Why can't I get viewings?

[Womanontheblink]

I put my flat on the market six weeks ago and have only had four viewings. Feedback has been useless (traffic noise and no fibre broadband - I can change neither) but the decor has been popular.

Could anyone please run their eye over my listing and give your opinions?
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/104183627#/

Looks OK to me! Flats are slow to sell at the moment. Do you have access to parking and/ or a garden or park?

It's always price that puts people off viewing, plus it's a one bed flat which already appeals to a much smaller market, and it's essentially above shops on a busy road. There are only 5 photos, at least two of which focus on the kitchen and there's no photo of the communal garden mentioned.

One bed flats are slow to shift at the moment. People are conscious of the need to have space to WFH etc, and are looking for outside space.

Kitchen counters are very normal but according to some other feedback I’ve seen on MN before, a bit cluttered for a photo.
I’d take the toaster (?) off the microwave, even hide it away.

There's secure parking round the back and very small communal grounds.

I'm tempted to take it off the market for a while. Round here there are lots of new one beds at the same price. They're smaller but look nicer.

Looks fine although a small dining table with perhaps flowers on would make the space look more inviting or a coffee table or both even

As PPs have said, it's a nice little flat but they have a very limited market right now.

I know the area, and it's a very busy road, and perhaps doesn't feel very 'residential' with what's around it. Obviously you can't change that but it will limit its appeal.

No pictures of the outside space - can your EA not add some?

In non-covid times its location might mean it would be handy for someone who wanted a little week-day crash pad in easy reach of London / Gatwick but you've not got that market either now.

So in view of its currently very limited market, you'll need to drop the price I would think.

Flats are a nightmare to sell at the moment, one bed ones even worse... lockdown is too fresh in people’s minds and they are worried about being stuck inside somewhere small.

Flats without gardens are really tough, for the same reason.

And high speed internet is a requirement of working from home for a lot of people right now, so that might play into things...

It’ll get better as things get more normal, but it’s challenging right now. If you need to sell, all you can really do is play with the price, so someone sees it as being too good to pass up.

Thanks for the comments and the tips.

I was thinking of dropping the price and getting a little dining table to replace one of the bookcases.

I hadn't thought of pictures of outside.

You bought it less than 2 years ago OP - is the reason you're selling it the same reasons people might not be buying it, iyswim?

(obviously you don't have to say why you're selling if you don't want to!)

Hi Tiny I've been working in my living room for a year which wasn't expected so I'm looking for something larger.

I've been told by my agent that the 5% offers are encouraging FTBs to bid on two bedroom properties, which is a nuisance.

I think the main problem is that it’s a typical FTB flat in an area where lots of people commute into London for work. At the moment, there are relatively few high LTV mortgages available, which means the sort of buyer you’d usually attract isn’t able to buy; plus there will still be a lot of people whose employers haven’t yet taken a final decision on whether staff will be expected back in the office in a few months time, and a lot of people will be putting plans on hold until they know better.

The flat itself is well presented and really, no amount of hiding your toaster or putting flowers on the table is going to make up for the market for small flats just being sluggish right now.

@Womanontheblink

Hi Tiny I've been working in my living room for a year which wasn't expected so I'm looking for something larger.

I've been told by my agent that the 5% offers are encouraging FTBs to bid on two bedroom properties, which is a nuisance.

Yeah I guess that's your problem right there - people (including you!) just don't want 1-bed flats in current circumstances.

It's a pita but if you can hang on a while longer hopefully things will settle a bit once more people know what's happening with them WFH-wise?

Its a nice flat but its market is limited to single people who can walk up stairs to first floor and can afford the price.

The stairs reduce any appeal to a pensioner/retired person so that leaves you with young single working people. Probably FTB.

So you've got a limited market who probably only make viewing appts at the weekend. So it may take a while to sell and 4 viewings in 6 weeks is not bad going at all. Just be patient.

The road noise will be a deterrent to many, especialy if its close to a busy junction. From that POV, weekend viewings may have quieter traffic than midweek. If the worst comes to the worst you may have to reduce the price as an incentive; but it's too early to do that yet.
Meanwhile , consider low soothing background music playing as the viewer arrives.

Wait a while, and remember your other advantage; the property only needs to please one potential buyer ( not a couple with different ideas/needs).

Inside is lovely but it all comes down to location location location!

It’s a nice flat. Adding pictures of the parking and communal garden would be good as would adding a small dining table but there really isn’t anything wrong with it that you can actually change. Unfortunately there just isn’t much demand for small flats right now so if you want to sell it quickly you’ll probably have to drop the price.

What is above/below you? Entrance to car park and then a small flat above? I second the idea of a central table in the lounge and pictures of the outside parking space and garden.

Good luck!

It's nice just perhaps a bit uninspiring? Perhaps a rug? Coffee table to break the space up? L shaped sofa would have shown you can get more than just 2 people in the lounge?

It's a nice looking flat it's just that one bedroom places are a difficult sell at the best of times. A colleague of mine had a one bed house for sale for 14 months before he got an offer.

Omg 14 months! Did it sell at asking price?

Put it on at lower price
Not sure e why it would have increased in value
It s on main road

Have you painted the kitchen units? If you have I would paint the wall a different colour. If I see painted kitchen units I assume I will have to replace the kitchen.
Definitely photos of the parking and garden area
Some properties are hard to sell at the moment.

Bizarrely, yes it did.

I live in a 1 bed flat but for me that looks quite basic. I'd add some more photos as it's hard to get a feel for it.

I also want and can't see:
outside space
storage - the bedroom looks like it has no wardrobe
shower
well-maintained communal areas eg stairs
adequate workspace (hard to tell from pic how big a desk it is)
is that parking secure / gated?
Can you break up the kitchen / living room zones without making the space seem cramped - it seems a bit bedsitty
A tidier kitchen - leave the decorative jars and kettle but get the oven gloves, chopping boards, fairy etc in a cupboard.

The outside picture - what catches my eye is DASH CAMS and not the building - if you cropped out what is on the right it might look more appealing as it's a nice enough building.

I’d drop the price to what you paid. 1 bedroom flats will have depreciated with the pandemic.