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No offers on our house

810 replies

housetales · 12/09/2021 21:21

Our house has been on the market for 2 months - launching as the school holidays started which I think was a huge mistake - with what I'd describe as a handful of viewings (mostly right as it went live).

The price it's been listed at was the agent's price, not ours, and when compared with others locally, doesn't seem OTT. All the agents who came round gave similar valuations too. No viewers have said upon viewing it that it is overpriced either.

We had only one bit of negative feedback and it was only from a couple of viewers, not all - that we are overlooked from the side of our property - so we purchased some 10ft trees to allay that concern.

I'm putting myself out there with a link to see what you guys think so be gentle! Should we stay on the market or take it off for now? I should say we only went on the market as we fancied a project for our forever home and were told there was a massive opportunity in our price range as there is such limited supply.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110082437#/?channel=RES_BUY

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16
Immaculatemisconception · 14/09/2021 08:22

Fuck me, viewers want bland so they can see themselves living there.

I wouldn’t spend a single penny on any suggestions on here @housetales. Just be patient.

Lampzade · 14/09/2021 08:24

@Flowers500

If you want to sell quickly and at highest price possible, personally I would approach this from the angle of (a) minimise the weaknesses and (b) identity maybe 5 or 6 areas to introduce “wow” moments. When you’re wanting someone to fall in love and pay the higher price, you need to help create that moment.

-get PP for a fully extended modern kitchen but don’t build it. However do upgrade current kitchen with new colour, some new artwork (big) and some new lighting. Replace the countertops with something that looks expensive, likewise the handles. Style it maline with a bit of le creuset and some luxurious bits like e.g. a gorgeous kettle? It’s not going to be a super glam kitchen without a major spend, I think you should pump up the heart and get everything in place for new owner to do it.

You can make the finish and interest of a house way more wow through changing the styling—and that way you can bring it with you! New couches, some new lighting (big, modern, dramatic), new rugs, new artwork for walls—not telling you to actually buy a Rothko but look at these sort of scale pieces where you can put a modern couch underneath and scream “design”. Likewise groupings of matching paintings—e.g. 3,3,3 under each other—over a couch or dining table. Things need to be the right scale for the house—it’s large with big rooms, you should be looking at hotels and other big houses for inspiration, not smaller houses.

The rooms are boxy so they need sensitive dressing—I would get a stylist/stager. Things like how you place furniture, pictures on walls, mood lighting etc make an enormous difference. A good stylist will create the focal points these rooms need.

Your master bedroom needs to be pumped up—get a stylist and give them a brief life hotel sexcation, you want it to scream luxury in a kind of “dramatic, luxury hotel where rich people go to shag” kind of way. bathroom: in a kind of marble and mood lighting way. I would spend a bit of money on this bathroom with a similar brief—I think your target audience (you mention footballers!) would love this.

Your styling needs to pump up the drama a bit and to get a luxury feel without a lot of colour, you need to think TEXTURE and introducing some large objects of scale. You want areas in each room that grab the idea and give you a glamorous magazine moment—like a couch under a fabulous painting where you’d want to get your picture taken at a bar, that kind of vibe. Your house is big so it can absorb it. I’d love to see what a stylist would suggest for the hallway—I think it needs something oversize like a big lighting feature to pump up the drama.

In terms of colour, you need to kill the yellow—it doesn’t work. Yellow is good in period homes for a luxury look but I don’t get it in this context. It’s also a divisive colour. An interior designer could help with the palette, bun anything yellow!

Wait you have loads of books? Stage a fabulous home library room, make it a little fun and over the top—not a space for reading necessarily but an incredible executive study or somewhere fun for drinks parties. The kind of family buying this will likely be working from home and in a very senior post, a library study that screams “yes I am very important professional with large penis” might be a good selling point but easy to do.

Don’t touch the hot tub, yes many people will hate it but they’re not your target market!

For the garden I would get a landscaper and ask them what’s the highest drama planting scheme we can do with shortest bedding time and lowest price. We want to give the garden a less body shape, hide the boundaries, create a “wow” entertaining space (for a photo!) and pump up the drama.

Front of house: get the drive cleaned (in general you want everything to look as new as possible!) and maybe a few dramatic glam plants like white hydrangeas in pots? I wouldn’t go for colourful plants too much as they scream suburban semi, you want white hydrangeas, white or red roses, those weird dead Bush things that are all over Instagram.

Do mention the annex—can be sold for multigenerational living or as a staff/guest house.

Great post I will use these tips
LastToBePicked · 14/09/2021 08:55

@Immaculatemisconception

Fuck me, viewers want bland so they can see themselves living there.

I wouldn’t spend a single penny on any suggestions on here @housetales. Just be patient.

I think that is true to a degree. I think the problem here is that the decluttering and stripping back has gone too far and makes it look soulless.

I think it’s hurting the OP a bit as she knows it’s not a bland, soulless place to live. It’s a lovely family home. But that’s not translating to the pictures.

The impression ends up being a bit Premier Inn rather than luxury hotel.

As others have said, I think that’s particularly true of the kitchen. It’s lost any sense of being a family kitchen. Realistically the kitchen is a weak point that people will want to upgrade. It’s fine, but no-one is looking for laminate worktops in £1.3m house. You need some staging here that’s going to distract a bit from the weaknesses. A few fancy cookbooks, a plant and a Le Creuset pot on top of the weird space on top of the oven. Some posh worktop appliances, a bright tea towel.

GreyPaw · 14/09/2021 08:59

My house was on the market for that price in October of last year, OP. There just aren't that many people buying in that price range, and a lot of people just want to go round for a nose. In February the agent dropped the price a bit, and I got loads more viewers and then suddenly an influx of asking price offers. Maybe drop the price a little and see if it generates more interest? People may outbid each other if you get a few offers.

SloopB · 14/09/2021 09:01

I would want to establish what my house is currently worth first before I poured any more money into it. What do the estate agents have to say? The poster who knew the area seemed to think 900k was the right figure which would be vastly off where you are currently. I'd lower the price until you at least generate some interest. Even if you decide not to sell at that price you need to know roughly how much it's worth before you start investing in it unless it is your forever home.

Sd352 · 14/09/2021 09:21

Not my area of the country or quite my budget but I wouldn’t have looked at it for a few reasons even if it was.

The ceilings look low - are they or is it just poor photos?
I would be factoring in the price of replacing the beige carpets everywhere with wood floors, installing a new kitchen, re-decorating throughout, new bathrooms, flowerbeds and some more trees in the garden - all in, probably over 150k of work. And none of that would change the ceiling height.

And then I would see this which is much more dated but the work to be done is about the same and it’s priced lower for a larger house: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/87880777#/?channel=RES_NEW

housetales · 14/09/2021 09:22

@SloopB

I would want to establish what my house is currently worth first before I poured any more money into it. What do the estate agents have to say? The poster who knew the area seemed to think 900k was the right figure which would be vastly off where you are currently. I'd lower the price until you at least generate some interest. Even if you decide not to sell at that price you need to know roughly how much it's worth before you start investing in it unless it is your forever home.
I've had 3 agent valuations and not that long ago a bank valuation when we re-mortgaged. If the local poster is more qualified than any of them, then I will definitely listen! But until then you think I'd drop the price nearly half a million?
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housetales · 14/09/2021 09:23

@GreyPaw

My house was on the market for that price in October of last year, OP. There just aren't that many people buying in that price range, and a lot of people just want to go round for a nose. In February the agent dropped the price a bit, and I got loads more viewers and then suddenly an influx of asking price offers. Maybe drop the price a little and see if it generates more interest? People may outbid each other if you get a few offers.
I'd do that if I'd found something to buy and was desperate to sell. At the moment, we haven't and I think it makes more sense for us to stay, improve - heal from the barbed comments here a bit Grin - and then relist next year and see how the market finds it's feet then.
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housetales · 14/09/2021 09:24

[quote Sd352]Not my area of the country or quite my budget but I wouldn’t have looked at it for a few reasons even if it was.

The ceilings look low - are they or is it just poor photos?
I would be factoring in the price of replacing the beige carpets everywhere with wood floors, installing a new kitchen, re-decorating throughout, new bathrooms, flowerbeds and some more trees in the garden - all in, probably over 150k of work. And none of that would change the ceiling height.

And then I would see this which is much more dated but the work to be done is about the same and it’s priced lower for a larger house: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/87880777#/?channel=RES_NEW[/quote]
Ceilings aren't low at all. Husband is 6'5 and so we can't do low ceilings!

OP posts:
JudyGemstone · 14/09/2021 09:24

flowers500 have really appreciated your posts here, are you a professional interior designer?

The Georgian pile posted up thread is my favourite, not for me in my lifetime sadly but one can dream!

OP you have a lovely home which will appeal to many. I’d also play up the WAG vibes a bit more, 2 footballers asking to rent it says something!

housetales · 14/09/2021 09:25

@Kitchendrama1

No need. By the very fact no one is viewing your home is staying your home doesn’t match the price tag.

And we know that’s not how you live…. Where the kettle?

We don't have one. FACT!

I have a boiling water tap to make my instant cheap coffee and hubby has a coffee machine. Grin

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LimitIsUp · 14/09/2021 09:25

@Iamthewombat

You have the temerity to have a lovely, spacious, expensive house, OP, and this must be punished. Take no notice.
I am sure there is a bit of that going on
Candleabra · 14/09/2021 09:27

What are your reasons for moving?
If you don't absolutely have to I love the idea that you could spend your moving money on making your own house perfect. With a new kitchen and decorating throughout it would be wow.
Might be an exciting project.

housetales · 14/09/2021 09:31

My other half has recommended I close this thread soon as he's noticed it's affecting me negatively.

So much of the feedback has been delivered with kindness and designed to help us achieve our goals so a huge thank you to all of you who have took time out of your day to do so.

A few of you have been unnecessary in your bluntness, and it's had the desired effect of making me feel sad, even soulless - as you describe my home. But I'm sure that won't affect you at all. But those cruel words affect me so please, please try and think about what you post on here.

Every poster is a person.

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housetales · 14/09/2021 09:32

@Candleabra

What are your reasons for moving? If you don't absolutely have to I love the idea that you could spend your moving money on making your own house perfect. With a new kitchen and decorating throughout it would be wow. Might be an exciting project.
Wanted more footprint or to be able to add more. There isn't the land to extend here. We want a gym and a library at the very least. Forever home goals!
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Candleabra · 14/09/2021 09:34

Wow, sounds amazing!
I wish you lots of luck in whatever you decide to do.

SloopB · 14/09/2021 09:41

@housetales No I'm not suggesting you drop it by that much but clearly the valuations you had are wrong. If you have no offers, it's not worth that much. But that leaves the question how much is it worth. It would make me nervous to pour loads of money into this house when you have no idea what it's really worth. You need a baseline of what it's value is now as it is. Valuations can be wildly wrong and in this case it's quite clear yours isn't right.

housetales · 14/09/2021 09:42

[quote SloopB]@housetales No I'm not suggesting you drop it by that much but clearly the valuations you had are wrong. If you have no offers, it's not worth that much. But that leaves the question how much is it worth. It would make me nervous to pour loads of money into this house when you have no idea what it's really worth. You need a baseline of what it's value is now as it is. Valuations can be wildly wrong and in this case it's quite clear yours isn't right. [/quote]
A valuation can be wrong of course. But 4, all from professionals, and with 2 different agendas. You think they are all wildly inaccurate?

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NewHouseNewMe · 14/09/2021 09:42

That's a fair point @housetales. Mumsnet shouldn't make you feel miserable.

As I posted up thread, I love it and would buy it if I lived nearby.

Flowers500 · 14/09/2021 09:43

@JudyGemstone

flowers500 have really appreciated your posts here, are you a professional interior designer?

The Georgian pile posted up thread is my favourite, not for me in my lifetime sadly but one can dream!

OP you have a lovely home which will appeal to many. I’d also play up the WAG vibes a bit more, 2 footballers asking to rent it says something!

Oooooh thanks, that made me so happy 😁 I used to be in the art world but not interior design, but am a bit of a property addict
housetales · 14/09/2021 09:46

@NewHouseNewMe

That's a fair point *@housetales*. Mumsnet shouldn't make you feel miserable.

As I posted up thread, I love it and would buy it if I lived nearby.

Bless your heart. These sort of messages read like hugs and make me feel much better x
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Svalberg · 14/09/2021 09:47

I have friends who have, eventually, sold houses for over £1m and in both cases above asking price. It's not that they were overvalued that they didn't sell instantly, it was that the buyers weren't around.

I tried to sell a house for far less in 2010 - I could hardly give it away because nobody could get a mortgage.

Shadedog · 14/09/2021 09:55

You mentioned (I think!) upthread that the agent you are using specialises in more expensive houses. They should invest in a better photographer or perhaps you could hire someone separately and use your own. They certainly aren’t on the “I’ll take this quick snap of the inside of the toilet bowl” level but there is something off about the angle and the lens in too many of them. That’s why your ceiling looks low and your house looks yellow. I assume you are paying quite a large fee and you deserve much better pictures than you are getting.

housetales · 14/09/2021 09:56

@Shadedog

You mentioned (I think!) upthread that the agent you are using specialises in more expensive houses. They should invest in a better photographer or perhaps you could hire someone separately and use your own. They certainly aren’t on the “I’ll take this quick snap of the inside of the toilet bowl” level but there is something off about the angle and the lens in too many of them. That’s why your ceiling looks low and your house looks yellow. I assume you are paying quite a large fee and you deserve much better pictures than you are getting.
Yes, I've paid a lot for the photographs!
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FatAnkles · 14/09/2021 09:58

Lovely house OP.

I think the kitchen is fine actually, the bones of it I mean. Fashions come and go...yes the French windows are a past fashion (I have them!) but I don't think there's enough reason to change them.

My moan (sorry, and I find this a lot looking at houses on RM) is that there isn't enough warmth to the house. I love colour! My bedroom is teal green, and my kitchen is yellow, for example. Your house looks a bit, dungeon-ey. The house also doesn't look "lived in". The EA says, get rid of the clutter, but I say, a little clutter is ok. Put up some art, throw a few ornaments about, break up the monotonous colour scheme with brights. Finally the garden is a bit boring. You have a significant garden (compared to most people) so put in a path, or a bed of wildflowers, or a veggie plot at the bottom. Make it look like it's used.