Please can someone tell me why my flat isn't selling?!

[Puffykins]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-84873916.html

Price-wise, it's appropriate - even cheap - for the area. I know that it hasn't got it's own garden, but there is a huge communal garden which, in central-ish London, I'd argue is better than a tiny garden.

Admittedly I don't like the estate agents pictures much. It's really light in real life, but they always seem obsessed with turning on all the lights.

Anyway, any tips would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!

I love your interior, it's so homely, characterful and fills the apartment with a lovely feel! I don't think you need to change anything. It's the exterior that is putting buyers off, not much you can do about that, but take the photos down.

Another one who loves your interior!
I work in the creative industries too...so your taste is very familiar to me, my house is similar and so are my friends/family.
We don't do Ikea .

It’s a great flat. I agree it’s a good price. I live very near you so know the market reasonably well.

As everyone has said it’s the clutter. If you really want to sell strip it all out and go minimalish for a few months. Also the agent photos of the estate are horrible. They could do better than that. After all you are in a fantastic location near the canal, Portobello etc. All v desirable.

I bought an ex council flat in Kings X recently for a similar price but yours is bigger. So price ok I think.

Because it is an over-priced leasehold property with no outdoor space and because of the clutter. It also looks like it is 'ex-council and is near a busy main road. Reality check needed.

You left out "central London" and "short walk from Notting Hill station". The reality is these things are worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

I'm able to see beyond the clutter so can see that what you actually get is a good sized flat, nice square bedrooms etc. Most people cannot.

Bathroom mural needs painting over and even if it's just for the purpose of photos remove the towels and toiletries from the bath and shelf. Apologies but it also looks like it needs a good clean.

It would be very simple to tile the kitchen splash back yourself. Go for a white metro tile or something which most people will like. It also won't be there as an immediate job for someone else to do.

No fire exit photo but a better one of the view and communal garden.

Finally put the piles of books and any clutter you want to keep into storage. When all the surfaces are full people will immediately assume there's not enough storage/room for storage. The reality is you have more stuff than most.

Ultimately you need to make it appear that the two most important rooms - kitchen and bathroom - are in good, clean working order.

Ps. I actually like the interior, you just need a little more space to showcase it all.

It doesn't have to be completely stripped, just pared down a bit. So you could have all the cushions in the bedroom but not with the patchwork bedspread and the contrasting colour rug. It makes my eyes bleed a bit.

Also, no storage on the floor, it makes the place look smaller. When I bought my house I didn't realise the size of the rooms because the couple who sold it had so much stuff. I think it put people off. They also had similar murals that aren't to everyone's taste. You can get a small storage space to keep all your excess stuff.

I like your eye for colour, so don't change it completely. Just cut down on the number of different accessories in clashing colours.

Could you afford a lock up to store all the excess stuff? It looks borderline hoarder, in an organized way 😜

i love your interiors too. I think you should show pics of your garden. I have a london flat and every single advert for a flat in my development has showed off the beautiful communal garden. A lot of people don't read descriptions.

I think its the exteriors which are offputting so definitely don't show that.

@goisey

Another one who loves your interior! I work in the creative industries too...so your taste is very familiar to me, my house is similar and so are my friends/family. We don't do Ikea .

Haha I know a stylist for Elle decor who did some styling for an event. Went straight to ikea 😁

I think your flat is beautiful OP Love your style.

My only thought would be that in the photo of your living room you can see that the kitchen is very small, much smaller than it looks in the pic of that alone. I would try and get that view of the kitchen cut out.

You need to do a lot more than just "declutter".

Take out 90% of your books, as a minimum. Take down a lot of the pictures. Store all of the cushions.

People need to be able to see themselves in a property. I can barely even see the property, let alone myself in it.

Also, your bathroom picture - seriously?! Take the towels off the back of the door (do this for every viewing as well), and clear up all the bottle from the bath!

The pictures have just this minute changed. Outside look much better!

Is this block one of the brutalist buildings in London? There are a lot of people who adore that style.
Great area, decent sized flat. I've nothing to add to what has been written here but I like it even if my own is clutter free. It looks comfortable and the price is good.
Glad your son is doing well too.

@MarshmallowsOnToast

The pictures have just this minute changed. Outside look much better!

Agreed. It's great that the balcony picture (9) has now gone as it really was awful. Although the OP really needs to add pictures of the communal garden as that's a huge selling point.

Just going through the pictures.

Sitting room - clear all surfaces except for about three ornaments. Take stuff off floors. Store cushions

Kitchen - clear the surfaces, clear the windowsill. Take out the bookshelf.

Bedrooms - clear away all the THOUSANDS of cushions Put on neutral bedcover that does not fight the curtains. Clear all surfaces except about two ornaments.

Kids' rooms - put proper single beds in. Clear surfaces and floor of belongings.

Bathroom - clear out ALL the books. Tidy it up! Tidy all bottles away.

Gosh op. I was also distracted by the clutter, every single spare inch is covered, making it hugely distracting from looking at the actual property. It’s pretty much one step away from hoarding. I also thought you might not own it as people post properties that are unusual in this way that aren’t theirs to see the comments.

I think a lot of buyers will be put off by it and not wish to say it, so will come up with other reasons. You’re trying to sell the property and it’s hard to see it in amongst all the stuff.

You need to remove a lot of the art and books, not all, but definitely a lot of it, and try to tone it down so people can see the rooms properly and not be distracted.

Dining area - get rid of the wooden bookcase. Move the red metal cabinet along a bit, and clear its top except about three things.

@marshmallowontoast but they haven't put the view photographs back up yet.... the exterior one is the one I took - it's better than the estate agents', yes? I mean, our flat is actually in it, for a start. And I know the style is not considered particularly beautiful by many, but it shows that it's leafy and that there are outside stairs so it's easily accessible (there is also a lift.)

Look, OP, if you want your flat to actually sell, you have to view it dispassionately.

No advice OP as I've never sold a flat but I absolutely love the Jeremy Deller print in the hall....I've got it as a postcard and whenever I move I don't consider the new place to be 'home' until the Acid House card has gone on display somewhere 😂

Rules of thumb:
Every surface needs to be bare - if it doesn't have a place out it goes. No Knick knacks, pots etc. Totally bare. You can have a vase of flowers.

Book cases should be less than half full.

No more than 2 pictures per wall.

One paint colour everywhere.

You are decorating and dressing to sell. So full size beds and bland. If in doubt whatever it is needs to go.

Towels and cushions to give colour. Otherwise bland and boring.

@Requinblanc I laughed out loud at your post. It’s actually absolutely fantastic value for a flat with a communal garden and near a tube in Westminster.
Don’t post if you don’t have a clue - all it does is make you look nasty towards a woman who’s got a lot on her plate, including a critically ill child.

I’m sorry but it’s too much, clutter decor, it makes it look like a country house rather than a flat. The bathroom is a no from me, Sorry .

If you’re having viewings the flat isn’t overpriced, OP. It’s just not being presented correctly.

That new picture is so much better - makes clear that you don't have to go right into the estate to get to your flat.