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Property/DIY

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

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Original poster

No viewings. Time of year or HS2?

42 replies

TryingToSellOurFlat · 14/08/2015 12:25

Just wondering if anyone else has had problems with getting viewings?

Our flat's been on the market for 3 weeks; gorgeous flat, desirable area, higher than average online interest apparently, just no viewings. Don't know if I can post the link here or if that would count as advertising, but I'm driving myself mad wondering what we're doing wrong!

Agents say it's "just that time of year". They've suggested waiting till September and then lowering price again if we're desperate to sell. However, it's already lower than both the competition and the 5 separate valuations we had done, as we wanted a quick straightforward sale to get a house we loved.

The only thing "wrong" I can think of is that it's in the bit of town fairly near where HS2 would go. Could that be why? If so, what do we do? Does anyone else have experience of this, or any advice for getting viewings?

Or is it in fact JUST that time of year?

OP posts:

mandy214 · 14/08/2015 13:47

If its a flat then I'm guessing your target market isn't families. I think it's a quiet time of year for family house sales because people are away or don't want viewings with chilDren. If you're not getting viewings you can post the link and we can perhaps give you some feedback!

Saltedcaramel2014 · 14/08/2015 13:50

Post the link - people do it all the time and you'll likely get some v helpful, more specific advice

TheUnwillingNarcheska · 14/08/2015 15:48

If you post a link there will be a lot of advice, including on the price as people may know the area etc.

Worth doing especially if you name changed to create this thread. I posted my own house 6 years ago and got lots of advice on it.

Hamishandthefoxes · 14/08/2015 15:57

It's likely to be the time of year. It's very unlikely to be hs2 unless nothing in your town of your big if town has sold at all in the last 6 months or so.

Original poster

TryingToSellOurFlat · 14/08/2015 17:07

Hello - thank you all for responding, and sorry, first chance to get back online!

The links are here and here. Re-looking at them, I am wondering if we really need to redecorate the place - we've purposefully kept it as 'new build' as possible so it would look relatively untouched, but maybe some new wallpaper, shelves or putting things into storage is the way to go... it doesn't help that my husband's an academic and has four million books!

In terms of living here, it's absolutely lovely - green, cycle routes near by, dead quiet, nice neighbours, etc. The only reason we're moving is that we're hoping to have a family in the next few years. Meanwhile a couple of nearby flats/houses have sold lately, so maybe it's not HS2 afterall...

Oh dear. Any advice, however brutally honest, really appreciated!

OP posts:

MissBattleaxe · 14/08/2015 17:12

The flat looks fine- no red flags. I think the summer holidays are a real slump- people either have their kids with them or they have no money after going on holiday. Wait til September/October and then start fretting. Good luck!

WhatKatyDidnt · 14/08/2015 17:18

I think the floor plan could do with some measurements. The second bedroom looks quite small but is described as a double - some numbers would help.

Pipbin · 14/08/2015 17:21

I think it's the pictures.
The low height makes me wonder about head room, could the photographer not stand up? Why the second picture of some trees? Drop the picture of the hallway too.

The flat itself looks fine to me, just the pictures need a rejig.

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 14/08/2015 17:22

I'd be put off by the ground rent and monthly service charge, I'm afraid, otherwise I can't see anything obviously "wrong". But agree with pp that the summer holidays is a rubbish time to get people through the door.

Original poster

TryingToSellOurFlat · 14/08/2015 17:30

Thank you all for taking a look and for the feedback, I appreciate it.

I can't believe I didn't notice the lack of measurements! And I'm going to go back to them about the photos - funnily enough she had a tripod, but it didn't seem to go higher than her knees; I might just ask if she can take them by hand and reorder them.

And yes, the ground rent and service charge are definitely unfortunate :-( they did ask if we wanted those mentioned ... but it seemed unfair not to given that it could be a surprise/dealbreaker later.

OP posts:

Pipbin · 14/08/2015 17:33

I've only just looked at the second link.
The pictures are better.

Are they air con units? Anything like that worries me and makes me assume the place is hot/cold/damp.

7to25 · 14/08/2015 17:33

Hmmm
Not as pleasant as the other posters, sorry. The photos are terrible in the first link, the trees and the hall ones are particularly bad.
What are those "things" Dehumidifiers?
Second bedroom as a bedroom.
Picture on the wall.
Is that a bed in the living room? Get rid.

Pipbin · 14/08/2015 17:35

Also, I'm always put off by anywhere that is on with more than one agent. It makes me wonder why they want to leave so quickly.

CityDweller · 14/08/2015 17:43

Things that would put me off (you asked to be brutal, so I am!)

Pictures are bad (on both, although second slightly better)
What are those heaters/ dehumidifiers doing in the photos? Remove them before pics.
No measurements on floorpan
Bed in living room??
It's all a bit bland/ boring (looks a bit like a motel or student accommodation - sorry!)

Original poster

TryingToSellOurFlat · 14/08/2015 17:46

No apologies necessary! There are some things we can't change but if we can, we need to, whether that's the listing or the furniture - thank you and I'll have a think about what we can do!

Ironically (?) the air conditioner and de-humidifier are from our old flat, we haven't used them once in this one. Perhaps photos without them would be more representative...

And thanks for the feedback about the agents; we're only in a "hurry" because we've found a house we absolutely love, but maybe it's worth taking a step back and just using one agent till Sep/Oct.

OP posts:

Original poster

TryingToSellOurFlat · 14/08/2015 17:48

x-post, no, brutal is good! :-) there's a reason we're not getting viewings, good to work out what we need to do.

OP posts:

Saltedcaramel2014 · 14/08/2015 17:49

Photos on second link are much, much better. I don't think first link is doing it justice. Could all those CDs be shifted out of shot in the office? Looks a bit cluttered. Agree with pps that the dehumidifier is off-putting. Hopefully just the summer slump though! Good luck

Pipbin · 14/08/2015 17:51

I agree with getting rid of the bed in the living room. It looks odd and make the space look tiny.
Unlike others I don't have a problem with the lack of measurements on the floor plan.

Saltedcaramel2014 · 14/08/2015 17:51

I don't think you need to redecorate. You could do a lot with accessories, though.

overthemill · 14/08/2015 17:58

Pictures aren't very good. Why is there a bed in the living room? The dehumidifier smoke me assume you have damp/ condensation problem and the flat doesn't look very welcoming. Sorry.

Phil spencer always says make each room look like it's meant to, so bedrooms have a bed in, dining room a table etc. de clutter and make the beds with brighter increased bed linen and move stuff back where it belongs. I think something to Kate it look nicer like some pictures might be good - can just be inexpensive ones. Watch that programme Phil and Kirsty did love it or list it? Full of great ideas for making your home look great as does 'secret agent'. You want to maximise viewings and offers.

I always try to declutter before a move anyway as you dint w at to pay movers/ hire bigger van than you need.

DieselSpillages · 14/08/2015 17:58

It looks like it's a one bedroom flat with the second bed in the living room.

00100001 · 14/08/2015 18:00

Why have you got a bed in the living room??

achieve6 · 14/08/2015 18:05

I don't think you need to redecorate but the dehumidifiers alarmed me too, after living in a damp flat.

I do agree that it's very quiet at the moment but it's not a large family home so would have thought you'd get some interest?

to be honest, I would re-do the pictures to show off max space. I actually rejected pics taken by the EA when I sold my last place - he did an average job but didn't do a "good" job. What I would do is move the bed out of the lounge, and also remove as much clutter as possible from all shots.

I wouldn't see a flat without proper measurements listed either - I'd ask the EA to get them but if they weren't forthcoming I'd probably just leave it unless I was really desperate to find a place. With a flat, I'd suspect the rooms were smaller than they looked in pics if the actual dimensions weren't included.

CityDweller · 14/08/2015 18:10

Oh, and yes, agree - anything on with more than one agent puts me off. It looks desperate (like you're trying to off-load it) and makes me worry that if I had an offer accepted with one agent the other one might continue marketing it.

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 14/08/2015 18:13

If you are going to do an overhaul, I'd take the free standing cabinet out of the kitchen too

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