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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Selling house, low viewings

67 replies

trinitybleu · 14/10/2016 09:47

About to take house off the market and maybe try again in the new year, but want some opinions on the photos / listing please as the Agents have been crap at providing feedback.

What looks good, what would put you off, what should we change for next time? Be brutally honest, I won't mind!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-61762934.html

OP posts:

carmenta · 14/10/2016 09:59

Having had a look at the sold prices in the area, I'm guessing price.

It's not really a four bedroom house when the fourth bedroom is so small, so you seem well over the ceiling for a three bedroom (plus study) and not offering what other local four bedrooms are in terms of size.

Also there appears to be a high voltage power line in the field behind the house, which would put me off.

flissfloss65 · 14/10/2016 10:04

House looks lovely but the pylon in the first picture would put me off viewing. Whether they do or don't effect health I would not want to see it from my house.

Kr1stina · 14/10/2016 10:09

The price

RiverTam · 14/10/2016 10:13

I'm in London so it's dirt cheap to me, so can't comment on price.

From the pictures, 2 of the bedrooms look pretty small, I'd take that double out of the one with the fitted wardrobes. And I really don't like the dark curtains in every room.

But they are minor points. I think your biggest issue, which you can do nothing about, is the whopping great PYLON behind your house. A lot of people simply won't want to buy a house that close to a pylon. So it's going to take a long time to sell, even if the price, location, decor, layout etc are spot on.

Original poster

trinitybleu · 14/10/2016 10:16

I agree that I think the price is too high now - at the point we put it on, there was another house on the road that had just sold for over £325k which is smaller and no front garden at all, plus others that were on for the same price. The Agents (3 have valued it the same) all seem to think the plot size makes it worth so much more, but I think they've over done it. We also didn't pay for the front garden originally (we've had it from new) so the basic Zoopla price prediction doesn't really work.

The pylon isn't in use but agree that puts people off.

OP posts:

RTKangaMummy · 14/10/2016 10:18

I know this isn't much help but it would be the electricity pylon for me

We wouldn't buy a house that close to one, it might be really silly but it would worry me especially if we had small children

What has happened to the garden photo with the pylon, has it been "whited/filtered" out?

I think it could be sold as 3 bed with nursery or office but could you actually fit a single bed in it and still move around?

TimTamTerrier · 14/10/2016 10:19

It would probably be worth also having a photo of the en suite as otherwise it looks as though you don't have any showers (although it does say that you do in the description).

Your garden is beautifully neat, but would you consider putting in some flowers or something that has coloured foliage to add some colour? The terracotta pot by the front door blends into the brickwork and the plant in it is the same sort of green as the rest of the garden plants. Perhaps a glazed pot (in cobalt blue or rich red) on either side of the door with some winter-flowering plants. A copper beech or a small group of three silver birches in the middle of the fence furthest away from the camera would make the front garden feel a bit more private as well as providing a visual focus. Maybe a bed of lavender along the edge of the terrace in the back garden (although that wouldn't help much in January, it would look and smell gorgeous in the summer).

Your bedrooms are lovely, but I would add cushions or a throw in rich fabrics, especially in the bigger room which is very black and white.

I love your sitting room, though I would have a bigger rug and centre it evenly between the sofas and the fireplace. Your entire house is so clean and tidy, I have never managed to get mine into that state, and even if I did it would only last until the DC walked through the door.

RiverTam · 14/10/2016 10:20

If the pylon isn't in use then you need that to be made crystal clear in the blurb. And not have it showing in the very first photo.

Really, what do we pay estate agents for?? They should be telling you all this!!

Original poster

trinitybleu · 14/10/2016 10:32

RTKangaMummy - yes, the 4th bedroom would fit a single but not much else. It was a great nursery! I don't know what they've done to that photo, but suspect so, yes.

TimTamTerrier - thanks! I shall pass your compliments onto the lovely man who does the garden for us We hate gardening so just can't see what needs to be done. Husband hates throws and cushions (and patterns, hence the plain curtains everywhere) but I will show him your comments and buy some anyway The secret to the clean and tidy house is one child, a cleaning lady, have the photographer come an hour after she's been and don't open any of the cupboards!!!

RiverTam I know - driving me mental. They came and took some different photos .... after 3.5 weeks of chasing, they finally out them up in about 5 minutes flat. Why did it take so long then??? Bah!

Thanks everyone - much appreciated and keep it coming :)

OP posts:

MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 14/10/2016 10:40

My first thought was "I hope that playhouse isn't permanent", and would probably stop me looking unless there was absolutely nowhere else.

I didn't notice the pylon 🙈😳

RiverTam · 14/10/2016 10:43

Well, I'd put getting a new agent at the top of your list. An agent who isn't interested in actively selling your house is not an agent you should even contemplate paying a fee to. If you're feeling nice I would make that point to them and give them another chance, or you could just walk.

An open day or weekend might help, too.

Original poster

trinitybleu · 14/10/2016 10:45

MilkTwoSugarsThanks - DD would love to take it with us! It was built with the intention of turning it into a summer house later with very little work. Maybe we should do that over the winter ...

OP posts:

honeysucklejasmine · 14/10/2016 10:45

We're actually looking for four bed houses in the Rugby area right now. Your house ticks all of our boxes, (separate dining room, ensuite to master, flat grassed garden) as to a few others we've seen.

However, it's way out of our range. Similar houses seem more like £300k, although I appreciate you have a lovely frontage and it's situation is lovely. We're moving from SW so hope to use the equity from inflated prices to buy bigger up there, but we'd not be able to afford yours.

honeysucklejasmine · 14/10/2016 10:46

SE sorry. Also, did not notice pylon and it doesn't bother me.

honeysucklejasmine · 14/10/2016 10:52

Last point: I hate decking, it's a huge effort to maintain. So I would factor in cost of ripping it all out and laying patio, including a ramp to provide level access out of back door as my brother (who lives locally) is disabled.

LunaLoveg00d · 14/10/2016 10:54

Can;t comment on price as I'm not local and don't know the market but agree with the others about the pylon - it was the first thing I noticed.

Easily remedied by taking a photo from another angle and mentioning in the blurb that the nearby pylon is no longer in use.

Original poster

trinitybleu · 14/10/2016 10:54

honeysucklejasmine for a private sale, we'd be open to negotiation It's a fab area - really quiet and the neighbours are lovely.

OP posts:

RTKangaMummy · 14/10/2016 10:54

Oke doke could you make a pretend single bed with cardboard boxes or blow up mattresses on top of each other to make a 2'6" single bed to go in that room for the photos just to show that it can be used as a bedroom or borrow a cot and make it back to a nursery just for the photos

Totally agree get it on the details that the pylon is out of use

Also, change estate agents or even better get 2 agents on a 1% incl VAT deal on a JOINT SOLE AGENCY then the competition between them will mean that 1st to sell gets the commission

Original poster

trinitybleu · 14/10/2016 10:56

honeysucklejasmine it's level access at the front, through the downstairs and round to the back, all the doors are wide enough for wheelchairs too

OP posts:

YelloDraw · 14/10/2016 11:06

Change angle of photo to not get the pylon in it.

I would put a little tiny high table and 2 stools in the kitchen to show that you can have a glass of and a chat with someone whilst cooking.

Nice space but the 4th bedroom isn't really a bedroom - study or nursery. I would remove study stuff and dress it as a nursery.

Seems a bit expensive going on sold prices in the area.

Modwolvesrock · 14/10/2016 11:12

I live on the same estate as you!

Don't worry , though, I have no idea who you are - I'm totally anti social so I don't even know my own neighbours.

I think your house is lovely and it really is a nice quiet place to live, really family friendly

Original poster

trinitybleu · 14/10/2016 11:21

Modwolvesrock hello neighbour!

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Original poster

trinitybleu · 14/10/2016 11:28

Just noticed that the utility room isn't listed ... so it appears there's no room for the washer / dryer ...

OP posts:

ReedBunting · 14/10/2016 11:38

Worth checking that the room dimensions on the floor plan are correct as those given for bedroom 3 look wrong to me?

namechangedtoday15 · 14/10/2016 11:44

Are you sure the dimensions on the floor plan are correct - they seem very odd to me?

Your bathroom is a little square box (as most bathrooms are) at a little over 6ft on all sides. But then your bedrooms on either side of the bathroom are listed as similar widths (but they're obviously not according to the scale of the plan) - they're surely not the same width as the bathroom?!!

Is Bedroom 4 correct ? 1.82m width is small, but then so it Bedroom 3 (at 7 ft 8). I really don't think it can be right???!!!

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