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Where have all the people who want to move to the country gone?

193 replies

notagoodidea · 11/03/2018 13:22

We have a large country house that we have been trying to sell for the last 7 months or so but with only 2 viewings and no offers.
We are quite rural but can get supermarket delivery's ect, so not exactly cut off from the world.
There is a village very near by with a good primary school and a coop and even a bus service every hour to the nearest train station.
The location is great and the views are stunning but is is a large house.
From the house and patio you have a view down the garden to the loch and across to the hillside opposite, it is beautiful.
From looking at other threads on here i know it is "only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it" but it is on for £10k less than the home report valuation already and is priced at less than a 1 bed flat in London.
Does no one want to move to the country anymore?

I have put some pics on to show the view form the house then from the shore and lastly one from the hill just behind the house.
What do you think?

Where have all the people who want to move to the country gone?
Where have all the people who want to move to the country gone?
Where have all the people who want to move to the country gone?
OP posts:
pinkcardi · 11/03/2018 17:01

Yes to be bathrooms comment. We're in a 8 bed and have 4 bathrooms (one ensuite, two jack and Jill's and a family bathroom), plus a downstairs loo

notagoodidea · 11/03/2018 17:01

Thanks More and umadbro i will have a look at yatesshellier if my agent does not buck up, and hope the right person comes along who falls in love with it as we did all those years ago.

OP posts:
notagoodidea · 11/03/2018 17:09

On the bathrooms there is one downstairs and one upstairs with an additional shower room with shower sink and loo so 3 in total, but plenty of space to make some ensuites if you wanted too.

As for the sofas in the bedrooms with tvs ect. just one word really, teenagers.....
Yes they have now moved out but left so much of their stuff behind, next on the list of declutter and take to the dump or donate.

OP posts:
billybagpuss · 11/03/2018 18:15

It's beautiful and I'd view it if I was looking in the area but I will agree with pp's that you might benefit from new pictures and a bit of Fenn shui.

for example:
Get rid of the odd little brown mat by the front door and just position the nice red patterned one squarely against the door
Can one room be 'the gym' it sends mixed signals and looks odd having gym and living room in one
Image 7 is confused, lose image 7 and 9 and lose the table cloth on 8 and maybe pop a vase of flowers on the table. It looks a great space room with loads potential.
Image 13 and 14 look like amazing rooms but is there anything you can do about the position of the TV's one is blocking something, not sure what and the other it throws the room out of balance.

Honestly I'd be very interested, it looks amazing and just the right price for me if we were moving to Scotland I'd be on your doorstep wanting a cuppa as looked round (yes I am a CF)

MsMims · 11/03/2018 18:29

I think it’s just too big for the price bracket it’s in. The average family don’t need anywhere near as many bedrooms and someone who is spending £400k isn’t going to want to bankroll massive heating bills for rooms they don’t even use. How many square feet is it?

Is there scope to improve it so it appeals to a buyer with more spending power? Or maybe market it heavily as a potential B&B especially with the stunning location.

I’d also make the rooms more one purpose - the room with a small dining table & sofa would look better with a large dining table alone in there. Same with the bedrooms with unnecessary furniture.

WhalesOfYore · 11/03/2018 19:07

notagoodidea

It looks like a fine house - to be honest your main problem is nothing you can change, it's just the recent trend for big-city-leavers to prefer retaining access to as many of the amenities of a town as possible rather than go full rural as in the past. A few thoughts:

  1. On the map it looks like a looooong compulsory drive around the loch to get to Glasgow. Maybe emphasize the ferry if that's a viable alternative?
  2. Definitely repaint the horizontally-striped red-green-beige room in either a single neutral tone, or use something with greater oomph, like a high-end wallpaper in golden or red damask.
  3. On the matter of oomph, try to take photos that really sell the romantic dream of living there - dress a room up with soft furnishings, make the fire roar, create mood lighting, that kind of thing. Have a shot of nothing but the main facade to convey the sense of scale.

Hope that helps a little!

dieselKiller · 11/03/2018 20:36

What are the advantages to living in Rosneath vs living in Helensburgh which looks like it has similar properties but better connections to Glasgow with the train? It's unfortunate that the property sites list crow-flies distances to the train stations: it's not 3 miles to Helensburgh Central, it's more like 13 miles. You might want to address that in the property listing, so that people looking for properties in Helenburgh who come across your listing can see how Rosneath is actually a great option for them and don't get surprised by the distances.

NotMeNoNo · 11/03/2018 20:51

Sorry if this is a bit lengthy.

I think it needs better marketing from both you and the agent, if you are serious about moving. A big unusual house needs more attention in photos, descriptions etc. Someone would have to be a detective to find out much about the house never mind the good points.

Why is the estate agent based in Manchester? A local agent who would make an effort would be worth their fee.

Who is the target market - Glasgow commuters, families, does the listing explain the advantages of the location? Is there a secondary school nearby? People are normally selling to younger buyers (Your family grown up, theirs just starting) so what will appeal to people 10/15 years younger than you?

The floor plans need to be uploaded as two separate ones so the details are legible. Every room should have a name and the photos captioned with the same name "Dining room", "Master Bedroom" etc.

The listings need to have proper descriptions and sizes of each room, I can't believe how lazy it is. Windows, radiators etc. It needs to be done efficiently as it could be repetitive. You have clearly kept a lot of original features that should be mentioned. I would say they have too many photos but not enough words. You don't need multiple photos of all the bedrooms. I'm also not convinced it's beautifully presented, although very clean, it would be fairer to say with potential for further sympathetic updating, especially on the bathroom front.

The main photo doesn't show the house clearly, is it all front garden or does it even have a back garden? There should also be a picture which is nicely composed where the house fills the frame, the front and back, even if you need to climb a tree to take it. Where's the front door? I can't even figure out the location as the satellite photo is fuzzy, is it up a private shared drive? Is the zoopla pin even on the right house?

The house is clean and tidy but you are right it doesn't feel homely. All the curtains should be hang straight and be arranged so they don't look thin/tucked behind radiators. All the divan beds should have a valance. Any unattractive everyday items should be out of photos - gym equipment, messy stacks of books, bins, children's paintings, loo mats, teenage boy stuff on wardrobes, throws on sofas. None of those sell the dream. But are easily fixed. It could then look more homely with a few very cheap accessories.

When we were looking for houses last year, if the basic house, kitchen, lounge and master bedroom sold it to me, the rest was not so important. However in your house I'm not even sure which is the main bedroom or lounge. The kitchen is quirky and I like the wood but it seems to have no storage and hardly any worktop - if you have a massive pantry tucked away, needs to be in descriptions. Also with huge rooms like the lounge, the usual estate agent wide angle shot just makes it look like a barn, they should frame it to look cosy.

So in summary you need a more coherent story and some home staging.

I'm partly talking from frustration as my sister is selling a beautiful (potentially) house in Yorkshire, but being sold empty and unloved looking so she will not get anywhere near the price she deserves. I hope you get your buyer, the location is stunning!

notagoodidea · 11/03/2018 20:54

Rosneath v Helensburgh well there is people and tourists that make Helensburgh really busy and crowded in the summer, property prices are considerably higher in Helensburgh (mine would be at least £100k more) there are two 6 bed houses in Helensburgh up for sale one at £520 and the other at £580 and the only 8 bed house is up at over £1mil but it is lovely though. Where as in Clynder / Rosneath border it is lovely and peaceful with a usually deserted beach but you still have all the amenities within a reasonable distance. nearest train station is at Garelochhead, 4 miles away and all the main supermarkets including waitrose deliver to us.
And as i said upthread i can be in central Glasgow in an hour by car.
when we lived in west London it could often take over an hour to drive 1 mile in rush hour!

OP posts:
NotMeNoNo · 11/03/2018 20:57

Sorry I did not mean badly presented, most of the rooms are lovely full of character and neutrally decorated, it's just most buyers would probably want to add to the facilities.

notagoodidea · 11/03/2018 21:06

hi Notme
we tried a local agent with no success and yes i agree this new agent has been very lax with the lack of descriptions room sizes and general lax approach to the whole thing.
it has been really useful to get all this feedback from everyone and the will be a long phone call to the agent in the morning to try to either resolve the issues that have been highlighted or cancel them and re-list it with a better agent. the problem is to find one who is really good and not just lots of chat but no results.

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FluffyWuffy100 · 11/03/2018 21:25

@notagoodidea have a look on RM and see which properties have fab photos and descriptions that really sell the house/lifestyle - see which agents they are with

OutyMcOutface · 11/03/2018 21:29

I think that it must be the location. You can get something similar (albeit without the views) within commuting distance of london for the same price where I live.

TravellingFleet · 11/03/2018 23:23

A while ago I was house hunting and visited a house that looked really unprepossessing in the listing - looked uncared for, cramped, oddly laid out etc. But I was viewing in the same village and thought I’d give it 30 mins.

Visited the house, lovely owner recently widowed and wanting to sell. And the thing was the house was really nice in real life. Not for me because of an accessibility issue, but a lovely house, all the windows recently replaced, etc. She couldn’t understand why she wasn’t getting interest.

So at the end I took a breath and told her that her agents were letting her down, and that was why it wasn’t selling. Three weeks later it was on with a much posher agent (Fine and Country I think - something like that), beautiful photos, really nicely but honestly described, and it sold at asking price in two weeks. I imagine it went to someone who wanted that country house in good repair but which could be brought up to date in decor.

I think yours may be the same - you need to go with an agent who is used to selling more desireable properties and who can sell it as the dream ‘put your mark on this beautiful house’ situation.

rallytog1 · 12/03/2018 07:40

Your agent is really letting you down. Better description with dimensions, floor plan, better photos that allow people to imagine the flow of the house would really help. It's a beautiful house - wish I was looking to move to your neck of the woods!

MoreProsecco · 12/03/2018 12:30

Also agree it's the agent - why aren't you using a local one? And one that advertises on Rightmove? I'm in Scotland & would never think to look on Zoopla for houses to buy. I'd use GSPC, or S1 homes too.

notagoodidea · 12/03/2018 12:39

#MoreProsecco it is on rightmove as well.
Spoke to agent this morning and there should be a better description and room dimensions on the listing so hopefully that will help

OP posts:
wowfudge · 12/03/2018 13:47

When you had the viewings OP, who conducted them?

ladystarkers · 12/03/2018 13:53

Gosh... love it, would be great with my big brood. £270k cheaper than the housr we ate trying to buy down south and much bigger!! Afraid, teens wouldn’t be up for re-locating and trying to move to city so dont need to ferry dvs around as much.

notagoodidea · 12/03/2018 15:19

wowfudge we had to do the viewings.
ladystarkers if they like sailing kayaking hiking ect you might be able to persuade them Grin

OP posts:
georginababey · 12/03/2018 15:24

It's a beautiful house and stunning location, if I had that money sitting around i'd buy it tomorrow but sadly I don't :(

Catinthebath · 12/03/2018 15:29

Your agent might be the problem. I looked to sell with them and they took a few snaps, no room measurements. Agree the pics look a bit cluttered but the house is lovely.

IMissGin · 12/03/2018 15:35

It’s a great house with amazing views, but I agree it looks both empty and cluttered at the same time. A bit soulless. It also looks to me like it needs a lot of work. New bathrooms, potentially new kitchen and a lot of decorating. I reckon I’d need to spend at least £60k on it. Something about the bare divans and randoms big leather sofas makes it look a bit unloved to me.

Better pics, better agent, more detail, move the clutter, get some fresh flowers and some bed linen/cushions/throws/pictures on walls.

I agree with potential to market commercially too

Sunnyshores · 12/03/2018 16:14

It is a beautiful house in a stunning location. Are you sure that people moving to the country are your target buyers? If so, we moved to the country a few years ago and whilst Scotland wasnt on our radar, if it was, there are a few things that I would want to know.

Distance/time to airport and station and how long to London
How far to any sort of a shop?
Say waitrose or whoever deliver
Any local clubs, church, pub, riding or golf
Private schools for day children/boarders

Can you run a business from it? B&B or something from outbuildings? Artist studio?

Whats tourism like in area

notagoodidea · 12/03/2018 16:37

Sunnyshores you pass the airport on the way into Glasgow so under an hour. Nearest station is 4 miles.
Local coop just 300m or so, there are local clubs churches ect and private school in helensburgh.
There is a separate garage with an additional store room but if you wanted an artist studio or the like, there is plenty or room to do it in the house.
Living room 1 is 5.51m (18'1'') x 8.51m (27'11") with 2 more living / dining rooms and a good sized office on the ground floor in addition to the kitchen and utility room

OP posts: