Honest opinions on this listening

[Whytoday23]

House up for sale for a couple of weeks but only one viewing. The feedback was that kitchen is in the small side (fair comment, but potential for extension is there) and the fact that a nearby property is for sale at 650k (note that the said house is a 3 bed as it doesn't have a proper loft conversion). Is it simply the time of year or price. Note that the house had full rewire, every wall replastered, plumbing/new boiler/ heating system, a wood burner added and a garage conversion downstairs. Front and back garden with the potential for a double story extension (if more space is needed) as well as a lift conversion. So more value can be added over time.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/142007819

Don't know anything about pricing but gosh I didn't even manage through all the pics as there's just so much 'stuff' to get past first. I would suggest you do a thorough packing exercise and straighten that pink throw on the bed!

It is a slow time of year, without doubt.

But, one viewing in 2 weeks is disappointing, nonetheless. It's price, it's always, always price.

In many locations prices are down about 10% from last year, so whilst I can see you've spent money on the property since you bought it last year, the price hasn't appreciated as much as you're hoping for.

Appreciate a maximalist design is not for everyone one, anything else?

I thought your house is absolutely immaculate - I hadn't noticed the throw but that's all I can see now! Your garden is amazing. I wouldn't personally be thrilled about the fourth bedroom being downstairs, but otherwise it's a really nice house.

I do think this is the worst possible time of year to market a house.

OP, I think your house is lovely. You've got some beautiful things!

There's nothing in the listing that I would personally find too offputting, although I am surprised that the photographer didn't ask you to straighten that throw on the bed - that's the only thing that really jumped out at me, but it wouldn't stop me booking a viewing if I was looking in the area.

The time of year does have something to do with it, for sure. When I sold a few years ago, I was told by the agent that Rightmove records more hits on Boxing Day and New Years Day than any other days of the year, so hopefully you'll get a lot more interest then.

Also edited to add that the garden is beautiful as well. What a gorgeous home.

Ok, thank you all. I appreciate house prices stagnated since I bought. I am thinking a drop to 650k at boxing day, but the issue is any offers lower than that I will be selling at a loss after spending money on the property and would compromise what I can afford for my move. It seems that houses in the area I want to move to didn't budge much!

I was told by the agent that Rightmove records more hits on Boxing Day and New Years Day than any other days of the year, so hopefully you'll get a lot more interest then.

They come out with this every single year, but I can say that in my experience whilst hits might be up it has never translated in to enquiries. It's not until late Jan/early Feb when the market begins to wake up properly.

So potentially, I am better off taking the house completely off the market now and relisting in the spring?

I think it looks charming, just the kind of house I would love, but as it's down south it's about twice as much as I can afford. Luckily for me I'm looking in the Midlands! No idea what pricing is like in your local area, I assume you have checked to see if it's competive?

The garden is lovely, looks like a real oasis and very nicely kept. You've also decorated tastefully. The only thing I didn't like was the cupboard around the bathroom sink, clearly added on later. I don't really like that look, prefer a unit that comes with the sink built in, but obviously it has added storage and you have to work with what you've got. It's very very minor and probably most people wouldn't care.

The front of the house is attractive with plenty of 'kerb appeal'. Good luck with selling.

It looks like it's actually a 3 bed? And the third bedroom upstairs is tiny.

It would put me off as when I was looking for a 4 bedroom house I wanted 4 actual bedrooms, not a 2 1/2 bed with an extra room downstairs.

I'd take it off, change to a 3 bed, drop price accordingly and then re list in the new year.

It is lovely though, decoration is not what I would do but it does look beautiful. Might be worth decluttering a bit as people struggle to see past decor.

Quite possibly.

You've given it 2 weeks at £675k, and it's received next to no interest, despite being clearly well presented with perfectly reasonable photos. I would have thought a reduction of £675k to £650k isn't going to make a massive difference. Anyone who has got £650k is likely to be seeing the listing already.

Who knows whether things will be better in the spring, but you've tried now and it's not working. Options are either stick it out and hope for the best, but risk the listing becoming stale, or take it off and try again in 3 months time.

I think the house and garden looks lovely. For me the issue would be the kitchen as it has very little space to eat in and I couldn't see where the washing machine/dryer are. There also doesn't seem to be much storage in the kitchen. Or is there a larder? I see something on the plans marked as storage, but can't tell from photos.

From what I see you have another dinning table in the living room so the overall layout for a young family is a bit awkward and the extra room downstairs would not be the same as an upstairs bedroom. How does your price compare to a spacious 3 bed?
Honestly together with the unbalanced bedrooms upstairs I would be reluctant to pay more for your place than a well spaced 3-bed, with a large kitchen. I think this is something you might want to consider when pricing.

I don’t like your decor, the dark pain (especially on the ceiling) would put me off but I’m surprised you’ve not had more interest as it’s a good space.

I think it's a mistake to market, and therefore price, this property as a 4 bed. If I were looking for a 4 bedroom house and I clicked on yours to find that the 4th bedroom was actually downstairs it would be an automatic no for me.

I rarely think that much needs to be done other than a good tidy and then address the price as necessary Yours actually is in pretty good shape, but a couple of the photos aren't great, you need some full on photos of the kitchen not side angles. The only change I would make is to paint the main bedroom a different colour as it is so dark.

I am up the road from you. Next big town up.

The house is priced a too high, the max you would have achieved at the height of the boom is £650k.

This is a small 3 bedroom not a 4 bedroom house, sorry OP.

Also the house looks to cluttered, if I were you I would declutter and repost it in spring.

Pricing is similar to a 3 bed with a bigger kitchen diner. There is a tall larder unit in the kitchen as well as another storage cupboard by the door and the space under the stairs has a washing machine/dryer (again accessible from the kitchen). The kind of things that are difficult to showcase in plans/pictures!!

Wrong time of year and the economic climate.
House looks fine.
No idea what prices are like in Tonbridge, but that's a 3 bedroom house not a 4.
Kitchen looks ample to me, but big kitchen-diners are popular.
Only one bathroom.

3rd bed upstairs quite small
Only one bathroom
Study /bed 4 downstairs so not really a 4 bed house

I know people have different opinions about a bedroom downstairs, but with teenage kids it doesn't make much of a difference plus it makes a generous office for those who work from home. It is still additional space.

Yes that's true, but as the other upstairs bedroom is so small it's not really 3 bedrooms with an optional 4th, it's 2 decent bedrooms with 2 less than satisfactory bedrooms. It does make a difference at that price point.

Trouble is, plans/ pictures are what people are looking at.

I agree it’s a three bed and the room downstairs would be better dressed as an office and the third bedroom as a proper bedroom. The colours are too dark, even with the light on in the bedroom, it looks gloomy.

We’re in the south east and our house was valued at £625 in 2021-22. It has four upstairs bedroom, two bathrooms and a cloakroom, a large kitchen/ diner/ family room and a separate living room.I wouldn’t be looking for more than £550 now, which is why we aren’t trying to sell at the moment.

It's always the price though. As a comparison I sold a 3 bed/2 bath house less than a mile from the station in a naice commuter town on a fast line into London, excellent, popular schools etc. at the peak of the boom for 450k. Your house is only 4sq metres bigger overall than mine was and I had a much bigger proper eat in kitchen, 3 actually double sized bedrooms, one with an en suite, no work required - the other 3 bed houses listed locally to you are also probably overpriced, it's a stagnant market, are properties priced comparatively to yours actually selling?

Ok fair enough. I think the small bedroom upstairs is a decent size (at least by the standards in south east) and can easily take a small double. But always interesting to hear other people's opinions.

Agree that it's still additional space but personally for me I wouldn't consider it a 4th bedroom, so I wouldn't pay a 4 bedroom price for it.