Next door ruining our chance of selling?

[Helloitsme123]

Came on here for a rant really. We have had our house up for sale for nearly 6 week, 7 viewings and everyone has commented how lovely it is only thing putting the off is next door has planning permission to build 9 houses on their field. Also 43 houses have been approved to go up opposite, we know the people who own the land and they had told us these plans could be in 2/5/10 years it’s just the permission is there. I’m at my wits end! Is everyone out there actually interested in buying a house with new builds going up next door? So frustrating as we’ve seen a house we love

Yep, hate to say this but your house is reliant on that horse field, and with building going on all around it won't be long before they build on it. Doesn't matter what the current owners say they won't tell you until they do it.

the owners of the field at the back have confirmed they have no plans ever to build on there as that’s where their horses live

This is exactly what the owners of the fields behind my parents' house said a few years ago. There's a 140 house estate going up there right now. Buyers suspect that open fields in the middle of other development are unlikely to stay open for long so will offer accordingly. See it from their POV; would you pay your own something that you had no idea what its surroundings would be in 5 years' time?

Unless it's listed or very old, I think your best bet is to knock the price right down or get it valued as building land for the house to be knocked down and the land to be developed. Alternatively sit tight until the developments are completed so you're not trying to sell something unquantifiable.

The artificial grass is probably offputting too. Perhaps consider paying to turf it and keep it in great condition for viewings.

The floor plan isn't labelled as a 3 bed? It says 2 beds upstairs, kitchen, dining room and lounge? That needs changing then.

Ah thanks for pointing that out! They’d used an old floor plan and we now have the supposed dining room as a bedroom

Sorry if this is hard to hear, but the pictures from when you bought it in 2016 are so much more appealing. It was an attractive, well renovated house, well presented for sale. You’ve done a lot to the house but you’ve got a style which will only appeal to a narrow subset of buyers. Many viewers will be factoring in costs to remove the changes which you have made into the price that they are willing to pay. Considering the market development in that area of the country, the potential development to neighbouring plots, and particularly the current market conditions, I’d be surprised if you got more than the 290k which you paid.

It's a lovely house op and decorated very nicely. I know you say you're downsizing but tbh the house doesn't look that big to me anyway. Can you convert the upstairs space into something more useful? It seems a shame to move and spend all that money really.

Thanks @metalmum15 , it’s a council tax band E and we just want something that is cheaper to run and a lot more cosy.

I think it’s very neutrally decorated. Once our furniate is out its a blank canvas no drastic colours anywhere so unsure what you mean about paying to undo what we’ve done? @desperatehouseknife

Not to my style but nice nonetheless

Few issues with your rightmove advert

. Need a photo standing back on the house showing you have a large front garden/drive

.Dining room needs a /bedroom 1 note on floor plan

. The full description measurements are messed up 62 foot long second bedroom?!? Same with all the measurements.

Other than that yes the development idea might put people off. Plus with your property being front garden heavy, people might be worried you'd be overlooked if developement continued to paddock behind.

I think it's fine OP, but other than the fake grass, and paint colours & your furniture, it looks like you've done nothing major to it. I don't see anything that needs undoing (but similarly don't think you've added any value)?

To be honest, it's done lovely inside, but I would be really concerned I would be over looked with all the new builds going up, even though they are at the side and it would just turn it into a big estate, which can come with a lot of noise, kids, cars, parties.. I'd also assume that horse owner will have to sell up when it's surrounded by houses. Not great for the horses. Particularly if noisy,

Plus any buyers could realistically be surrounded by construction for the next few years. And all the noise and dirt that brings. In addition, it means any buyer will see the house price deteriorate and could be in negative equity for a considerable time.

I'm sorry, but I think it will impact your selling price drastically. No one will,believe you're not selling up because of all the new builds.💐

All we’ve done is the garden, we had 2 estate agents round both said £325 which I thought was too much so I said £320. I’m going to lower the price seems the most realistic thing to do.

Thanks everyone for your input. Am going to ask for this post to be removed as everyone has now seen the inside of my house lol

I would not buy a house with all those planning permissions surrounding it I'm afraid. Also you say the horse people have no plans, but given your local authority has happily given permission for 52 houses in the two adjacent fields, I'd assume it's just a matter of time before the third field got a green light for more building.

I admit I find the downsizing story a bit unlikely - why would you need to downsize from a 2 bed? (It is a 2 bed, you are using the dining room as a bedroom). You seem genuine on here , but on paper it is implausible - doubting this would also put me off

It's horrible when this happens. There is a road near us, beautiful houses, in the region of a couple of million each, used to be surrounded by fields. They have just compleged building flats directly opposite and now they are actually building a housing estate round them. Literally as one finished the next one started.

They all tried to sell, at one point they all had for sale signs outside, there is only about five of them. I, not sure any did as I never saw a sold sign, and the for sale ones were up for ages, before slowly they all came down.

You can hardly drive up the road now, I went up it today. it's a total pain in the arse, there are vans all along one side, and it's a muddy mess, and construction workers everywhere, you have to wait ages to be able to find a gap in the traffic and get past the parked vans.

I really would prepare for this if you can't sell. It will be disruptive.and as said, I think the horses will need to be moved, at least during construction.

I think it’s quite expensive as well - you haven’t really done anything to the house except it’s not newly renovated any more?

I get that. We’ve just gone on advise from 2 local estate agents. Will be calling to drop price tomorrow :)

It is 2 bedroom really if one of the rooms is downstairs as the otherwise dining room. My house was the same. The estate agents advertised it as 3 bed, but the fact that one of the bedrooms was the dining room really put people off. I decided not to sell and had upstairs extended to 3 beds in the end, with potentially 4th bedroom downstairs, but I'd never advertise it as 4 beds. People think they are being misled. Having said that, your house is still a lovely property.

Re the odd measurements, it looks like they've converted feet and inches to feet and inches, as if the measurements before the brackets were actually metres.

Is that a flue pipe that's not connected to anything that I can see hanging down the chimney?

And the upstairs bedrooms don't appear to have any clothes storage. Is there anywhere to put a wardrobe in that bigger bedroom?

We've just sold a house in a week with pp for the field behind it and moved into one where the development behind it is mostly complete and waiting for its roads to be laid. People will buy it if it's right for them but will be put off if they're paying top whack but seeing work to do.

Id agree with fluffywuffy about price. I think you probably paid a 10% Newhouse/renovation premium when you moved in.
I'd disagree about 2 bedroom. If you have 2 receptions rooms in a bungalow, any rooms of a size not containing bathrooms or kitchens are generally considered bedrooms. I'd consider a large kitchen diner which you can fit both a dining table and sofas in as a reception room. But that's a matter of opinion.

When it was sold last was it sold as a two bed? People will also look at previous sales and know what you paid, so will,see if it's a two bed where the dining room is now being called a bedroom.

In addition I think the artificial grass will put many people off. I know it doesn't cost much to returf it, but it's work to be factored in. Some folks like it, but they are normally in the minority,

I suspect keep it on thr market but more chance of selling when the work is completed and it's value readjusts.

OP can I just point out that your house has only been on the market for 6 weeks, which means it went on between Christmas and New Year. I think it's timing and possibly price, as there's no way in the time you've owned it that it's value has increased that much, and you just need to be patient. Get the garden cheered up with some planters with primulas, bulbs, etc to add some colour. Have the agent come round and take new pictures on a sunny day and get the errors in the description, etc corrected.

I suspect viewers think you are not telling the truth about downsizing after such a short time in the house - they think there is something wrong and that's why you're moving. You might want to rethink that and say something else instead.

It’s the absolute truth we’re downsizing to release some equity in our house. It went on early jan and when we bought it the third bedroom was described ‘dining/bedroom three’ so we haven’t just changed the room it was an either or situation.

Say you are moving to be nearer a new job then - something that sounds more straightforward. The fact you didn't do the renovation work but you think you've added £30k to the value by living there for 18 months just makes me think it's priced incorrectly. It's not nearby building work that's the issue imo. Look what else is on the market in the same price bracket within a few miles and see whether you think your house is comparable.

I haven’t stated I have added £30k worth of work 2 estate agents advised me to put it on at 325 and I said 320. After a lot of feedback I’m aware the pricing should be a lot less and I haven’t taken credit for the fact it’s £30k more than I bought it for

OP I don't think posters were suggesting you're taking credit for the £30K, just that with sold prices and previous sales particulars readily accessible, buyers will be asking what they're getting in return for that.