Viewings but no offers....

[SpidersAreShitheads]

Hi all,

I posted here previously as my DM is selling her property and didn't have any viewings. There were some pretty big issues with the estate agent (including fraudulent signatures!) so DM switched to a new EA and re-listed at the start of October. Instant change - quite a few viewings! But no offers.

The problem is that the layout of DM's dormer bungalow is tricky. Downstairs the living room, dining room and kitchen are large, bright and spacious. The bedroom downstairs is decent. Upstairs, there's one very long bedroom which is relatively narrow which has an ensuite. There's another bedroom upstairs which is small and a third "bedroom" upstairs which is also small but contains a boiler so is fine as a study/dressing room etc but not a bedroom. So it's a 3/4 house - but with two good-sized bedrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs. Awkward.

Valued at £295k and listed for that - had quite a few viewings but no offers. Reduced to £285k and had some more viewings but still no offers.

It's now been on the market with the new EA around 6-7 weeks - about 12 viewings but no offers. Feedback seems to have been generally positive. One person said the garden was unsuitable for younger children, and one said they didn't like the upstairs layout. Oh, and one other said that they would want to change a lot so it wouldn't be affordable. Apart from that it's all been "it's a lovely house, we're going to look at others today and will let you know" - and then nothing. I tend to think that when you want a house, you know - so when they say that they're going to get back to the EA I instantly assume it's a no-go. But no useful feedback about why it wasn't for them. Obviously DM leaves the house and lets the EA manage the viewings so it's not as if she's sat there watching them with a beady eye!

For multiple reasons DM is desperate to move asap but can't afford to take much less than the current asking price - could drop to £280k but is reluctant to go lower, not that anyone has offered! I could maybe push her to accept £275k but I'm only 50/50 on that. Multiple EA have valued the house at £285k to £295k so it's not overpriced.

Should we be concerned that there are a reasonable number of viewings and no offers? We are going to be moving too and we would need a 3/4 bedroom house and her layout wouldn't work for us, so I totally get that it's a bit niche. But then if I was a buyer, I wouldn't go and view it because I know it wouldn't be suitable. Presumably if people are viewing, they've seen the dimensions of the bedrooms and the split layout and don't think it's a problem?

Houses locally are selling well even though the market has cooled a bit since the end of Sept so I'm concerned. Do we just wait it out and hope that someone appears who loves it? Everyone else seems to have had a handful of offers once they've had about 10 viewings.

I've suggested to DM that she goes multi-agent from January and rather than picking a big national chain, try a local EA who owns their own EA business. I've got one in mind who seems really good. Other than that, is there anything we can do? We do desperately, desperately need this house sold....

I'll share the link in case there are any words of wisdom www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/114508046#/?channel=RES_BUY

Rubbish bin by the front door which is under a rickety car port is the most unwelcoming entrance to a property.

No bath rules it out completely for me. The big upstairs bedroom and the en suite need rearranging so that there is a toilet that the other bedrooms can use. Presumably the en suite has a shower, so a bath could go downstairs? I understand the difficulty of trying to sell when your mother needs to be able to get about, but the lounge looks like a care home.

It's got to be sold as a doer upper and the price needs to reflect that. A lot of money needs to be spent to make it a family home.

Definitely get new photos done and remove as much as you can, it feels cluttered.

Mostly I think it’s overpriced. On for similar money (if you imagine someone’s budget is likely 275-300 for example) are houses that offer more or similar space in a conventional layout, including a few detached houses.

I think the problem is that it will only suit a limited audience (retirees, maybe childless couples). So you will sell it, but you’ll have to wait a while for that buyer it’s suited for.

There’s no bath, there’s no toilet accessible upstairs for bed 2/3, and few families would consider a downstairs bedroom to be ideal, at best it would be considered a playroom.

The measurements are in the description... Genuine question - would people not read them there? I know it's the first thing I check....

I always look at price, then photos, then floor plan, then map. I rarely read the EA descriptions as they're usually pointless. "On walking into this property I was dazzled by the sunlight streaming in through the hole in the roof.."

I remember your previous thread. Well done to your mum as it looks like a lot of work has been done and the place is looking much better.

We are house hunting at the moment and we will go and look at things that we think we might be able to make work even if the photos aren't great, so some of your viewers may be doing that and decide they can't make it work for them.

I look at price, map, floor plan then pics. Rarely read the EA blurb. Although having said that it may be worth saying that the ground floor bathroom has space for a bath /one was taken out and easy to replace?

On price, I find offers over frustrating and it does put me off so maybe get that changed.

Try to get the estate agent to really push for actual feedback not just polite vague platitudes. Especially if someone says a straightforward 'no'. The EA should have advised on some of the points posters have picked up on here, eg the washing line.

I find the order of the pics difficult to follow. I have no idea which bedroom is which, aside from the biggest. I would also find it off putting to have the only bathroom on the top floor as an ensuite. I don't know if anything can be done about that? Moving the door? I know that your mum has already changed the upstairs layout.

Aside from that, and others' comments about the garden, it feels a bit unloved, with all the storage boxes etc and the bedrooms don't look welcoming as a result. I manage to look past these things when viewing but my husband just can't visualise things so it would put him off.

Two nice shower rooms. Make the most of those with white shower curtains, plush towels (I had stunt towels last time we sold a place that just came out for viewings and photos). The second shower curtain in the downstairs shower room makes me think I would always have problems with water on and around that window. Maybe remove that for photos as it is off putting? Similarly the broken floor in the kitchen would put me off and adds to the feeling of it being unloved.

I understand how important this is to you all. I hope there is a buyer soon.

As a previous poster pointed out, the upstairs layout is off putting.
The en suite needs to be a family bathroom instead, with a door leading onto the landing so it can be accessed without going through a bedroom.

I'm guessing it's the surrounding houses are winning the offers. I put in the postcode from the listing and a 3 mile radius. A similar style of house is up for £325k with (STC) 3 good sized bedrooms with a 25foot workshop (bar). So 40k more gets me a lot more space which on a mortgage isn't a lot of money a month, if I was picking between the two (likely your viewers were) I would offer 250-255k giving me 40-60k to do similar work (I would level that garden with a retaining wall) see if my offer got accepted then if not go after the one at 325k.

I don't see your mams going to someone maxing out their budget as in my option I would want to change the layout to make it a family home so you need to look at what just a little bit more will get you or wait for someone who loves the area and wants to do the work for that house. We have just bought a house in similar condition for more than I thought it was really worth as we loved the area and it's our long term home so it will happen it just takes time

I wouldn’t personally want to buy a house without much character so that will be putting some people off - I also think the estate agent should put the room dimensions on the floor plan.
But there’s nothing majorly wrong with it. Sometimes properties just take time to sell and I know from personal experience that feels a bit depressing. The main thing is you are getting viewings which means the price is basically set right and it’s only a matter of time.

It has loads of potential to be a good family home but the vibe is… bleak, sterile & dated. It needs total refurbishment so I would drop the price. I don’t think it’s worth spending money doing it up to sell it as it needs completely new inside.

I remember the previous thread as well. Massive amounts of decluttering done which has made a huge difference. Just think it needs a final push to get those offers in.

In my opinion I don't think it would be a family house, but more something for a downsizing older couple. So maybe ask the agent to push it towards those people on their books. No point gearing it towards the family market if it is not suitable.

Definitely powerwash the drive and couple of pots of easy to keep flowers. Maybe those fake hanging basket ball things, adds greenery without DM having to worry about watering etc.

I would heavily stage the house and have the photos redone. Chuck all boxes out of shot...they can be moved back after etc. This will get people through the door for viewings. The more viewings you have the higher chance of one of them offering.

Stick a small rug over the damaged flooring in the kitchen. Cheeky I know, but it hides it for the photos atleast...you can declare it later if need be.

New cheap white ironed bedding on all beds (atleast for photos). Remove soft toys or stage smallest bedroom (photo 14) as grandchild guest room.

New white shower curtain. Remove wire rack for photos.

Remove office chair from photo 14.

Living room, agree with PP that it has an institutional look. As they said, grouping armchairs to create a fake sofa would work well. Also add a rug just for photos.

I think the kitchen looks fresh and bright, not much needs doing there apart from the flooring damage situation.

Good luck OP

@SpidersAreShitheads if you are getting viewings is the estate agent qualifying the potential buyers? Agree the floor plan needs dimensions, lazy agent! Also offers over can put people off.

Serious buyers look past the furniture but will look at the bones of the house, including condition of kitchen and bathrooms.

I would imagine people are going to look because there isn’t much around then realising it won’t work. You can never be sure until you view in person. You also have three upstairs bedrooms on the plan, but in your OP say only two are useable? For the average 2 child family they might be ok if 3 beds upstairs and 2 downstairs, but not if one of those can’t accommodate a child.

Hi, I think if you wanted to sell it quickly, then you need to put it on the market for £250,000. It is a semi and needs a bit of work, there appears to no storage in the bedrooms and there isn't a bath, which will put off a lot of people. The garden isn't huge and the driveway looks shared. It depends how quickly you want to sell the property. Fingers crossed you get an offer soon.