Re-listing with new agent or take off market?

[Pringle89]

Just that really! House has been for sale for about 7 weeks, already reduced price by 15k and if we reduce any more we won’t be able to afford to move to the type of house we want to. We had one asking price offer which then fell through, recently had another one that was too low that we rejected.

I’m not happy with estate agents (various reasons) so do I swap agents or take it off and re-list after Xmas?

Wondering if it puts people off when something has been on for a while - would it be better to take it off and then try again!?

I would try swapping agents.

Given the current market has been quite fast, in your shoes I'd want to know why it wasn't selling. What feedback have you had from viewings? Although seven weeks isn't an age if you've had an asking price offer. Ours was on for nine months before we bought it, priced too high, dropped by 15% then we made an offer under asking. It needed a complete renovation which the previous owner didn't see (it even had an avocado bathroom suite...)

Frustratingly no negative feedback - but communication from my estate agent is absolutely shit tbh (one reason I want to move agents). I’d prefer them to be honest and say “we’ve over priced it” however there is an identical house on for 20k more than ours so I’m pretty sure it’s priced competitively!

My feeling is that even if we list with new agent there will be the same people out there looking, I can’t see how it will make much of a difference!

Check your contract before swapping agents, as there may be a clause in it about selling to any buyers on their books within a set period (say 6 months). Good luck with the sale OP, it is so stressful

A different estate agent will make a difference! I swapped on both my houses. One in particular was excellent.

Following with interest. Ours has been on for a very similar amount of time with a similar story to tell, especially the terrible agent comms (don't get me started!). Very convinced we are not over-priced; under-priced now if anything, and there's nothing about our place that could put people off like a main road or listed or similar - no negative feedback. It's a bog standard family house with a decent size garden in a nice home counties village with good schools, with a short walk to a London-bound station; all I hear is that is should be a sellers market

We signed a 12 week contract (how I wish it was 8 now) which means we can't swap to another agent until early October. We're debating whether to just give up until the new year when the 12 weeks are up, or swap too.

Like you, I'm wondering if it will make a difference, given surely it's the same people out there watching RightMove? But if they're failing to book viewings due to agent incompetence, or the agent doesn't try very hard when people call, maybe that does make the difference?

I've heard that August is notoriously quiet for sales anyway, let alone with the restoration of full stamp duty. I guess we'll see what September brings.

Out of interest - what price bracket are you in? I've heard properties under 350K are still selling fast, but it's now a lot harder to sell more expensive ones (ours is nearly twice that) in some areas.

If you’re on with a small local agent it’s worth shifting to a bigger name with more experienced staff.

I've noticed people want either a bargain they can restore and refurbish or if paying top wack it needs to be immaculate ie entirely all new with the relevant extensions added on etc, any in between properties are not selling.

Sometimes it isn't anything obvious- on my street a house sold for almost £1.15m, yet an almost identical, albiet more outdated (needs £50k worth doing max), house has stuck at £975k.
Agents do matter - they do more than just sit back and wait for the phone to ring - or at least they should. An agent who is pro active, knows the market inside and out, meaning all the houses currently listed and what recent properties have sold for, and not just the ones his agency has handled! That's the agent who will price your house correctly, market it well and pursue prospective buyers and follow up with those who do call. Is this your agent?

Shattered04 Yes I’ve noticed the same, all houses under 400k still flying. Ours was listed at 475, then dropped to 460 and honestly I don’t think that’s over priced compared to other houses in the area. I genuinely don’t know why it’s not sold. We’ve got lovely high end kitchen, all new carpets, flooring, all newly painted, neutral and uncluttered and nobody has said anything negative so I’m not sure why!

Yes I’ve been told August is slow so tempted to swap to another agent - one in particular has no contract term (can cancel whenever) so that might be an option as don’t want to get tied in again only to be disappointed with the service!

So frustrating isn’t it!

Post a link and we can have a look if that would help.
I would take it off the market and re-list with another agent. In the current market fairly priced houses are selling v fast.

Here is the link -

Gardiner Road, Basingstoke, RG24
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/109354826

Only thing I can think of is the front photos of the house make it look quite small and don’t make it obvious there is a garage? (Which is behind the house with access from back garden/gate - which is where driveway is)

House is lovely (always much easier when the house isn't lovely and we can do loads with it!) Couple of questions..

Why isn't the front of the house the first picture? Your garden is lovely but I want to see the house first. Where do you eat? Is there a reason the dining table is pushed against the wall? Suggests no space... Is there a garage? It's not obvious... Where do you park? Pictures are in a bit of an odd order, should be a 'journey through the house' but keep hopping back to the garden.

I'd change agent if you're looking to move now, easiest thing to do is have a look at which agent has sold the most of your type of house/price range and go with them, or ask on a local FB page for recommendations. I posted a rightmove link for mine on here a few years ago and thankfully the consensus was 'lovely, but a few tweaks' - I made the changes and got 4 offers in a week, good luck!

Just re-read your post, definitely need a picture of the driveway/garage!

I think your house looks lovely and well staged. Agree the pictures are in the wrong order though.

Have you spoken to your agents about how unhappy you are? We went with the biggest local independent who were very blunt, and they have been excellent

Agree with others, definitely need front of house as first picture. It can also be retaken at a better angle to make it look bigger

• why is the dining room table pushed against the wall? Is the dining room too narrow to be able to have it out properly?

• need to include a picture of the driveway and garage (they are mentioned in the particulars but no photo?)

This house
www.onthemarket.com/details/10756562/?utm_source=trovit&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=trovit_feed&utm_source=Trovit&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=developer
Was on the market nearby - brand new build, on for £457K. I’d say yours is over priced in comparison I’m afraid.

Take it off the market. A new agent will make no difference assuming it is listed online.

I'd take it off and put it back on with new photos in a few months. But in the meantime have a think about whether there's anything you can do cheaply to increase the marketability. Like smartening up the front garden, painting over any really bright colours, decluttering etc.

Sorry just seen you've posted pictures.

If I was you I'd dress the house a bit differently and have some photos redone. As it is the dining room looks like an oddly long corridor without room for a proper table. Can it be moved into the middle and set like a proper table? Even if you have to lose the bit of furniture to the left. I'd also consider losing the sofa in the kitchen and putting a little table in there instead as that's more usual.

I think the angle of the bedroom photo is a bit odd as it makes the bed look far too big for the room.

My first thought is thst there is no driveway and I would have dismissed straight away after a quick flick through the pictures. I figured the little external building out back was a garage of some description but there's nothing in the pictures to indicate there's a driveway too. Agree with pp that first pictures needs to be front of house, then drive before moving to internal pictures

Same as the other PP, I looked at the link before I read the comments. Get the first picture as the front of the property, get a picture on of the driveway and garage and change the position of the table. I immediately thought there wasn't any off road parking looking at the photos so I would immediately strike it off the list.

@Pringle89

Here is the link -

Gardiner Road, Basingstoke, RG24
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/109354826

Only thing I can think of is the front photos of the house make it look quite small and don’t make it obvious there is a garage? (Which is behind the house with access from back garden/gate - which is where driveway is)

Your house is well presented , tidy with neutral paint colours. Well done!

However you need to ask the estate agent to blur out your children’s faces in the wall photos - they are quite visible and the school uniform makes them identifiable. It’s just good practice.

Great house and beautifully presented. I agree with the previous comments about the order of photographs and also having an explicit photo of the garage and drive. If it was my house I was marketing I would lose the sofa in the kitchen and replace with a small table and chairs and also rearrange the furniture in the dining room to make it look less like a narrow corridor. Good luck OP, I'm sure you will get there - it's a lovely property.

Everything others have said and move the sofa out of the kitchen. If you can get a small round table and chairs to put in that corner.