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Original poster

Why would a house not sell in this market?

35 replies

Fretfulmum · 15/12/2021 12:01

There’s a house we love which we have viewed and no current red flags we have come across yet.
Newly refurbished (2 years ago), great size. Location is on a main road is probably the negative but we can overlook this. Houses in the area go very quickly and there a very few on the market. This house has been on RM since June 2021. I can’t understand it. EA says they had someone who pulled out recently (won’t give a reason other than they no longer wanted to move) but it’s definitely been on RM for a while even if it went off the market for a period of time.
I’ve asked if there have been any surveys done and EA said no and no issues with the property have been flagged such as previous planning or structural. Apparently sellers keen to move. Price is about right I think.
What other questions can I ask as to why it’s still sitting around? There has to be a major reason?

OP posts:

CrystalMaisie · 15/12/2021 12:16

The main road would be reason enough to put many people off I think.

MintJulia · 15/12/2021 12:23

My house hadn't sold for 18 months. Three reasons.....

It had been 'skimmed', ie superficial repairs but in reality a lot needed doing - new kitchen, rebuild of extension, rewiring etc
It was much too expensive, given the work that needed doing.
It has 1/2 acre of garden and that is too much for most people.

I offered 15% off asking price and they accepted.

Go in with your eyes wide open, get a full structural survey, get the wiring checked, talk to the neighbours, check the local broadband, look for local planning applications.

Spend a Tuesday lunchtime in the local pub asking questions. You'll be surprised what people come up with.

SW1amp · 15/12/2021 12:26

There is only ever one reason a house doesn't sell - the price is too high

All faults with a house can be overlooked by someone for the right price

If it is on for too much money, someone will be able to find somewhere else that doesn't have as many compromises, and buy that instead

Vapeyvapevape · 15/12/2021 12:27

Is it a divorcing couple selling it ?

EvilPea · 15/12/2021 12:29

I’d check the planning portal, for development nearby or previous extensions turned down.

Ultimately price though. Things are slowing where I am, from days to maybe a week for things to sell now.

MadeForThis · 15/12/2021 12:29

The estate agent could be lying about the survey.

LemonSwan · 15/12/2021 12:30

Split plots, inbuild plans, shared drives etc?

Original poster

Fretfulmum · 15/12/2021 13:17

Thanks I will ask the EA some of these questions. It’s difficult to gauge a price as houses in this area sell so fast and are continually increasing. I shouldn’t downplay the main road and maybe that’s skewing my judgement on price.

OP posts:

Seashell1234 · 15/12/2021 14:24

Price being too high may be why it hasn't had many viewings and therefore offers. The survey may have thrown up horrors, or the vendors maybe impossible to deal with. Who knows. Go in with your eyes v wide open. Good luck!

Xfox · 15/12/2021 14:59

Maybe ask the EA when the offer that fell through was accepted and when it went back on the market. That will give an idea if it's sat on the market for ages, or if for most that time it was under offer but for whatever, possibly innocent, reason fell through?

Zodlebud · 15/12/2021 15:21

We just pulled out of a purchase as we had the survey done which identified a major structural issue with the roof and asbestos flooring that was degrading so was dangerous and needs removing.

The vendor refused to allow an asbestos survey or take a reduction in price to take into account the structural issues. We had already offered over the asking price and are a chain free cash buyer.

Reason the property therefore won’t sell is a greedy seller with unrealistic expectations.

SW1amp · 15/12/2021 15:51

And remember that estate agents dont have to volunteer information but they can’t lie

So phrase your questions as such…

‘Did any previous sales fall through because of issues thrown up by a survey?’ not ‘any particular reason it hasn’t sold yet?’

emmathedilemma · 15/12/2021 16:09

History of subsidence or flooding.
Large family sized house in a poor school catchment.

user1471538283 · 15/12/2021 21:40

Its probably the price. I viewed a house that was on for ages, sale fell through because the vendors had been so patient with the buyer and he pulled out a week before exchange!

whereisthekey · 15/12/2021 21:42

price, awful neighbours, uninsureable, flooding, something in planning going to be build near it?

Sh05 · 15/12/2021 22:07

Check local planning portals. Is it near a bus stop as you say it's on the main road?
What are the local schools like and also check local crime rates.
Drive around on Friday/Saturday evening if you can, it'll give you an idea of night time activities that might be going on.

whereisthekey · 15/12/2021 22:13

check the local plan if the planning Portals don't show anything current, as any areas around it may be allocated for development

CheshireKitten123 · 15/12/2021 22:21

The Estate Agent may be being "economical with the truth and a survey has been done that threw up some structural issues.

Cellar that floods

Someone died in it

It's haunted

Subsidence/near a mine shaft

Area zoned for motorway extension/road widening

Public footpath/easement/bridal path down side or across back garden.

Used to be a brothel and still suffers from unwanted visitors.

On site of old sewerage works/pig farm/chemical plant/glue factory/slaughterhouse/cemetery

Faces due north so no sun in front rooms ever.

I'd be cautious OP.....

Twiglets1 · 16/12/2021 05:54

It sounds like a previous sale fell through which doesn’t necessarily mean it fell through because of a bad survey. Our flat went on the market in June and sold in. August (had 2 offers in August). But because the buyer pulled out on September, it looked like it had been on the market for 5 months by the time we got another buyer in November. I was worried that looked bad but in fact there was no bad survey and the initial buyers valuation had come back fine. They just pulled out for personal reasons so it’s not always a reflection on the property 🤷🏼‍♀️

Beebumble2 · 16/12/2021 08:34

When we sold our last house it looked as if it had been on the market a long time. This was because our purchaser, unbeknown to us, had difficulty getting a mortgage due to his circumstances.
He prevaricated for months and changed his solicitor, again without our knowledge. After 3 months we pulled out of the deal.

SquashMinus · 16/12/2021 16:35

I heard on the grapevine that the seller of the last house I tried to buy was telling people it was back on the market due to "time wasters". Failed to mention that the seller was the time waster in question; let me get all the way through a survey and local searches rather than be upfront about the serious issues the property had. This included the facts they didn't own the garden, didn't have right of way to access the property except by boat(!), and had experienced 3 previous rounds of subsidence. But usually, it's the price!

Starseeking · 16/12/2021 22:01

Have you had a look at the prices similar houses round the property have sold at? Marketing values should give you an idea, although not as reliable as it would be taken from land registry records, as they would be actuals.

Flowers500 · 16/12/2021 22:31

It could be something like a chain falling apart with a previous buyer? Like their buyer's buyer lost their mortgage, or something like that.

But overall I'd say it's the main road. Seller won't want to accept a big dent in the price because of the main road, buyers will always buy something else instead. Unless it's priced to take a huge chunk off for the main road I wouldn't touch it as you'll have to do that in the future to sell. Or accept really really long timelines.

Post link on here and see if anyone can spot issues?

Jarstastic · 17/12/2021 23:34

Backland development.

bravotango · 17/12/2021 23:38

Maybe the recent refurbishment doesn't have building regs sign off - this can sometimes take a while to come out and can be a reason for pulling out of a purchase

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