No viewings - please tell me what I need to change in house!

[Whywontitsell]

Desperately trying to sell a house that we've never lived in and is nowhere near where we're currently living. We move around with DH's job and have accommodation provided with that, so we bought the house 6 years ago to keep us on the ladder.

We've already dropped the price from £500k to £490k to now £475k, but there's just zero interest. It's definitely not looking its best having had (good) tenants in for the past few years - some dodgy curtains left up and some hanging off the track! So the pics definitely aren't selling it well.

We live about a 3 hour drive away but I have a week off soon. If I go through there to do some work - what would I be best to focus on? The showhome pics make it look so nice - I presume you can't add a link to these on the Rightmove ad? An empty house is just so unappealing...

I would really appreciate any advice...

House:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/143709212#/?channel=RES_BUY

@Whywontitsell
Also there is no EPC included or even just the A-G rating. That would be something I would want to know.

There is a cloakroom on the floorpan, but no photograph. So, we are left wondering whether this is a space off the utility room to hang coats or a downstairs lavatory which would be far more useful? Why no photographs of either utility or cloakroom?

The front of the house is charming but the driveway could use a power wash.

The back of the house doesn't appear to match with the front view. One suggests that it is open to the street at one side and the other suggest that is is wedged between 2 houses.

The curtains in photos 2 and 3 give a first impression of white curtains with a serious mould problem.

Try and fix the upstairs dodgy curtains, otherwise you could probably just take them down and people will see there are rails to hang new curtains.

Back garden looks like a major job to get rid of moss but unless you have someone coming to look after it regularly there's probably no point in tackling it.

Easy fix for carpets - would probably benefit from being vacuumed patiently in the same direction.

I think the kerbside appeal is really good, its lovely. Looks solid and classic. Redrow also has a good reputation (where I am.) I think take it off the market until Easter and put on with a new agent and new picures. Treat the mossy grass now and then put out an outdoor table and chairs and some potted plants as you relaunch. I'd also get a painter in to spray paint the whole inside (its super quick and has a great finish), professionally clean the carpets and take the curtains down. This wouldn't cost much at all. I'd go for a lower guide price and then do open day style viewings so viewers see there is competition and that could possibly bump your price up. With current financial climate though you can only influence so much. Good luck!

Ahh ok, the en suite on the plan on yours looks like it only has room for a toilet and a sink. If there is also a shower in there you should ask the agent to add a photo of that. Though I do now see it in the discription. That would definitely help, seems lazy of the agent to leave that out if its actually a toilet, sink and shower room ? Pick them up on it, many people will have assumed the same as I did when flicking through the details. Also get them to add a photo of the walk in wardrobe

I am pretty sure the carpets have been professionally cleaned already, which is why I suggested changing them (and the colour is awful). As I say, I have flipped, ie done up and sold on a few houses and in my experience a redecoration, new flooring (bar the kitchen), removing curtains and lampshades will give the impression the house is move in ready. This is in my experience what puts the most value on a property. People are not bothered about showcasing gardens. It just needs to be neat and the patio / windows clean.

I think it's had a couple of viewings.

You just need staging , if you want to change something then take away the carpetes and put flooring down as I think most people don’t really do carpet on the living areas .
Above all check other houses around , there is one very close with a bigger garden similar size at 450 k . If the house is not priced right it won’t sell .
good luck . It’s a lovely house

I live in a slightly more expensive location and 3 beds here are being listed between 400 and 450k so I would say you are looking at 450k max. I wouldn't bother about the staging tbh, as someone currently looking it doesn't bother me at all if somewhere is empty (in fact even better), if it's in someone's price bracket they will view.

I think you were wrong to photograph and market it with dirty carpets and no staging if you wanted a decent price for it. I'd always spend two or three weeks getting a property ready to achieve the best price. Only if I was ill in hospital or something would I put it up as the tenants had left it and expect a minimum hit of £30-40k on the price. But I'm happy to do work for that amount of money.

The short curtains and cheap light fittings make it look unloved. I'd either get the carpets cleaned or replace them. The grey laminate is dated too. You need to at least stage the sitting room, kitchen and master bedroom. Square panelling on one wall of the sitting room is popular at the moment for just the cost of some mdf strips and paint. Anything to make it look a bit more show home and less tenants-were-here.

and??? what feedback did you get?!

At a minimum I’d remove all the curtains and put up a small cheap but charming chandelier in the living room and replace other lights where you can.

When I first flipped a house, I thought it needed staging. Houses do not need staging. The grey flooring I’m presuming is vinyl plank flooring and would be quite an expense to change. I would only do it if it’s very tired or damaged otherwise I’d roll with it as there’s a question as to whether you’d get your money back. Just ensure it’s in good shape.

I can't see anything wrong. The kitchen and bathroom look in good condition so liveable while the buyer does it up. it's a bit dated but most decorate to their own taste anyway. It's a blank canvas the garden is tidy. I don't know the area so don't know if that's a reasonable price. For a detached 3 bed that's about what we pay in our area in the north and houses go for less than a lot of areas in the UK.

buyers aren’t dumb

staging is daft

this house is tatty and no amount of staging is going to conceal that. It will entice people in with misleading photos but as soon as they walk in the door they will be disappointed

describe as a cosmetic reno job with loads of potential and it will get interest

Slash the price and get rid, would be my preference.

Alternatively, invest some time and money into making it look amazing. It's a good looking house from the outside.

It looks cold, the grey toned flooring everywhere isn’t doing any favours. I’d swap the kitchen flooring to a warm coloured wood effect laminate, and the carpets to a cream/beige if you can.

id Count it as an extra bathroom, as your en suite only has a toilet and basin by the look of the layout.

the particulars state

• *HIGH SPECIFICATION*

🤔

En-suite has a shower

Your OP title literally starts “no viewings”!

The en-suite has a shower too.

well noted!

so if ZERO viewings in 4 months

Then something is quite seriously amiss. and we all know what that is… price

Thanks, missed that on the description, and the room looks far too small on the floor plan to have more than a toilet and basin. I think dimensions would really help!

so the couple of viewings you now think you’ve had

no feedback at all?

Two viewings in 4 months might as well be none. A very slight exaggeration.