Feedback from house viewing - AIBU?

[Pointypointything]

Recently put our house on the market and not had a huge amount of interest - in fact had only our second viewing this morning. We knew they weren't keen as they were here less than 5 minutes. But I'm a bit bemused by the feedback. Which was that location, price and condition were poor. We asked for specifics and were told that it needs a new kitchen and driveway and that they didn't like the position on the street.

First off, the position is clear from the advert and street view. Secondly, the kitchen is 5 years old, and I was under the impression that most people look to change the kitchen in a new house at some point anyway. It's in good condition, estate agent described it as modern (although I guess they are only ever going to be positive to get you on their books?) It's in full working order, no cupboard doors hanging off or scuffed or anything like that. No-one selling a house is going to put a new kitchen in are they? Same for driveway really?

I obviously need to toughen up a bit, as everyone has their own ideas of what they want, particularly in a kitchen I guess. And the driveway could do with being re tarmacked but it's not got big holes or anything, and again I thought the general wisdom was not to spend money on things like that when you're selling?

It just stung a bit to hear they felt the condition of the house was poor, and the examples they gave I'm just like . I feel like they maybe have massively unrealistic expectations if they are expecting everything to be immaculately finished to their taste already, but then I'm doubting myself and wondering if actually no, we should make our house like a new build show home?

I think it depends how bad the kitchen really is. It is the one room in the house that I would put most importance on and I certainly would be put off if I had to put a whole new one in.

@Pointypointything i would only do something about the drive. As I said - kerb appeal. Pictures tell a story. A drive by tells a story. I wouldn’t do anything expensive but make sure it’s very presentable. Price probably is too high and that indicates you are not serious. Keenly priced with kerb appeal and you stand a chance. As you are not that bothered about selling buyers don’t seem interested either. Buyers do say rubbish after viewings. A quick glance at similar properties tells you the standard and price. It’s not rocket science.

I was told when someone buys a house they are buying a "lifestyle" whether it's a 1 bed flat or a 5 bed executive home. Have you made your house "sale ready" so fixed the drawer that's hanging loose, given it kerb appeal, fresh linen and only new towels which come out for viewing in the bathroom. ( I kid you not) Lots of tips for staging on the internet. You are giving the viewer the very best impression of your home. Its seriously big business "staging" a house. People are unbelievably fickle. I was once asked by a friend to give her feedback on why her house wasn't selling and I said first every cupboard in the kitchen is covered with kids drawings and this hides the kitchen and why are 3 rooms and the kitchen painted in the same ghastly bright colour? Which was due to using up a very large pot of paint! People rarely see past the "bones" of the property, they are rarely able to visualise removing half the furniture, removing old carpet, changing wall colours. And unfortunately there is a saying that kitchens sell houses although that wouldn't put me off from buying a house. Change the things you can change. Good luck !

We had ours on the market although didn't sell it in the end as couldn't find anywhere to buy, and I was the same - it's so hard not to take criticism personally especially when it's things you think they should have been able to figure out from doing a bit of basic research first or actually looking properly at the listing! We were with purple bricks as well so people could leave feedback through the app and one lady was very rude. I didn't agree with her comments at all but each to their own, but remember this is someone's home!

It's usually the EA fault for pushing viewings on buyers who want something different, but in your case I don't think the EA have been proactive enough.

Two viewings is paltry, so there's something not fitting the market here.

Are you satisfied with the photos, OP? They make a MASSIVE difference.

100% agree.

I don't think it's right to say these viewers giving this kind of 'obvious' feedback are stupid/naive/haven't look properly at the listing.

When we bought (a few houses ago) we wanted a 3-beds and ideally semi-detached or detached. Because if what was available, and other features that could sway us, we also viewed a couple of 2-beds and a couple of terraces.

We almost went for a 2-bed, because it has other things going for it that we loved and were extra to why we needed. But in the end we found something closer to what we wanted with 3 beds.

So our feedback to that agent (if we have any. I can't remember now) would have been that it was a 2-bed. And that we wanted a 3-bed.

Yes, we knew it was 2 when we visited. No, I don't think that makes us stupid.

I don't see the point of much of the feedback. If you give feedback like "we wanted a 3 bedroom but yours was a 2 bedroom", there's nothing the seller can do. I've recently sold my house - one viewer said "it's too close to a main road" (which it was), but there's nothing I could have done about that!!

I suppose the bedroom thing might depend on the size and proportions of the rooms.
I know some people who wanted a 4 bedroom house, but considered some 3 bedrooms if they were 3 proper double bedrooms and/or there was some potential downstairs to extend to make a home office.

I think a lot of the 'unhelpful' feedbacks probably boils down to "ideally we wanted X, but considered Y in case it was a compromise we would be happy with/there's the potential to make X happen. Now we've seen the property we've solidified that actually X is really important and we can't get past (insert compromise element here)".

There could be the issue that, at the price, the buyer expected more. A better kitchen?

We're house hunting at the moment and almost every house has 1 dodgy Tik Tok DIY trend.

We've seen 2p covered floors. We've seen blackboard painted walls and ceilings.

The worst thing of all is the panelling trend. Then painted in F&B to conceal the DIYness. And give it posh vibes - or so they think. Actually looks like a 90s caravan interior. But there we go!

The worst thing of all is hypergloss kitchen units. They're so bright and shiny they're like mirrors! I think these were on trend 2020ish but they've aged awfully.

It's frustrating. Because getting the 2p floor up would be costly and potentially damaging (it has cement and resin!), new kitchen would be expensive to replace.

The rest I could deal with but it makes you think "what else have they bodged up?" 😂

Oh and self adhesive tiles! They're everrrrywhere.

I can't see the appeal in covering perfectly neutral tiles in self adhesive ones?

(But that's a job I can sort out myself. But it makes you think what else have they done?)

TBH I wouldn't ask for feedback. I always think houses sell themselves to the right person. Asking someone why they don't like it is inviting them to make up some excuse simply because it wasn't for them.

Agents use all manner of techniques to get buyers in the door and the best price. From over pricing to photos with special lenses. There are always going to be some that just don't see what they thought they were going to.

The issue for.me is that you aren't getting people through the door. Now why is that? Are there not many people looking? Is it so overpriced they think their offers wouldn't come close so why bother viewing?

It's difficult to sell in this sort of market. We did in 1994, having bought in 1991 and having lost 10 percent value. But we dropped and made offers with equal (or greater) drops - so it all came out in the wash, as they say.