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

This. Your house is worth closer to 10% less than you paid in 2021, not 10% more. Plus, adding a WC was a bad idea - who wants to sit on the loo next to a huge window facing the road?

Just looked again. Hadn’t appreciated that the third bedroom was a mezzanine room presumably no door to separate. That, for me, would make it feel like a 2 bedroom, 1 with a mezzanine ‘area’. Sadly then I have to agree with others, it’s overpriced for a 2 bed detached in Cheadle.. Sorry, I’m sure that’s the last thing you want to hear.

The benefit of having the floor plan is surely that people can see that the third bedroom is bedroom+mezzanine. Currently arranged with bed on top and office below, but could be swapped around. I’d LOVE this. Bedroom and private sitting room combined (I’d put the office somewhere else).

There is very clearly a blind at the window. The very first photo shows you can't see in and it's a no-through road anyway.

The mezzanine isn’t over the lounge. The 3rd bedroom (which is behind a door) is divided into 2 levels. It’s a completely private room that happens to be over 2 floors.

The OP happens to be using the downstairs bit as an office but it could be used as a little private sitting room or a dressing room (or a bed space with the upstairs used for the dressing area).

There’s a door. Also it’s completely separate to the other two bedrooms.

Ah!

When people say 'It's always the price' what they mean is 'It will sell if you give it away'. Of course a house will sell if it's priced low.

Yes, a house will sell at a low price- who wouldn't want to snap up a bargain and flog it again a year later?

The point about the price is - does it sit right for the area and other houses of a similar price and size.

Haven't read your full thread but I'd try marketing it with pics of cars parked. Imo I'd be wondering where the parking was or shared access etc. Good luck tho, I don't have the money and wrong area, but its lovely.

Unfortunately some people are just terminally stupid and can't even see what is right under their noses.

Several hundred people with not a single one finding the (now blatantly obvious) floor plan and directing everyone else to it? Hardly likely, is it?

Lowering the price doesn’t always work anyway. Instead, attract more visitors.

• Home stage to publish more attractive photos. It’s like with dating apps—you’ve got to attract a lot of dates before you can find the perfect match. Your photos form the first impression which will get you more dates—or none. If possible, create a 360-degree virtual visit, for example, on Matterport. You can DIY or get help from a provider to do this.
• If you can’t afford help homestaging, glean ideas from pinterest, etc. It doesn’t have to be necessarily costly; inside you can use throw rugs, coverlets, cushions and wall art to add color and interest, outside use potted plants, bushes, climbing plants (with flowers, for example), garden furniture, maybe even fake or instant grass (sold in rolls). It is possible to buy very nice things used, then upcycle, repurpose, repaint, etc.
• If your advert has been published for a long time, people might assume the house is still on the market because there is something wrong with it. Consider withdrawing your advert for a month or so, taking completely new and better photos, and republishing a highly polished version in a wide swath of media relevant to your potential buyers. If
• If this doesn’t generate more visits, try new strategies. If you are exclusively selling by owner, hire a non-exclusive EA to expand your reach. If you are already using an EA, find a more motivated / competent one.

Orangery?

Definition of :

An orangery or orangerie is a room or dedicated building, historically where orange and other fruit trees are protected during the winter, as a large form of greenhouse or conservatory.[1] In the modern day an orangery could refer to either a conservatory or greenhouse built to house fruit trees, or a conservatory or greenhouse meant for another purpose.

Current use of the orangery usually indicates a conservatory type space/extension but with more wall/roof and less glass.

Missed. My fault.

I think that the issue is that it's a niche house. It's in Cheadle Hulme but walking to nearby things is hampered by the busy road without pavements. It's detached but you don't have a lot of outside space. It's a beautiful cottage but it's near the airport, busy main road, busy school so maybe it's not as tranquil as people wanting a beautiful cottage may want. The thing is with a niche house is that lowering the price might not do anything, as you just have to wait for someone who wants the things your niche house has to offer. Good luck with the sale, it really is beautiful.

Needs new outside photo taken on a sunny day. Remove moss and add topiary tree/bushes in pots either side of front door. Try taking a photo on an angle too.

Never have I ever wanted £600k more. It's gorgeous! Love the mezzanine bedroom.

I'm at a loss why you haven't had any offers though.

Instead of selling the house, why not sell off a couple of the offspring or the husband? Plenty of room then!! 😉

At the risk of incurring the wrath of someone as I have not read all the posts, one thing I like when looking at a property is a virtual tour. The one when you are in control and can move from room to room and take your time. The ones where they just use a smart phone and whizz around in 30 seconds are a waste of time. I think the useful ones use a drone. It doesn't look like your estate agent had been busting a gut to get you a sale.

So why aren't all downstairs loos built with massive windows facing the road?

What a bizarre comment.

@Silentwitless totally agree. I said similar higher up the thread. Obviously price is a factor but you need to look at the market who this property will appeal to and THEN the price. If someone has a classic car needing garaging, the house won’t appeal at any price - you’d need to give it away to get that person to sell the classic car. If someone hates being on a flight path, you’d need to pay them to live there, a lower price won’t cut it. And totally agree re: the cottage/historic element driving expectation of a rural area and creating disappointment for some that price won’t make up for. You see this with bigger properties; footballers mega-mansions sit on the market for years too, waiting for the right person to come along. They are not going to be sold off for twopence h’appeny because the market is small.

@Veebie86 if I were you I’d ask Mumsnet to take this threat down now. It’s vey public and identifying.

Go to auction. Often you will get a good offer before auction starts. Worked for me!

Previous agent took better photos and had a floorplan, so it's price I'm afraid.

May be some PPs have pointed out the entrance of the street from HH road would already put many people off for this price tag. Do take a look on Google maps. Sorry to OP but this is something not fixable, same as no off street parking, no matter how nice the house is.