House has been on for sale for nearly a year with no offers. Would love some feedback and advice!

[Veebie86]

We bought our 1850s 3 bed cottage in 2021 and although we absolutely love it, we got pregnant last year trying for our second and ended up having babies 2&3 in January! We have no family too close by (my parents are an hour away) so we sadly put our house on the market in early August last year to move closer to my family for support and to have more space than what we have currently for 3 under 3. In 9 months we’ve literally had just a handful of viewings with no offers. People constantly tell us how beautiful our home is (and we honestly love it, just wish it was bigger and closer to family)! We’ve tried two EAs who have both said it’s priced right for the area and the market and we can’t afford to drop any lower anyway to avoid making a loss (we’ve done work since moving including adding a downstairs toilet). We’re honestly getting so down about it now as our babies are just getting bigger so quickly and starting to feel like we’ll be stuck here forever. Link below and if anyone has any tips or feedback I won’t take anything personally and would just appreciate the help!
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/146014529#/?channel=RES_BUY

Why are there two bathrooms upstairs?! You also seem to have a huge hallway with no real purpose on the floorplan. Having to walk through two rooms to get from kitchen to lounge would put me off too I'm afraid. I think I'd just want a better layout for my money.

In 3 years it's gone from to £564,000 to £600K.

Very approx, you've increased by around 6.5% on what you paid.

That sounds quite low, especially as you've added a downstairs loo- spending maybe £2K?

Was it overpriced when you bought it?

why not? We have same- one's a full ensuite. I think the OP's is an ensuite to bedroom2- look at the doors on the plan.

I see it as walking from the hallway into the kitchen/diner and the same to get to the lounge.

Pretty much like any house.

It's not 2 rooms- it's a hall with a lovely fireplace leading into the kitchen and lounge

The hops need to go. You need better pictures of the kitchen and where the dining table is looks a squeeze and makes the space look smaller than it is. Other than that you have a gorgeous home that I would buy if located closer to me.

I think it’s a lovely house. It seems a shame to cover up the orangery windows- that’s one of the nicest bits. And definitely don’t paint beams.
The only thing I’d say could be improved is the kerb appeal. Put a few pots of flowers outside. The first photo of the front of the house is a bit stark.

Perhaps the fact that it’s a reasonably expensive house is slowing a sale down? Let’s face it, there are more people in the market for a cheaper house than a mid range or expensive one..

@Veebie86 it is a gorgeous home.

what I suggested to a friend in a similar
situation and what I would do is…

Write up some of the questions as a FAQ.
Get lots of fabulous pictures of your own if possible.
Add them to a public Facebook album or post /social media of choice.

add the estate agents link as well. But make sure you explain about everything they could want to know. Including getting a Sainsbury’s van down. ;)

My friend added a video walkthrough from her street and through the home to see how it flows.

You are selling them in the concept of living there. So maybe start to promote it yourself to your community of friends and family and ask them to share your post.

it’s how we (and friends) have found homes - rather than the estate agents listings.

would you not advise pressure washing the pavement?

I'd take feedback with a pinch of salt. I know it's difficult but agents often put pressure on people to say something , anything. Nobody wants to tell the truth, so it's easier to just make something up that's not 'too' hurtful.
Especially when your viewers are so spread out... Easy to tie the feedback to specific people.
It's different if it was a big open house.

Hi OP,
Your house looks lovely.
I'm sorry if I am repeating anyone as it is now a long thread but in the first picture the paving and wall look green - can you give them a jetwash?

I wouldn't have realised that the house is on a quiet residential street with only a few houses as from the frontage I assumed quite a busy main street or high street - I think because there appears to be no frontage. I'm not sure how you can get that across in the listing but the text could start "One of only 4 houses on this quiet mews street....." or whatever or a google earth picture pointing out the house maybe? The same goes for parking - looking at the front I would assume that there isn't any and although the listing mentions parking I would assume that the parking is not in front of the house.

In the previous listing advert I love the pictures of the double doors open to the garden both looking at the house and looking out of the house with those lovely windows beside the patio.

love this idea thank you. Not sure I’d love myself on camera doing a house tour video ha but would try to get over it for the cause! X

Feel your frustration. Wishing you the best of luck that you move soon! X

I agree!
Go back to using this agent but with the lower price.

First impressions is the street appeal is underwhelming. The first photo doesn't really invite me to look further honestly. I would pressure wash the green moss from the concrete and right hand side wall and maybe add one or two colourful pots at the front door. Nothing fancy, just simple things to brighten it up a bit and invite people to look into the rest of your photos. The inside looks beautiful. Good luck! We recently sold our home and it's so stressful.

You have a beautiful house OP and it will sell.

I haven't read the full thread but would just add that we have sold our 3 bed detached house in the south east in March. It was valued by one EA at £600k and one at £575k.

We needed to move so put it on at £575k. It sold within 24 hours to the first viewer.

Our EA's valuation letter said "Buyers in the current market are committing, but only where they see good value".

It was a huge relief to me to have sold it so quickly as it freed us up to move forward.

So I'd say look at the price above all else.

Best of luck.

Beautiful! I would buy it if I was up that way.

Just a few random thoughts that might tip the balance:

1. Price needs to go down by £50 to put it into the price bracket - search may have a max £6K and it might not show up. £599, 950 sounds so much cheaper (it is a psychological thing)
2. First find it! There needs to be a for sale sign at the end of the lane, and the address needs to add "off Hulme Hall Rd" Add an image of the street to Google maps - anyone with a Google login can do this, and people will look at the street before deciding to visit if they are out of area.
3. Say parking space, but not sure where? That is important.
4. Is is possible to jetwash the street and take another picture? The image is quite dull and also lifting it to sunshine would help
5. Are there overhanging trees opposite that make this mess, so could you insist they are pruned back?
6. Could you put a couple of pots outside to improve kerb appeal? It will take viewers' eye away from the ugly pipes next door. Is that gate yours? If so, perhaps a small potted tree in front of your neighbour's awful down pipe. And if they are willing, could you offer to touch up the bare bricks.
7. Is .....Cottage part of the address? It give the impression of small. Could you rename it .....House? Sounds grander.
8. They say a dark red door is a seller too - if it is wooden and paintable

Good luck! We were stuck in an area (Wales) that had a glut of homes for sale when the MOD closed, and after 10 months we put it in exchange and mart! That was pre-fb, so perhaps advertising it yourself? (We were contacted by a London paper, and sold in a week) Suggest perhaps Manchester paper or estate agent? You are commuting distance 10 mins from station 25 to central Manchester is a great selling point.

It would not let me add this to my previous comment

It is lovely as it is. Very gamely and uncluttered.
Add a bit of obvious sales colour, everything seems to be yellow now especially on yr blue sofa.
Look at other staged places like newbuilds, it's ridiculous how ppl will see it differently with a s0lash of colour!

I've just looked on Rightmove and your house, whilst full of character, is significantly smaller in square footage than other houses of similar cost. Personally I would take it off the market for a month or two then put it back up at £575k.

To me it feels like a lot of money for 3 bedrooms, one of which appears open access? If that’s wrong the I would explain that/have different pictures of the mezzanine bedroom.
Edited to add that the house looks lovely though!

Picturesque period properties always command a premium.

Not always. Our gorgeous 300yr old stone cottage with views to die for is valued lower than a new build in the village with a postage stamp garden, no views and no character.

@Veebie86 I think you have been very brave sharing your home and reading through the critique. It is a beautiful home and I hope you find the right combination of advice to secure you a sale.

How do you know it’s overpriced?

Not really. When you look on Rightmove, there are many larger, non-period, semi detached properties that have sold stc for £600k.

SOME people may pay more for period properties but as the OP has been on the market a long time, this would suggest it's overpriced and the character isn't making up for the smaller footprint.