House won't sell due to area

[FairyAnn]

We've had our house on the market since the start of the year. Granted, Covid and lockdown stalled things a bit but since then we've had dozens of viewings and they've all said the same ...

"Love the house but don't like the area"

There's nothing we can do, is there? We can't force our neighbours to tidy their gardens or improve the area in any other ways.

It's just so frustrating Has anyone got any success stories of selling a nice house in a rough area?

That sounds exactly like my situation - great family house but in a roughish area. We are surrounded by students and HMOs, there's lots of graffiti, bins, rubbish and overgrown gardens.

This doesn't bother me at all and in fact I would actually rather live somewhere like this than some picket fence, neighbourhood watch type place.

But I do wonder if it will put people off if we try and sell so watching with interest!

I sold a house in a bad area this year. Estate is shabby and has a bad rep but the houses are spacious though poorly built. I sold directly to the council the day it went on the market and got full asking price. It may be worth approaching your local council as I believe there is a huge drive nationally to acquire more social housing.

Thanks @PeachandBee, I have emailed them but they're only looking for 1 bed flats at the moment. Will keep checking in with them though 🙂

Can you offer to tidy up next door for them? I know it isn't ideal but spending a few hundred on their garden may increase your gain by thousands !

Or do it yourself obvs !

What are the neighbours actually like? If you are doing the viewings yourself make sure to say 'Oh and Bob and Margaret next door that way are lovely, keep themselves to themselves but were lovely during lockdown adding milk to their order. Such a shame they couldn't get away this year for their usual three month caravan holiday'.

@TW2013 I like that idea! 😁

Well op let's be honest if the area was better you would have had to pay more so probably would haven't been able to buy the house in the first place. It's swings and roundabouts!

Our council will fine you if there's piles of junk and old sofas etc in front garden...they have an enviro crime unit...I got a warning letter as had a few bags of rubble by my fence for a week... waiting to take to the dump..does your council have similar dept ???

The price should also reflect the area. Have you researched other local sales? As a buyer this is what I would before viewing.

I’ve been here my house is immaculate my street is not and I was adamant that I was not going to lose about 15k because people were lazy so on a Sunday morning I clipped everyone’s overgrown hedges, put the mattress and the washing machine that were down the street in the van for the tip, cleaned the street sign, brushed the entire street so there was no debris, neatly lined everyone’s bins down the street, may sound crazy to others but losing 15k to me is crazy!

It's not selling because of the price. It will sell at the right price. You are going to have to take a hit and save up to cover the price difference or borrow more. And don't make the same mistake again - buy the next one in a location that will be easier to sell when the time comes.
I would take the hit and cover my losses if I were you. Unsold over the coming months - staying in this house will cost you more money in wasted mortgage payments than the amount you may have to drop the price by.

@notangelinajolie Agreed. We've realised with the current market, in order to sell we'll have to drop the price back to what we bought it for a few years ago. Not ideal but it's better than staying here.

Thanks for all the advice everyone 🙂

[quote FairyAnn]@notangelinajolie Agreed. We've realised with the current market, in order to sell we'll have to drop the price back to what we bought it for a few years ago. Not ideal but it's better than staying here.

Thanks for all the advice everyone 🙂[/quote]
Your issue will be covid - people are buying houses they know they'll potentially be stuck in all day, every day for weeks. In a rough area, people will discount it like apartments - ok if they can be out most of the time, but miserable for a pandemic.

As PPs said, you need to either lower the price, or consider waiting until the worst of the pandemic is past.