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

Because it states it ain't for sale any longer

Why is OP ignoring everyone saying it's not on the market?

I think your house is lovely and tbh if viewers don't like your taste they can redecorate to their own. Part of the problem must be down to holidays now and no-one is really interested in looking until beginning if September? Perhaps you should change agents?

Theres a lot about the layout of the house that will only appeal to certain people - townhouse, small bedrooms, very sloping plot. Plus the interesting decor. People don’t just redecorate before they sell to try and predict other people’s tastes. You repaint dark walls lighter so they reflect light and feel bigger. When you already have small bedrooms and some oversized furniture having a dark grey and black hall isn’t good. The market is stagnating or all in good in most areas, so I would make some effort with a bit of quick redecoration and getting rid of extra furniture in the box room (and rephoto the lounge so it isn’t dominated by the sofa) or drop the price.

OP I find it strange that you haven't responded to those who have, quite rightly, noticed that it says its no longer on the market.

Some of the decor isn't to my taste, some of the colours are too bold but I can't say it would really put me off. I'm more curious about the crazy colourful fluorescent lights 😂

Why is OP ignoring everyone saying it's not on the market

Because it is on the market. This issue was clarified on page 1, if people would just RTFT.

Having taken a closer look I expect most people would be put off by the huge lounge window - the street is practically in your house!

@corrag she actually didn't reply to PPs questioning it. She says it's been put back on the market - even more reason why it doesn't make sense.

wowfudge's post at 18.09 clarified it. It is on the market, OP just posted a link to a cached page.

@IKnowItsTIMHONKSTIMHONKS - the living room is on the first floor so unless the street levitates, that ain't going to be an issue. There'll be an expansive view without people on the street being able to look in.

Only just over 800sq ft of living space...for the best part of 300k....on the edge of Sheffield??

The decor is irrelevant; vast majority of buyers can look past this

The house is vastly over priced; drop by 50k and you'll sell

Slatterns - do you know Sheffield?

Redecorate the landing. Many people just can't see through it. They think it will be loads of work and it's not.

Cover the lime green in the kitchen.

Put a few personal things in the bathroom to dress it. It looks too clinical and is just a blob of beige. The dressing of it will allow people to ser that it is actually a nice bathroom.

The other rooms are great- lovely colours.

The same happened to us last year. We had a few viewings the first week then nothing at all. It was the time of year and Brexit. And it still is!

We lost our dream house because ours wouldn't sell. We had had 2 full price offers previously both of which had gone all the way to exchange!

We have ended up remortgaging and then getting another mortgage on our new house. We could only do this because we are old and so have lots of equity...

@wowfudge yes thanks

In the absence of glaring defects, if a house is not selling it's because it's over priced. This house is over priced.

See, every time, it's a combination of priced too high / decor off-putting (raises red flags that there's more that's not right or puts people off with the need to decorate difficult to decorate places (stairwells) or do what is quite expensive work (new flooring/carpeting).

I'd say 80% of the time the property is on for too much and that's why it doesn't sell. It's just the simple facts of the matter and sellers either price realistically based on that knowledge, or wait for months - or years in some cases - for a buyer who comes along and will pay the price. However, I'd say that's highly unlikely that you will get a premium price unless the property is absolutely mint and this one isn't (sorry OP, it's a nice house with great views but there ARE some off-putting elements from decor, perceived amount of work to be done as well as a very small third bedroom). You won't get top price whilst those exist and even so, the house might still be overpriced.

The fact that it says 'no longer on the market' is a big thing.

Personally I would repaint the kitchen to a neutral colour and redo the stairs with the shiny paper.

Although as a buyer, the kitchen isn't too bad. It's not a massive job to repaint, so if I liked the house I would still want it.

The stairs would put me right off though. They are a pain in the arse to do.

It only says no longer on the market on the link from the OP. If you search for it it is actually a featured house on RM currently.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55690389.html

Not sure why it has increased £58,000 in 4 years.

Probably the dreaded trampoline in the back garden!

It is always price.

I think you may just be being a bit impatient, though I understand why. A family member is selling a property in a part of London that usually sells very quickly. But they've been unlucky with gazundering/chain collapses etc.

From the photos it looks well-maintained and there's nothing off-putting to me. I'm not really sure redecorating would make that much difference. I expect the house sold for a cheaper price but with reasons attached may be part of the problem if viewers are looking at prices in your area via Zoopla etc. Not sure what you can really do about that though. If you want to sell quicker, then dropping the price is the most logical thing to do.

Hi OP, I've just moved house and actually looked at yours online.

It's in a great area. The third bedroom is tiny, but so are third bedrooms in many 3 bed houses.

The main thing that put me off (other than bedroom size) was the silver hall decoration and the very strong colours in some of the other rooms. We both work and have a young family and there's no way we wanted to take on a house where we had to do so much redecoration to make it a bit more neutral. I'm absolutely a fan of colour, but yours are too much to appeal to many people, I would suggest.

I totally get what you're saying about not wanting to redecorate to sell your house, but if you want to sell quickly, or for near your asking price, I'd suggest that's what you need to do.

Best of luck, OP!

Interesting isn't it - lots of people, me included, can see past the bits of the decor we don't like, but for others they won't entertain somewhere they can't face painting. From what I can, it's priced fairly and without seeing the photos of the listing when the OP bought the house, the bathroom looks newly done and I expect they've done a lot of updating, plus prices have risen.

I have just had to decorate hall, stairs and landing in my new house.

It cost a bloody fortune as we had to remove embossed paper, sand woodwork, put numerous coats of paint on. We paid a decorator as it was such an onerous task.