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!

@greenoak

Of course it’s rude.

This is the internet and I’m telling you anonymously what your potential buyers are thinking but are too polite to say.

I work in the area and, unlike most of the people posting on this thread, work in the industry. I do know what I’m talking about.

Oh clearly. Perhaps you have little appreciation of what constitutes taste? The fact that you refer to “the industry” confirms that.

It is an industry, @Janegrey333. It’s a product and it needs to sell to a particular target market.

You can carry on getting pissy on the OP’s behalf, but it’s not going to get her flat sold.

*The people looking to buy this kind of flat are not going to have literate two year olds.

I work in the field and in the area. Do you not think I’m probably going to better informed than you?*

I mainly think the public perception of estate agents is well founded.

I’m an investor and managing agent, not an estate agent.

I like the photos and would be tempted

Your flat is so much nicer than the bland Mrs Hinch style grey and beige monstrosities that are usually posted on these links. I like the bathroom!

The lease is very short and not many banks will offer mortgages on it. You will need a cash buyer.

Some art may "look great on the floor", however glass fronted pictures propped against children beds are a recipe for disaster IMO!

Well Jane grey the fact remains that even under priced it’s not selling.

There is no way round it. The op has asked for tips and you can throw your toys out thr pram and continue to attack every single person who says it’s cluttered but it’s not going to change the fact that folks are not buying.

In addition the photos likely do it a favour, in reality it probably looks much smaller and more cramped due to thr sheer volume of stuff. I personally do not find art work on thr floor propped up against your kids bed as beautiful. Nor do I find kitchen work surfaces where I would struggle to prep a meal something to behold. You do. That’s fair enough. But many don’t and the fact it’s not selling says it all

She doesn’t need to change her style, but clearing her floors and kitchen work surfaces is really not akin to suggesting she eats her first born.

So calm down. She’s asking for help to sell it. She isn’t asking for you to attack everyone who gives a suggestion.

Is there any way you could move to the country early @Puffykins? So take a rental and then market your place empty?

The second bedroom ought to be presented as a proper spare bedroom/second office I think.

Your listing has to grab peoples attention (in the right way) for the 2 seconds they will flick to it on a Sunday night on rightmove.

I think your flat and the way you've decorated it is beautiful.

I love it!

Who would have thought that there's something so lovely in that shit looking building?

If I was seriously looking I`'d see through the stuff.

Would probably want to see the gardens & evidence of the " friendly and leafy estate," before viewing though.

It is an absolute myth that there is such a thing as 'neutral' styling and decor. People believe this because they watched a property programme on TV in 2004 and that includes property agents.

There is no such thing as neutral decoration in the same way as there are no neutral accents or ways of dressing. As a southerner many people presenting tv sound neutral to me but not am aware that someone from another part of the country might think they sound posh or stuck up.

When I view a 'neutrally' decorated home I don't start imagining how it would look if I lived there I just think it reminds me of a provincial 'executive' catalogue style and it actively puts me off. It could be anywhere in the UK (or the world) and anybody can style a house like that in a weekend with no thought. It's not neutral to me it's actively off putting. I wouldn't want to live somewhere with no style.

The OP has actively styled her home. It's not chaotic or accidental. There's no need to patronise her by saying it's cosy or friendly. In fact I think it's very artful indeed. It's clear that the piles of books are not there because she's lazy or lacking in organisational skills. They are deliberately in camera view (though she may not have been conscious of it) because they signify her life style.

My DS is looking to buy at the moment so I have been viewing flats with him in London. He has a well paid professional job. He is actively NOT looking for the fitted kitchen, fitted wardrobe, fitted carpets look because this is so ubiquitous and a look anyone can create in a couple of days. He is looking for a place with real style. Places with style are aspirational. They signify that the person, the place and the area are not run of the mill ikealand.

I like they style of your flat, it’s cosy and interesting. But as a prospective buyer, I shouldn’t be spending more time looking at your book titles than sizing up the bedroom, or wondering why there are framed pictures propped up on the floor. It does not need to be grey/magnolia and completely bland - that’s going to the other extreme. There’s a balance. The decor and furnishings need to present the property in the best way, but not be too noticeable in themselves (as they will be going with you).

Well said.

I really don't get what people dismissing any constructive feedback by saying 'ignore them, they love clinical, grey, soulless homes' think they're trying to achieve (other than trying to prove how oh so infinitely more cultured they are because obviously they appreciate style more than anyone else).
It seems quite lazy to argue anyone offering constructive feedback must be in love with soulless grey decor and homes without any personality.

Just joining the thread to say how much I love your style - am saving the pics as inspiration for decorating my house!

There's no need to patronise her by saying it's cosy or friendly.

I really doubt the posters saying this are being patronising, it's much more likely they're complimenting the OP. You seem to think everyone, even those with positive comments are being negative.

I think there's nothing wrong with your style and as a potential buyer, I don't look at it that way. Everyone has their own styles and if they don't like it, they could use that horrible 'prison grey' colour once they purchase it. Your property is in a nice location but also in a estate? Maybe this might be the problem, so it goes down to pricing. Is your property a bit too expensive between 30-60k more than it should be that puts people off? I'm only saying this because my cousin brought a 'slightly larger' flat from a ex council flat in a nearby location to yours that was cheaper.

OP’s asking price is great value. If I had the money I’d be tempted. If it were presented as two bedrooms for adult sharers I bet a landlord would rent it out for £1500 a month.

People keep blaming the decor but I don't really know anyone who would not buy a house because they didn't like the previous owner's pictures/furniture alignment. When I was buying my flat, I looked at layout, room size/square footage, service charges and who the freeholder was (I would only buy flats which are managed by a residents managment company) and also whether it is in good condition (as I am useless at DIY and had no funds for refurbishment).

Its very slow for London flats at the moment. FTB are finding it difficult to access mortgages, landlords are being hit with a double whammy of taxes and falling rents. I have a neighbour who is moving to potters bar and she said she is renting out her zone 3 london flat at a loss for £1400 a month (she bought the flat for £370k in 2015 and basically after 5 years, she still can't cover the cost of renting it out with the equity and a BTL mortgage due to the comparatively low rent/low rental yield). Which means that if a landlord bought today, they may be faced with a negative yield for the duration of the pandemic unless they had a sizeable deposit and given that most london flat investors would probably be higher rate taxpayers, this complicates matters.

I wouldn't sell my flat now.

Ok so I have shared the details with DS who is looking to buy in London, though different area. He is 30 and wants to buy with GF. It's in his price range.
*
His comments:
It's beautiful and the block is Barbican style, which I love. We are looking for somewhere where we can WFH though. I think I'd feel a bit trapped. I'm sure the balcony would look better with an open door shot. And what about the nearby open spaces? Also the lease is too short*

@inchyra that might be an idea for @Puffykins if she has a family home too?

Tbh I would not be surprised if @Puffykins gets genuine viewings from buyers based on this thread alone.

It’s obvious the flat has potential and for some people they’re in love with the quirkiness.

Good luck OP!

He is looking for a place with real style

This is sad for him, he is not buying their stuff. He needs to be able to see through it, be it bare, cluttered and anything in between and by the actual fabric of the building . He should not buy somewhere because he likes the current owners sofa or wardrobes.

What’s being said here is it is so cluttered it’s hard to see past it to what you’re actually buying, tidying it up and freeing up space allows buyers to see past the clutter and see what they are actually buying, as rooms will look so much smaller with so much stuff crammed onto every surface, even the floors.

@martysouth thank you! The children's bedroom was DH's office before the children were born - it's a lovely sunny room when it's not raining ..... in terms of outside space there's a large communal garden and we're 20 minutes walk from Kensington Gardens/ Holland Park/ in the other direction Paddington Rec. I'm going to research lease extension.

I’m a Londoner. My first reaction was that’s very reasonable for a flat that size/location.

If you are looking and know central london you know that at that price point it will be ex local authority.

This is a fact of life.

Yes to the rest though. Major de clutter/neutralisation required. Sorry.