House too small

[Emily2023]

So I've been searching online and this group seems to come up on this topic.

Me and my husband put our house on the market this time last year, sold the first day of viewings but then the buyer pulled out after a month as it was supposedly taking too long but we'd had an offer accepted on another house who also needed to look for another house.

We resold in May last year (again within the same day as first viewings) but again, once the chain was all sorted in September (5 houses), our buyer went AWOL a week before completion on 13th Jan this year. It turns out he used cheap solicitors that outsource to sri Lanka and they didn't deal with something from the searches properly (or at all).

Now we've have had to remarket again, we've dropped our price by £10k already and absorbed another £20k to the mortgage as the original buyer offered £11k more. However, after 16 viewings, one really low offer £30k below the price which we declined, everyone is saying it's too small even viewers where it is just one person. Prices for other 2 bed houses near here without a garage go for more than ours and some a lot more. It's really frustrating us as we don't know what more we can do, we've decluttered and tidied as much as possible.

I wondered if anyone had any ideas?

There are three beds for sale within half a mile for less. The market is slowing down and I suspect it’s price. The pictures really aren’t great either, the living room looks tiny and dark and the bedroom pictures are awful.

OP

A house in your road sold at 201k in 2021, this was at the height of the market, prices have really reduced. Your house is overpriced in my opinion at 250k.

The House that sold was also a little nicer.
Your House seems a little dated, the bed that has been squashed into the alcove needs to be moved. Please get rid of the extension lead.

The downstairs needs painting, the paint work in the kitchen needs to be made white the dark wood is really off putting as is the 70's brick fireplace. Also the mirror on the back on the door in one of the bedrooms.

I think you need to declutter more, sorry OP.

I certainly couldn't manage that bed in the alcove. No older person would look at the house.
The washing machine in the dining room is very odd. Can't it face the kitchen?
The garden looks dreary. Perhaps you could have photos taken when there's some sun on it?
The piano and fireplace dominates the lounge.
Next door to me sold for half a million in the summer. It is much smaller than my house and cost £30 grand less when newly built. I have had to accept an offer of much less than he got. Mine's now fallen through and I have to market again. I have decluttered to make it look like a show house. I've also disposed of a lot of furniture to make it look larger. The house I was hoping to buy took £25 grand under asking. It's a buyer's market. You need to ask a lot less.

The bed you have to climb into is off putting, the chest of drawers or desk would be much nicer in the alcove and put the bed the other side so it looks possible to get into it.

I'm not fond of the brick fireplace it look over powering, but not much you can do. I would change the fancy mirror on the patterned wallpaper to something bigger and with a plain surround.

It also looks as though there is furniture all around the walls, could the blue chest disappear somewhere and the tv cabinet creep a bit out of the corner.

Can see you've tided up a lot. To be brutally honest if I was thinking to buy my thoughts are:
Lounge - immediately thinking of cost to rip out dated fire place and wallpaper.
Diner - why is table squashed against wall, not enough space? Dated dado rail and yellow paint, cost to remove.
Kitchen ok but looks grubby, door fronts and handles some missing or badly fitted? Cost to repair or replace.
Garden - looks a good size but pictures are dark and depressing - get them re taken at the time of day when sun hits.
Bedroom - why is bed wedged under window?! Is the room not big enough for a bed?

Best of luck OP, it is stressful as hell and people seems to do utterly random things during the house sales process!

As any of the viewers mentioned the price?
It's boring, the yellow dining room wall is horrible, the bed shoved into the gap impractical, too much clutter on display, it doesn't look homely and you aren't appealing to first time buyers.
Google before and after staging pics.
Fluffy towels, plants inside and out, fresh neutral paint, move the bed and get new bedding, cushions, hide away toiletries and other essentials, display your nice things, move the other furniture around to create more homeliness, pull out the dining furniture and dress the table, artwork etc etc

Personally wouldn't be fussed about the decor, and if i bought it i'd rip out the fireplace. However i'd expect the price to reflect that.

The biggest issue for me is the bed in the alcove. Can you not fit it in any other way? I need / want a bedside table / lamp etc and to be able to not have to crawl down to the the end of the bed to be able to get out of it.

Essentially, it's overpriced.

Most of it is ok until you get to picture 9 then I was instantly disinterested, move the bed and make it look relaxing and inviting. TBH it looks like a teenagers bedroom

Picture 11 doesn’t sell the benefit of a 2nd bedroom make it up like a spare guest room

As much as I love a piano it needs to go as it emphasises the rooms size as there is only one couch which makes sense why the single people viewing are saying too small as they can’t imagine having friends around as there is no where for them to sit

Get rid of the piano and see if you can couch swaps with someone or buy a cheap nice looking new bigger couch or couches

*Dont take offence to anyone this is just selling not ripping up your home, trust me mine is no show home!!!

I appreciate if you can't do this bc maybe you work from it each day but if not can you take the desk out of the bedroom and the big chair? Because it makes the bedroom look cluttered and confusing, it will look loads better without it.

I think it looks nice personally.

But yeah I'd get rid of some items as well, even the ones in the bathroom, there seems to be lots of stuff there. It will look more streamlined. I'd also maybe introduce colour accents (removable). I.e. pink highlights in bathroom etc.

Also take all of the bits and bobs off the boiler, put them in a drawer.

Thanks for all the messages, it's very insightful to see it from other people's eyes.

Living room - fireplace has been decluttered so a lot less items now on show! Nothing we can do about the piano, it is sentimental to my husband plus he uses it often as that's what he does as a second job (weddings etc). Fireplace - we actually quite liked it, hence why we didn't change it so I guess that's personal preference and we are mid 30's. Again, the wallpaper is only a few years old in that room.

We have removed the wallpaper that was old in the hallway/stairs and painted it neutral and it looks really light but viewings started after that.

The set up is a bit of an odd one in the main bedroom and I have been thinking I need to move the bed back. It was changed when we started working from home in COVID but continue to be at home so we ended up having to fit two desks in. I will have a think how we can do it, could use my sisters storage unit to store the drawers or something.

We have removed more clutter from the spare room since - storage and garage but again, might need to move more furniture out of there.

Kitchen - yellow wall is the only one I let my husband have free reign with... We could probably paint over. Again it's the same with the varnish on the wooden shelves. Not sure what you mean by grubby, I cleaned very thoroughly, the washing machine broke at Christmas and we didn't want to replace with a brand new one as it was supposed to complete 13th Jan and we were taking my sisters new one to the new house (she is supposed to be moving in with us), however, the repair place didn't tell us that they come larger than the gap now so the door that used to hide it has been removed and wrapped up in the garage. Can't move it the other way as that's the kitchen cupboard - I think every inch has been accounted for.

I agree on the garden, I just wish it was spring this happened as it looks so much better with the green leaves and flowers.

In terms of the houses around us, there was one sold a few weeks ago around the corner which went for more than £245 but less than £250. The area we are in used to be Cadbury land, we are on the border of Stirchley and Bournville and 5 mins walk through the shortcut to the station. The 2 bed terraces are always on the market for £290/£300 and 2 bed semi's in actual BVT (Bournville) are around £320/£330. Areas around us like Kings Norton and Northfield are always a lot less in general. Last year, there was 2 other semi's that sold in our bit, £240-£260k (agreed that's only sale price advertised but we know the £240 one definitely went for above that as the agent boasted at the time and winked at us saying it was around that that it went for as it was sold by him.

I don’t agree you need to declutter anymore, it would make it look too minimalist. However, you do need to put the piano in storage, although it is obvious you could fit another sofa there, people will just walk in and think small.

I don’t agree with the poster who said the kitchen looks grubby with ill fitting cupboards, I can’t see anything wrong with it, and the dining table is fine where it is, viewers need at least one brain cell when viewing, and it is obvious there is room for it.

What would bother me though is the bed, it is difficult to tell from the photo if it would fit the other side of the room, but I couldn’t have a bed squashed in there, difficult to change, and get out of it, and no bedside table.

You need to style it much better so it feels bigger.

In the sitting room swap the sofa and piano. Put the footstool in front of the sofa like a coffee table and the stacking tables next to the fire next to the sofa (or into the garage). I think the wallpaper is OK but agree painting the brickwork on the fireway will lighten the room but I don't think it's essential. Take everything off the surfaces and rearrange the nicest things stylishly, look on instagram for inspiration. Only have a few things on a) the mantlepiece b) the top of the piano c) on a tray on the footstool. Get rid of the the stuff in the corner between the sofa and piano.

In the kitchen pull the table out from the wall and arrange with 2 chairs facing 2 chairs. Remove all bottles from view, take the magnets off the boiler. You could think about one of those kitchen skirts to disguise the washing machine.

In the main bedroom move the desk into the alcove where the bed is, position it so you'd be facing out the window when sitting at the desk. Put the bed on the wall where the chest of drawers and desk currently are. The small bedside table that's between the doors put next to the bed and put one of the chest of drawers (whichever fits, possible the white one from the back bedroom to look more coordinated) either in the study alcove or on the other side of the bed. Is your duvet reversible? Put the lighter side up, the dark purple is very student flat 2003. Beg borrow or steal a valance for your divan.

Bedroom 2 needs dressing as a bedroom for viewings. Since you clearly use it as a study I'd be tempted to get a cheapish sofabed or daybed and have it as a sofa most of the time but then style as a bed for photos and viewings. Daybed where desk and chest of drawers currently are, move desk to face opposite wall. Think there will be room to have the attractive pine chest of drawers from the other room at the end of the bed..

Bathroom is ok, maybe get a pretty rattan basket to hide all your bottles in. Make sure towels etc for photos and viewings are clean and nicely folded.

Personally I think you are priced correctly. It’s in a great location near Bournville station with direct commute links into birmingham new street and away from the riff raff of Selly Oak. What is in the storage cupboard in the bedroom 2/3? If empty, that’ll create more space.
Kitchen is in good condition it seems and bathroom is liveable but would need updating.

Agree with your comments, although not so easy with the piano as it costs a fortune to put them into storage and my husband needs it to practice etc. Behind the sofa there is a radiator so we can't put the piano against that wall due to the heat. I like the kitchen skirt idea! and yes, I think my sister is brilliant at making bedding and homes look like a show home as that's what she used to set her bed like all the time so I will see if I can borrow her cushions etc.

It's a nice home. It does not look grubby. It looks a bit dated (to me). Would prefer it a bit more modern. That's all. Doesn't look dirty in the slightest, it looks well looked after. Don't take comments to heart! I hope you sell it. I'm sure with a few changes it'll look a lot better.

I think you are in a great location too. I wonder if you are just going to take longer to sell because there are less buyers. Maybe paint over the yellow wall in white, rejig the bedroom and make the garden nicer for spring and retake some photos, but I don’t think that price is bad for where it is.

I think keeping the piano is fine, but for pics and viewings close the lid, clear all the bits and bobs off the top, and hang a big picture or mirror above – it’s all the little things on surfaces and windowsills that make the rooms seem small, but clearing everything and having bare walls only really works in period properties where you’re showing off the bones. Is that a paper shredder next to the piano?!

Agree with the skirt to cover the washing machine. And losing the sitting room bin! A good tip I’ve read here is to take a pic of the room yourself and look at that to see what stands out, eg trailing wires, extension cables, etc. you’ll see in the pic what you couldn’t see in real life.

Oh I’m local, live in Kings Heath. It’s price. You’re overpriced by at least £30k. £250k for a two-bed in Stirchley is really steep when you can get a 3-bed for a similar price nearby.

I think the prices are high on the border as the terraces down on bond street have sold at various prices but last year a 2 bed terrace went for £298k on bond street which is absurd. Our house was originally on at £260k last March, first offer was £271k then when we had to remarket in May, we were offered £260k and now we've dropped it to £250k. This was the one round the corner which has sold for just over £245k but less than £250k.

The first thing I noticed was the bed in the master bedroom.
Nobody wants to be clambering over their partner and squashed up against a wall in bed, I'd start by rearranging the furniture in there.

The one small sofa makes the living room look tiny too.

Finally, this is personal taste so please don't take offence but the decor is very dated imo. Anyone my age viewing that will likely want to spend 20k on a new kitchen/ bathroom/ fireplace and decorating throughout. This will be reflected in the offer prices.

Ooh this is local to me (I'm in Cotteridge). Personally, I think it's a combo of a few reasons:

• I keep a close eye on the market and it has slowed significantly in the last few months. Perfectly nice houses that previously would've sold in a day or two are now staying on the market for longer and getting offers rather than selling at or above asking price. I think this is the main problem!

• The local market has more 2 bed starter homes than family homes so there's quite a lot of competition.

• FTBs in Stirchley usually want the cute old terraces with sash windows so your house is a harder sell. I also think your house is priced comparably to the terraces when I'm not sure that is realistic considering that your house, while perfectly nice, doesn't have the period features of the local terraces.

Personally, if it was me, I'd be looking at staging the house to appeal to the type of FTBs who want to live in Stirchley (Cool, young professionals). Take a look at some of the nice houses that have sold locally for inspiration!

You can get pots of daffs etc just coming into flower quite easily and cheaply from the garden centre if there isn't anything coming up in your garden yet. A reasonable sized planter with daffs and coloured primulas in will go a long way to cheering up the garden. And have cut flowers in the house too for viewings. Heating on, etc.

I think you need the photos redoing - I expect that has been mentioned above. Even without suggested improvements they aren't particularly flattering I don't think, but if you make some changes in the house then I'm sure you'd want those reflected in the listing.

I thought the bathroom and kitchen were much more modern/ up to date as they were refitted not long before we moved there. The bathroom has been repainted since these pictures but I don't think it's outdated especially compared so a lot of kitchens/bathrooms I've seen online that clearly haven't been touched for a long time.

Normally, they sell like hot cakes around this area so I agree the market has declined considerably. We've gone back to our estate agents to see if we should amend price but they have said it's right. If we do lower the price, we need to renegotiate with the upwards chain and possibly lose the house if they don't want to reprice. We are in a bit of a pickle.

It's a nice home.

Don't spent money doing it up. Someone will either buy it or not, I don't think any way you decorate is going to make any difference. Its money you won't get back.

The only real thing you definitely need to do is move the bed in main bedroom. And get that extension cable out of sight. Use the small bit of bedroom for dressing table or whatever and get bed against other wall.