Advice Welcomed on Sale of My House

[goodbyestranger]

I get on well with the agent who says he doesn't think a price reduction is a good idea; that the price is right. His view seems to be that the house may take a while to sell because I just need 'the right person'. The obvious problem is no on site parking but there's plenty on street parking nearby: I've parked on the street opposite for forty years (for the last twenty with a large VW nine seat people carrier) and there are a number of other spaces just a few steps up the road. A similar house with parking sold for £200k more a couple of years ago and another where parking could be created, assuming planning permission and c. £20k to create, sold for £50k more this summer. A smaller house with a small garden and no comparable views and no parking and much, much further from the beach sold for £125 less a few weeks ago. It's a ten minute flat walk along a National Trust path to the incredibly beautiful beach and the buses to both local schools (one a comp, the other a top co-ed grammar) stop at the door. I've brought my eight DC up in this house - admittedly a bit of a squash, but they love the house even so. I can't create any on-site parking, it just isn't there. The other possible issue is the extension I had to build in 2006 to accommodate the family as they grew. It's not the best looking extension ever but all that could be done within the confines of very strict planning controls in the area (AONB - Jurassic Coast) and is a really lovely room inside. The village community is vibrant and welcoming. Advice on how to proceed welcomed.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/73186305#/

It’s a lovely house!

The obvious glaring thing for me if I were viewing either online or in person - the kitchen looks really cramped with a big table in it. It’s not really allowing you to show off the space. And highlights the lack of family dining space.

And the extension isnt all that well designed for families not needing it as an additional bedroom. It’s a shame it couldn’t have been configured to add more dining space backing onto the kitchen and a utility beyond that. But it is what it is.. could it perhaps have the table moved into it?! To suggest there is more dining/entertaining space? I often discount houses that have existing extensions that I cannot figure out what to do with ..

I wouldn’t buy a house with no parking but people have differing opinions on that. The gardens & views are beautiful and I’d kill to live near a beach!

That extension, whilst set pretty from outside, is perfect for renting out to holiday makers. Have you done that? Whole house kind of looks like a holiday let already tbh but especially the extension with all those beds. Are they needed now?

• not pretty

Do all your children still live at home? Is there any way you could remove the 3 beds in the room downstairs and put the dining table in there (even if just for photos to help get viewings)? This would help make the kitchen seem bigger.
(i think it looks lovely by the way)

I can't click on thr link, could someone post again please

It's a lovely house OP. I'm quite jealous. Where do you or your neighbors park?

@Rosesarere does this one work?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/73186305#/

Op are all the children at home? I agree the room with 3 beds in looks like a holiday let set up. It looks odd with a table & chairs up the top looking down on the beds, can you rearrange furniture? Or at least have those photos removed from the listing?

Thank you @SilentlyLaughing

I get what your agent is saying - ours said the same to us and whilst our house is nowhere near as beautiful as yours we had a similar situation where we had no parking and some quirky features so we were advised to hold out for the right buyer.

It didn’t take as long as we thought and have ended up with a buyer who has been looking in our area for over two years and sees our house as perfect for them.

When there isn’t anything directly comparable to your house eg if it’s a relatively new build where there are multiple houses offering the same, you have to expect it to take a little longer.

Beautiful garden and views. The things that stood out for me (in a negative way) were the high backed chairs in the kitchen - can you take them out (or most of them) for the photo/viewings? Also, the photo with 3 beds looks really odd, so suggest that needs re-jigging. In fact, all the beds look 'unmade' (sorry!).

I think remove the third bed from the bedroom.
I agree about the dining table. I'd either replace it with a smaller modern one or set the downstairs bedroom up as a dining room/family room

The extension is a lovely space, but I wouldn't consider it a bedroom - i.e. I'd call your house a 3 bed, not a 4 bed.

I agree that the table makes the kitchen look cramped, but the living room is a very generous size, so could you stage that as a living room/diner?

Thank you very much for the replies. The house was photographed while still set up as needed for the children being at home/ coming back from Uni.

That's a really good idea to move the huge kitchen table out. It was needed for all nine of us to sit around but I could easily manage without and have a perfectly decent table to substitute. Agree that the extension with three beds in looks odd - but that's how three of my boys slept! (and still do when all are at home).

It seems like I need to re-arrange the house to sell and forget the few occasions when all eight come home.

All comments appreciated, I think I've lost the ability to be objective because everyone in the village seemed to think it would go within days, and I've become fairly dejected.

Peachbubble the sheets were all ironed and spotless - I don't know how to make beds looks more made, although I agree that they don't look made! You should see them after the DC have been in them a day or two!

MoirasRoses I completely get your point but the architect configured the extension like that so as not to compromise the Beer stone front of the house, which is unusual in the village.Also to get the extension through the planning permission process. He thought that if I ever sold, the next owner could knock the extension down if they wanted, to get the original house back. I've asked the agent if I should do this and the answer is a resounding 'No'. He thinks I'd lose far more than I'd gain.

Beautiful home, OP. If they aren’t all home now; what about some kind of futon / sofa bed and a bookcase & lamp in the extension where the 3 beds are? It would make a lovely garden room and “flow” much better.
I also agree with swapping the table for a smaller one for now if possible, it takes from the lovely kitchen.
With regards beds looking more made; I tuck the duvets in down the sides of the mattress if that makes sense?
The views are breathtaking, how lucky your children have been to grow up here!

It's absolutely beautiful. The only jarring thing to me was all the beds, as already mentioned by pp and easily sorted.

Iboogy I park directly opposite the house where the lane widens out and only one other house in the vicinity has no parking. They could park where I park (there's room), but they leave that for me and park further down the road in another wide lay-by. We've never discussed it but that's just how it's panned out.

Is it possible to have a photo of bedroom 3? I assume from the plan it’s very small and it would help to see it.
I agree with others re the 4th bedroom. Could you stage it with two singles pushed together to make one large bed and get rid of the 3rd for now? Or stage it as a family/ dining room. If left as a bedroom I’d perhaps do a study area or comfy seating on the mezzanine as the table there looks a little odd for a bedroom.

I do agree though that it’s more a 3 bed than a 4 for most families, albeit a beautiful home.

Oh, I meant to say, make picture 16 picture 1. The house looks much more beautiful, the current picture 1 looks rather drab, which I think gives the wrong impression to anyone scrolling through.

Thanks for the further comments - I'm genuinely grateful. I'm only selling to try to give my eight DC a deposit for a house themselves (the house is my capital). It's been a fabulous place to live.

Lovely house and I agree with the previous comments about staging the extension as living accommodation.

This jumped out at me and I would want more details - does the property have direct access from the public highway?: "The cottage has a pedestrian right of way". I wouldn't want to be relying on a legal agreement to access my own property.

Any pictures of the fireplace and the garden room?

Magstermay that's where two DC at a time did homework, on the round table. I'm so used to the house being as it is that I think I've got beyond seeing it from a viewer's eyes. The DC do come home quite a bit and need beds and tables etc but I think I'm definitely going to have to prioritise the sale, not the DC returning for holidays etc. Cheers again.

Move the master bedroom pic and bathroom pic up in the running order, ahead of the rather odd extension.

Take dining table out of kitchen. Put it in front room, the room where you come into the front door. Turn extension room into large relaxing. sitting room.

It is a shame you’ve got a massive bathroom and then a tiny box room. Was there no possibility of putting the bathroom into the box room? Then you’d have three full sizes doubles upstairs which is far more appealing.

I also think you will struggle to sell it as a four bed house tbh. How does the pricing compare to spacious three beds?

Oh and it looks like it needs a good repaint outside.