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Original poster

What is wrong with my house?

101 replies

anonymouse · 02/02/2020 11:31

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

OP posts:

CoffeeCoinneseur · 02/02/2020 19:06

It always comes down to being overpriced.

I would buy 'The Lawns' over yours.

The house seems very similar, their back garden is much nicer.

Yours is about 20k-25k overpriced, theirs is about 5k overpriced and I'd bet they'd take an offer.

CoffeeCoinneseur · 02/02/2020 19:10

Just had another look. The Lawns is basically the same house as you but a bit more kerb appeal, a good conservatory across the back of the house, a nicer garden, and much cheaper.

0ttilie · 02/02/2020 19:24

Is this house the same in the same area but with a conservatory? 20k cheaper than yours?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-86569067.html]

Aquamarine1029 · 02/02/2020 19:25

For me personally, the pictures of the front of your house and the garden make me feel as though the rest of the home may have not been kept up and regularly cleaned properly. The front and garden are in desperate need of tidying up.

RedRed9 · 02/02/2020 19:30

The lawns doesn't have the integral garage access
^this may be true but the garages are near pointless anyway if they can’t even fit a car in.

I wouldn’t buy either but if pushed I would choose The Lawns.

0ttilie · 02/02/2020 19:31

Sorry, just seen The Lawns house and your comments up thread. However I don't think your internal door and plumbing is work 20k plus they have a conservatory.

Frenchw1fe · 02/02/2020 19:34

When we were selling our agent gave us a date for photos and lots of advice for dressing the house.
Before advertising the house we looked at the photos with the agent and made sure we were happy with them.

Tinyhumansurvivalist · 02/02/2020 19:48

Honestly, the pictures are shocking, they make the rooms look really small. That said, I don't think the wya you have the furniture helps either.

The dining table shiver up against the wall suggests there isn't actually room for it

The TV seems to be in a really odd place compared to the sofa and chair (could be rubbish photos)

The bathroom looks really small, again could be poor picture but the colour is not helping. Is it the only bathroom? Is there an en suite?

The garden picture is really letting you down. It looks unkempt. The patio is full of moss/grass and needs to be sorted.the front doesn't have curb appeal either, tart it up with a hanging basket or a pot of winter pansies

The house is cluttered from the pictures and over crowded with furniture. You need to really thin down because it is mako g it feel very small.

Both rightmove and zoopla usually hold historic brochures of houses, have a look at houses that have sold, look at the layout of their furniture, the ways they have created the look of space.

ShirleyPhallus · 02/02/2020 19:52

It looks like the ultimate “sad house” from those photos which I’m sure it’s not.

The pics really need improving and they need to add the overall square footage measurements to the floor plan.

Lulu1919 · 02/02/2020 19:54

Pictures are a bit rubbish
Make the garden look a bit more 'pretty'
Make front a bit nicer...couple of tubs ?

BonnesVacances · 02/02/2020 20:10

Have a look for a house stager who'll also take the photos for you. It costs 1-2% of the selling price, but translates into selling for up to 8% more, so you benefit overall. It'll also be cheaper than selling to a developer.

GoodDogBellaBoo · 02/02/2020 22:39

I am just wondering, looking at those photos yourself - can you honestly not see what needs to be changed? Were you happy living in that house? Would you buy it again, looking at those photos of a sad house? You couldn’t even be bothered to tidy or mow the lawn, and you are asking us about what’s wrong with your house..? You need to make an effort.

Twaddledee · 02/02/2020 23:43

I think the house does look very clean and tidy and not ‘sad’, it looks like a happy home to me, just needs a few tweaks to look a bit more ‘show home’. I don’t think you need to get a professional stager in as it will be costly and I think you might possibly need to put your stuff in storage and move out for that service? One tip I’ve noticed professional stagers use (apart from large mirrors and pictures as previously mentioned) is good quality artificial flower arrangements, ideally in just green/white/I.e.neutral tones. Saves changing dead flowers all the time. Also similar to the mirrors/pictures, think big with any ornamental pieces and stow away itty bitty ornaments - looks posher. Also lots of lamps in reception rooms (always buy in pairs - more useful). Maybe trip to Ikea needed? But first research on Pinterest/by looking at up market show homes to see how they are staged and go with a list Good luck

Original poster

anonymouse · 03/02/2020 07:49

It might look it from the photos but it is not a 'sad' home. We've had almost 5 very happy years here and are only moving to upsize to 4 bedrooms.

Overall we've been let down by out agents who very clearly have not been acting in our interest, just to have us on the books.

They got us on the books again by telling us they had a previous viewer ready and able to proceed and was interested in making an offer (they weren't even though the saw the house 4 times they weren't going to offer because of the north facing garden).

They did not book in to do the photos and as mentioned earlier, I was in my way out when they came to take these photos.

It's hard to be objective on your own property as you view it differently so thank you for asking but no, I didn't see as many issues as have been pointed out.

Perhaps agents in this area are not great at staging as every house we have looked at has not had great photos- most much worse than mine so again as my first house sale, I thought maybe this is the norm.

Using the constructive feedback from here I will be going to my agent to change photos and I will ensure that we have the time to actually stage.

OP posts:

woodencoffeetable · 03/02/2020 08:04

north facing garden
can you move a seating area to the sunny bottom for pictures?

CharmingB · 03/02/2020 15:08

Zoopla Link the photos taken from 2015 , particularly of the living room, are at much better angles. Now is a difficult time of year to put a house up for sale, but if you can arrange photos to be taken on a day where it's a bit brighter, that will help massively.

When I sold my last house the estate agent put my lights on for photos, but it was obvious from the photos that they weren't actually needed. Your photos have the unfortunate effect of making the rooms look really dark.

The first close up photo on the older listing is good - definitely clear the drive when they come.

The only other tip I've not seen mentioned on here already is to pull up your kitchen blind for the next lot of photos. The darker wood look is lovely, but it absorbs an awful lot of light.

It looks a nice house OP and I hope you manage to sell it soon.

Mildura · 03/02/2020 15:33

@LittleSweet

Can you change to Mitchell and Partners? When we sold our house, six years ago, just round the corner from you, we went with them as they advertise in London to entice commuters

Every agent effectively advertises in London to entice commuters - it's called Rightmove!

LittleSweet · 03/02/2020 20:11

When we used them, they had bill boards at stations.

Original poster

anonymouse · 12/02/2020 18:28

Thanks for all of the advice. We rearranged the house to show off the rooms properly and put some bits into storage. 1st viewing we had following offered and we've accepted so the advice was very much appreciated.

Also, got the rightmove stats today. 5840 views following this thread. Agent must have been a bit 🤔
😂🤣

OP posts:

Twaddledee · 12/02/2020 19:04

😂 great news, well done OP 👍

73Sunglasslover · 12/02/2020 19:34

Great news OP! Was the house you were hoping to buy still available?

ooooohbetty · 12/02/2020 21:20

Excellent news OP

AnneKipanki · 12/02/2020 21:23

Great news !
Congratulations@anonymouse

Original poster

anonymouse · 12/02/2020 21:47

Thank you.
We have some negotiation to do on the other end but yes, the house we want is available still.

OP posts:

WhereDoesThisToiletGo · 12/02/2020 21:53

The agent must be thinking how marvellous his lead photo was to get so many people opening the full advert!

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