What Would Put You Off Viewing?

[JustPurple]

Does anybody have any advice on how we can attract viewers to our house, please? We've been on the market for a little while and would like to give things a push.

For background info, things have been a bit slower in this area due to HS2 uncertainty, but very similar houses on the estate have sold for more than we are asking over the summer.

This is our advert.
tinylink.net/3ZG5f

Thank you

It seems a lot of house for the money and looks very clean and tidy.
Some of the pictures aren't very good; like the shot of your changing table in the (presumably) downstairs loo. There aren't enough pictures of the kitchen from different angles. Two things would put me off. One is the tiled floor in your living area, because it looks cold. Could you soften it up with a rug? The other is the proximity to rivers. I haven't looked on the e.a. site, but are you in any danger of flooding?

Always enjoy these threads!
First thing that put me off was the long wait before that tinylink url actually did anything. I thought it was broken. But presumably you aren’t really using that? Mostly people would just find it direct on rightmove I guess.

For me it doesn’t feel very homey. I wonder whether more plants in the garden / a big bit of colour in the ground floor (rug? pictures?) would help with the slightly sterile feeling.

It all looks very clean and tidy but possibly a bit soulless? It looks to me like a nice holiday let (in style and decor) rather than a home. I'd like to see some more accessories, flowers and rugs.

It all looks very clean and tidy but possibly a bit soulless?

I love that about it. I'd stick some bedding plants in if it's still on in spring, maybe the odd colourful print on the walls; but I wouldn't worry too much about the inside- people like a blank canvass.

Obviously it would be more attractive in Lancashire :-) but I think it's very nice.

OP, I just had a look on the e.a. site, and as far as I can see you are in a high risk flood area. I am just a bit sensitive about this because they moved the boundaries some years ago, and we are now in a medium risk area (from no risk at all originally) so it is something I would check carefully if we were to move.

Agree re the rug in the living room.

I would also turn your cot against the wall rather than have it sticking out into the room. It'll make that room look bigger that way.

Also need a better picture of your downstairs toilet.

I second a rug in the living room. The tiled floor would put me off in general, but if it was atleast ‘hidden’ with a large shaggy rug it would be better.

I’d maybe put a matching runner down the side of the dining table too.

Some of the bits of furniture just look randomly placed rather than flowing.

I would move the sofa and armchair(?) a bit closer together to create nice seating area, so it’s separate from the kitching/dining area. I know people can put things where they want when they buy, but it looks like it ‘has’ to go there due to layout, and it’s very far apart.

Turn the crib around so it’s not taking up the centre of the nursery room.

The price looks ok. I think it is the market, end of year, Brexit, and general stagnation etc etc.

As you can see, recent sold houses mostly happened in April and August. There just aren't many buyers at the moment.

The major thing that would put me off, and that houses your competing with have, is a garden suitable for kids. Basically you’ve got a family house but no grass in the garden = no safe place for trampolines or football or swing ball. It’s fixable, but since there are other properties for the same price that are already child-friendly I’d go for those.

Looks like no real kitchen bench? Sink on one side, stove on the other. No space to prepare food- would put me off immediately. Can you put in a butchers bench thingy to give more prep space or is it just the photo angles? I also don't think many UK people are a huge fan of tiled floors. Too cold. Maybe that also is a bit of a turn off? Big rugs may 'hide' the shiny ness and coldness. You have a lovely home though xx

I can definitely add a rug downstairs. We used to have one but I took it out because of all the having to move it to Hoover under. I'll have a look for a new one.

The cot is now against the wall (the one with the tree on it) and it does make the room look bigger. Do I needed a picture of the downstairs loo at all, or is just knowing that there is one enough at the pre viewing stage?

The gov.uk sight says were in a very low food risk area. On the maps shown on EA none of this estate is here so I don't know if that's confusing things. They put in new defences and drainage before they were allowed to build.

I've just noticed that you can see the rug on the shed roof.

I guess I made the wrong call there!

The tiled floor in the lounge diner would put me right off - messy and expensive to remove

Could be the fact it’s a town house ? I lived in a town house and it was a pain having to go up two flights of stairs I’d never live in one again.

I like your tiled floor and your house is well presented.
I wouldn’t want a single open plan living space however so that would put me off.
But the main reason I think you aren’t getting viewings at the moment is that the market is pretty dire.
Are e moove an online agent or do they have a local office? A local agent will be talking to buyers (ie persuading them to come and see your house) rather than relying on the internet listing to do the heavy lifting for them.

Picture 4 is awful. Not that it would put me off viewing but it's a bad picture. Same for picture 5 actually. I get that bathrooms are tricky to photograph due to size but they need a rethink.

The tiled floor is the big thing for me. I dislike them as I think they look cold and clinical. Definitely a rug or two to break up the expanse.

Other than that, I can't see anything else that would put me off if that is the kind of property I was interested in.

Maybe some big houseplants with height to add a bit of life?

Personally I'd have a room divider between the dining area and the living area as it all seems a bit too open for my taste.

It's not my sort of house but the pictures get better and better as i go on. The most offputting picture is the first one tbh, the front looks bleak without any flowers or windowbox and all i could think of was smelling exhaust fumes in the ground floor rooms as cars backed up to the windows.

For me, the lack of grass in the garden would make me not view it (have a dog).

The gov.uk sight says were in a very low food risk area.

If it looks like the risk could be high from just looking at the area, it might be worth having this information in the advert somewhere.

Assuming yours is the one on the left, move the bin from the front. To me that says there's nowhere to put the bins. Again, not enough to stop me viewing if I was looking for that kind of property but it's a negative point. I also agree about the lack of greenery in front. Maybe a couple of those ornamental bay/box trees in a pot.

Also - from the photos of the front I can’t actually tell which house it is. That’s offputting because it’s hard to imagine yourself into it. Could you give it a bit more kerb appeal - couple of big plants out the front?

The front exterior looks a bit bleak as there is no greenery.

Although the house is nice inside, the downstairs looks a bit stark and cold. A colourful rug, a coffee table and a few houseplants would make it look more homely, and maybe some bright cushions on your sofa.

I think a single shot if the kitchen would be better than two half-shots. In general, the pictures don't look like they're showing the best of each room.

I wouldn't view that because of the placement of the bathrooms. Off the kitchen seems a bit ugh and if you're in the second bedroom on the first floor you'd have to go up or downstairs for a night time wee.