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?

It looks fine in the link, the ones that have sold recently was the asking price 325 or the selling price?

Clearly if people aren't offering it's too expensive, perhaps potential buyers also have the option for more wfh so have further options to explore?

The thing you can see in the corner of the garden is a garage.

Lots of really useful feedback here- you are all really good!

When we went on the market the estate agent was all talk about houses in the area selling within 3 weeks, and when it didn't he made out he'd failed massively. I think the market is so mad that a house up for more than a few months raises suspicion.

I start maternity leave next week so if you need me looks like I'll be in the garden centre.

@ouchmyfeet

We had a very similar position OP. House on the market since December, we discussed price with the agent and very deliberately priced it to sell, we weren't being greedy at all.

All the feedback was that it was too expensive for what it was, we got a couple of incredibly low offers.

Eventually we dropped the price 2 weeks ago and it sold instantly. I still think we've not been greedy with the original asking price. We've lived here a decade and the price we've agreed is less than a 20% increase. Maybe we overpaid in the first place, a house is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it

@ouchmyfeet how much did you drop the price by percentage wise?

I think it’s that the photos are too flattering and people are viewing based on it looking like a showhome.

We found this a few times when looking. We wanted a house that needed nothing doing (went New Build in the end). So many that looked immaculate actually needed replastering or new kitchen/bathroom.

It’s the stupid result of EAs doing madly flattering photos.

I really like it! I think it’s reasonably priced too, can you maybe brighten up the front with potted plants or something?

It is a bit bland, which shouldn't put off people. I'd put a nice colourful rug in the livingroom, make sure those beds are made properly and get the garden looking good.
Otherwise if still not selling then it's the price.

It's a jolly nice house (nicer than mine!), decent fenced garden. The bathroom looks fine to me. Very reasonable price.

I think you have just been unlikely with prospective buyers so far, it's obviously not quite what they are looking for.

Don't give up hope, it will happen.

The garden and front pictures would put me off and if it’s changed hands lots of times within a short period of time for each that would also put my off as I would wonder why.

It may be overpriced... But if not, you're clearly aiming for the top of your market so....

Fix up your curtains everywhere so that they hang perfectly

Consider a room divider for between the lounge/new dining area and make that into an office area. Possibly a matching room divider for between the office/ new dining area

make the small bedroom into a nursery and put a double bed in the second bedroom

In the bathroom... Fix the loo seat and make the blind visible. Reseal between the toilet/floor. Add a couple of grey towels. Replace the bath panel. Add a couple a pot plants and one or two decorative toiletries.

Make sure all around the front door, driveway and front wall is spotless. Add pots of different heights/sizes/textures including under the front window. Stand some on other upturned pots, old bricks and logs for texture and interest.

Have one large vase of one type of flower on the dining room table e.g. Lillies

Have a lovely vase of flowers standing on an interesting mat on the hall cupboard

Make the back garden as slick as you can and put a bistro set or similar and Some pots on the decking

Get rid of the second picture of the main bedroom and make the bed really well. Take off that awkward shelf from yr side of the bed... It just says there's no room for a bedside table there

Include a reverse shot of the back garden looking back towards the house

Put a Plant on nest of tables in the living room and declutter under the TV

Move the camp sign from the cooker

Consider reversing a car up the side of rye house to show its wide enough to use as a drive

Put any spare furniture in the garage

IME when you live somewhere you get blind to the imperfections.

Definitely this - but further, something might be 'perfect' but not your buyer's preference for 'perfect'; i.e. it 'needs work done' to make it OUR optimal personal style rather than to make it a nice, acceptable home for anybody.

It could be overpriced too, but if there's a 'dealbreaker' for any individual buyer (or a big expense for them to 'fix' what to them is a dealbreaker), it's simply the house equivalent of 'it's not you, it's me' and not likely to be a match without somebody seriously compromising.

I think it looks really nice too from the photos but on a close look the bedrooms look really small.

Well I think I must be easily pleased but I think that's a lovely house. Ok the garden is a bit messy but goodness you could throw £500 at a gardener and ask them to sort it out so it was liveable with. The rest is fine.

I'll never sell my house if a house in the condition yours is in won't sell.

I personally would hang your curtains neatly, iron and straighten your bedding and tidy up the back garden. At the moment people want to see outdoor space they can envisage using, so present it, even if you have to borrow a table and chairs for a bit. I personally would also remove the strange grass like rug from the bedroom, but that's just my taste. Then rephoto.

Cheer up the front a bit with some pots, but otherwise it looks pretty good! Good luck.

I can't see if you have artex swirly ceilings. That's a majorly off putting thing for me. So dated and expensive to fix. Bathroom is fine except the floor tiles. Garden looks so depressing. Get another photo or two when there's more sun on it.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

The garden and front pictures would put me off and if it’s changed hands lots of times within a short period of time for each that would also put my off as I would wonder why.

That is true, you would be wondering if there was a problem. But then you wouldn't even look at it, would you?

I don't know the area so can't comment on relative price.

As others have said, the garden and front path could do with a bit of love. The only real thing which would put me off is that I think the layout downstairs is a bit odd. I'd rather have had the kitchen and dining area as one room - I know there are no doors but the kitchen seems dark and round the corner.

So much nicer than our house, except for the garden. Ours is awful, but larger.
Lovely house

Whats going on with the toilet ? Its looks like you have a toilet seat that does not match ? Bathroom OK other than the toilet. The windows on these houses put me off so the main bedroom eg I think the blind should be pulled down a bit to hide the windows and all those houses . Fix that Pillow as well 😬 Maybe better photos of the room ?

@Lofu 4%. Started at 23% more than we paid for it. Landed at 19%.

Zoopla indicates that the market in my area has risen by over 30% over the time we have owned the house so am a bit baffled but at least we have sold.

Do people really not buy a house because the driveway hasn’t been jet washed and there are a few toys around?!

It's lovely OP but it is really small for a 3 Bed.
Picture 1/15 shows pretty much the entire downstairs living area. Double check prices maybe?

Its looks like you have a toilet seat that does not match

If people won't buy a house because of a loo seat they didn't want it for other reasons.

@ouchmyfeet I don’t know what algorithm zoopla uses but it’s always wrong on our street. Houses go up frequently and they’re snapped up for asking price but zoopla seems to recommend the value at 10% more.

It was our experience that people offer a knock-down price to include what they would like to do, we had one woman offered £20k below because she wanted a conservatory and didn't seem to understand that of it had a conservatory it would cost more. Personally we rejected many houses because they had obviously spent money on preparing the house which we would have to rip out and start again.

The garden but I think there is not a huge amount you can do.

I personally would think that I have to re-paint all the bedrooms, I think they are ok but definitely not my taste. Saying that, for me that wouldn’t be a deal breaker.

Unless a room is totally cluttered that I can’t see the walls I don’t care if furniture are mismatched. I am not buying them.