I think she’s doing the right thing- reducing heavily- but agree with others that she may either need a sense check about the house price at the moment, or if not she should stay there for a couple of years if she doesn’t need to sell.
The market for this type of property is crap at the moment. Mortgage rates are high. Heating is expensive. Builders are non-existent, or incompetent and always really expensive. Large gardens are not universally sought after, people really want something they can look after themselves and sit in the sun. People are being called back into the office, and those that aren’t are most attracted by somewhere with a coffee shop/ high street etc in walking distance.
I am probably target market for somewhere like this (young kids, lived in London for a bit) but for me it wouldn’t work at this price because of the bedrooms and the fact that although it’s really clear that the house has been loved, I would probably have to start again with quite a bit of it (like the new extension, kitchen and bathrooms). I also agree that the blue lettering is off putting- and no way is that original. I would expect all of this to be priced in but it doesn’t look like it has been.
What houses nearby sold for 2-3 years ago is irrelevant as the country wasn’t in recession, it was before the truss budget and the Ukraine war and the covid “live rurally and wfh” bubble hadn’t burst.
I like St Albans but for that money I’d be going for something in town where I could walk to the station, with more facilities nearby and without the need to do work.
I’m not saying this to put the boot in but if your mum does want to move she may need to sell for less than she expects, or wait the market out.