what have they got to hide?' Also you could have taken the toy out of the first photo.

and you've dropped the price in 2 weeks, says propertybee, which says 'a bit desperate'. From the sold prices nearby, you are overpriced, and the lack of viewings bears that out.

stupid text - a surprising house. What, a scream of horror at the bathroom? Get the babble removed and some sense added.

I would put pots of flowers and shrubs in the garden and a few potted herbs on the kitchen window ledge and maybe a couple of things on the counters like a teapot, mugs and sugar bowl...

We are in the process of selling and buying now, so I do feel for you.

I would avoid your house because of the neighbours trees.

They rest of your house/size of garden is lovely for a family or ftb, especially if it is priced right.

Thanks all. I did actually ask the estate agent to knock and let me know when he was here to do the outside picture so I could shift the bins and the bloody scooter, he didn't though which annoyed me a bit tbh.

We did have some tea and coffee cannisters but on closer inspection they looked Crap so I threw them out.

FIL agreed to drop the price, MIL thinks it was the wrong thing to do at the moment given we aren't overly desperate to move just yet. I'm due dc3 in just under three weeks.