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Can you look at this house please

107 replies

ItsAllAboutEve · 10/07/2015 12:24

And tell my why we aren't getting any viewings? We're desperate to sell need all the advice we can get.

m.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/37418753?search_identifier=be4ae289f66cc01dc6c0735b0ddf0e4e

OP posts:
wowfudge · 10/07/2015 15:38

The agent is Ibay and the house is on Rightmove.

Badgerwife · 10/07/2015 15:38

3 bed house for £127k you would barely get a one bed flat for this price down south! I'm not criticising, the difference just makes my jaw drop.

I think it's a lovely house but I agree with everyone that says declutter the lounge, repaint in neutral and add stair rail.

Crosbybeach · 10/07/2015 15:45

I love it and would buy it in a shot, but I'm a complete hippy at heart.

I think you need to declutter, look at some way of tidying up the rayburn, (move the books - sorry I love them), and do a bit of decluttering and ponceing up in the bedroom.

Needs a stairail - that's probably worth spending money on. The rest of it is just finding someone who'll let you store stuff in their garage. the upstairs looks much crisper and cleaner than the downstairs photos.

WorktoLive · 10/07/2015 15:47

Can they take a better picture of the other side of the house. People might be put off by the lack of a garden at the front. Also it appears to be at the top of a steep hill - might people be put off by this if all the amenities are at the bottom?

Also, people might have forgotten that the stamp duty threshold has changed, and be only looking at £125k and below - it might be better to reprice it at £125k. Ask your agent about this.

How long has it been on for - Rightmove says it's only been on for a few days - no need to panic yet.

Anjou · 10/07/2015 15:53

The properly itself is very nice, but the photos aren't doing you many favours. I'm probably repeating what's already been said, but if it were mine I would ...
Paint the bathroom and kitchen a light colour.
Put a rail on the stairs
Open all of your blinds and curtains. It looks like you have to keep them closed for some reason.
Similarly, turn off the lights in the kitchen. Having spotlights on plus the windows and door open accentuates how dark the walls and cupboards make it.
Remove the oversized mirror and wooden cabinet things from the lounge. They're too big and are at odds with your wallpaper and rug.
Clean/close/re spray the wood burner. It may not be, but it looks dirty.
Retake all the photos as the angles aren't doing the rooms or the gradient of the street any justice.
Either clear everything from the attic or delete the photo
Pop a floor plan on.

Hope everyone's feedback helps!

AlisonBlunderland · 10/07/2015 15:56

Floor plan
Floor plan!

I assume the second stair case is to the loft room.
Are the stairs in a separate landing or in one of the bedrooms?

The room with chair- bedroom or landing? Make it clear that every room has a purpose

Agree cream paint for kitchen and bathroom.
Pretty up the outside space with some tubs.
Remove half the stuff from kitchen and living room- that's what your loft is for!

Sort out kitchen stairs and understair area.

Otherwise it's charming!

AlisonBlunderland · 10/07/2015 15:57

And the two dressers in living room look wrong, like you're storing one for someone.

Pippidoeswhatshewants · 10/07/2015 16:02

It's a lovely house, and pp have already mentioned a lot of things that could be improved. The fact that the lights are obviously on and doors wide open suggests that it is a really dark house.
Close the door and top of the Rayburn!
Angles of the pictures and focal points are all wrong, sorry.

GiddyOnZackHunt · 10/07/2015 16:04

Floorplan
Personally I would be put off by the lack of cupboard space in the kitchen. The hanging racks do make it look low on storage even if it isn't.
Shower. I had to read the description to see there's a separate cubicle. The photo makes it look like there's no shower or space to have one

Binkleflip · 10/07/2015 17:10

Ok here goes, please take no offence and remember you are selling it now so can't present as living in it. Firstly your photographer is rubbish, get another and don't pay first. You have good room sizes and the pictures should but don't reflect that.

A floor plan is essential, double check measurements and be sure to show total outdoor and indoor space. You could also talk up the estate agent blurb a bit, it is remarkably free from descriptive flair. Feel free to edit it and ask for adjustments - make sure someone proof reads for you before submitting though because the agents may not. That looks like a luxury bathroom to me with a traditional kitchen given a contemporary twist etc etc.

I would box half of your stuff from the shelves in the sitting room and store - aim for neat well spaced books on shelves. Store both dressers and wee unit with contents off site, remove curtains and pole, push sofa back slightly to give a bigger space, put tv on pine box and put current tv stand as coffee table in middle instead. Minimise tv by getting speakers etc out of sight and if it works size wise swap tv and chair over so room seems bigger and more welcoming. Stash magazine racks, buckets, candles, logs and all extras out of sight or elsewhere. Clean up the fireplace as best you can. One way to declutter it is take everything out, clean the room and then put back only what compliments it (so it looks hotel standard!).

Kitchen - nothing on worktops but kettle, microwave and maybe toaster at a push if it is on a crumb catcher, get all the other stuff out of sight including drain rack etc. Halve the stuff on your shelves same as the bookcase. If you can then curtain w/machine and fridge spaces. Get a photo of the kitchen with the table and chairs pulled out of the way as well as with. Move microwave to (decluttered) space on top of fridge if you can to give more worktop. Clear table. Add a fruit bowl (clear glass or wood) containing orange/lemon/lime - bright colours. Clear back of door, hoist pan rack as high as possible. I would just leave the walls, they are lovely and if you paint it too neutral your units will overpower the whole room. Find a bannister solution.

Blue bedroom, lose tall shelves, stool, centre drawers and sort the curtains out. Remake bed with ironed bedding tucked tight and straight with pillows on top and maybe a cushion or two - matching throw tri-folded at foot optional. Again look up hotel rooms to copy bed presenting techniques.

Other bedrooms need presented as such - furnish, co-ordinate and lose the pinboard and plants. Use single beds if you can to show them as bigger rooms.

Bathroom is excellent, keep window wall green and paint rest bright white, do not mix magnolia with green. Hand towel rail is in an odd place, add another below it or resite it closer to sink level.

Dress your garden picture with some pretty plants - pink or red or orange - more bright colours, then try to have it framed so you see a bit of garden with the amazing view for miles in the background not a row of houses. Maybe little table and chairs by the wall (made up for two?) with a couple of planters either side so you catch the edge of the shed (but not it's foundations!) and the view will do the rest. Experiment with sunsets and see if you can get something fabulous yourself.

Go all out for the photos, pack as much as you can now and get it stored ready for moving. For showings have fresh flowers, cleaned bleached loos and fresh coffee brewing. Hide all day to day clutter in your car (including toothbrushes). It is a showroom until you sell and treat it as such. Try to leave all cupboards/wardrobes/shelves etc much less than half full to give illusion of space - you can't hide clutter - pack it and store it.

Yawn - have bored myself now - sorry for the mammoth post. OP good luck, it is worth it, I doubled my money on my last sale Wink

Can you look at this house please
Can you look at this house please
Can you look at this house please
Binkleflip · 10/07/2015 17:15

I agree to dressing the front a bit with colourful hanging baskets or window boxes and have that shot taken front on so that your house is the only one in the photo.

Suzietastic · 11/07/2015 18:49

although I personally like your colours, I would get in there with the neutral tones. also, I think a better picture of the front, perhaps more front on than from the left would be good?

EnlightenedOwl · 11/07/2015 19:14

The handrail on the stairs is lethal. Anyway.
I don't like the Rayburn and it does look a bit messy generally. I think it will appeal to some and its finding that niche buyer but it wouldn't be for me.

EnlightenedOwl · 11/07/2015 19:15

sorry missing handrail

knickernicker · 11/07/2015 19:25

I don't think it looks cluttered. It looks neat and homely.
If I were looking myself and spotting negatives I'd say: range looks rusty, whether it is or not, marks on it jump out at me, red kitchen needs painting and will transform kitchen which would look lovely in a more contemporary colour, the dark red is a bit 1997, and the bedroom looks crowded.
'

DoloresLandingham · 11/07/2015 20:22

The glass dish on the kitchen table really looks like an ashtray. I had to zoom right in to see what it was.

PlainHunting · 11/07/2015 20:38

I thought it was an ashtray too!

It looks cluttered and messy. The dirty range is really offputting. The stairs look lethal.

It looks like a big project rather than a house you could just move into.

I think it could be easily remedied by putting 75 % of the stuff into storage and painting in a light neutral colour, and leaving the range and stairs out of the photos.

CarbeDiem · 11/07/2015 21:54

I love it!
There's nothing really that would put me off but I'd prefer it to be neutral colours on the walls, particularly the bathroom and kitchen. Like others have said a big declutter and the open stairs sorted out is needed.

anotherdayanothersquabble · 14/07/2015 17:07

If it is bigger than other houses on the street, find a way to work that into the description.

bilbodog · 15/07/2015 12:57

I love AGAs but can't understand why you have a Rayburn in the sitting room? They are cookers like AGAs so should be in the kitchen! I expect that puts a number of people off and if you replaced it with a proper wood burning stove it would make a difference. Stair rails obviously. A bit of de-cluttering but quite frankly I don't understand why people can't see through some books on a shelf and a kitchen with kitchen items in it! You are not buying the OPs furniture, books or kitchen stuff! Why is everyone shouting 'floorplan' - there is a floorplan!

sleepyhead · 15/07/2015 13:16

Everyone was shouting floorplan! five days ago, bulldog. OP was clearly listeningWink

sleepyhead · 15/07/2015 13:16

Sorry, bilbodog.

AnulTheMagnificent · 15/07/2015 13:16

If I was selling it I would paint the walls neutral colours (it wouldn't put me off buying it but I couldn't live with those colours). Many people would want it ready to move in though.

I would be put off by the Aga. It is a strange place to have it, and it looks weird and is very scruffy.

You could sell it for a good price and put a normal fireplace in.

Pedestriana · 15/07/2015 13:41

The estate agents website is not that great TBH, you need to do lots of scrolling up and down, and I don't think their photos particularly show the rooms off well.

The floorplan is not a good quality image - very pixellated.

There do not appear to be pictures of all the bedrooms.
The aga looks untidy/rusty, and the stairs need a handrail on each side, I think.
The stable door looks as though it would hit someone on the back of the head if they were sitting at the table - can you move the table/chairs toward the worktop area a little?
The loft looks as though you're putting on a show with the chairs lined up!

No issue with colour. Paint is cheap, people should be able to get past red/green interiors! :)

Pedestriana · 15/07/2015 14:46

I take back my comment about the website being awkward - I was looking at the mobile version on my PC. I can easily find my way through the images.
I think they may need to redraw the floorplan though. The description of the house suggests the stairs are in the hallway upstairs. The photos are unclear, but the floorplan makes it look as though they're both in the bedroom AND on the landing...