Why can't we sell our house?

[Pentiumgold]

Please see attached link, reduced by £20 last week but still no interest. What puts you off our house? I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/121091351

@Clicheinaqashqai

Also, 455 is an odd price as lots of people would filter price to 450 and therefore miss it in an online search even though it might be what they are looking for.

This is such a good point!

@Clicheinaqashqai

Also, 455 is an odd price as lots of people would filter price to 450 and therefore miss it in an online search even though it might be what they are looking for.

Agree with this.

Also the kitchen- you have a v modern gloss kitchen on 90s b+q floor tiles and they just don’t sit well together. Ditto the waxed pine furniture by the kitchen- did you choose those units? It’s just a bit confused. The bathrooms need updating as well do for me that’s quite a bit of messy work. I’d want that reflected in the price, maybe it is already but I’m not familiar with the area.

Garden not have a lawn. It is a family house but outside area doesn't feel very family friendly.

It also seems quite dark (maybe to do with three wall colours). The lights are also on in the photos which always makes me question the rooms/how bright the house is. I like bright rooms with lots of natural light.

I also agree price. Might be better if at 450 so that it matches the rightmove filters.

Not sure on the prices in your area but if no viewings then it's overpriced. It's a four bed detached however 3 of the bedrooms have small dimensions and the lounge is narrow (and the photo angle makes it look even more narrow). These are the main things that would put me off personally at that price point. If I was being picky looking at your pictures similar to lots of pp I would say:
House render looks dirty/streaky
Paved garden needed jet washing
The conservatory (notoriously cold) is open to the house which would worry me about losing heat especially with high energy bills
The bedrooms could do with massively decluttering for the purposes of selling - have a look at some new build listings on Rightmove as they have tiny dimensions but manage to make the bedrooms look amazing.

All the above are things that people can get over for the right price... and I love your kitchen.

I sold my last house but it took ages, the first lot of photos from the first estate agent looked like a horrible run down tiny house. The second estate agent made it look fantastic. Maybe get someone else. It looks like a lovely home xx

This.

Makes it sound like there's something weird, complicated, and will probably be a stressful nightmare to buy.

I wouldn't even view, it would go straight on the reject pile.

Why can't Vivien Horder find out if it's leasehold or freehold? Do you know?

Yes to the garden pics are confusing. The frame thing looks odd. Some of the bedrooms are untidy. I would be put off by the conservatory and loss of heat too. And defo the leasehold/freehold thing. I would just scroll right past at that.

It must be an oversight as it is definitely freehold which we told them

I see there is an A road close by - is there traffic noise?

The only thing that would really put me off is the open conservatory. Unless it's fantastically triple glazed you are basically just heating the sky above it and the way things are now it's possibly a game changer.
It would have been better to make the beds in the smaller rooms and tidy up the bathroom a bit for the photos. Some of the photos are a bit rubbish too especially the garden as it looks like there's actually quite a bit of good space but you can't tell from those photos.

Fuck me, two houses in a week where I know the area, it is so true everything is like buses.

@Pentiumgold

I haven't read all the replies (yet, I didn't want to be distracted by everyone else's opinions!)

How common is the outside finish in your area? Being very blunt, I really don't like it, but if that's 'the norm' where you are then it's not so much of an issue & even if it is an issue, there's not much you can do about it!!

Secondly you seem to have a fair bit if useable space downstairs, but your lounge for a 4bed, is small.

Upstairs the bedrooms are all quite small (going off floor plan, not just photos). It seems a little short in en-suites/bathrooms for the number of bedrooms/downstairs space.

Again, not a lot you can do about that.

I don't know how it's priced compared to other houses where you live & am tired of Rightmove (for myself) today. But I'm sure others have looked and commented.

I think it's nicely presented and personally I think you just need to wait for the right person. Probably people with young children that are happy to 'move up' to a bugger house when their children get bigger.

I don't want to pry why you're selling, but maybe the reason you're selling is why they're not buying??

Best of luck!!

The photo makes the living room look narrow
The bathroom looks a bit dated
2 bedrooms look small because there's so much in them

I’d remove the rug and pull up the blinds in the living room
Remove the chest of drawers in the conservatory, just looks a bit odd and out of place
Fully draw back curtains in bedroom-where the photos taken in the evening/dusk? As the outside is not helping with making the house look dim inside
Remove toiletries and cleaning products from bathroom, add a colourful towel on the rail and a green plant on the shelf-again fully roll the blind up
Patio-powerhouse the patio or pay someone to do it, tidy up and rearrange plant pots into some sort of display instead of scattered around, put away the whirly line for the photos
Decking-again get it powerhouses, it’ll come up lovely and remove the slime look
Find a company that washes render, your outside looks dirty compared to next doors

Other than that it’s lovely, all superficial stuff but some buyers can’t see past bits like that

No kerb appeal. Looks almost industrial...
Very dated bathroom
Small back garden
What is the black mark on render?
Is it freehold?

It's ALWAYS the price

For me it looks too dark and dingy inside. I'd paint it all white, add some plants to freshen it up. The interior choices look a bit dated.

Also the first pic of the exterior looks like a concrete runway. I'd try a different angle, closer featuring the pavement and greenery.

Some of bedrooms look very cluttered. Should have been pretty much emptied for the photo shoot.

@Clicheinaqashqai

The first line of the description says 'please confirm if freehold or leasehold with x name' which would put me off arranging a viewing.

Is it a lack of viewings or a lack of offers?

That's pretty standard on Rightmove unfortunately. I'm looking to buy & I don't think I've found one that doesn't say that yet!!

It looks really dark in the extension especially because it was a sunny day when the photos were taken. That would be enough for me to skip a viewing.

As someone looking to buy at that price I'd say it looks fine ......except the open conservatory is a complete no, no!

@Pentiumgold

Thank you for all your suggestions, it's actually getting people through the door that we are struggling with. This is the 2nd lot of photos the estate agent took. The 1st lot were awful. The garden is on two levels which now you point out makes it hard to realise. It really is quite big!

I think the garden may be putting people off. I'd try better photos first. Some houses for sale locally have photos taken which show the gardens very favourably, often taken from a corner looking back at the house so you get a better feeling of the available space. Or they mount the camera about 8ft up in the air so again you get a better shot.

That said what's the market like locally? Are houses selling at your level or above, or is it a bit stagnant?

*power hose

Also what’s the deal with the freehold/leasehold bit? Which is it? That needs to be clear on the ad.

I sold mine few weeks ago for £17k over asking price and got lots of praise on here for how I stage it. I read up on every thread about staging, decluttering and preparing my house, and followed it to the letter.

DOWNSTAIRS - Looks good and only a few tips:

• Pull the dining table out for at least one of the pictures, so that people can see they can sit around it for dinner.
• Remove the dog/cat bowl on the kitchen floor.
• Remove the ornaments/nicnacs from the living room and open the blinds for more light.
• Remove the Storey Family sign, child gate and dog lead from the hall. Remove the black hall runner and maybe put some flowers in front of the mirror.

UPSTAIRS:

• Clean all the rubbish off the bathroom windowsill and sink. Get rid of the scales and bottles of toilet cleaner. There should be nothing in your bathroom but lovely towels and posh handwash. Your is full of stuff.
• Bedrooms are all in a bit of mess and each of your childrens rooms need a massive declutter. MAKE THE BEDS. Hide all the tv cables. Get rid of everything that does not need to be there and does not look nice.

GARDEN:

• Jetwash the stones and clean the place up - hide anything that does not look good. Get some cushions or throws on the furniture - make it look aspirational.
• Get rid of tbe blue plastic Sheet in pic 16

Best advice I got was "Make your house look like a very class AirBnB"

I followed this to the letter - Hid everything that was personnel to me and all evidence of my cats. Cleaned everything. Ironed my bedding and ironed it again on the bedding. Bought 'show towels' for the viewings and followed every rule.

Good luck x

I'd recommend walking round with some massive boxes and removing all toiletries/ crap from shelves in bedrooms etc before photographing each room.

The garden should also be photographed in full sun. The first thing I notice is the looming shadows of the neighbouring houses .

1.The photos are dreadful especially the ones taken outside.
2.Freehold/Leasehold sentence need to be taken off the details