Why doesn’t anyone want our house?!

[noitsachicken]

Been on the market since January.
Dropped the price twice, recently switched agents.
Lots of viewings, generally positive feedback. People like the house, but no one wants to buy it!!

I think it looks great. Are there perhaps a lot on the market in the immediate area ? Thought I had - not thought through just immediate -
Solar panels leased hmmm sounds might be messy transferring lease or similar.
Downstairs might be bigger than upstairs ie not balanced
There is something about that front photo which makes the garage but not well done ?? Is there tender leaching salt or something ? Is there room for any greenery that side to soften the angles?
Side door.
As said it looks good. Great kitchen. Lots of positives. Those were my hésitations if I were in the market for a house like yours.good luck op.

It does seem overpriced but only because of the lack of en-suite etc.
I love your kitchen. You can’t change the front door and after all there are others the same as that, and they sold.

I would - get some tubs of flowers or small shrubs out the front.
In the lounge, I think you need a big rug as there is no central cozy spot. Also get all those pics/photos off the lounge wall and put one big one up.

If you’re getting viewers but no offers then there must be something that puts buyers off when the view. The bedrooms are very small, I know the dimensions are listed but people can’t always visualise what the space actually looks like.

Your kitchen & living room is lovely, the bookcase would put me off as my TV probably wouldn’t fit in that space so would have to reconfigure.

The primary school is very close, some people might be put off by noise.

For me it doesn’t have enough character, but that’s just my personal preference. Are you competing with new builds nearby?

I’d have been put off as soon as I read “leases solar panels” in the description. It’s a deal breaker because it’s such a nightmare. You basically don’t own your roof and can’t go on it to do repairs, there could be legal issues, it’ll be a hassle to get them removed at some point and who knows what damage the workmen might cause. It’s too much of a liability.

The second off putting factor is the lack of a front door. I’d probably think to myself “it’s lovely inside and has a nice garden, I might as well view it”. But when I actually saw it I’d probably rule it out because the access is down a dark narrow side alley. I could buy a proper house elsewhere for that price. Obviously I know you can’t change that.

Third issue is the price. There’s no justification for why it’s increased by £129k since you bought it. Unless house prices have increased by 50% since 2011 (which I doubt) then why is the price so much higher? It seems greedy.

The bathroom and bedrooms let it down. Maybe paint the bedroom more neutral. The bathroom cupboards could do with a paint and a new toilet seat. The bathroom is fine but its a bit bland.

I think your house is lovely, I like the off road parking and the kitchen diner.
The only thing that would put me off is no downstairs toilet. Your house is aimed at a family and they will want an extra toilet. Can one be added in the cupboard / under the stairs?
The garden looks family friendly, although the fence could possibly do with a varnish to protect the wood and look like it has been cared for.

Solar panels are leased, can be easily transferred to new owner

Op do you understand the legalities surrounding these? They have to be transferred to thr new owner, or the lease bought out. Which is very expensive. As a pp said, they are hugely problematic.

Who installed them? Did you?

The things that would put me off are:

1. Narrow entrance, I'd never fit my sofa in the house or wardrobes etc.
2. Kitchen with no access to the garden - I'd always choose kitchen at the back.
3. Teeny entrance hall so a right faff with buggy etc.

These things alone would mean I wouldn't view, as they are not changeable (without completely remodelling). However they obviously don't put everyone off as you are getting viewings. So once they are there, why aren't they making an offer?

What is across the road? More houses? Is the garden really overlooked?

Oh god, I forgot

1. The solar panels being leased. BIG no.

How long has the lease got to run on the solar panels? If the house isn’t easily mortgageable because of them, your pool of buyers will be more limited and you will have to reduce the price to sell.

My heart just sank when you said your solar panels were leased. They are not easily transferable to a new owner at all - you have basically made your house unmortgageable to others by leasing out your roof to another company. I have just dealt with a case where the clients had 18 years remaining on a solar panel lease. Nobody was buying the house, aside from the panels issue it would have been impossible to do a loft conversion when you don't own the roof space. Anyway long story short, we had to negotiate a deal with the solar panel company to buy out the panels. Minimum they would accept was £18,000, so a thousand for each year remaining on the lease. The house eventually sold after they took the hit, but the buyers were still reluctant due to the fact that they would probably need a new roof in the future due to the panels. Please check your paperwork.

This looks a lot bigger for the same price?

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/62183727

And this has an extra bedroom and looks nicer..

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/63030429

The front doesnt look very appealing with the door down the side like an alleyway. It's quite small with not much room to rejig. What was it originally on for?

The solar panels being leased would put me right off and not all lenders will borrow on that either.

I'm from south bristol but I dont know north very well unfortunately

I haven't read the whole thread but came on to say I am currently house hunting in Bristol. My max price is £300,000 and your house (whilst lovely) is similar to all the £280,000 - £300,000 ones I am currently poring over.

Hi OP

Thought I'd put my two cents in seeing as I don't live far from you and have a Rightmove addiction. Like you have said, you can't do any major changes, which is not what this house needs. I'm not sure the issues are the photos seeing as you are getting people through the door, however I do think 'softening' up the front would be nice, I know you've said plants don't thrive in the front, but for a photos sake a nice rose bush, a topiary or some other deceptive plants would help as the location of the house being sandwiched between two others does make it seem quite dark, especially when coupled with dark bricks and windows with the lines over them (sorry can't remember the name of thats style!)

Otherwise, keep researching other homes around you to see how your expectations match up with other local prices. I don't think the price is hugely unreasonable. Also, just a general selling tip, people don't like seeing photos of the current owners and their family when viewing. Some kind of psychology thing where they find it hard to imagine themselves living there when there are lots of photos and personal details of another family. Worth a shot I suppose! Good luck!

@Aprinceinapaupersgrave I agree, Bristol here too

Honestly - it's a lovely house and looks fab inside. However, if I was going to spend that much on a house, I would want a downstairs loo or something which was going to make life a bit easier for the family. Not a lot you can do about that I know - but I don't think a different photo of the front of the house will make that much difference.

For me, the reasons I would be put off are:

1. Narrow passageway. It screams access issues to me and at that price I wouldn't want to be worrying about how I'll get things in and out the house.
2. No downstairs toilet. It's too handy to have to avoid people going upstairs when we have guests, but I like upstairs as our private space.
3. Access to the garden doesn't make sense to me.
4. Solar panels
5. Upstairs rooms seem small to me

It's got some lovely features downstairs but there's a lot of negatives for the price.

And the lack of garage would put me off, but that would put me off even considering a viewing as I wouldn't be buying a house without a garage.

The kitchen looks lovely

@Aprinceinapaupersgrave just gave you the answer. If there are similar on for 280-300 you're stuffed.

If you google there are so many articles about how those leased solar panels make properties unsellable.,I'm wondering based on the ops comment, if she fully understands the impacts, it's a really big deal.

I love most of the house except the kitchen. I don't know what that grey box is near the ceiling on the left hand side? As other posters have said, it looks weird without a front door on the front & the side passage looks too the narrow side for some of my furniture. But the nail in the coffin is those solar panels.

You can’t have it both ways, OP. Loads of people say the house is overpriced but you say, that’s just the way it is, house prices are crazy. Well, it seems not that crazy, as no one’s buying it at that price. You could drop the price but you don’t want to. Isn’t doubling your money in ten years enough?

I'd do this. I'd also get a few other estate agents round for valuations.