What's wrong with my house

[mrsanflowerpot]

Please help.

Our house went on the market about three weeks ago, 8 viewings compared to everyone else in the same bracket having lots. Similar price to others locally even though we have an extension that we use as a dining room. I know the second bedroom is small, but nothing we can do about that. Can we do anything else?

Thank you!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72197922.html

Can I make a few suggestions? I'd paint the kitchen cupboards and dark wood door. The sofas need plumping you they look a bit tired. The angle of the tv looks strange. Put some hanging baskets and pots outside, can't tell which house is for sale. It looks perfectly nice but a little dull if you don't mind me saying, I don't mean to be rude it's just trying to stand out in a busy market isn't it

I'm going to sound really horrible here... Apologies in advance, I'm sure the area is lovely.. but..
The first photo makes the house look a bit Ex Council house. The front room is long, narrow and awkward, like some work has been done to change original layout and extend it and join the kitchen. Instead of two smaller rooms, now one long one.
The bedrooms look tiny, cramped and cluttered and one has kitchen cabinets in it. The conservatory looks too cold in winter (oil heater) too bright in summer (curtains) There's a photo of a car parked on some grass? I'm assuming to show the front area? So they'll be engines revving, kids and balls out there in nice weather.
It's decorated really nicely though... So that's a plus..
(Sorry)

I'm really sorry but if I'm being honest, and I think that's what you want, it's so untidy looking with the beds and the fan sticking out and the dining room etc. You need to hide everything away whether it's shoving it in another room while the photo is taken or hiding in cupboards, then you need to dress the beds and the table. You need to make it like someone would want to live there with what you have (I'm not outing this down in words correctly), it needs to be dressed better so that people can imagine themselves there, does that make sense?

It looks a bit neglected. The hedges at the front need a trim. The shed paint is unfinished. The railings in the back garden need a sand and varnish. The fences look old but wouldn't if they were painted.

There are storage boxes and other things on the floor in a few different rooms which suggests a lack of storage. The area next to the wardrobe where the fan is looks like an overspill area so again makes it look like there is nowhere to put anything.

The parking comment in the description threw me as well - just omit that

Do you have a king bed? The bed is so big that it makes the room look tiny in comparison

The house is a bit cluttered. When our photographer came to take pictures for the house, he moved everything away from the room he was photographing into the hallways/outside so it gave the impression that the house is bigger than it was

It’s pretty much always price isn’t it? Assuming you’re not next door to a sewage plant or a motorway or whatever? There are lots of positives but if I’m being completely honest, from the pics the house looks a little dated (especially the kitchen and bathroom) and the bedrooms seem quite small so it might be that people are factoring those things into how much they would want to pay. Having said that, our house (ugly exterior + dated decor FWIW!) was on the market for 2 months and only had 4 viewings before it sold. Although that was last year.

Thanks very much everyone, this is all really helpful

It's poorly staged- make beds properly (can you get a headboard maybe?) , remove things that don't add value (clothes hanging etc, chair in box room) and try somehow to make your rooms look bigger. It looks like a decent master and two tiny rooms. Is there a shower?

Agree beds look rushed, and why is there two pictures of the bathroom window? Perhaps paint the door from the lounge area white and that might open it up a bit more?

Thus pictures are poorly taken and need updating. There's lots you can do to make the rooms look better, eg:

Is the sofa in front of the double doors? If so, can it be moved?

The dining room needs to be tidied and smartened up (remove the extraneous stuff). A proper mat by the patio doors.

Pots and flowers in the garden.

The beds all need making neatly, add some coloured throws and maybe make one of the children's rooms less childlike. Can the kitchen cupboards be taken down in the bedroom maybe?

I'd have fewer, but better quality, photos. Also the description needs to be rewritten, it's very poor and doesn't highlight the positives of your house (I've just completely rewritten ours!). Best of luck

Kitchen is a really good size but looks dated, very dated. There’s absolutely no wow factor. It looks like an ex council house that had a new kitchen about 20 Or even 30 years ago.
Good size garden too. But no garage, no drive. And as previous posters said, the unmade bed really doesn’t make me want to live here. For the price I’d expect better. There’s absolutely nothing that makes me want this very ordinary house. I’d not even book a viewing for a house that has unmade or hastily half made beds, it suggests the owner doesn’t care about things.
I’m truly sorry if I’m being too harsh but you asked. Honest, I’m being brutal but I’m answering you honestly.
Remember, if a house doesn’t sell and there’s nothing wrong with it, it’s overpriced.

The photos aren't good and the photographer couldn't have found less flattering angles if they'd tried. Also, on the floorplan the bathroom is clearly marked 'bedroom' which is very sloppy of the agent.

Maybe make the hedge look neat at the front, it looks straggly and unkempt, and that's not a good look for the first photo - the seed is set in people's minds that the rest will be unkempt too, sorry.

Others have also made some good suggestions too.

Agree with all of the above.

Can you swap the sofa in the window for an arm chair.

It all looks a bit tired and unloved. Those photo hanging just below the ceiling seem odd.

I don't have anything to add beyond what's already been said other than anyone viewing the photos can see your daughter's name, what she looks like and what school she goes to. Would have the advert taken down immediately just for that and then think about replacing them. I'm surprised estate agents don't have a duty of care with regards to child protection.

Also there seem to be a lot of clutter around that doesn't help with the photos - my neighbours house is on the market and they stored a load of bits in their lazy spa and car boot while the photos were taken

I don't think the photos have been taken at good angles. They make your house look smaller than it is. Also, the cupboards in the first single room look a bit like kitchen units, and imply that storage might be an issue.

Oh and the bathroom is labelled as a bedroom in your floorplan. Apologies if someone has already pointed that out.

The photos aren't great. You have a both a long narrow kitchen and living area and the fish eye cameras exacerbate this. They have also taken a photo with the majority of the picture being taken up by a created duvet.

I agree about the two kids rooms they look like box rooms, one of the other houses which sold in the last two years has a double in one of the rooms, which helps. But you can't change that!

Being a bit blunt the kitchen and bathroom though perfectly functional are quite out of date and there's nothing in it which screams lifestyle. I know that sounds trite but that's what people fall for - I am pretty sure we sold our last house because the buyer fell for our big American fridge. Take a look at houses which sold in your area - I think the Feb 2018 example is a good one.

And then there's price. Basically houses of similar size, but a bit more up to date and with a better layout sold for 20k less in the last two years or so. In an uncertain market I think that will put folk off entirely.

As others have said the photos are poor, also wondering why you're using an agent in Luton?
It would benefit from some decluttering, tidying up and taking down of family photos too. Also not keen on the tv on the wall!
Sorry, but hope you get some offers soon.

I’d hide the fans etc. Maybe get some new cushions. Tidy up the garden a little. I’m guessing not, but would the cabin bed fit along the other wall? It’s a bit imposing to have it filling the back wall like that.

The only other thing is that I personally don’t like dark wood doors internally- which wouldn’t put me off, but I would think that I needed to replace them.

Much like other pp I think it would look neater and more inviting the beds were made properly. I would also white gloss all the dark wood as it gives a very dated look. Try and freshen up what you can so it all looks nice and clean. I also think the dining room needs setting out better as it looks a little messy, and unloved. I would also maybe try a re jig with the furniture in the front room to try and maximise space. The kids bedrooms do look very small so would try to take out the chairs to open then up a bit. Bathroom seems a good size but a little dingy so maybe dress that with a pop of colour. And finally I would try to make the decking/seating again the garden a bit more inviting, maybe a fresh stain of varnish on the decking and some potted plants for colour.

Oh and I’d re-take the photos. The kitchen in particular looks like a very dark room in the photos.

Everyone has mentioned the selling issues, but I wanted to mention in one picture, you have a picture of a child and a few pictures later you have the name A—- plastered across what is obviously a little girls room. The photo may be a sibling bit gives an idea as to hair colour, etc that runs in your family. That added to the home address is what kidnappers look for. Please please remove all family photos and children’s names from home selling photos as a safeguarding priority.

For me, things that you can't change - the fact that it's terraced, the parking is relatively far from the house across the green and the green itself might attract screaming kids or football kickers.

It just looks really dated and a mish mash of styles. For 370 I would want more.