Selling property - odd issue

[TweakieNicholls]

We've put our house on the market at the price the agents suggested (and 15k lower than the highest valuation) so I don't think it's way out. However we've had no viewings. When the agents have been asking people the feedback is that they think it's an ex council house, I think because we are at the end of a long street - the other end is ex council but we are private. Any ideas on how we can advertise - I've got the deeds from when the house was built showing that it's definitely always been private but don't know how to promote this and the agent seems a bit stumped!

Thanks wowfudge (haven't worked out how to quote people) lol.

Presentation - do you mean inside or outside? We had tenants in so now that they are out we're having photos redone although it does mean its photos of an empty-ish house. Outside is another story - it does need work on it. I'd not seen that one at 282. Think I will ask them to reduce to 275 then and see how that goes.

Crikey - if you reduce the price by that much you'll just look desperate! I'd spend the weekend sprucing it up, get the photos retaken and relaunch it at £290k, maybe even OIRO £290k.

Presentation inside and out, it's poor in both, but with the tenants gone you can make sure it is really clean and tidy. Make the back garden look inviting and the front nice and tidy.

arhgghgh! Ok I clearly don't know what I'm doing (and neither does the agent!!). Do you mean sprucing up internally or externally?

sorry x post

yes the inside is much better now tennants have gone, its pretty empty but clean and tidy. OK I'll ask the agents to wait until after the weekend and will try and get the garden sorted and some better photos of the outside.

Awful photos by the estate agent imo. The front of the house looks dirty but I think it's the light not the house! That bush needs removing and the driveway needs jet washing. Few pots or couple of mini trees by the front door? Just needs some kerb appeal. I wouldn't have even clicked on it to see the inside - but actually the inside has potential!

The cat stuff needs removing and the table placing in the right position.

Just all needs 'dressing' for sale really.

I spent £1000 on decoration/dressing stuff when I last sold - totally 'propped' the house. Money well spent. Sold in 6 weeks.

Yes, people need to have vision etc but you're competing with new builds that prey on building a lifestyle! You need to offer a lifestyle. Fake it!

Fwiw I think the agents own website looks a bit cheap and nasty! But you're on RM so that's okay. You need to look at the other listings in the same price bracket and figure out why something is more expensive or cheaper, what looks good in photos and what doesn't. I sold a house after the tenant gave notice and agreed to let me market it before they moved. The photos were a lot better than your agent's - a good agent would have moved the bloody scratching post and the bin and so on.

I agree with wow that its overpriced - have also found it, the 2 most recent sales for similar-ish on the road were £282k earlier this year and £250k last year.

BUT - having said that, the location is fab and sought after (not too far from me) and definitely doesn't look like a council estate (great new build properties opposite). If the tenants have now moved out, I would definitely get new photos done (to be honest, they're awful) clean it from top to bottom and stage it with furniture - it is a really good family house, you just need to make the most of it! I would definitely invest in making the front look nicer, it shouts "tenanted property that hasn't really been looked after" (even though thats probably not the case) and I think that first photo of the outside would make people click off straight away without even looking at the rest of it.

Sorry if it's already been said I've just skimmed the thread.
I also looked on rightmove and I don't think your internal photos do it any justice either. There is a bit of clutter I'd get rid of ie the ironing board and shirts/cat contraption. The hall and kitchen look lovely maybe just needs a bit of a spruce.

Hmmm the agents said they weren't allowed to move anything (as the tennants weren't there). I'm a bit annoyed as all the agents I spoke to (3 different ones) all said get it on asap it's fine to do while tenants are in whereas i wish I'd have stuck with gut feeling to wait until they were out and spruced it up. Hey ho it's done now, will get on it this weekend and fingers crossed next week will get some viewings.

To be fair OP, the house I sold was far from immaculate but by moving a few things then putting them back once the photos were taken and a bit of Photoshop work, it looked great. Agreed a sale within days.

Tweakie - the agents will always say that because they just want the house to go on the market and it makes very little difference to their commission if it goes for say £320k or £280k.

Its a lovely house. Just one point with regard to location (without naming the actual place). I found it using the wording, but does it officially come under WD or C? Its described as C but looks v, v close to WD? If you search on Rightmove under WD, does it come up, or do you have to search under C? Just wondered if that would make a difference.

I've googled and found the listing too. Sozza OP!

House is a great size with a good layout. Check out the room sizes, all proper doubles. You get a lot of house there! This could be ACE with a bit of love.

The photos aren't great. Can you go and 'stage' it a bit and get them retaken?

The kitchen needs a clear down, hid the bin, move those cat trees, center the dining table (looks like there isn't really room for it at the moment which isn't true).
Get all three bedrooms dressed as doubles.
Move the plastic storage unit out of the bathroom.
The separate siting room is arranged awkwardly. Makes it look small when it isn't.
Jet wash the drive.
Get some plants in pots around the front and on the gravel section to make it look more garden like (can you move any from your house for a bit?)

If it is now empty - it is worth spending some money on stuff to dress it with (or using your furniture from your own house). Or even do things like a double air mattress raised up off the ground on some boxes, obviously covered with a sheet + stylish duvet set. Or even a plain white set plus cheap but nice throw (check out primark or B&M).
Details shoudl say how big your garden is and also its aspect.

I went through and dressed my house after it was tenanted and it looked amazing with just a tiny bit or work. I borrowed spare duvets and covers from family/friends and stuff like that.

This is a daft one, but given there so much talk of image ...... change the angle of the exterior photo of the front of the house.
On one hand you've got the side of what looks like a very nice sports car .... great for suggesting it's a "nice" area (I know it could be someone else's and folk with flash cars can live in real dives!!)
But on the other, you've got half the photo taken up with rear view of what looks like the very houses you want to disassociate yourself from.

After a jet wash and a plat pot or too, a photo take from the other side of the car looking towards the front door, and your semi-neighbour, would look much better.

namechangedtoday15 - its Chorlton (might as well say it everyone has found it anyway ).

Thanks for all the ideas everyone!

I agree with what's been said up thread and would just add, put a large planter/ plant infront of the meter box. It does nothing for the house.

I've found the listing too.

Personally I wouldn't buy off that estate agent. Be worth changing to a 'proper' one. I don't know, it looks like Purple Bricks type thing! Remember, as a buyer, you're having to deal with them too.

Their photos are awful. I actually think the tenant was really kind leaving the place so tidy for photos to be taken, but it's obviously not great.

What's the third room with the ironing board etc in? Is that a bedroom or a study?

Back garden needs sorting. Looks 'council/estate'

Strange couch in lounge.

Why an MALM ikea chest of drawers in bathroom? Looks like a massive bathroom (if room for it)but if you remove it, it would look loads better.

Master bedroom is all clutter which suggest no storage (obviously appreciate this isn't your room now) but just make sure your master bedroom is immaculate (get rid of tv etc)

Too many bins in the kitchen! And a strange bookcase?! OR something long down that end bit?

To me (and I live quite close!) , it's overpriced because there is so much that needs doing to it. Garden would need doing (for a family, needs more grass and less concrete), new fencing, bathroom needs ripping out, I'd have to lay carpet in that main room (hard tiles no good for kids), no fireplace or mantelpiece (thinking needs a log burner ££ and an oak sleeper) ..no lighting in the kitchen, lots of rooms missing blinds/curtains/poles (which cost ££) - all implies a lot of money needs putting in (I'm thinking £30+K) - in reality, it doesn't but a buyer looking to buy will be thinking this.

It's a family home but not really appealing imo to a family with smaller kids.

Sorry, but for that £ I would expect it to be all Ideal Home. The hallway is, but the rest doesn't match up.

On google maps, is that yours right by the church at the end of the road? The one in Kingsbrook is only £10k more than yours and much more residential? (if that makes sense)

It's the price compared with location. There is a similar place on Buckingham rd, much more central and not near Merseybank, that is only 300k and you've got the lifestyle newbuilds to compete against too. You're right up near the Parkway and it is a long way from Chorlton centre so I think it's just too much for your location.

Others are spot on with getting that kerb appeal sorted out.

If you're looking at a reduction and you're currently on at 325k, why not try for a while at 299k? That will get you into the bracket of people looking for properties up to 300k. You can always drop again if nothing is moving. Once you have new super, duper photos, obviously.

I think the estate agents photos are awful, with better photos and if you work on the kerb appeal a bit I think you'd do much better.

I've checked the old OS maps for the area too - your house is shown on the 1933 map but I don't think it's on the 1922 map, so that should narrow down it's age a little.

The interior will look great once it's decluttered and staged properly, if and with the gardens spruced up.

PMSL about PP saying it needs £30k of work! It does not 'need' a new bathrrom or 'need' new flooring because you prefer carpet and it doesn't 'need' a log burner!

its got a log burner! :-)