Right, any thoughts (apart from brexit uncertainty) as to why no one wants to buy this house?

[KnitFastDieWarm]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48362196.html

We had a buyer back in March but that fell through and since then we've lowered the price by over 10k, had a few viewings in May when it went back on the market but nothing since

It's a two bed end terrace with great transport links and two private parking spaces, loads of loft space and double glazing. It's smallish, but cosy and pleasant and an ideal first buy for a young couple (that's why we bought it five years ago). Lovely neighbours and a peaceful cul de sac location. Really positive feedback from the viewings we've had, but no new offers so far. It's priced well for the area.

Any glaring issues (fixable Ines! I.e. The kitchen is small but not a lot we can do about that )?

Honest thoughts appreciated...

In terms of garden I think painting both your fences and shed a muted colour would make it seem a lot more spacious. A putty, very light grey or soft colour. The shed is V. overbearing.

The location of your chairs chop your garden in half, it's hard to see pat them. Something at the back of your garden would help highlight the length

The description doesn't appear to match the house - off street parking for 2 cars? I wouldn't book a viewing on that basis alone. After all moving is stressful enough without having to deal with a poor EA that you cannot influence.

Kerb appeal - scruffy neighbours on the RHS. Overgrown hedge to the left. Offer to have a gardener come and tidy them up prior to new photos and viewings.

Internally - The photos are terrible - they have too many distractions. Coat on the door in the nursery, watering can and the lined up pots in the garden , stuff piled around the loo & something on the bed in the master bedroom.

Garden - are they your trees at the back if so have them lopped to let more light in? Cluster the pots to by the stairs and move the seats so you can see the stairs. Move shed & storage bin to the end of the garden. They are blocking the light into the living room and the flow of the garden space.

Thanks all, really appreciate every comment and idea. We're considering taking the house off the market over the summer as it's apparently a slow time anyway and not much seems to be shifting anywhere in our city. We'll use the summer to make some improvements and then hopefully get it back on for autumn. Thanks again!

Garden looks fine to me.

However, no garage may put people off.

Tiled floor in living room - not for me. I suspect you could even carpet ver it quite cheaply and not have to take it all up.

Kitchen tiles - a bit 80s. Any chance you can can re-tile with some plain metros to modernise it a bit.

Black tiles in bathroom are a particular taste and the bathroom needs a tidy up (all the cleaning eipes etc just scattered by loo).

I realise some of these involve £. Put a rug over the tiles. Paint the front door. Prune the shrubs in the front garden. Paint the shed and "soften" the view of the garden with a couple of shrubs in pots - one in front of the storage box and the other between the glazed doors and the shed. Declutter child's bedroom walls (pack into boxes and put in shed perhaps or store in car during viewings) including removing flock of birds. Paint kitchen cupboard doors. Blinds instead of curtains. Re-tile the bathroom in white and/or at least remove clutter and put away. Put a neutral coloured throw over the black sofa. Good luck

Haven't read all the thread so these may have been mentioned

• tiled floor
• no table for eating at
• the extractor in the kitchen looks really dated
• second bedroom picture makes the room look small, I was surprised when looking at the floor plan that both rooms are similar sizes
• photo of the front looks very bland and uninspiring

You're brave and resilient to take this on the chin OP
View the most consistent comments as reliable feedback and calculate what's worth spending to get the return. I do agree with bringing it within the 200k bracket. Best of luck with the summer refurb.

A couple more front views in nicer weather! Obviously these are just point and shoots and need cropping but I think it looks cheerier?
Dh is currently upstairs putting a new mirror and loo seat and shower curtain in the bathroom we've also priced up painters to do the door and are going to dig the (pre-baby, lovely, pale and dirt-attReacting) rug out of the loft for living room photo purposes only...
Feel quite motivated now!

I am also currently on at dh to agree to get the living room floor done - I hate it anyway and I really think it would transform the whole room. I'm thinking wood or laminate as I hate carpets downstairs

I think I'll write my own blurb too - I was a copywriter in a previous life so I'm pretty sure I can do a better job than what's there currently

What is the price of similar new builds in tne area? Sometimes new houses (less than 20 years old) lose out to new builds which may come with a finance deal, warranties, new kitchen and bathroom etc.

FOr external photos you need to cut the hedge, move the bin and open the curtains. Alsohsve some pots outside and ideally have the door painted.

You could get an engineered wood floor pretty cheaply for the living room. Just pick one with the least mms as you pay for the thickness

An increase of £47k in 3 years? I'm in Somerset and nothing has increased that much in the last 3 years!
I also hate hard floors in living rooms and getting up tiles is a pain.

I think your new outside pictures are much better but open the curtains and move the bins.

I agree the floor tiles are awful (sorry!) and the kitchen tiles are really dated, which would put me off as they aren't a quick of cheap fix to put right.

I like the kiddie bedroom but I'd take the soft toys off the windowsill for pictures.

Your bedroom is very uninspiring! The wall colour is beige and insipid. I'd paint it a soft grey and get some modern bedding.

I think some throws etc would be great but I'd avoid the crochet ones I think you're referring to (the one on your bed?) as they are a bit old fashioned in a house which doesn't have that shabby chic feel.

Front door colour puts me off. Colour of main bedroom. Paint it. Downstairs seems to have no soul. I think it's too empty looking, needs cosy feel added. Add a carpet, some matching cushions and maybe a picture. Garden on many levels and lots of wood. Add some green and furniture and parasol to stage it. Don't touch the kitchen and bathroom it's a waste of money and will be changed by the buyer. Just make sure it's clean. Make sure your house doesn't smell of anything!

New pics of front are loads better.

It just seems cold. The bathroom and kitchen tiles are dated so my first thought would be those big jobs. The tiled floor is awful, sorry ! No warmth or character.

Well it's s'rampton innit? My first house was in Shirehampton.

I really would not bother making any improvements, you are wasting your money and time. It's over priced for the area and the size and you are no longer in a buoyant market, you are in a nervous market. We can all suggest improvements based purely on personal opinion but they won't get you anywhere - you need to reduce the price or stay put.

I apologise. I posted before reading the whole thread. I think you may be asking a little too much in the area. I get my hair cut down the road from you, when I am back.

For me the kitchen and bathroom look really dated. The tiles in the living room would put me right off, it makes the room look really cold. Painting the kitchen cupboards and bathroom tiles would make a huge difference for not much money.

I agree, tinkering around with decor will make little difference if tne price is right.

Don't bother with removing tiles etc. Put lots of lovely indoor plants or cut flowers in every room.

We won't be dropping price at the moment, we originally had an offer for 220 and have already gone down as far as we'd like to go right now. We're not desperate to sell so are happy to sit tight for a bit rather than dropping price.

I do think brexit and the election, plus summer, are a problem. In may when we went back on the market at 6k higher with same photos, we had 10 viewings with a few repeats. In June, two! So it seems people just aren't looking at the moment. Obviously I'm going to make interior improvements but I don't want to give the impression we've had no interest - it's just slowed right down!

I agree about making no major changes to decor. It's offputting when a house has an obviously new kitchen or bathroom, or new flooring, but you don't like it or it wouldn't meet your needs (eg no apace for a large fridge or shower instead of bath, or hard floor when you prefer the acoustics of carpet, or carpet when you want easy clean laminate) and would want to change it, anyhow, but having invested in it, the seller is less likely to even be in a position to take a low offer.

So you could rip up the tiles and replace them with something else, which potential purchasers might hate equally, or you can find out what it would cost to do and be willing to take the hit. Or you could go to the hassle and expense of re-tiling the kitchen, only for a buyer to be planning to rip the whole lot out and start again, anyhow. For all you know, they may even contemplate taking down the wall between the kitchen and hall to create a more open but useful space, or rejigging the downstairs room layout entirely, with a smaller lounge and L shaped kitchen diner. You could, in fact, pretend you'd contemplated this, yourself.