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Original poster

What's wrong with our house?

392 replies

sueyandcol1 · 07/10/2017 18:15

Hi all. I'm a retired gran living in west London with DH and I would really appreciate some practical advice please.

Our house has been on the market for 4 weeks and we haven't had a single viewer. I know the price may seem high but that's about average for this area. We can't work out what's wrong with it. We know we could rip out the brown bathroom, paint all the walls white, etc, and if we haven't sold in six months then maybe that's what we'll do. But we're just wondering if there's anything obviously "wrong" that we can fix without spending too much money. We just want to get some viewers! Any practical suggestions would be most welcome...

Please see www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/44957399?betabanner_dismiss=1#8IpVgvS6tHJhxHgW.97

OP posts:
scootinFun · 07/10/2017 18:18

Looks lovely, pink room a bit too pink for my taste and bathroom wall a bit brown

VivienneWestwoodsKnickers · 07/10/2017 18:18

If there are no viewings, it's always the price...

insancerre · 07/10/2017 18:22

It's the bathroom
It needs replacing with a white suite or you probably need to reduce the price

KingJoffreysRestingCuntface · 07/10/2017 18:23

The brown bathroom.

Other than that it's actually perfect. Beautiful front area.

CrazyHairSister · 07/10/2017 18:24

What Vivienne said - if a house is price right then it will sell.
Doesn't matter what an Estate Agent values it at, it is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay.

insancerre · 07/10/2017 18:24

The rest of the house is lovely, especially the kitchen and dining room

teaandbiscuitsforme · 07/10/2017 18:25

The phrasing ‘offers over’ with that amount of work to do

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 07/10/2017 18:26

As gently as possible, it is to an older person's taste. The décor is very like that in my septuagenarian parents' house, and I know any young family who bought theirs would want to rip the lot out.

Potential buyers may well be thinking of the £££(£) it would take for redecoration.

passthecremeeggs · 07/10/2017 18:26

Sales have massively fallen in London recently. Reducing the price may help but supply is outstripping demand in London at the moment I believe

VivienneWestwoodsKnickers · 07/10/2017 18:27

Looking in more detail, the house has a lot of furniture which confuses the rooms - there are sofas in the dining room and a bedroom for example. Can you remove some of it?

Yes, the bathroom is really unlikely to be attractive to many people I'm afraid, but it looks clean and in good condition at least.

The price may seem comparable, but does your house actually compare with other houses that need similar levels of work done to them or those that need less doing?

Polly99 · 07/10/2017 18:29

It'll be the price.

Also 'offers over' is off-putting. Buyers want to negotiate a good deal.

C0untDucku1a · 07/10/2017 18:29

Id stage all the bedrooms as actual bedrooms.

PastaOfMuppets · 07/10/2017 18:29

Why does it look like you've tipped rose petals into your bidet?

You need to lower the price to get people in.

JW13 · 07/10/2017 18:29

Is this property on the same road?

www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatching.html?prop=47107491&sale=5808934&country=england

If so, it sold for below your asking price in July and is modernised with an extra bedroom. I'd expect to spend £150k + on loft conversion, kitchen, bathroom, knocking down wall etc if I bought your house which would mean the value would need to be £1m+ when finished.

To be brutally honest, it seems over-priced to me but I don't know the area.

Wigeon · 07/10/2017 18:30

It looks very clean and tidy, but I’m afraid the decor is really quite dated. I’d want to replace all the carpets which aren’t cream/beige, the kitchen, the bathroom, paint the walls or rewallpaper without borders....

I think if that’s the going rate in Ealing, then I bet that’s for modernised houses. Eg this one quite near you, but much more up to date and also a 3 bed terrace - but on at £835k.

Four bed townhouse for £809k, good modern decor.

GlitteryFluff · 07/10/2017 18:30

I agree that as a younger buyer I would want to re-do quite a lot. Bathroom, kitchen, woodwork etc so potential buyers are possibly put off.
The houses that are priced similar, are they modern and up to date? New kitchen and bathrooms? Or decorated in a similar style to yours?

NapQueen · 07/10/2017 18:32

Whilst your home looks light and airy and in good condition, I would be thinking "ok I need to rip out the bathroom and kitchen. Maybe open up kitchen and dining room. New carpets. No grass for the kids to play in".

Its a family home but it isnt suitable for the way families live now.

Wigeon · 07/10/2017 18:32

Four bedroom on at £880k, round the corner from you.

Another Four bed, also v near you, ok decor inside, on at £860.

NapQueen · 07/10/2017 18:34

The one JW linked is stunning! I would expect to see yours up for at least 50k under what theirs sold for.

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 07/10/2017 18:34

Also, it does feel like there are three sitting rooms, no dining room and only one bedroom. I personally don't like a carpeted dining room and is that a carpeted bathroom I see- eek!!

I think the House Doctor would say you need to define your rooms. Make the dining room a dining room and the second and third bedrooms actual bedrooms for the purpose of the sale. I'd take the carpet out of the bathroom too.

NC4now · 07/10/2017 18:36

It looks well maintained and the outside is beautiful, but the decor is a bit dated for a younger buyer.
I would guess your target market would be families and you are downsizing?
That said, if the price is right, it would be a fabulous home to put your own stamp on by redecorating. As I say, it looks well maintained and the work is cosmetic.

What are your agents doing to push it? Some just put it online and hope it will sell itself, others are more proactive in arranging viewers they think it might suit.

RandomMess · 07/10/2017 18:36

Look at sold prices near you, no point looking at price they are up for sale for. I agree about it being outdated, my DC are older so no grass is fine. The kitchen, bathroom, fitted wardrobes all very dated. No downstairs loo?

teaandbiscuitsforme · 07/10/2017 18:37

I agree with JW. Yours would be worth at least £100k less to me. Buyers are considering the fact that they are going to have to gut yours and redo everything. That’s going to take a lot of cash.

DanHumphreyIsA · 07/10/2017 18:37

Could you change 'offers over' to 'guide price'? It might attract viewings as a bit of leeway, and if it does, it'll show you what they're willing to pay.

Wigeon · 07/10/2017 18:37

This is what you are competing with, very close by - this house has four bedrooms, to your three, is very modern inside, nice garden, opposite the tube: nice house. And on at £885k. There is no way buyers are going to go for yours, with one less bedroom, £0k more, and needing updating.

Agree with everyone - it’s priced wrong.