House critique

[sellingsunset]

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/65801853/?search_identifier=bb1e23fba17e72114a5f89aa58a3e1cf8b42f30be9b34229d8986b5094a8d66b

Can I ask for some advice re my listing?
Please be considerate in your wording, happy to take the feedback, but don't want to feel like I should just burn my house down after reading it!

I'm looking after a toddler on my own, it was challenging to get the house ready for the photos - I think the photos are dreadful - but I would like some neutral opinions too. Really annoying I paid for the photos and a few other upfront costs and I'm locked in with an agent until next spring. I don't think they are doing a great job, but of course I don't know how many buyers are out there and there are lots for sale in my area/price, so I'm stuck with them.

Virtually no viewings, I'm really keen to move but had to stop viewing places myself because I'm not in a position to offer unless I can sell. I'm trying to move up the chain and this seems more competitive - things seem to be sold as I've seen a couple of places I'd happily offer on and they are now STC. I dropped my asking price within a couple of weeks to see if that generated any interest, but no.
Viewing feedback has been 'too small' (I know! That's why I'm trying to move!) I have PP for extension, but I can't bare the idea of building going on with a small child & work etc.

It's a decent house in a decent area, my mortgage company tell me it's worth £475-£485k based on their valuation when I last re-mortgaged (they sent a valuer round and I had the house on the market as I was thinking of moving so had offers on the house at that time)

Any feedback? Thinking of a re-launch in the spring with new photos.
It's going to be annoying to change the 3rd bedroom back to a bedroom, as I need a home office more than an empty bedroom, but possible if everyone thinks it's worth it.

What on earth are you on about? The photos look lovely to me. Then again someone else was calling the green "marmite" so I guess it's just the usual madness when people post their house.

OP the market is just slowing, these days it's not always price or decor, it's just a lack of buyers.

We went on the market last November and had quite a few viewings for the first two weeks. After that, it went quiet. When the estate agents opened up again after Christmas they had 10 viewing requests and then a more telephone e enquiries the day they opened.

No advice, as I don’t think there’s anything much ‘wrong’ with the photos, particularly, certainly not to the extent that it would stop the average person booking a viewing, but the Yeabridge Green cupboards are excellent.

I think it looks lovely too! Think it’s been mentioned but the description of bedroom/office would mean psychologically it’s a two-bed to me. It’s a tough market at the moment, it really is. There just aren’t the buyers.

Looking at other 3 bed semis in the area, I would say it's overpriced.

The house is lovely, I can't find any criticism, just the price.

It's just the price, it's a nice property.
As you point out, just a little more money will get you a lot more house.
I would be tempted to consider getting the price down just under the 400k mark. That might stimulate competitive offers or at least good numbers of viewers.
I think its a mistake to suggest you hold on to the price into next year. Prices are clearly falling and predicted to continue to fall into 2025. If you really want to move your going to need to get ahead of the curve. The buyers are out there - but they can't borrow anything like what they could previously and that's not going to change in the short term.

OP, is it really just on Zoopla?! I never ever looked on Zoopla and as a buyer I would really wonder why it’s not on Rightmove.

My house is beautiful and in a desirable area but took 4 months to sell.

It's the market , less people moving because of the interest rates .

Just outside town, for about the same money, you can buy a brand new 4 bed 2 bath detached. Literally only a short brisk walk from the station.
https://www.zoopla.co.uk/new-homes/details/65041879/

That house isn't in Canterbury though.

It isn't walking distance to either of the train stations in Canterbury but only to one in a place called Sturry. That would definitely be reflected in the price.

Canterbury is a lovely little city. I'm guessing that Sturry is less desirable.

It's fine to want more space but your your house isn't 'too small' for one adult and a toddler. I live in a smaller three bed with husband and two kids and there are countless families living in less space than me.

Sturry is very nice but it is cheaper than Canterbury and it is NOT Canterbury. Also that property is 15/20 minute walk from a crap station. DC would have a job getting anywhere independently from Sturry, including school.

Agree, just pointing out some of the competition at the ops price point. If you prefer a quieter environment - then just 2 miles away you can buy a property that's a rung or two higher on the ladder. It's also overpriced, but you get a lot more for your money and a 10 year warranty. Horses for courses.
Do you think the OPs house is priced to sell in the current market?

@DrySherry more bang for your buck in a quieter place called Sturry . Many years ago we looked at a house in Sturry that was perfection itself. Except for the busy road with lorries hurtling down it that goes bang through Sturry.

Lovely house and really well-presented.

I don't think the photos are awful.

But I would suggest lose the fireplace ones, and the one looking at the back of the house. The first kitchen photo makes the kitchen look small and it is not. Could you ditch that one?
Have your garden ones looking from the house end only.

The suggestion above to put a bed rather than a cot? (if possible) is a good one, to be clear it is a proper bedroom. Sane with office (I know it's a pain but you want to sell).

I have just lived through months of keep-the-house-tidy and having it set up with buyers in mind rather than how we actually live. I feel your pain - but it is worth it.

Good luck!

There is nothing wrong with your house. You have lovely taste and the green is fabulous.
Unfortunately, I agree with some of the other posters that it is a v small house, only really suitable for one child, two is really pushing it, particularly with no downstairs too. The cost of borrowing has also risen considerably.

If you think about your potential buyers they are probably early-mid 30s maybe wanting a family soon or with one child. They would either be FTBs, in which case they would be unable to afford your house now that the cost of buying is so much higher (realistically they would be paying nearly another £1000/month on a mortgage now) unless they had a very large amount of money from the BOMAD or they would be second steppers with a larger deposit. However, if I were a second stepper, so probably in your situation, I would want to 'future proof' and would choose a larger house, maybe in anticipation of another child at some point, that I could do up for only a little more money. I might well also consider 'more bang for my buck' further out for the same reason. The other consideration is that far more people, especially those on well above average salaries who can afford to live in Canterbury in the first place, will be WFH now and will also want more so to make this possible.
Apart from the obvious fact that houses are falling generally due to the squeeze on affordability, I would say that the above is your difficulty.
If you really want to sell, unless you a very lucky and find a unicorn buyer, you will probably need to drop your price more, possibly quite a lot more, to generate interest from your likely buyers. I think it's unlikely you will suddenly generate lots of offer in Spring 24, as the market is very likely to continue to fall.

I think your house is really lovely.

FEEDBACK ON LISTING
In terms of how the estate agent has listed it, I find the order of the photos a bit disjointed. Photo 8 of the living room should be after photo 2, and photo 9 of the fireplace is a bit unnecessary and weirdly cut off. I also think they could say a bit more in the blurb, for example:
is there room for 2 cars on the driveway? If so they should state it.
they haven’t said anything about the planning permission, and this is something that as a potential purchaser I would like to know.
I’m confused about the garden. Does it extend beyond the little black fence? It seems it might because the fence panelling is the same colour, but it’s not clear. Are there pictures of the garage you could use? Would it be worth getting a drone shot of the full extent of the garden?
The bathroom photo is awful. Cut off and you can’t see the toilet.
It looks like you have fancy pull-out storage in the hall. The listing doesn’t mention this, and I think it should.
It would be good to include a photo of the built in wardrobes in the rear bedroom.
I think the front bed photo is too cluttered and would benefit from a bed being put in there.

FEEDBACK ON HOUSE
I honestly think your house is gorgeous. I love the colour of the green wall in the kitchen, and I like your taste and art-work. The wisteria is lovely. The following are really just nit-picking, and I have no idea if they would help sell, but thought I would add them anyway for you to consider:
I personally hate curtains that are a bit too short, like the ones in the living room. Is there sufficient hem length to lengthen them, or add a contrasting trim to the bottom? All depends on how handy you are.
Stair carpet is a bit worn and grubby - it might be worth getting new carpet just for the stairs.
Do the panels on the stairs need touched up? Are the walls on the hall and stairs textured paint? It’s hard to tell, but it might be off-putting to some.
Bathroom: the grout looks a bit grubby around the bath. It is hard to tell because the photos are so bad of the bathroom, but is the toilet very squeezed behind the door? Might there be scope to rehang the door to the other side? Or take a better photo?
I think you should remove the chest of drawers from the landing. It looks cluttered and suggests a lack of storage.
Kitchen: I really like your kitchen, but like a pp, find the lack of extractor fan a bit unusual. Is there scope to add an extractor and a couple of wall cupboards to the hob wall? You would have to stop short so they don’t interfere with the window, and I’m not sure if there is sufficient room to avoid the downlighters.

I hope you get sold soon, although it might be worth waiting a couple of years and doing the extension yourself.

I work for an EA and think the house and photos are great. No need for two of the fireplace but that’s most likely the EA forgetting to take one out. We never charge our clients for photos though, that’s included in the fee. We’d only ask them to cover the cost if they decide to withdraw the property before the end of their contract.

I think it looks fab and the price is good too (although I don't know the area). I'm guessing potential buyers are focusing on Christmas and thinking about interest rates. Leave as is for now and make a push in the spring.

The main bedroom looks like it's small as the bed is pushed up against the wall. Also the lack of upper cabinets in the kitchen makes it look like there is very little storage.

However the house looks lovely otherwise.

I think it looks great for the price. Very few people are looking to move at this time of year but spring is coming
It's a fab price for a house that's about an hour on the high speed link from St Pancras. And 20 mins from Whitstable beach. Not a week goes by without someone on Mumsnet looking for just that combination.
Just don't have any wild New Year's parties!

To my mind a house that is in a village outside Canterbury is not competition for a house in the city of Canterbury, walking distance to train stations that offer a direct train service to London.

As to whether or not the OPs house is priced to sell in the current market I cannot say as I am not familiar with the property market in Canterbury, though I do know the city from going to university there back in the day. It's a very attractive city and OP has a lovely house. Two weeks on the market certainly isn't long enough to assume that it isn't priced to sell though especially now it is on at 700k. As I said in my previous post, 700k is a better price point than 725k because of Rightmove banding which goes up to 700k then up to 800k.

I had to go back and take a second look at the OPs link. It’s £450k not £700k. Or am I missing something?

Yes your right, I probably shouldn't have thrown in the curved ball of a property outside of town. I was looking at it from the perspective of how I might research in the surrounding area, rather than focusing on the OPs question which was about advice on the listing.
We had close family at Canterbury Uni so I know the area quite well.
I can reiterate that imo the biggest problem with the ops listing is simply the price. The listing is well enough done and gives plenty of information and detail, certainly enough to have brought in the pool of "hot potential buyers" over the first couple of weeks, however that hasnt happened. Its a nice house and should sell quickly if marketed at a competitive rate. Its not "priced to sell" at the moment - but equally that's not to say they won't get lucky, it may tick all the boxes for someone, but imo that would be lucky and shouldn't be expected to happen. Only the OP can decide how much they really want to move. My opinion is at the moment it's better to step back from the market if you can. Let the prices find the new level and let the market start moving again properly. Trading up the ladder is only going to get cheaper if you can wait. If you can't wait you need to be realistic about the reduced purchasing power of anyone borrowing to buy.

Twiglets1 is getting mixed up with another current thread. Easy mistake.

I also think you couldn't really improve on what you've done without spending unnecessary money. It looks lovely IMO and I think it's just the market coming up to Christmas.

We've just sold a property which our buyer, having looked for year, said was his dream home.

Yet it was two months before Sold STC appeared on the listing and in that time we only had three viewings.