Why is my house not selling?

[MummyMather2]

We listed our house in May and within 4 days we'd had 3 offers and sold our house for over the asking price. Unfortunately our buyer was going through a divorce and her husband suddenly changed their mind on the amount she was having (we'd previously had a letter from her solicitor showing where the funds were coming from) and she pulled out as she wasn't sure how long it would take to settle or if she would have the right funds.

As per her instruction we had moved quickly. The majority of our house had been packed up and move to relatives spare rooms and we were a week away from exchanging contracts.

We shed a few tears but quickly got the house back on the market. I fully appreciate it has only been back on for 4 weeks but we have only had 4 viewings (less then last time!) and things round here sell very quickly usually. We haven't had a viewing in 2 weeks.

To add even further pressure there are now a lot more houses in the same price bracket as ours that have come on for sale.

Estate agent isn't very helpful. We are chasing them but haven't heard from them in a week now as we got fed up of chasing them and waiting for a few days for them to get back to us. However, we haven't had any feedback that says it was too expensive just it didn't tick all their boxes.

I didn't know if anyone can advise what to do - I also realise that the summer holiday period really kills it a bit but just so disheartened!

Luckily the people we are buying from don't seem too bothered yet but I don't know what I'd do if they turned around and gave us a deadline! They are a deceased estate and it's almost our dream house!!!

Any advice welcome.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55167393.html

Love all the bright colours on the walls, but agree that the upstairs hallway is off-putting and so at odds with the rest of the house! The rest looks lovely and that just... doesn't. Like it belongs to a different house. I'm also DIY adverse, so if I saw a similar house I'd pick the one where I could live with the current decoration.
You said you wanted advice, but are dismissing what most comments brought up as a negative - that upstairs landing.
If I needed to sell quickly I'd redecorate that hallway and bring it in line with the rest of the house.

The lime green in the kitchen, the blue, the pink, the blue/green combo. Just paint over them in either white or cream and you'll get your hand bitten off.

The decor doesn't flow. Pictures 5 and 6 on particular would put me off because painting that strong blue will be a nightmare with loads of coats and ladders. The colour is dated too so if I could afford it I'd repaint in white or cream and have new photos of that space.

I'm minded to agree with a pp that the kitchen table looks cramped. Could you borrow a smaller table for a while? It's not a show stopper through.

The biggest issue is surely that the estate agent isn't on top of it!

I think it is really lovely with views amazing and decor is creative in a "see what you can achieve to make a home look treasured" kind of way instead of "we have toned everything right down in an attempt to appeal to everyone." I think I would live with the hall lighting because it is different instead of boringly pretty or practical and not the kind of thing i could have thought of.

It's sold previously maybe the right buyer will come along before too long.

I think you need to neutralise. Logically I’ve always said that paint colour wouldn’t put me off but I’d have to do a massive redecorating job as I couldn’t live with some of the rooms. The garden could be spruced up a bit with some colour and like another poster I’d be tempted to get rid of the rail. The pictures make it seem like there is a storage issue but it looks like there might be built in cupboards in one of the rooms so I’d highlight that more.

I’d also say the estate agent has done a crap job with the description. All the ones in my area seem to give more information and don’t have the guff like ‘the house is a credit to the vendor’.

In all honesty though I wouldn’t pick a town house unless it was amazing and I was in a very urban location. So you need to make it easier for those people that would consider it to love your house. I’d they walk in and instantly see a bit redecoration job that can be offputting.

Can't you see how repainting in neutral colours would be minimal effort for maximum return? The colours and the weird as hell Star Wars hallway make it hard to focus on the actual house. When I see houses like this I think what the actual fuck, and it makes me wonder what other weird shit there'll be on inspection.

I think it's easy to say 'well it's easy to repaint a room' - yeah, sure it is. But if by not repainting to accommodate the preferences of the majority of viewers you alienate say 5% of your buyers, is that really a valid standpoint to have or sensible?

For me the stripping and repainting of that landing with the tube lights would put me right off - stairwells are a right job to do with ladders or platforms needed to get the job done even just to repaint it, let alone strip, change lighting, repaint.

Then there's also the lower part of the stairwell that's in that strong blue - PPs are correct, neutralizing the colour would certainly be helpful. If 3 out of 10 viewers don't like blue and are put off by it and look at the total redecorating burden and choose not to put an offer in because in totality they just don't want to have to repaint etc, how is that positive for you the vendor? It potentially seems a bit of a 'cut off your nose to spite your face' stance.

However (and knowing nothing about the other houses and what they've sold for) I've usually found that EAs value properties WAY more than the price you will ever actually get for them.If well presented and priced to actually sell, properties typically don't hang around. They hang around when they're not presented in a way that appeals and/or are on at the wrong price. The not presented well aspect more heavily affects people's view of whether your price is too high or not, than you might imagine (yes 'just' redecorating in several rooms could be enough for them to think 'it's not worth it').

When I was selling a house before I painted over the garish geometric black and white gigantic repeating pattern wallpaper I had in my living room and touched up (virtually repainted) multiple areas of wall that were scuffed etc - I see that as an absolute basic of what I would do to prepare a house for sale. It may not be to you, but the prospect of having to redecorate or recarpet is as offputting to many people as having to rewire.

You probably need to go back to your EA and ask them what they really think it should be on the market for and ask them about the decor suggestions people have made on here re the kitchen and the hallway and landing and best of luck with selling - it's a stressful old business.

Change your agent, they sound useless.

Less is more with the photos; you have some doubled up that make the rooms look ok in one and really cramped in the next. Now I'm not condoning it but EAs have discovered Photoshop and have a penchant for stretching rooms (hilariously ineptly IMO but there you go) so seeing actual genuine dimension pics is jarring. Can you ask for them to retake the photos using a better angle and only pick the best one for each room?
I'd also ditch the photo of the back of house as the rail and brickwork where the French door has been removed are a bit ugly but honestly not a deal breaker.
Annnd think about the price, even though there are reasons for other places to have gone for less people don't want to feel they are being ripped off so make sure you are pricing correctly. Good luck!

It's normally the price when you don't get viewers. And. Yes summer hols could be impacting but this is a good time to sell.

The living room looks very exposed to me, like people can see in when walking past or you'd have to sit in semi darkness with the blinds closed, I'm not sure what the answer is there. The sofa is very dominant.

I'd agree on the colours, the kitchen, hallway and the upstairs Star Wars thing would benefit from being neutralised. It's a judgement call. Either spend a couple of days painting them a fresher colour and retake the photos, or drop the price, or, wait it out.

I really like it, if I had £290K I'd buy it!

The only things I'd change:

Get a low bed for the box room so it doesn't look so cramped

Decorate the landing and stairs, that wallpaper is hideous! (Sorry )

I literally said “oh what the FUCK” about the hall and stairs. Decorating them is such a faff. Your house would have to be truly exceptional to win me over after that and although the view IS truly exceptional, nothing else is.

I doubt it’s the decor (it’s not outlandish, just paint). The house looks lovely. The market has changed in the last few months and a lot of people are having to drop prices. You may not have to drop but the market is slower.

Also it’s summer and people are buggering off on holiday. And been so hot they won’t want to be traipsing g around houses.

Agree that the landing and stairs are really off-putting in these photos.
House has lots of good points but if not getting offers the one thing I would do is to repaint the stairs and landing and ditch the neon lights.

Agree with pps. The wallpaper looks like a shiny tyoe and they are a PAIN. You would spend a day or two on toning the house down a little and it would be worth it imho.

Tone it down and it will sell. Lots of people don't want to redecorate much. There was a house at the time I was looking to buy, which was great size, good location and price was at the top of the local bracket. It sat on a market for MONTHS. I suspect that differently coloured naimal print wallpaper in every room had something to do with it....

Paint the kitchen, hallway etc in a 'posh' neutral colour (a F&B rip off colour). That always makes people think they're getting a really smart house. Stairway is so at odds with the rest of the house too! It's like you let your 10 year design it!

Op it says no longer on the market . You need to phone estate agent up and ask why. The only thing I'd change is the bed with Lightning McQueen on it. It makes the room look tiny . It may just be the angle to photo was taken at though?

I agree with everyone else. The landing and stairs stand out and would really put me off. If you dont want to redo just remove the photos from the listing. Glossing the woodwork white as someone else suggested might make a huge difference though. Good luck OP.

I couldn't see any room dimensions on that listing.

If your property had lots of damand before then there’s nothing you need to do to change the house. You could either reduce your asking price in an attempt to undercut the similarly priced properties that have also come onto the market or if you are not in a hurry to sell just ride it out until the autumn. I’ve worked in property for years and there is always a slowdown during the school summer holidays, particularly from families, because people have their minds on other things. Viewings and offers tend to noticeably pick up in September.

Sorry, I agree with others. Neutralise the hall and stairway and remove the storage from bedroom 3. I would also want room dimensions on the floor plan, and there is very little detail in the description. Why no photos of utility and bike store?

School.holidays are often a quiet time for viewings, hopefully it will pick up in September.
School catchments is phrased strangely in the blurb - saying nearby not in catchment. Locals will want to know if you are actually in catchment for Tapton rather than Mercia...I looked it up, you seem to be in both so would say so?
Perhaps a bit more colour in the garden? Couple of pots you can take with you, along the railing say to detract the eye?

Yes Panda,the garden is a bit drab and doesn't really sell the outdoor living lifestyle that would go with a nicely sized garden like this. OP is not maximising what she has to increase appeal and increase appeal to more buyers.

I think OP that that initial quick offer that you have has influenced your view of the property. The others that viewed it at the same time - did they come rushing back to make offers when it went back onto the market? Presumably not and therefore you need to address the issues that helpful PPs have given and you could then sell it. (Which of course obviously what you do or don't do is entirely up to you but I think people's suggestions have been genuine and pretty right on the money).

I think the house itself is fine - I wouldn't not buy a house because of the decor. But I would not buy a house that is leasehold, could that be an issue do you think?

Me neither, I also wouldn't not buy a house because of the decor, but lots do. There was someone on here who wouldn't buy a house because they didn't like the sofas. Many people can't imagine it past what it's presented as.

As many PP have said the issue has in part to be because it is listed as no longer on the market! Have you spoken to the EA about this, OP?