What is wrong with my house?

[anonymouse]

We've been on the market since 15th Jan and 1000ish views on the listing which has translated to 5 viewings.

Other properties in our neighbourhood (of the same type no less) have gone within a week of being listed at pretty much asking price. We are priced competitively with those to factor in variations in property (some have conservatory or garage conversion, others no have integral access to the garage just the over and up door)

So lovely people of MN what is wrong with my house? What can I change to sell it quickly without massively reducing the price?

We may potentially drop our current agent to go with a movemaker scheme as we are interested in a new build and really don't wish to lose it. We've been looking for a year or so and this is the only property that meets almost all of our requirements.

link removed by MNHQ as per OP's request

Unless we buy them out of contract we're stuck for at least the next 12 weeks.

We were listed with them in October under a 0% deal. Didn't have anyone proceedable come but we did get a lot of viewings. As we hadn't found anywhere we decided not to continue. Over Christmas we came across the new build. As we were about to do the movemaker they called and said one of the previous viewers was proceedable and they wanted to buy so we went back with them. 24 hours of viewing our property theirs fell through so didn't put an offer in. I'm not sure if it was all just a tactic to get us back on their books as I'd said to them about the movemaker.

What everyone above has said, and also the rug in the loving room area makes it look smaller, I think its the pattern, I would remove it for the photos. Also try rearranging the sofas to make it look bigger, it looks like there is a toy storage spot behind the smaller sofa, but leaving that in the photos just makes the whole room look smaller.

Given the update that you were on your way out when the photographer turned up unexpectedly OP, your house looks fabulous!! Mine certainly wouldn't look that tidy and clean

I hope the agents take you seriously and agree they need to hire better photographers and give you adequate notice. Do that and sort the garden out and you will have a buyer within a couple of weeks I should think.

This is an example of a well staged and photgraphed house nearby - this is your competion and the standard people expect these days (if not looking for a doer- up house)
here

The agent needs a kick up the backside. Never mind what their terms are, what are they going to do to shift the place? Any fool can list on Rightmove with the right licence agreement, it's how they deal with issues and fix things that makes the difference.

To add to what newme said...

1. Needs a tighter angle on the house, with the others in shot it just looks like one massive block of buildings. This should also cut down on how much of the mossy/messy pathways you see in the photo, or next door's shaggy lawn. Personally I'd also look at what can brighten the outdoors up a bit, such as a simple pot of nice, seasonal flowers under the window.

1. Empty this room more. As well as toys, look to put footstool away and simplify windowsills. The new angle should not make it so obvious you need the light on because it just suggests the room is dark.

1. Except for the ceiling thing, the angle of the room is better as it cuts off the clutter.

1. Empty the windowsill (except maybe a small plant) and open the blinds a bit more. They are dark and add to the sense of clutter.

1. That garden needs tidying. Cut the grass, clean the patio. Perhaps look at grass grenner supplement to make the lawn look a bit more inviting.

1. Remove all clutter. Open the curtains properly so they hang straight.

1. Clutter again. For the photo, remove the bin. The angle also emphasizes it is small/tight in there.

1. Clutter and angle.

1. Make the bed

On rightmove the 'houses like this' section has a very similar house to yours for 20k less. If I were looking for that kind of property, I'd see theirs first tbh.

Just saw your update - they didn't give you much chance! Estate agents will say your house is lovely , nothing needed for photos, because they just want to list it in the hope of a quick sale. Ignore this. We spent a weekend getting our house tidied up for photos including buying a small number of cushions and poncy ornaments but mostly decluttering and just kind of "straightening" things. Your home needs to be the best version of itself to sell.

V unprofessional of the agents to take the refresh photographs without giving you notice to tidy up for them. Sign of an inexperienced photographer to angle the photos towards the ceiling rather than the floor. If interviewing new agents ask them if they take photos themselves or use a professional photographer. Suggest going to somewhere like dunelm to buy two large mirrors with simple frames and put one in sitting room either above dining table or above sofa. Put the other one on the striped wall in spare room. Put a large framed picture or pair of pictures above the sofa/dining table that doesn’t have the mirror. Pull out the dining table from the wall for the shot featuring the dining table only (not for sofas shot). In the sitting room can you remove the play area and push the arm chair Further back? Not sure if this would be odd as the stairs is over there isn’t it? Plain white bedding on the master bed is always appealing and neutral. Can you get a picture of inside the garage utility (if it improves rather than detracts)? Get them to come on a dry day to retake outside shots and make sure it’s the correct time of day for the sun. If necessary two separate trips for sun on the garden and front of house. Hope this helps.

Also agent should be calling it out not just putting it on the internet and waiting for people to call them

I think your house looks very nice indeed but the photos arent doing it any favours.
(I'm also amazed at how tidy it is if you werent expecting thrm)
Every photo is centred on the far corner of the room . In most cases this is an empty space (dull) or something you don't want to draw attention to, like all the shampoo in the bathroom or clutter in kitchen.
Silly things distract from the important stuff, like the big label hanging out from seat cushion on dining table chair,
Wires and cables peeping out under furniture says "Not enough power points".
Clothes horse in bedroom says Not enough storage,
Get photos taken when it's not bin day.

I think the issue is the price. Although you paid 310k for it in 2015, 2 years earlier in april 2013 it went for £239,950. Based on price trends for your area from 2013 the current value is 325k unless you have upgraded it significantly.

Another thought check if your agent is encouraging applicants who contact them to view any similar houses on their books to also view yours at the same time. Eg this one
www.prospect.co.uk/property-details/JSF200001/cheyne-way? consider getting a friend to contact them to book a viewing on this other listing and see if agent encourages then to view your house as well. If not that’s lazy agency. Once you get a buyer don’t automatically agree to take the property off the market without agreeing a timescale for buyers to eg instruct solicitor, survey etc.

Is your kitchen really only about two steps from one side to the other and do you have to breathe in to get through the door because there's a dishwasher blocking the way? Because that's what it looks like.

The whole place looks narrow - your table seems to be a plank because nothing else will fit, the settee is crammed up against the patio door so tightly that you can't pull the curtain back properly and yes, the garden looks like a muddy, scruffy dump.

It's also very, very beige.

I might need to make another thread in legal but would it be construed as aggressive selling practice if they only reason they got us on the books was because they told us they had a buyer for us?

Agree with pp. Too much ceiling and clutter in the photos.

The one area I would do work on is the garden. It looks an unloved mess, not at all inviting.

But also, you can't get hung up on number of online views.

Suggest you de-extend the dining table and turn it end to the wall, with two chairs each side, it will actually take up less room this way. And store the upholstered dining chairs.

Can you actually even use that dining table? Or once it’s pulled away from the wall are you blocked from the other half of the house?

I agree RE new photos.

@anonymouse the link won't work for me but I just sold my house in Farnborough, I am obviously local to you, my son is an estate agent and I have used Mitchells and Vickery .. how can I see the house to give you any advice ? Xx

@vic49 copy and paste the link into your browser.

Kitchen isn't huge but definitely more than 2 steps wide.

Dining table can be put the other way and still have 6 chairs around with space so photos are definitely not doing any justice.

Absolutely terrible photos. Too much visible clutter and bad angles. House needs to be 'styled' for photos, not just left as is on a normal day.

When I go to streetview there seems to be a playground nearby - but that's not mentioned on the description. it's a house for a family so if there is a playground close by use that as a selling point.

Can someone make the link clicky please?

yes to angles of photos.
also the dining table pushed against the wall makes it look like you don't have space.
front picture - without car and with some greenery. it looks awful to have just tarmac /concrete.