Honest advice on this house

[vulpeslagopus]

Have name changed for this:

This is my parents' house.....i lived there for many years and it was a wonderful family home and still is when I visit with my own dcs.....

However, me and my siblings have all left home so they are looking to downsize. House been on market for almost 3yrs and not sold, they have already reduced asking price.

They want honest opinions on what they could do......

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52303834.html

Typical of an Edwardian house of that size though Fledgling because the reception rooms were impressive and for entertaining. The kitchen was where the servants worked and would have been very basic by today's standards. It would have had a separate entrance so deliveries went directly into it or the larder without the householders even seeing this.

You wouldn't have things like picture rails and coving in a kitchen either as it was a functional space.

I understand that wow, they're just completely unsympathetic to the building or style. The whole of the house has rich darker woods and then they've put a boxy, pasty modern and bland set of kitchen units in. People are going to walk in expecting a AGA or the likes at that price point, not a B&Q special offer.

And AFAICS the house isn't listed, the pokey little breakfast room could be extended. Bathroom-wise there are two bathrooms, a WC and a weird looking cupboard-y hallway space all in a row. It's a missed opportunity.

I'd say it just comes down to price, having looked at some of the photos of other properties in that price bracket.

I'm sorry but the outside isnt appealing to me - those big chimneys remind me of what it would cost to heat. I'd start with some new photos - remove the child's easel and slide to some of that great garage/workshop space. Take pictures when trees are in leaf so garden looks better. Dont have masses amount of ceiling in the room pictures. Paint the bathroom, far too much blue, and the ceiling of the billiard room.

No upstairs plan, nor picture of the plot - which would help show that the garden really is quite big, I can see that if others cant. Does look like mainly in front of the house, though, so I'd wonder what's behind it.

The windows look like lots of small panes, I'd suspect the house of being quite dark inside.

Realistically they'd probably get better value applying for planning permission to convert or demolish and build several smaller homes.

I looked at the street view. What is the position of the white house at the entrance? It looks as though it overlooks the plot a bit. Also does it have rights of access for parking? Could that be putting people off?

Well I think it's stunning! (not very helpful, I know)

Obviously some work to do, but I'd much rather that than something that has been over modernised already.

Having said that, if it hasn't sold in all that time, I guess the price is just too high. While some of the houses linked to on this thread for a bit less money are not at all in the same league, it is a fair point that given the amount you would spend, it is a really a million pound house.

I guess there are very few buyers for this type and price of house in that part of the world. When the market is very small, houses will on average take longer to find a buyer, even if the price is "right". But after a year or more, you probably have to accept the price isn't right.

The photos are not good quality at all, that's clear. The house could certainly be presented for sale far far better. Part of me thinks it shouldn't make much difference. You can see the size and qualities regardless of the presentation. It's a unique house, so you are not going to go for another one that is similar but just better presented. But then again, maybe selling the "dream" would work here - and the amount you would have to spend would be relatively little compared to the potential gain.

Are there some more upmarket estate agents in the area who would know how to present and photograph a house of this type?

It's a beautiful house and the Whitburn area is lovely. It definitely isn't Sunderland.
I wouldn't change anything I'd just drop th price.
I'd go to £699 ,000
It's still a lot of money to find. Let people spend their £50'grand decorating it to their taste.

I've got one to sell. Nowhere near as grandiose as that one and quite frankly I'm dreading the hassle.

I live in Sunderland and love quite a few of the properties on Front Street. I think Thorncliffe is a beautiful house , it's a shame there are no photo's of the village itself as anyone not local will not appreciate what a good location the house is in.

I think it should really be described as a 6 bedroom house as the billiard room is upstairs. It is in need if updating but I personally think most people looking to spend over £500k on a house in this area will want to change things anyway, if they don't there are quite a few luxury new builds around in that kind of price bracket. I would be loathe to drop the price to anything under £699,000 given that you are then in the same bracket as the new builds at The Close, Seaburn which imo are not comparable.

Unless there are any major structural problems I think £699 to £750 is a fair price but it needs better marketing. I

The comments re pulling it down to build some houses or flats are ridiculous but you probably wouldn't realise that when not seeing the house in context to the village. I'll add a few pics which I think something similar to should be in the details.

That should have said The Square not The Close, houses there have gone for over £700,000. Although they do not need any work doing I just can't believe they are a similar price to your family home. The other houses linked to are not really comparable, the houses in Whitburn village are all so different it is probably difficult to value them.

I'd always assumed the house was a bit older than Edwardian, if your family know the history of the house could this be mentioned in the marketing?

Why do you think it's not selling, mrsmorgan?

I also live nearby and am familiar with most of the houses that have been linked on this thread - in fact I nearly bought one of them! I agree with Mrsmorgan that the older properties in Whitburn are so unique that they are not comparable with others in the Sunderland area. The houses do command a premium but given the amount of work that a new owner is likely to want to do, I do think the price should be below £700k. I would take it off the market for a little while, dress the rooms better (particularly the bedrooms), tidy the garden then put it back on with a new agent with new photographs.

Could you find a SE based estate agent to market it as a relocation opportunity? £750k buys a considerably smaller house in SE

Generally expensive houses up here do seem to take a long time to sell, quite often years. I think if it was priced under £700,000 it would perhaps sell more quickly but I really don't think it's particularly overpriced now.

I agree with taking it off the market for a few months, maybe redecorate a few rooms then put it back on with better photo's, perhaps drop the price slightly.

Tattie which of the linked houses did you consider? We used to live very close to one of them. Some of those linked, although quite nice are not in great areas.

The Fold, Warden Law
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55789687.html

The house I've linked to is a great example of how quite a lot of the expensive houses in my general area are decorated. Zebra and leopard print sofa's and carpeted bathrooms with beautiful swagged curtains!

I would say to paint the ceilings white. It's quite unique and perhaps not to some people's tastes?

Mrsmorgan the third link posted by Name is owned by a family friend and they have been trying to sell it for a long time too. about 10 years ago we tried to by the adjoining house but they were asking far too much given that there was water running down the walls! We bought in Ashbrooke instead.

I think it is great inside but the house seems to not have much garden.
Outside is less attractive- the colour looks yellow in the photos and the enterance at the side is very severe and stark.

The three houses someone posted are in no way comparable to this house - much smaller and less grand. One is a semi !

TattiePants we also live in Ashbrooke. There are a few houses near to us that I've said to DH if they ever came up for sale I'd love to buy, if we could afford them! I love this area but there are some lovely houses along the seafront and on Front Street.

We had a similar problem when my parents died - a large house to sell which then hung on the market. We had loads of viewings (this was in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds), but no takers. Eventually we reduced the price considerably. Suddenly a lot of interested people came out of the woodwork, there was a bidding war and in the end it went for MORE than we had originally asked. We were amazed. I would be considering lowering the price on your house. Every house will find a buyer if the price is right.

The house is so big any work you do on it will cost £££ and might not be to a potential buyer's taste. (I thought the zebra print place linked above was rank!) You would be better off cutting the price rather than spending more.

Mini, I agree about the zebra print place, awful!

Far more footballers' wives than the house linked to earlier in the thread!