Your comments please on selling my "difficult" home

[zoesp148]

I am in the process of trying to sell my home (thanks to my divorce) and I have only had 1 viewing and offer. The couple who put in the offer pulled out after 3 weeks stating they decided they didn't want to live in the country after all!!!

The property went on the market at the beginning of September and I despair as I should at least be having viewings. The house is about 10 mins from Hever Castle and in the catchment of a good primary school.
I attach the link and I would REALLY appreciate some feedback from the photos and blurb. Please be honest be interior and exterior. If I can afford to make some cosmetic changes I will. Not quite sure what is putting people off but something is.
platformproperty.co.uk/property/?propertyID=101581000373
Thank you

Oohs, what colour grey did you use downstairs (lounge and kitchen)?

Dress your frontage up and have that as the first picture.

Entrance straight into a sitting room would really put me off. Any way to create a hallway? If so id be factoring in the cost and effort of that and deciding If it's worth it as a buyer.

Your public rooms are beautiful- I could move in and not need to redecorate, however the bedrooms just don't feel as dressed or well furnished.

I think your house is stunning! I can't comment on price as I don't know the area, but with two young DC I wouldn't want to be sleeping on a separate floor to them. I'm not sure I'd be keen on having to go through the sitting room to get to the hall, makes it seem like a thoroughfare rather than a cosy adult space. Interior decor is amazing though.

Your house is absolutely gorgeous. I really don't think that is the problem.

My sister is an estate agent in an affluent area of the SE, with great transport links to London. All the right ingredients for a thriving property market. Indeed, it used to have one. Until Brexit. Nothing is moving, and hasn't done since way before the vote. It seems like people want to see what's going to happen first. Could you have a chat with your agent and see if that's a problem in your area too?

Christ I'd buy that like a shot, so no helpful comments I'm afraid! Change agent?!

In my opinion, (and I have lived in the same house for 20 odd years so know nothing!) you need a picture of the outside, front approach of the house as the first picture.
Go to the garden centre and buy a couple of big pots with shrubs in for either side of the front door.

I couldn't get any ideas about the layout of the house from the pictures so they should really give a 'journey' through from front to back, then upstairs?

It's really lovely, but you need some colour in the bathroom and some plants.
I like plants.😉

Good luck, I hope you find another home you love soon xx

Could be price and general market conditions my relative works in property in that area and said it softened lately with uncertainty in britexit and value of pound causing a wobble in prices.

Your house is lovely.

I think the high shots showing the proximity of the neighbours are a mistake. Can you get the pictures removed? It looks like both neighours have built very close to the boundary and it looks oppressive. Nothing you can do about the neighbours but no need to advertise it if you see what I mean?

If people want to move to a nice quiet area, they don't want neighbours on top of them.

Compared to yours my house is a hovel....feeling even sadder now.wish I handnt looked

Sorry.insensitive of me..I missed the divorce bit..I'm sorry hope things turn out ok for you x

*Today 18:15 heateallthebuns

The front facade isn't very pretty. A few plants might help.*

Agree with this - it looks a bit plain so might put people driving past off.

Nit-picking On one of the bedroom photos there is a mirror not on the wall and it sort of made me worry about wall space, like there isn't enough so you just prop thinks up. Also do you bang your head getting up from the white sofa in there?

More seriously I'd be wary of gas cylinders just through always having been on mains before, but maybe that is common in rural areas. Also would want to know about the sewage system but happy to research that.

The inside is very nice, as is the back garden. The style of the outside would put me off. It looks as if it was a small 1970s bunglaow that has been much extended but you can still see what it was. If I was paying that much for a house I would want the outside to look right. Bear in mind I live in Northumberland where a house like this would sell for about £300,000 so I am not the best judge.
And you need to get it on Rightmove.

Sorry I didn't say your house is gorgeous and really well presented.

Your house is beautiful, some of the photos are a bit odd though. They don't seem to show the rooms very well, they look like arty interior magazine shots. The layout might not be everyone's cup of tea with one bedroom on a different floor but you can't really change that. Is the price realistic for comparables in the area?

It's gorgeous inside and I love the area (we are not a million miles away). The outside is a bit plain but not unattractive. If it's not on rightmove and Zoopla that's the issue. You are just not reaching a broad audience. Also, the market is a bit slow thanks to Brexit.

Gotta be the price, surely? Otherwise you'd at least have some viewings.

Have you been realistic in pricing it? I think that's often a downfall for people selling it themselves or not using a good local agent. You always think your house is worth more than it is!

Good luck x

Agree that the pics show the furniture rather than giving an idea of size, layout, flow etc

I've found it on rightmove and it's the only house of its size and price bracket on the market so it's difficult to say.

One thing I notice is that it is very much mainly a bungalow, with one bedroom on a higher level - but the description seems kind of coy about this. I wonder if the people who would appreciate the layout aren't following the link and the people who do follow the link aren't expecting such a layout.

I'd either get rid of the stools at the breakfast bar or replace them with something a bit more upmarket - they look cheap and cluttery and detract from the otherwise elegant room.

Can you put some colourful plants in pots by the front door to increase kerb appeal?

But all these are minor points - generally it seems lovely!

Based on other four bedroom houses for sale at the moment in Edenbridge, I'm guessing price. Is there a reason you're above what seems to be the ceiling? Is it something about your road or small area that is more expensive? No one has sold in your street recently so it's hard to tell.

What has the agent told you about rightmove stats (clicks, click throughs etc). Obviously ignoring any after you started this thread!

The house itself is lovely. I agree about 'hiding' the front of the house in the later pictures - it needs to be first.

I wouldn't buy it because of the layout. A good friend of mine lives in a converted / extended bungalow and it has never sat well with me that the children sleep downstairs while I'm upstairs.

The other thing I can't work out is how big / small your entrance hall is and how that works opening into the lounge. Where would I store shoes / coats etc?

Love it OP. Is it on main drainage? The details indicate perhaps not. May be the reason.

The website is a pain, not user friendly at all.

Small market - bungalows only attract a small % of buyers and many of those won't want 4 bedrooms.

Lack of outside photo as profile suggests something too hide.

Looking at other for sale - looks overpriced.

The photos are in the wrong order!
The last 6 photos should be first!

Other than that, on since sept and an offer already! that's good going even if it didn't work out

do not do with multiple agents, speak to yours and come up with a plan or change, multiple agents is a red flag

Your house is stunning. I think the only two issues that spring to mind are:

• the layout isn't a traditional family house layout. It wouldn't put me off but I imagine it might well narrow your market

• the first image isn't the house. If it isn't the house I assume the house is really ugly and yours isn't. I'd change that

Not a lot you can do about the first. The second is an easy change.

If it's not selling and you need to sell you'll have to put your price down. That's what MN advised me when mine wasn't selling and sure enough it was true!

Have you had any feedback from viewers / the estate agent?