Feedback on my flat please!

[orangespotatoes]

Have name changed for this!

Would love some feedback if there is anything glaringly obvious missing from our listing (I have also just noticed story is spelt wrong!) We also need to have added that our building has the EWS1 certificate already, and we still have over 980 years on our lease.

We've been on the market three weeks but have had a verbal offer accepted on an onward purchase under the condition we go under offer within the next three weeks. Appreciate it's not an easy market for flats right now so not overly optimistic! Thanks all.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113522300#/?channel=RES_BUY

[orangespotatoes]

@VanCleefArpels

Unless you’d rather have a garden etc. Look, horses for courses, and I get you are defensive about your situation. However the current reality is that the market for flats in London is flat for all the reasons previously discussed. Which brings the OP’s dilemma down to price and/or time. Neither of these may be good options

Again, my OP requested feedback on my listing.

I am aware the appetite for flats is low currently. Thus our flat is priced as such. We had a bank valuation at the end of 2019 when we remortgaged and our bank gave us a valuation of £520k. We had three agents around, lower valuation was £475k, upper was £500k. These are all professionals who are well placed to understand the current local market. Obviously ANY property is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. But I'm really not sure what you were hoping to achieve by coming onto the thread and stating people don't want flats anymore.

[orangespotatoes]

[quote onlychildhamster]@VanCleefArpels i know everyone has personal preferences, i mean for my budget, i could probably have bought a 2 bed flat in camden (which is more central) but i chose not to cos i wanted somewhere more leafy and with better schools.

But the main argument that people have given me for leaving london was cos and my point was that its not necessarily cheaper. If the argument was 'I want to move to Beaconsfield cos I don't need to commute as much anymore and I want to live near countryside and in a neighbourhood which mainly has big houses and hardly any council flats (so I don't need to see the plebs) plus I don't care about the commuter fares as I am rich enough to afford a £1.2 million house', I would go ;'fair enough'. £1.2 million would buy you a bigger house in Beaconsfield than in my area (where you would only get a terrace). Most of the houses in my area (East Finchley) are terraces or flats anyway and you would see some poor people because there is a council estate near the north circular and some of the houses are flatshares for young people, like most areas in London. So fair enough if you move to the Home Counties for that., but its not an accessible option for lower earners.[/quote]
People told us to move to Kent instead when we were buying. The commenting costs would have been about £8k a year 🙄

[onlychildhamster]

@Georgist well if the expectation is for a really nice garden rather than just a place to put your bbq/table and chairs, then you are right, definitely not for 500k in a nice area within a mile of direct train links to london with good schools.

But I suppose that makes sense. if you don't even have a lovely garden, whats the point of moving further out.

[FAQs]

Are these all in the same building? The agent photos are much better and show the whole development. You have such a lovely tidy flat!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113522300#/nearbySold?channel=RES_BUY

[orangespotatoes]

I think our service charge is about £320 a month. That includes all ground maintenance (big communal gardens), waste management, sinking fund for building (important as it's listed), quarterly window washing, 24h concierge service and security. Plus the hot water is a communal boiler system so if we wake up and there's no hot water we just email concierge and they send the technicians out.

As first time buyers who both had incredibly busy jobs we loved not having the worry of things like roof leaks, broken boiler, guttering issues etc etc. I'm still quite nervous about the maintenance of a house and the money pit that could prove to be, I love knowing we have building management who are really responsive to issues within the building and the grounds of the development in general!

[VanCleefArpels]

Because the listing can be as good as listings go but if the market is depressed this will impact how long it takes to sell which was your opening concern. I was trying to make the point that it may not be the listing that is the issue that’s all

[Whatiswrongwithmyknee]

@orangespotatoes

Have done a quick rearrange of the living area and taken a few phone snaps. Thoughts on the changes? Would have liked to get some flowers or greenery in but I'm super rushed this morning.

Also appreciate the thoughts but as stated I cannot change the ceiling heights or the fact that the bedrooms overlook the living area. It's never been an issue for us in 8 years (DH and I are 5'8" so not short!) so any comments on 'I wouldn't buy it because of low ceilings/internal windows' are extremely unhelpful. I know it won't be for everyone, but I need to appeal to the people for whom it won't matter.

Bedrooms overlooking the living room is actually quite nice tbh- kids from quite a young age have been able to potter and play independently in their room while I've been down in the kitchen cooking and I can always hear what they're up to!

5 ft 8 is quite short for a man but this is clearly not a flat for very tall people and it is what it is. I'm sure you will find a shorter buyer who will love it. Some period properties have low ceilings and they sell. I don't think this chair arrangement works. You want to show this as a social space. Someone sitting in the green chair would not comfortably chat to someone on the sofa. Can you find a different way to arrange it? At the moment I think the chair arrangement just emphasises how small the space is. Not sure it will work but is there a way for the sofa to go width ways instead of down the longer wall? Putting a big long item down the length of a narrow space can make it feel more narrow.

[friendlycat]

Gosh OP that monthly service charge is very high. Yes I understand it's a listed building and the sinking fund for repairs is necessary but I did gulp. I can see why you didn't want to list it!

When you add the service charge, plus the council tax, then utilities it's a hefty monthly amount on top of the mortgage.

[Sd352]

OP, the photos you took yourself are SO much better! They make the living room look so appealing. You definitely need new photos.

I disagree with comments about WFH leading to no market for flats -- the market may have decreased but most City employers want employees back 2-5 days a week so a commutable location is definitely a plus. As you have already mentioned, the sales listing should mention the new Crossrail line (hopefully it will actually finally open next year!) and commute times to, say, Liverpool Street and London Bridge.
It would also definitely be helpful to highlight the RA development itself, including in the photos (I admit I focus mostly on the photos and floorplan when looking at the listings and rarely read the text) - I have lived in Greenwich borough for four year but was only vaguely aware of the Dial Arch pub and din't know about the other amenities in the area and I am quite local.

See if you can re-list with agents that might be otherwise showing couples around flats in Greenwich, Blackheath, Lewisham, Deptford as yours offers much better value for money and they combine it with other viewings.

[orangespotatoes]

@YukoandHiro

It's just flats... we've had our 3 bed in SE London on twice in the last six months and we can't even get viewings. It's frustrating, we're desperate to move.

I'm sorry Yuko, that sucks. We do quite like the house we have offered on but if we miss out then so be it, there will be others. We weren't planning on moving for another 2 years really but realised it might take a while to sell so have decided to just go for it now- our flat is perfect for us now but it probably won't suit our needs in 2-3 years. This place sort of fell into our laps when we were buying when we were only originally looking at 2 beds so we 'accidentally' future proofed quite a bit!

[orangespotatoes]

@Sd352

OP, the photos you took yourself are SO much better! They make the living room look so appealing. You definitely need new photos.

I disagree with comments about WFH leading to no market for flats -- the market may have decreased but most City employers want employees back 2-5 days a week so a commutable location is definitely a plus. As you have already mentioned, the sales listing should mention the new Crossrail line (hopefully it will actually finally open next year!) and commute times to, say, Liverpool Street and London Bridge.
It would also definitely be helpful to highlight the RA development itself, including in the photos (I admit I focus mostly on the photos and floorplan when looking at the listings and rarely read the text) - I have lived in Greenwich borough for four year but was only vaguely aware of the Dial Arch pub and din't know about the other amenities in the area and I am quite local.

See if you can re-list with agents that might be otherwise showing couples around flats in Greenwich, Blackheath, Lewisham, Deptford as yours offers much better value for money and they combine it with other viewings.

Thank you. This area also fab for hybrid working-local pub does 'WFH' deal with lunch and drinks etc for a set price- lots of good coffee shops etc to pop to, rotating pop-up food stalls daily if you want to get out for a walk and grab some lunch etc. DH back in 2 or 3 days a week and it's suiting us really well.

[PassTheDutchyUpYrLeftBackside]

It's a great flat for a younger professional couple who want internal space and access to open space nearby.


Yes, the service charge is high-ish but I've had two flats (one beds) where the service charge was nearly £2k per annum and that was just for the standard stuff.

OP - make it clear what the service charge includes (a saving on heating water, as well).

Make the cosmetic and listing changes and It will sell. Maybe the market isn't massively fast paced, but you've priced it really attractively. It's a tonne of space and character for the money.

People looking at listed, historic apartments will be looking through different eyes (and wallets) to those buying a new build Barratt home.

[Redsquirrel5]

Probably sound picky but toys or shoes under the sofa -new photo.

It looks much better now very stylish. I would have move the green chair into the corner where the lamp is but it might be difficult to put it there and the lamp and table further over. Just the chair facing into the room would seem more welcoming.

I wouldn’t panic about what people are saying about flats. You only need one buyer. What about young couples or even retired couples that want to down size and not have to worry about maintenance. Lots of people still work in London as lots of jobs can’t be done at home.
Hard to keep tidy with little ones but only get a box at a time out. You could invest in a round mat with eyelets and rope. Pull up the rope and it gathers most of it up in one go. Great for Lego!

[orangespotatoes]

Thanks again everyone! We have a storage unit v close by which doing have a huge amount in it, so am currently boxing up a tonne of stuff we just don't need around right now (pasta machine I'm looking at you!) to make space for the kids toys in cabinets so I can have the rooms really paired back.

Just off the phone to our agent who our purchase is through who funnily enough lives a few buildings over, saying he found our listing and we need to have a stern word with our agent about the listing really underselling the place

I'm just so annoyed I didn't put my foot down with DH, he wanted to go with the agent with the lowest fees. If we get to the end of our period with them and aren't getting anywhere we'll definitely swap!

[friendlycat]

Have to say I agree with the other agent's comments. They are seriously underselling all the benefits for the target audience, some of whom will have no idea of the benefits if they are not local to the area and your style of property.

I've previously been caught out going with the cheapest agent fees and it got me nowhere and it was a lesson learnt. I swapped to the agent with some of the most expensive fees, and the most success rate, and bang got the offer immediately.

Rightmove is a wonderful tool but a good agent actively encourages prospective buyers to view properties that they may not have considered.

Your current agent's photographer also is terrible at angling the camera to get the best shots and showcase the best bits of the apartment - but I think you know that now!

[Redsquirrel5]

Agree with the other things Fallenover has mention like the laundry basket, pet bowls. I thought you would just think me too picky. My house is not minimalist or tidy by the way but when you are selling you need to be. I didn’t want to repeat either but agree about the toiletries can you just have one out for viewing.

I wouldn’t paint it all white it looks lovely and I looked at the image link to a white one and personally I wouldn’t look at it. It is bland and has no character. Check times of day and perhaps a morning will throw more light in. Just have the camera ready to capture the light.

[Redsquirrel5]

Just read your update cheapest isn’t always the best. Don’t be frightened to tell them. They are working for you!

[Sd352]

Gosh OP, I am looking at the photos again and so angry on your behalf. The agents have done an absolutely dreadful job of taking the photos.

When you do re-take them, my thoughts on each photo below:
Photo 1: fine; this flat could benefit from more photos of the surrounding area to bring out the amenities you mentioned on this thread
Photo 2: the photo you took of this same room is much better and I like the pink as it appears in that photo as it warms up the room; I don't think stark white would work as well given it is a fairly dark space and white can often just highlight that. Would suggest perhaps changing the location of the green chair to have it next to the window (below the wolf poster) angled towards the sofa. The two wooden shelving / storage units look a bit odd next to one another - anything you could about those?
Photo 3: absolutely dreadful photo! The right photographer should get the angle and lighting right so it doesn't look so dark in the dining area, move the kids' chairs to either side so they are not the focus of the photo, maybe try a bigger mirror on the back wall if you have one or can borrow / buy one (the TK Maxx in the Charlton retail park always has great inexpensive mirrors)
Photo 4: The kitchen could do with a bit more of a dressing up. Maybe a cheery picture next to extractor fan, wooden cheese/chopping board or similar to warm up the cold white and grey. If possible, take the photo with the lights turned off - the glare from the spotlights is quite distracting.
Photo 5: see points for photos 3 and 4 above. I now notice the console in the dining area more so may be an idea to carry through a colour from the kitchen to console top to warm up both of them a bit more. Ooh, maybe some potted plants and a fruit bowl in the kitchen and flower vase on the console in coordinating colours. Angles and lighting are bad again.
Photo 6: While I like the pink in the living room, I am not keen on the pink in the bedroom. If you can, could you paint it something dark and make it cosy and cocooning? www.pinterest.com/pin/458874649542101649/
Are you able to put some window dressing on the window -- even just a curtain rod and solid curtains from Ikea or similar? Could you swap the bedside tables for something with hidden storage. Suggest tucking away all the cables and wires and also putting on white bedding and then maybe a cosy throw and cushions.
Photo 7: Are you able to either get doors for the open wardrobe, or, if that is too expensive (which it may well be), just a long curtain rod and plain curtains? The sheepskin looks too small for its spot - try a larger area rug if you would like to have one (the sheepskin could go to the foot of the bed)
Photo 8: room looks good. Lighting in the photo looks bad.
Photo 9: Can you get window dressing for this window as well, just to make it clearer it is a window?
Photo 10: bad angle. Swap towel for white towels, get the washing basket out of the photo, remove the other visual clutter (blue car on the left?). If you can, maybe change the light fittings. Unfortunately, the bathroom looks quite dated but that's for the next owner to deal with if they want to.
Photo 11: another terrible angle. Points above still stand. Use a white bathmat too.
Photo 12: See previous points for dining space plus remove the dog bowls and printer (?) from the shot
Photo 13: this room looks out of sync with the rest of the flat. The lamp on the piano looks, the light fittings are weirdly spaced and I kept thinking it was a tiny lounge with low ceilings but couldn't figure out how it connected to the rest of the living space. Can the piano move to a different spot? If so, may make sense to then centre the sofa between the lights and style it as a bedroom. Could the piano go to the spot in the living / dining room currently occupied by the larger wooden unit?
Photo 14: tuck away the wires and chargers and maybe try to get a wider angle photo of this room
Photos 15 and 16: ufff, what was the estate agent thinking?! Get rid of photo 15 altogether. Clear our all the clutter (the bag of toys, the shampoo bottles, the things hanging behind the door reflected in the shower enclosure, the step ladder), replace the black open storage in the back with covered storage in white or a cream/beige colour (google "slim bathroom storage", lots of options came up) and take the photo form right in the doorway or just outside so you can get the full height. Put a fun picture next to the mirror to draw attention away from the fittings a bit.

More pictures: of the development and of the living room from above showing the full height

In some ways, this flat is similar to what you are selling -- a flat where the development is almost as much of, if not more of, a selling point as the flat itself and it does some things really well (although, of course, it has also not sold yet so there's that market and price point thing again): www.themodernhouse.com/sales-list/the-helios/

[housestuff]

The photos need retaking on a sunny day and them taking from better angles - they're terrible. I normally take our house photos myself. I'd also swap your small round mirror behind the table out for a large one to bounce the light back. De clutter the shower room as well. If you were inclined to paint anything it should probably be the green skirting but I'm not sure that's necessary.

It's a really great size for a flat.

[Queenie6655]

@orangespotatoes

Thanks again everyone! We have a storage unit v close by which doing have a huge amount in it, so am currently boxing up a tonne of stuff we just don't need around right now (pasta machine I'm looking at you!) to make space for the kids toys in cabinets so I can have the rooms really paired back.

Just off the phone to our agent who our purchase is through who funnily enough lives a few buildings over, saying he found our listing and we need to have a stern word with our agent about the listing really underselling the place

I'm just so annoyed I didn't put my foot down with DH, he wanted to go with the agent with the lowest fees. If we get to the end of our period with them and aren't getting anywhere we'll definitely swap!

Best of luck OP

I love it

Glad so many people on here with great tips for you xx

[PrincessNutNuts]

I love that you've had so much help @orangespotatoes.

Your photos are so much better than the estate agents.

[Singinghollybob]

I'd just like to say I really like your flat OP! However that was only after you posted your own photos, the EA photos looked odd. I don't know the area at all sorry and so can't comment on the price, but the development sounds great and the quirkiness of the layout would appeal to me!

[kirinm]

@YukoandHiro

It's just flats... we've had our 3 bed in SE London on twice in the last six months and we can't even get viewings. It's frustrating, we're desperate to move.

My friend sold her flat in SE London within 2 days. Perhaps it's area specific.

[bjjgirl]

Ok brutal honesty, the outside looks amazing but the inside looks like a granny flat in some places. Loose the pink walls and patterned bed sheets

The lounge feels like a corridor from that photo angle - there is no focal point

There is nothing that gives it soul

Kitchen is a little empty, some plants would bring it to life

Bathroom too full of kid stuff, loose it

Bed spread is not good, too patterned, also organise the hanging clothes so they are aesthetically pleasing, by colour and size

Empty the shower room of all toys and junk qnd stage it with nice candles and shampoo/ conditioner

Take the wires away front the sewing room and hang the pictures

Photo 1 of kids room is awful, photo 2 is lovely

[bjjgirl]

It's a lovely flat by the way just not to my taste re decor, it does look aged but it won't be it's just that the decor in the photos does not sell
It