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How can we sell this quicker?

58 replies

SquashedInTight · 25/05/2017 21:14

We are in a large 1 bed flat with 2 children and 2 adults - toooo small! We now have the ability to get a mortgage for a 3/4 bed with garden, but will need to sell this first.

Estate Agent said not to do work to it. Is he right? What else can we do without spending a fortune? Had viewings for 2 weekends then nothing. Feedback was nothing bad about the flat, more 'too close to the main road' or 'only one allocated parking space' type thing.

link

OP posts:
NotMeNoNo · 25/05/2017 23:30

To sell quickly, it needs to look nice, ready to move into and styled as your likely buyer (single commuting person or young couple) would want it. Or at least reasonable neutral.

If you do it for the photos, people notice less on a viewing so you can sneak some toy boxes and throws back after your nice pictures have been taken. You can get decent looking (in a photo) rug, curtains, even cheap divan beds from ebay or anywhere in London. Your DC will cope with a selection of toys for a few weeks. Once you've accepted an offer you can bring it all back if you want while the sale goes through.

Also it needs to be on right move, great photos, floorplan, nothing to let it down.

caoraich · 25/05/2017 23:50

Floorplan.

Even if just for the photos, you need to absolutely de-clutter. Put it in storage and keep what you would take if going in holiday for a fortnight

If you're moving somewhere bigger you'll need more furniture: proper bed with underbed storage drawers and dress it as a master bedroom. Get a chairbed from argos for the little who falls. It'll be good for sleepovers when they're older anyway.

British heart foundation is great for inexpensive good quality furniture- they basically furnished my house!

Get rid of ALL the plastic storage- looks studenty and cluttered.

It's difficult to say without seeming unkind, but if it looks like you couldn't be bothered to tidy for the photos then buyers may subconsciously think you haven't looked after the place in general; and so predict problems down the line e.g. with boiler, electrics etc.

GuntyMcGee · 25/05/2017 23:53

OP my first impressions were of student digs and that it was tiny. When I saw the lounge/kitchen/diner pic I thought it was a bedsit.

The storage boxes really are too much and further the impression that the flat is small.

There is too much crammed into the living space.

Removing the computer desk and the grey storage box would go a long way to opening the room up and making it look more spacious.

Hate to say it but having a real sofa rather than daybed and futon would also make a big difference. Try gumtree or local charity furniture shops for a sofa/suite or sofa bed might be an option for short term.

Those storage boxes are really quite oppressive and further the studenty vibe. A chest of drawers or cabinet of some sort would look more inviting and appealing.

The rooms are all a bit bare/plain once you look past the storage issue - just some artwork on the walls and a large rug in the lounge area would brighten it up. Even carrying a theme with the throws and curtains may add a bit more appeal.

A few pots and plants on the balcony would also make it more welcoming.

Floor plan would also be helpful and dressing the bedroom as a double bedroom would again make a big difference - a divan or ottoman storage bed would also help you with the storage issue.

A fold out foam bed would then be ok for your little one to sleep on while you're waiting for sale and could then be folded up during viewings.

Have a ruthless declutter and then bring the estate agents back to retake the photos. Most flats would appeal to singles or young couples. So think about what made the flat appeal when you bought and what would make it appeal to a potential buyer. Also get onto the other agents' websites and nose at the photos of other flats nearby to see how they are dressing their rooms. It may give you some ideas.

Coneheadmum · 26/05/2017 02:20

Some of the worst pictures I have ever seen, but that's good, it means you can fix it. Makes me wonder about your agent though.

  1. Floor plan.
  2. Get the horrible covers off the furniture.
  3. Pack up the clutter, crap and all pieces of storage that make it clear this place is small, small, small.
  4. Get proper lighting for the photos.
  5. Everything looks a bit dingey. Clean.
  6. Fix the nuttiness going on with the bed.
  7. Add some plants and a small chair, small table, book on the table for the patio area.
  8. Bob's your uncle.
Out2pasture · 26/05/2017 02:34

I agree with conehead.
Even if it is only to retake the photo's move the clutter and "stuff".

SquashedInTight · 26/05/2017 09:40

If we were to drop the price by 10k, it would be competing with these:

first one

second

third

Would it sell as it is? DH stubbornly refuses to put everything in storage, so I think it is reduce the price or move out first!! We thought £175000 but the EA said £185000 so we went with it.

OP posts:
SquashedInTight · 26/05/2017 09:43

It is in the same size bracket/areas as local 185000/190000 and higher properties, but they obviously don't have children in theirs...

OP posts:
Joinourclub · 26/05/2017 09:51

I think you need to move out so you can declutter and present it better. I don't think you should spend any money on anything you can't take with you. So put a proper bed in if you'll use it in your new home, and a proper sofa, but don't spend much money redoing the kitchen etc

OliviaBenson · 26/05/2017 09:54

Your DH would rather reduce by £10k than use storage? I don't get the logic in that at all. People will offer what they think it's worth. But you aren't selling it as a good flat with the way it's being presented. It should be simple and cheap to rectify.

Jellybean85 · 26/05/2017 10:01

Yes it looks very crowded and that makes me feel stressed just looking at it.
My friend had a similar problem, she hired a van for the day, parked t down stairs and emptied as much as she could, cleaned and took lovely pictures. Then put everything back. Yep it was a huge pain but she got a few friends to help (paid in pizza and wine) and we got it done.
The pictures looked great and it sold after 3rd viewing iirc,
It's hard for people to imagine the space so if they're put off by pics they might not come view

Kokusai · 26/05/2017 10:42

I will echo what everyone else says.

It looks cluttered, untidy and like a student bedsit (sorry). You haven't even got NICE storage, just ugly plastic tat everywhere, and everything is mismatched.

I looked at the photos and shuddered and immediately felt a bit stressed! It looks so cluttered and chaotic and in no way says "come live in this nice apartment".

Your DH is the problem if he doesn't think he has to tidy or put anything else in storage. Storage is the answer here.

I can't believe the agent didn't give any advice on this.

  1. Get a floor plan done, pronto.
  1. Throw away about 50% of your stuff. Put another 25% of your stuff in storage (come on, you don't need all of your stuff right now) and then tidy and do some presentation work.
  • The filing cab unit thing HAS to go. There is no way you need that on a day to day basis.
  • The plastic tbs on the edge of the kitchen have to g. See above, no way d you need all those papers (that are spilling out it is so full!) every day.
  • What have you got covered with a blue sheet in the kitchen then piled books on top? It looks horrible. Get it into storage.
  • All the boxes you have piled on top of book cases and on top of kitchen cupboards, at least move them for the photos.

-Buy three nice white or wicker baskets for the bathroom and hid all your stuff in matching baskets rather than the pile and ugly red thing. move them out of the way for photos. Don't have thing on the edge of the bath.

  1. Clean the green shit off your balcony floor and put out a little bistro set. Get the photo taken so it doesn't who so much of the main road.
  1. Bedroom - if at all possible dress this with a double bed. You will be able to hide so much crap under the bed as well...! (in NICE boxes, not more plastic tat boxes)
ACurlyWurly · 26/05/2017 11:14

if this was me I would.....

Put in a double bed from freecycle or similar in bedroom...or will a current futon/ sofa from your front room fit? if it looks too low, hoick it up on bricks with a valance covering it for photos and then take bricks back out?
get foam fold out beds for the children to sleep on (store them under double bed?)
declutter and store anything I havent used in a month.
remove filing cabinet
put doors on tv unit to hide toys (or buy similar, I got one from Argos for under £50 for short term storage)
Replace sofas in front room with proper sofa bed, you can get one for £200 (again in somewhere like argos)
shut everything you need inside something, open shelves look cluttered and coloured drawers are drawing the eye in photos.

it is so hard to see it when you live in it all the time. you have lovely clean lines in the kitchen which are being hidden with things on the cupboard tops and on display. My kitchen is similar but most of my cupboard space is taken up with things I use rarely (cake tins, trays, electrical gadgets etc) store it all.

£10,000 is a big reduction to start with, you could put a bit of money into the property now and walk away with more.

NotMeNoNo · 26/05/2017 11:29

That's exactly it. Say £500-1000 and some helpers/babysitters would prissy up that flat a treat. Could you send your DH away with the kids for a long weekend at relatives, get some girlfriends round and hit it hard? You have got a lot of clutter for the space but it's only one room, will pack easily. Rather that than reduce the price.

CrispyBathTowel · 26/05/2017 11:35

There is no picture of a main bedroom. The main bedroom is a children's room and if I was an adult without children looking for a one bed flat that would put me off. Can you turn it into an adults bedroom for new photos?

It really needs a floor plan as well.

RandomMess · 26/05/2017 11:54

The DC could have blow up beds, local storage so you can rota toys every few weeks. Honestly far better to use storage than just reduce price drastically...

Ilovewillow · 26/05/2017 11:58

If at all possible declutter and remove as much of the children's things you can even just for pics! We had a fairly large house but the Estate Agent who did the pics removed all toys and all traces of the cat, they were obviously put back as we needed to live there but I think by the time people visit if they've seen good pictures first they are able to see what the flat could look like. Good luck!

YorkshireTea86 · 26/05/2017 12:01

I'd echo hat everyone has said. Get a proper ottoman bed and put toys in there so you can get rid of some of the storage units in the living room. Get the kids blow up beds that can be let down for photos and viewings. Get some vacuum bags and move winter clothes into them then have everyone's clothes in wardrobe and chest of drawers. Do you have wardrobes and chest of drawers? I'd look at new sofas if they aren't going to be slept on, or at the very least new throws.
It also needs a floor plan.

CanadianJohn · 26/05/2017 14:44

I'm a bit surprised at all the people saying "present the bedroom as an adult bedroom", and variations thereof. Do potential buyers have no imagination?

I haven't bought a house for over 20 years, but when I was looking, the vendor's furniture was the least of my considerations. I wasn't buying the furniture, I was buying the location, the walls, the windows, etc.

So, while a bit of decluttering wouldn't hurt, I think a floor plan would really help. Also, from the photograph, the balcony looks about two feet deep. The floor plan should show the dimensions.

Sidge · 26/05/2017 15:10

Crikey the estate agents in HW aren't doing much work are they? It looks like they expect the flats to sell themselves Confused

They're all grotty and look like student bedsits. With all respect yours does too; your DH is bonkers if he thinks dropping the asking price £10K is more appealing than having a clear out.

You need to sell it as an aspirational starter apartment - make it look clean, fresh and grown up rather than a small cluttered flat full of students.

Storage, removing all that STUFF and putting proper furniture in it. Of course buyers aren't buying your stuff they're buying the property but most are short on imagination and can't see beyond what's in front of them.

SnowBallsAreHere · 26/05/2017 17:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

callmeadoctor · 26/05/2017 20:14

Hell, all those property pictures are terrible. What are estate agents actually doing these days?

Squishedstrawberry4 · 26/05/2017 20:27

Yes declutter. Live with a large draw worth of clothes each. It's the summer, you don't need much and can play elsewhere if needs must

GloriaV · 26/05/2017 20:39

Agree the storage units are awful.
Everything's lined up along the walls. Tv too high. Computer desk should go. Curtains could be evened up to show off a great window.

BigDeskBob · 26/05/2017 20:53

I agree with pp who said you need to live like you are on holiday for a few weeks. Rent storage and move everything you don't need for the next month or so. Make the bedroom look more grown up, even if it means moving things out of shot for photos.

The flat would have sold within days to a btl a couple of years ago, so I think that estate agents don't know how to market them.

It does look like a good size flat, in a well maintained block, so it will sell. Just to single people or couples who will not see past the toys and the apparent lack of storage. Good luck

SummerMummy88 · 26/05/2017 21:04

Pictures are awful, get them redone but before that de clutter hide toiletries ect. I would hire a storage unit and put your plastic storage unit and toys like the tent dolls house in there.

It looks a bit of a mess if I'm honest you need to get a proper double bed in the bedroom a dress it up bedside tables, people want to see themselves living in a home before they buy. You can use the bed and side tables in your new home so it won't be a wade of money.

Lastly do the veiwings yourself and up sell everything nobody us better at selling a home than the vender as they know all the details of the property.

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