Are buyers expecting pristine houses?

[Lofu]

Our house has been on the market since Dec at £280k. 3 bed extended detached in a desirable area. Garden, drive for two cars, garage.

It's a 1970s house so not attractive from the outside, we know this. Neighbours houses which are smaller but older and more attractive have sold recently for £325k. So I think we are priced accordingly.

We've had 7 viewings so far and each one has said the same thing- the house needs a bit more work than we anticipated.

The only thing I think needs doing is the bathroom which is serviceable but about 10 years old and not on trend. Again estate agent said this is reflected in the price. Everything else in the house is done.

I can't think what people mean. Our house isn't show home standard but I would say appropriately done up for a house of its age.

I thought it was normal to expect to do a few bits in an older house. Is anyone else finding that viewers are being very fussy about how houses are decorated?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/79344657?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard
I don't know the area at all but this is on wirh guid price of 275 so I would say yours is overpriced as I dontvreally see anything wrong with your house.

@LondonSE

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/79344657?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard I don't know the area at all but this is on wirh guid price of 275 so I would say yours is overpriced as I dontvreally see anything wrong with your house.

It’s £375!

Oooops!

I'd get a rug for living room, rehang the curtains in the dining room with a lot more hooks/rings so that they drape better and I would put curtains up in the master bedroom to dress the window . Other than that I think your house looks great.

It's a tricky one trying to predict what buyers want. We made our house pristine and uncluttered for viewings, the viewing we got the offer from was the one where we tidied up but didn't move kids toys and other boxes into the garage 🤷🏻‍♀️ I think there is nothing wrong with your house as such, it's just on for too much considering you haven't done that much work - a 55% or whatever it is increase would be more reasonable if you had extended the place or completely gutted it and refurbished it as high end, but that's not the case here..

The house has been on the market since December and only 7 viewings. We had 7 in a week before selling after those 7 a few months back. Given that low number I think you do need to work on the presentation. You are not getting people through the door so something needs to change. Probably presentation and price.

I do agree with those saying that it needs to be aspirational - nicely made beds with white bedding. Decluttering more. Fresh flowers and the garden needs a tidy up.
When we were selling I took my own photos of every room then reviewed what stood out and changed/ removed the items. The difference white bedding/ new plump cushions, properly fixed curtains was amazing.

The only thing that lets it down are the gardens. They need a little tlc

Otherwise it's neutral easy to live with not over cluttered. People are wired!!!

I honestly think buyers these days want o move into a show ready Instagram lifestyle house with out any work and expect it at a silly budget.

We sold in 2019 and had the most stupid reasons given. Increase your budget then you knobs.

If I were you I would look to relaunch with new photos and a dropped price, try to re-attract internet. With amazing photos and a good drop.

Below might be helpful—although it really is looking great so they’re entirely optional. But if you’re doing new photos to attract internet they might be worth it.

Nothing on table beyond a vase of flowers. Consider changing dining table light if you have another one in the house (the style of the kitchen one is way nicer).

Stage the bell out of the front—pressure wash, big plant pot with tall ports to the left of the porch.

Chairs all lined up. Wildflower—style flowers in a glass vase preferable. Remove all background clutter, re-hang curtains.

Rug and small coffee table? Hide toys for photo (too colourful) and hide internet box.

Kitchen: remove things on sideboards, keep it country without the vingatge touches (I love, but not foe everyone).

What is happening with hallway, looks a little unloved? Light, walls, rough door? Anything you can do here to make a better first impression—actually it looks better in the last photo where the light is good.

Agree that beds could look a lot better—coloured duvets are a bit too teenager. Remove light from headboard. Make sure nothing visible under bed. Get rid of the marks on the wardrobe, ensure photo represents space accurately here (in one pic looks like bed against doors).

Nursery is perfect. Remove rug from home office, remove fan from ceiling.

Bathroom: spurt out toilet seat and weird box next to toilet.

Tidy up garden.

I think it probably doesn't bare scrutiny up close. It's not the photos, you're getting the viewers so people like the pics. My kitchen looks fine, even good, if you don't look too closely but up close it's clear it's due for replacement with small tears to the vinyl doors etc.

I used to live round the corner from you! The one thing I can say is the listing doesn’t sell Mapperley as a lovely, fairly affluent place to live. There’s no mention of decent schools, (local private is near you?) , Gedling park is a superb amenity within walking distance. The area has beautiful red brick homes. It’s a wonderful place to live

I like the house looks nice. I’d buy it and just redecorate without feeling need to. Could you get a basket for toys so you can quickly pop them away for viewings. I like bathroom and kitchen.

DS has Rightmove and Zoopla alerts for Mapperley and Bakersfield and is keeping a close eye on what comes up. He commented that even with today's reduction its still pricy.

I wish you luck, but I’m not sure if a 10k drop will make a big splash

Beautiful house & bargain compared to where I live! Based on what you paid, what you've done, recent sales etc I do think you're way overpriced. Also your EA isn't really selling it. I'd do your homework & relaunch with a new, proactive EA who will sell the area as a good place to live, bring up a family etc as well as the house. In all honesty I think 250k is probably nearer the mark. Good luck.

The dining room chairs are blocking too much of the photo. The curtains and rail by the dining room table make the area look scruffy - I'd remove them.

Get rid of the feature wallpaper and paint all bedroom walls a shade of white (not magnolia!)

I think the photos are pretty good. The garden just needs a tidy up so that wouldn't put me off as a potential buyer. It's a lovely home.

I am afraid that I think it comes down to price. Whilst your price doesn't seem high to me (south Manchester suburb and it would be worth a bit more here I suspect) it you look on similar properties it looks as though yours is just a bit on the high side. It might be worth doing a bit more research on that.

Hey @Lofu during this thread I'd put your property in my RM saves (stalker!) and I just noticed it's down as SSTC! Congrats and well done, you must be so pleased! Did you end up doing much in the end?

@RolloTomassi thanks!

Nothing extravagant, tidies the garden up although it already looked loads better now it's April and some of the flowers have come out. Put new curtains in the dining room that were eyelet rather than ring hooks so the bloody things would stop coming unhooked.
Fresh lick of paint on some skirting boards.
Got a plasterer in to nail back some sagging plaster boards in the bedroom ceilings. So although they look MUCH worse right now at least I could tell people it was being sorted and would be re-skimmed at the end of the month.

But the biggest thing we did was drop the price by 10k. Houses are only worth what people are willing to pay right?

And it's worth 10k to not have to do any more viewings!

I hear you on that! We are selling atm and the viewings/back-and-forth with agents is definitely painful. Well worth throwing some money at it in exchange for your time back!

Sounds like you made all the right calls. House is lovely so am sure the next people will love it. Congrats again