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Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

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Original poster

First time seller questions!

28 replies

weefreewomen · 12/03/2015 20:48

I've never sold a house before. House went know market 2 weeks ago. We've had one viewing and one cancelled viewing as an offer had been accepted.

Is that about right? Is there a way of knowing what 'the market' is doing in our area (Leeds)? There are lots of for sale boards recently, and some have sold.

Is there anything else we can do? We are relocating and ideally need to sell by the summer.

OP posts:

mandy214 · 12/03/2015 23:43

I'd say one viewing in 2 weeks is poor, I would expect there to be a flurry of viewings when you first go on the market. Are you with an agent who is with Right move? local press? Have you asked someone objective to look at your photos etc?

Pipbin · 12/03/2015 23:49

Did the offer fall through?

That is a low amount of viewings in my opinion. I would expect closer to 5 the first week.

wowfudge · 13/03/2015 07:10

Pipbin - the OP means a viewer cancelled as they had an offer on another property accepted. I thought the same as you initially.

RoganJosh · 13/03/2015 07:13

I'd agree that you'd expect more interest initially. Are your photos good? Do you think the price is right?

Original poster

weefreewomen · 13/03/2015 08:58

I think the price is right. It seems on a par with other houses locally. It is on rightmove and friends have said house looks lovely.

This is a name change so I could share the link here, see what people think.

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Original poster

weefreewomen · 13/03/2015 09:00

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48627166.html

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wowfudge · 13/03/2015 09:19

Hi - price seems right looking at sold prices.

I think, if I were being extremely critical, that some of the rooms could do with an injection of personality and softening - the living room is dominated by the TV, no pictures, no accessories to speak of. It isn't homely or warm feeling. It is very tidy though.

Compare your photos with those of the house that sold in October 2014 on the same street. The house doesn't have many original features from what I can see so could do with something else to give it some character/personality.

The outside patio area should be a shot of a table and chairs, not the outside tap and some toys.

Penguinotterfoxbadger · 13/03/2015 09:20

Hmm.. Looking at the negatives, the main thing that would put me off would be the tiny 3rd bedroom. Can you even fit a bed in there? If not, maybe you could market it as a 2/3 bed iyswim.

If you are able to change the photos on Rightmove then I would also suggest taking a photo of the garden when it is sunny as it looks like it would be beautiful. In fact, I would re do all the photos on a sunny day.

housepicturesqueclub · 13/03/2015 09:27

2 weeks is nothing at all. Depends on the market in your area - how many people are likely in a position to get a mortgage with the tough rules that came in last year? ALOT of buyers rushed in last spring, so expecting it to be quiet this year in the North.

House looks nice. What is the competition like in your area? try and look at it from a buyers perspective, what else is there similar to yours in the area, are they priced less than your house?

Some houses can take a year or more to sell.

Original poster

weefreewomen · 13/03/2015 09:35

Yes you can fit a single bed in there. It was a bedroom but Dh now works from home so has it as an office.

I'll see if I can borrow some chairs and table for garden.

Should we take TV down? Is it weird to put a picture of hallway? Hallway has original panelling, banister etc.

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Belindabelle · 13/03/2015 09:39

I think most of the photographs do not show off the house particularly well.

Retake first photo so you don't see the path at the side or the car. It's a cliche but a few plant pots at the front door would look good.

I would have a tidy on the kitchen, remove cleaning products, clear the fridge, remove muddy boots etc then get better photographs. The lighting and flash are all wrong.

Bathroom photo looks to focus on the wall unit. Maybe add a roller blind and coloured towel and change the camera angle.

Love the bedroom shot. Fantastic. Same with child's bedroom. I love that you have kept the wardrobes doors off.

Garden looks great but I would get rid of the photograph of the back door area.

Can you tell me where you got your bread spread please! Love it.

Penguinotterfoxbadger · 13/03/2015 09:40

If hallway is nice then definitely take a picture.

I would take the TV down, yes.

Can you take photos of bedroom 3 from a different angle or anything to show it off better (I know it's difficult to do this with a small room so might not be possible to improve)

Penguinotterfoxbadger · 13/03/2015 09:42

I agree that the two huge bedroom are great, and I also really like the bathroom (although the photo could be improved)

mandy214 · 13/03/2015 09:44

I think it looks overpriced now you have a put a link to it. If you look on Rightmove sold, a house in your road sold for £160,000 at the end of last year. That house looks as though it has an extension at the back of the house, a boarded loft room (although it looks as though can't call it a bedroom but it is dressed as a bedroom) and cellar storage. It also has a bigger garden (or looks as though it does from the photos) and was very well presented. That adds up to more than £10,000 imo (i.e. difference between their sale price and your asking price).

Your house looks lovely too - if I was being really critical there are a couple of things I would put away - just because having them out looks like you have a storage problem (like the bike in the garden, things stored on the top of your fridge) but I think its just probably the price.

Belindabelle · 13/03/2015 09:44

Yes definitely show the hall and the features. Also do you have the fourth chair for the kitchen table. Make the table look like it could easily seat 6.

Personally I would remove the TV from the wall but some people will love it.

Obviously you like it there and you do still have to live there.

Original poster

weefreewomen · 13/03/2015 09:49

Thanks for all the tips. The bedspread was from ikea!

I have since cleared the fridge. We do have the other chair I'll get that out. I've also got rid of all the stuff on the fridge/cupboards.

We do have a basement for storage too.

The wardrobe doors was more to do with expense and the fact that the kids would just faff around with the doors!

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Original poster

weefreewomen · 13/03/2015 09:50

I hate the TV on the wall. That is Dh. I'd happily have it down.

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TheSingingMonkey · 13/03/2015 10:29

I would clear the fridge, all the magnets etc, and I would put lighter curtains in the children's bedroom as it's quite a large dark colour. Obviously this may not be practical! Change your duvet to something light and plain.

wowfudge · 13/03/2015 11:09

Actually - a pp mentioned not having the passageway to the side on the photo: good point especially with the bins there. Yes, get a photo of the hall in, put the other dining chair round the table and get a photo of the bathroom which shows the shower. It may seem obvious, but you have to read the description to find out if there is a shower.

wowfudge · 13/03/2015 11:11

About the cellar - there is one bullet point mention of it: it isn't in the floor plans and no dimensions are given in the description.

Penguinotterfoxbadger · 13/03/2015 11:16

Can you get the agent to add the basement to the floor plan? Or at least highlight it in the description? We are currently buying a house and a cellar was a big plus point to us.

Also, do you know whether it would be possible to convert the loft? Have others on the street done it? If so, maybe add something along the lines of "potential for loft conversion, subject to planning" (or whatever would be accurate, obviously check first, I have no idea what the rules are)

hereandtherex · 13/03/2015 12:53

Lets have a look:

houseprices.io/?q=kippax%2C+leeds%2C+ls25

Looking at the sold data, you are in asking a (comparative) lot.
Most houses in your area sell for less.

Sleepyhoglet · 13/03/2015 14:49

Wow I need to move to Leeds! House prices so cheap

Bowlersarm · 13/03/2015 14:58

I think its lovely op, and I don't think you need to do anything much to it.

A similar looking one sold in the road for £160,000 in October so the price looks ok.

Maybe it's just slow in your area and you need a bit of patience. What have the estate agent said?

Original poster

weefreewomen · 13/03/2015 15:58

We had it valued by three Estate agents and they all said the same. Some of those much cheaper ones are in a less desirable area, on an ex council Estate (it shouldn't matter I know.)

The estate agents seem very confident, they say market is picking up.

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