I can’t sell my house.

[Zooforhouse]

Been trying to sell my house since January. Have sold it three times. First buyer pulled out as change in financial circumstances, lost us our dream house. Sold again in 4 weeks, but didn’t find an onward, buyer pulled out as found something cheaper. Third time neighbour offered then withdrew quickly as decided the garden was too small (it must have got smaller).

i don’t know what to do really. The garden is too small. That’s why I want to move. Desirable location. The house is done to a high standard. It’s just on a small plot (is in town).

Do we reduce it? Forget about it for a bit? It sold at asking all 3 times. Reducing it won’t make the garden bigger. Change of agent?

Was kind of ignoring the issue but something we want has come up and it’s getting really frustrating now.

It's a beautiful house and three buyers have offered asking price which suggests price isn't too far out.

The most recent buyer loved it enough to offer asking price but then mulled it over at home (presumably looking through the pictures) and pulled out. So first step is to improve your pictures I think!

Tidy up the front garden, add some plants in pots.

Tidy up the back garden, make it look as beautifully thought out as the house! Perhaps a photo with the bifold doors open so people can see it as an extension of the indoor space for entertaining.

Delete lots of photos! Remove all the photos of corridors / hallways. Keep 1-2 photos of each room and 1-2 photos of the garden - maybe just 1 as that's not the bit you want buyers to focus on. At the moment there are far too many photos of the kitchen.

Your house is really beautiful on the inside but the outside areas could definitely look a bit more designed to match - at the moment they look rather unused and unloved.

I meant the photos not the house itself which I really like

I agree and not with the poster you’ve quoted. I would say there similar standards but in any event - for the £80k price difference you could easily upgrade the kitchen etc if you wanted too. I don’t think the quality is much different to the OP’s to be honest and it is not that that ultimately makes the differences it’s the land that costs the money and you could put a full word that double floor extension across the back and still have a decent garden for one I’ve suggested.

I maintain the only thing wrong with OP’s house is the price.

So it is in Colchester, yes? From the inside I would have thought London, actually! Sadly a lot of the gardens there are small too. When I am 'fantasy buying' a house, most of the gardens come up small!

I would temporarily remove as much of the ki9d stuff in the garden (I know, easier said then done!) and make it a pleasant place for adults to sit out (since Covid, even people not at all arsed with gardening have realised the importance of an outside space). Maybe put a few potted plants outside too.

I think of the house doctor programme where a North American had a look around houses and stressed kerb appeal etc etc. It was basically about making your house less personal (so potential buyers without a clue had more idea about the place, so less family photos, kids/pet stuff hidden if poss, etc etc.

My friend lives in a desirable area (the desirable bit is it is near a tube station!). Before all this finance trouble she could have had potential buyers fighting over it. It is a small house with a tiny concrete garden!) but now there is seemingly no interest in it. Just as she wants to sell!!

I love it. The size of the garden doesn’t bother me. I like gardening but with a full time job and two children, I can only do a small garden. I will redo it with beds and the size is fine. Bedrooms are split floor maybe that will put off people with very small children. But I think they can share on the same floor as you and then move upstairs. Mine would love to be on their own floor.

I think you just have been unlucky. Also I don’t know the price in your area.

I like the house its lovely. I don't really use my garden all the time and I'm not into gardening. I like that it's a big house with not too much too maintain but buyers like me are in the minority. You need to compare your price to others in the local area , your layout, presentation is perfect the only thing it can be is price.

That's a beautiful house. I'd get the ad removed and re-listed as it'll have dropped to the bottom of the list and people will assume there's something wrong with it as it's been listed for so long

Lovely house OP, I think you have just been unlucky tbh. I would be tempted to re-list with another EA.

Also I agree with a PP, photos of the hallways, staircases are unnecessary.

Add to the appeal, some pots of pansies at the front and back, add a flourish of colour, very cheaply, may also be worth jetwashing drive and patio.

Yes you can’t change the size of the garden, but not everyone is looking for a large garden, albeit for a family sized home it can be on the tick list.

Make the garden you have look the best it can, perhaps reduce the price by £10k to attract more viewers.

I am sure you will sell OP. But it’s a gruelling process I know. Good luck.

I am sorry but this is silly.

desdrobong the back garden as a courtyard worn attract more buyers😂

taking different angles photos won’t attract more buyers.

sometimes I wonder if people commenting have ever bought or sold a house.

people wanting a house in this area might well be put off by the garden - to be honest I would be. But they will look at the photos of the garden and go on google earth if they are serious buyers. The word courtyard won’t make a blind bit of difference.

my house had forty viewers and fell through three times for various reasons. Sold fourth time for well above asking prices.

if the house is sitting now with no interest it may be becoase the market has shifted and it’s over priced - or people think there is something that flags on the sorbet.

it’s not the photos or the words.

Your house is stunning. I wonder on looking at the photos if those two nursery rooms are big enough for a full size bed. They don't look it on the photos. The garden lets it down so maybe just drop the price. You could spend £10k and all the effort to do stuff in the garden, or drop the price by £10k and get a sale anyway.

It's a beautiful house OP, and you have a lovely style. I love the incredible amount of storage too, that would make me very happy. I also live in that area (but not the Lexden area) and that house is a good price for that area. It's a very sought after area. I do think it's the garden letting it down but I don't think you'd get any better feedback even if you went down in price. It's a family home but really for older kids. But you're close to the grammar schools, some good Secondaries in that area and an outstanding Primary. Keep going, you'll get there.

those Stats can’t tell you weather OP’s house is overpriced. They are area averages.

I like the photos of the hallway by the way (except number 7 - we don't need a photo of your coats!) My hallway is really poky so in my next house I'll definitely want to know it's got a lovely entrance.

It's lovely house but the price is a bit too high. If you look and compare with other detached properties in the same area, there are some more expensive but also some that are cheaper. The decor in your house is nicer, but if I was buying, I would go for the cheaper houses with bigger garden and decorate the house how I wanted. I think you will need to drop the price a bit if you want to sell and move on.

Needs more grass

I've taken a look at the house in the link and these are my suggestions, and you'll need new photos to reflect whatever changes you make based on these suggestions.

Clear down the clutter.
Living room - You probably think that it's tidy but you need maybe 5 -10 books MAXIMUM on the book shelves. Everything else either goes into storage or into the attic space. Have a few (3 - 4 MAXIMUM) ornaments on the shelves. Done!

Kitchen worktops - again, why do you have such beautiful presses in the kitchen if all of your condiments and appliances are on the counter top? Clear it down. Leave a kettle, toaster and perhaps if you have one a coffee maker. That's it! Nothing else remains on the countertop.

Set the table as if you're going to dine.

Ditch the stuffed animal heads. Put a mirror or a picture on the wall that appears in photo 17.

Clear the visible clutter you can see through the frosted glass wardrobes in image 18. Clear the dressing table surface.

Get some storage for the personal hygiene products in image 21 and instead have a potted plant on the window sill.

I hope it sells for you. It's a lovely house but there is just so much of your stuff still in it at the moment.

Take your photos down. De-personalise the house. Until it is no longer yours, you want to feel like YOU are staying in an AirBnB where you don't know who owns the property. Then people who come to view the property will feel that they can put their stamp on it.

The area of Lexden the OP is in is definitely not an average of £404K. In fact it's more that I'd consider her house a bit of a bargain (but I'd want more outside space). The description of Lexden is carried all the way down to Copford when you start to head towards MarksTey/A12 area and yes that area is probably around the £404K average. But the phrase 'Lexden' is very misleading for Right Move. One street up from the OP are rows and rows of beautiful Georgian houses that go for £1M plus so as I say it's misleading.

Am I correct in thinking you bought it 5 years ago for nearly £100k less and have only painted the kitchen units? (Apologies if that’s not the case as sometimes the previously sold photos aren’t accurate).
Maybe buyers think that’s too much of an increase?

Not really anything to do with the buyers how much she paid for it. Its up to them to decide whether it's priced fairly now based on the current market and the house in front of them.

If that is any consolation I have a friend who has been trying to sell a 2 bed flat in a really expensive area of London and she has had 3 buyers already who pulled out at the last minute. It is not uncommon.

I think reducing the price is sensible. The garden is small and that is going to be an issue for people.

Why would you sell such an amazing house …
I could live with that garden without a problem,it’s much bigger than mine .

Where I am a 20% increase over five years is pretty modest. Where I am there has been a 10% average increase over the last year alone!

what is the house prices growth in this area? Have house prices been stagnant (I would doubt it?). But you seem to think the value of the house can only increase if you do work?

It is a lovely house. I would jet wash the drive, remove weeds, shape the bushes, nice green pot plant. Would do the same with the back patio. You can make it feel more like a proper garden with nice pot plants. You want people to feel it is green but low maintenance.
Yes, to decluttering some kids toys for the photos.

It is a lovely house. I would jet wash the drive, remove weeds, shape the bushes, nice green pot plant. Would do the same with the back patio. You can make it feel more like a proper garden with nice pot plants. You want people to feel it is green but low maintenance.
Yes, to decluttering some kids toys for the photos.
How close is the nearest park? That could be highlighted.

THIS.
If it's not selling, and someone pulled out as they found ''Something cheaper'' ..reduce the price.
No one is sure what is happening to house prices at the moment, but from speaking to house buyers recently, they say prices seem to be ''Stabilising''.

Best of luck in selling.