Niche house for sale - no viewings

[Icantfindausername]

We are selling our 4 storey townhouse which probably doesn't appeal to a large audience as it's like a terraced with lots of stairs, albeit lovely and big.

Its been up for sale for 7 days now and no interest whatsoever.

We did out it up at the higher end of 3 valuations as we arent in a rush to sell because we havent seen anything we like in months. (Apart from 1 which sold within 5 days)

I just feel a little disheartened because people are selling so fast, having like 8 viewings in a few days and we've not had one.

Any thoughts? And I'm not brave enough to put a link up sorry!

[Mancala57]

We have recently bought a 4 floor townhouse with a small garden and no parking... there is a house for everyone! We needed more space for a teen child ie a study and extra sitting room for when her friends are over, and our last garden was a hassle to maintain as it was big. Am happy with a small courtyard now, never having to worry about the grass getting too long and needing mowing.

[SingingInTheShithouse]

Lots of things can be niche or unusual about a townhouse, we live in one that incorporates 16th century beams from what was once a livery stable that stood here before our house was built around it, we also have a rare roof & other features. The houses in our street all have similar quirks. They look fairly ordinary terrace from the outside though

[Janegrey333]

I also wonder what could be “niche” about a town house. A cottage, yes; a townhouse not at all.

[InescapableDeath]

I've been looking at a townhouse today and it's definitely something we'd consider as we're also looking for indoor space. But I hate things like OIRO - I like to know what the price is! House buying is stressful enough.

[SirCloudesley]

OIEO is very common around here and houses sell all the time with OIEO. It just states the minimum the vendor will accept. If something is OIEO £400,000 then just offer £400,001. You would still be considered more seriously compared to someone else who offers £425,000 if you are chain free and have mortgage offer sorted and the higher offer is from someone in a long chain or not under offer or with no mortgage offer. Around my area, anyway. People are very anti OIEO on MN but I would research that carefully and find out how successful the agent's sales strategy has been so far with other properties.

[BrieAndChilli]

ORIO, OIEO, guide price etc all scream vendors wanted to put it on for higher than estate agent suggested, or that a vendor is not open to negotiations so will be a pain throughout the process, will possibly screw younvowr if they get a better offer halfway through the sale etc etc

[SirCloudesley]

I love townhouses and would love to buy one - and lockdown made me realise my garden is TOO big (and it's not that big compared to others locally). I want more inside space for older DCs, ideally on separate floors. Half the year in this country is not conducive to outside living! I think what I'm trying to say is, there will be someone out there who falls in love with your house. Keep your nerve. That's what I'm trying to do (feedback on my house so far is garden too small, but I'm not reducing the price because of that. Not everyone loves a big garden).

[SingingInTheShithouse]

Just spotted the ORIO bit. That's the reason. I'd hate that & it would put me off for sure.

[MJMG2015]

4 floors
OIRO

I wouldn't even look at it, sorry.

I'd put it on without OIRO & then be patient, you can't change the 4 floors! I said 'never again' when I was in my 20's, now I'm in my 50's my knees are getting at the very thought of it!

[Elsiebear90]

I also wouldn’t bother with anything listed under OIRO as I like to know exactly what price the owners are expecting, and tbh I’ve usually found them to be priced too high when it’s OIRO. I personally CBA to try to haggle loads of money off to get it at a fair price so I don’t even bother.

[SingingInTheShithouse]

Most families would want less stairs and more outdoor space. The lockdown made me realise that my garden to far too small.

I disagree, families with little ones maybe, though it didn't put us off, families with older kids & teens definitely not, we know several who moved out of flats into town houses to get extra floors to get space for their now older kids

[2020hello]

If you went higher because you don't want to move it will take at least a few weeks for interest im guessing.

We wanted to sell really quickly and had it valued at 325 but put it on at 300 so we hit the lower price bracket when people were selling and sold in 2 weeks. It was about moving quickly for us not the extra money so that helps. We didn't want to wait for the extra higher value.

Check which bands you fall in and if you can go a little lower to get a lower band you should get more interest.

[Clymene]

I hate OIRO and won't go and look at anything that has that in the listing

[MrsJamin]

The market is very odd indeed. The people who may love to buy your house simply cannot sell and so are not proceedable to buy yours. That's no reflection on your house but the strangeness of this time. It depends if you're desperate to move or could wait until the spring when hopefully life will be a bit easier to predict.

[Beautiful3]

OIRO would put me off. I need to know the selling price is one I can afford, BEFORE I arrange a viewing. A 4 floor town house would be a nightmare for most families. It not something I'd want to view, as a family. Most families would want less stairs and more outdoor space. The lockdown made me realise that my garden to far too small.

[SingingInTheShithouse]

Whenever there's a "my house isn't selling" thread on here I assume it'll be a townhouse, and it usually is

I think that very much depends on where you are & what's close to you. We live in a similar sounding house. Also probably a bit "niche" as it's the only non listed one in our street, yet still with some quirky features, it's also deceptively big & considerably bigger than other houses in the street. We don't have the acre of land the OP has but a small yard. Even in the current shit storm we get estate agents hassling us to sell & notes from interested buyers through our door. Had another one of those only last week & it's really not a pretty house from the outside I think it's just property here is sort after & nobody expects gardens in town.


OP, impossible to really comment without a link etc, but this is very soon to be worrying. When I sold my london flat I had no interest he first week & a half at all, but 3 viewings & 3 offers the following week & it was snapped up at the highest price for the area at the time. Unless you know there's a reason, hold fire

[TheFormattingIsWrong]

London flats are screwed atm

Yep! Partly because there are very few FTB around and banks have stopped lending on 10% mortgages.

[Requinblanc]

Price...

[Tinyhumansurvivalist]

Without a link it is impossible for anyone to really help as it may hot be the price, it could be decor, kitchen/bathroom being dated and added expense to alter etc.

Personally townhouses are not for me. You say it is lovely and big but I highly doubt most people would see it the same. I am afriad in my experience they are small, poorly laid out, expensive for basic maintenance ie window cleaning and difficult to resell.

I think you either need to speak to your estate agent or post the think if you want advice

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

London flats are screwed atm - I know friends really struggling but sadly the reason they want to sell it is why no one wants to buy it.

As for townhouses, I v like them, assuming a garden and not a patio square

[TheFormattingIsWrong]

I disagree that it's always the price. I'm trying to sell a London flat at the moment and no flats are selling regardless of price.

Sometimes it's the market.

[monkeyonthetable]

OP, just put your price and number of rooms/garden/OSP etc into Rightmove and see what's on offer in your area, If there are two or more houses that are nicer than yours for that price, or just one house like yours on at a lower price, then your house won't get viewings.

Bear in mind that it's half term soon and families might prefer to look with DC.

[NewHouseNewMe]

When selling your house, you really only have one lever - price. Hence you must use it carefully before people think there's something weird about the house.

I would wait two weeks and then properly review the price - don't just fiddle with a few grand off. If it's 750K, think guide price 700K. Otherwise you'll cut by 10K and get no viewers. Do that a few times and people think the house has an issue.

For what it's worth, I never view houses that are OIEO. Guide price is fine..

[Dogsandbabies]

It's the price. It's always the price OP.

We are looking. Have completed the sale of our house and are in rental. So we really want to move. When a house is overpriced, in the current climate especially, I don't bother going to see it.

There is a house currently that I love the look of and the area. Way overpriced in my opinion so I am waiting. If they drop the price I will go see it. But I am not wasting my time going to view it when I know that any offer I make will be rejected because the owners think it is worth more than I think it is. It's been on for a few weeks with not many viewings. Hoping they will get the hint and reduce. Otherwise I am sure I will find something else.

I bet there are a lot of potential buyers out there thinking the same about your place.

[HappyDinosaur]

@Darkestseasonofall I'm not sure that's true, we don't love in it now but loved our townhouse when our dd was a baby. It meant we had lots of space and once she was in her own room in a cot we had the floor above and didn't have to worry about disturbing her when getting ready for work etc. I think townhouses are a really good option for families with young children. I do agree that OIRO is a annoying though.