No viewings. Time of year or HS2?

[TryingToSellOurFlat]

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?

Only looked at first link but the One bed I can see looks like a single from that angle. If they are both double rooms they both need double beds in them.

I would ditch the A/C etc units, it makes you think there's a damp/boiling hot problem.

Why not look at new build developers who will buy your house off you?.

I'd hide the service charge, let them fall in love with it then mention it.

Hi OP, here's my suggestions:-

Put the single bed in lounge into the other bedroom (makes lounge look really cramped).
Put the chair from the main bedroom into the lounge.
Declutter kitchen work surface as much as possible.
Take the small dark wood cabinet and humidifier out of kitchen and put small table/two chairs in its place (dining area), dressed with a vase of flowers.
That long eight-part wooden shelving unit in lounge could be stood on its end and make it appear that there's more room (filled with the same stuff).
Get rid of that grey bin from lounge.
That bookcase in your bedroom, move it to the other end because it looks really cramped at the end of the bed, not much room to get round bed.
Would it be worth moving bed so its under the window to make it easier to access each side? (sloping roof)
CD shelving can be removed from spare room too. Pack it all away until you move to dream house .

That's all for now . Hope it helps. Get new pics done and vet them carefully before publication.

My ideas:

Bathroom - move the cleaning spray from under the sink and loo brush out of the picture. Move the shampoos etc from the bath edge. Shelving and candles are fine, perhaps place a group of three on shelf above basin. Coloured towels folded and draped over bath edge will add colour.

Bedroom 2 - place the spare bed in here made up with nice duvet set. Pack away books/DVDs and the desk/PC? Curtains are only just ok, they seem to drape on the windowsill?

Main bedroom - it's ok. Re take photos with better or just neater duvet set. Have you tried turning bed around so headboard is under window? It does look a little cramped - like you can't walk round. Be good to try and show the fitted wardrobes as storage space in flats is always appealing. Hide heating thing.

Living room - this could be good. Once bed is in spare room, put sofa along that wall instead. Use the IKEA Poang chair from bedroom in living room. Use the more modern lighter wood unit to go under the window to put TV and some bits and bobs on. Hide bin and heating thing. Stripy rug? Low wood unit as coffee table? Use your three matching flowery black and white cushions to tie all together.

Kitchen - no too bad. Retake photo closer to sink so that it only shows half the fridge - it's fairly dominating.

No need for photos of views or hallway.

Really hope this helps, best of luck!

Ha absent lots of similar ideas cross posted! Do you want set something up and be the new Kirstie and Phil? We could set up an on-line advice service for people who can't sell?! ????

To avoid x post I agree with Riuge she makes some excellent points.

I think you need some new photos just to give it a bit more pizazz.

The dehumidifier and fans needs to go from the photos, and it might be worth taking a bit of time to try out some different layouts with the bedrooms in particular.

What looks like your room (double?) might benefit from the bed being at a right angle to what it is now, just to give the illusion of more space to move around the bed. Also, change the bedding and the blanket on the sofa for something a bit brighter (but not garish!) to lift the colours.

The photo of the corridor looks long and a bit horror movie-ish and could perhaps be done with doors open into the bedrooms/ a new bright painting or picture on the wall to again lift the colour.

Declutter, the bookcases especially, and intersperse with some nice/quirky ornamentation to give it a more up to date look.

It does look tiny and some of the photos are just bizarre (corridor and wonky view??!).

Agree with advice above.

Also wrt HS2, we are considering moving to your town BECAUSE of it!

Where do you sit to eat?

The rooms look cramped and cluttered, but the big one for me is all the sloping ceilings. It just makes the flat look smaller and claustrophobic. OH is very tall and he wouldn't even bother looking at the flat.

I agree about the other points - remove the bed in the living room, remove the dehumidifiers and you need to show where you can eat. Do you not have a dining table and chairs?

Yes, sack the first estate agent, put about half the furniture in storage and get the photos redone! Particularly the living room - it looks really cramped and I don't think it needs to.

And definitely ditch or hide the dehumidifier/aircon. That's always a red flag for me after living in a house with awful damp.

I'm sure the flat is fine but the pictures are awful (sorry).

You must get rid of the picture of the trees (says no daylight, damp, subsidence problems to me).
The clutter and dehumidifier in the bedroom must go (even if you just hide them for photos and viewings).
There aren't enough proper room shots. You don't get any idea of what it actually looks like.

I agree first lot of photos are not very flattering.

We are buying and have had a nightmare trying to find anything, still selling well even now, way more buyers than sellers but I am sure this varies area to area.

I am another who becomes concerned with multiple agents because I feel like something is amiss or there is a reason to go ASAP.

Floorplan is good though, but definitely think photos could be improved and other's suggestions are good re moving the bed.

I agree with some of the suggestions about moving the dehumidifier, plastic bin in living room, etc. the photos on the second link are miles better than the first.

Have to say I thought it was a second sofa in the living room!

Is there room for a small table and a couple of chairs in the kitchen?

Hi everyone - so so sorry, it looks like my message last night didn't post, we were out to dinner and I couldn't reply properly - but I'm going to take a good look at these today and see what we can get done. I think because we live here and can see "past" the photos, we didn't notice stuff as much.

There IS a spare bed in the living room - we moved here from a bigger place with the intention of moving back to a bigger place again, and DH took over second bedroom as a study! Seemed silly to get rid of it and it's actually been a very comfy extra sofa, but I see what you mean! Will have a look into storage etc.

Thank you again, you're brilliant :-)