Please look at my house and give me your opinion

[Jellyshoeshurtmyfeet]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-62009282.html

Hi,
Our house has been for sale for about 5 weeks or so now and we have had one viewing. Please have a look and let me know what might be the problem. TIA.

Although I do hate the current estate agent trend for artificially blue sky.

We haven't removed any grass, it was like this when we bought it. We do have a lovely front garden with grass, noone has really commented on that and I've just realised you can't see the grass in the pic of the front.

Front garden having grass doesn't really make a difference because people prefer to leave children playing in a secure rear garden.

Front garden having grass doesn't really make a difference because people prefer to leave children playing in a secure rear garden

Not all families have children 10 and under :-)

Yes, they don't draw. But even as an adult I like a bit of grass to sit out in and sunbathe should I choose. I don't want to be sunbathing on my patch of grass which is exposed to the road.

Off street parking is more important to me than grass out the front although the paved garden at the back would be a deal breaker for me.

I think one problem that when you look on properties sold nearby your house is the first one that comes up, so immediately I can tell that you've only been in there just over a year and paid £110,000 less for it.

I would be very wary of buying a house that was being sold so soon after purchase unless there was a really clear explanation. I'd also be questioning whether what you've done to the house - which from the advert seems to be add a bedroom with ensuite (but a narrow bedroom that is not that functional) put in a new boiler and 'refurbish' (which could just mean a lick of paint for all I, as the buyer, know) - has added 40% to its value.

It would literally take a weekend to lift those flags and turf your patch. Put a tree in and some plants. Bet you'd sell immediately if you did that. Plus dress the thin bedroom with bedside tables.

There is already a massive apple tree in the back along with a lot of plants in the border. If we turfed it is don't think I could add any other trees as there just wouldn't be the space. You're right though, the paving would come up easily and quickly.

I'd also suggest that if you are now not selling till the Spring, you get some trellis on the walls and plant some evergreen climbers or at least climbers. Gardens that are basically yards, need some greenery in them to help buyers see the potential. A site like www.crocus.co.uk has loads of help, ideas and mail order.

My honest opinion is that if you invested maybe £1K in your garden- get a local designer to sketch something out- or google 'small patio gardens' you would reap the benefits. Something like a small circular lawn, maybe some slate or gravel edging, neat box balls, large modern pots with bulbs and plants round the edges (not tiny ones scattered all over) you could transform it.

Advice taken, I have gardener coming out this afternoon to discuss possibilities! 😊

Sorry, not RFT but to me slide 10 is a problem, could you rephotograph with a single or sofa bed in there instead?

Sweetstem yes we definitely need to rejig the furniture in that room.

Totally not the point I know but why are you moving so soon if you don't mind saying? I'm just being nosy sorry!

Lovely house but the colour scheme is rather cold to me.

Our house sale last time kept falling through and we had to pick a house or lose our buyer. We decided on this one as it was in an area we knew. We then had an unexpected change of school and feel it would be easier if we were nearer that. We had expected to live in this house for 3-5yrs so we just did it up to suit us not to sell.

Definitely garden. If it's not possible to do grass, I'd at least do chuckies and pots. Just anything so it's not concrete!

Being nosey again how can you have an unexpected change of school? You mean you took a DC out of school and sent them to another? (Your buyers may well ask!)

Not really. We had been offered a secondary school place but he was on a waiting list for a school that I thought we had no chance of getting a place at. We moved in beginning of June and we got a call about a week later offering the place. It probably sounds a bit daft putting him on the waiting list then being surprised at a place but I was told when he went on the list that it was highly unlikely he'd get a place! It's not the biggest problem, it would just be easier to live nearer.

How can you have an unexpected change of school?

Many reasons.

Child is bullied and wants to leave.
Child is selected for England hockey and is awarded a bursary for a place at a different school specialising in hockey.
Child is caugh with drugs and is 'asked to leave' (private school) or expelled.
Child gets into stage school.
You realise the 'performing arts specialist' school doesn't suit your science focused child.
Chikd can't cope with the academic standard and moves to a school more suitable

Cross post. Real answer even more mundane :-)

Yello 😊 yes it is really mundane! Children getting into stage school would be way more exciting!!