Why has no one viewed my house?

[CinnamonSwirlLatte]

Previous marital home has been on Rightmove for a month. Thousands of clicks but not one viewing.

Already reduced by 15k.

I'd love to know what's going wrong - although it's going to be very difficult to amend/improve anything as my controlling ex husband lives there!

Thanks

4 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Maple Avenue, Keelby, DN41 (rightmove.co.uk)

Apart from all the practical tips which people have given you (none of which unfortunately you are in a position to implement because of your ex being in residence), I think your biggest problem is that he has instructed Purple Bricks and that he is planning on doing the viewings himself. They are useless as an agent and it only really works when you have motivated sellers who are really bigging up the house to all potential viewers and answering any questions in a timely fashion. it doesn't seem like your ex has any incentive to move from the house so is probably doing a dreadful job of arranging viewings or being positive about the house. Is there any chance that you could get a friend unknown to him to call and try to arrange a viewing so you can see what kind of response they get?

People may have always chosen to use them as bedrooms since the house was built. ..They may even have been planned as bedrooms when the house was built, but honestly if I was looking at a house that had no downstairs bathroom, I wouldn't be thinking of downstairs rooms as bedrooms whatever they are used for. And I say this as someone who turned my dining room into a bedroom when that was needed.

good idea.

Like others I missed bedroom 4 (and I love a floor plan). I also struggle a bit to imagine measurements in metres whereas feet and inches I can visualise (but that may be my age)

No it’s not! DS, who’s in his 30s, feels the same. Metric just gives you a number where imperial breaks down into more manageable chunks.

I’m not sure purple bricks is an attempt at sabotage. And not just a financial decision. Six children is a lot and costs a lot of money. even in child maintenance, so he maybe skint.

To be fair, the house is spotless and tidy, yes the garden is neglected. But he’s clearly cleaned and tidied for the pics. It’s dated and it’s not faired well since the last owners, but I’d say from the way it’s all tidy and cleaned that’s someone wanting to sell.

Well in theory yes but unless he's overpaying (highly unlikely) it's only likely to be a couple of thousand a year & for all you know he could have downgraded to interest only. Honestly OP I'd be focusing your energy on working out what this is going to cost you financially and making him an offer to buy you out as if he's adamant it's worth £200k when in reality it's probably more like £175k on a good day.

for argument's sake working on £200k and a £75kmortgage. That's £125k & I think you said you have been awarded more than 50% for 60/40 should give you £75k and him £50k.

But if the true value is £175k less £75k mortgage £100k is £60k for you and £40k for him.

So tell him you'll accept an offer to buy you out of 50% of the £200k which is £62k each which IMO is more than you'd get if you left it to sell on the open market in it's current condition, you can walk away, move on with your life and hopefully have enough for a deposit somewhere.

Prices went up because of cheap lending (rates were near zero in 2017) free Covid money to stay at home and the Stamp Duty Holiday, none of those things are present in today"s market (well the borrowing is still cheap by historical standards but not if you are used to the near zero interest rate years) that is why I am saying that an extra 60k might be hard to pull off.

@CinnamonSwirlLatte your ex is a total bastard. (If he doesn’t know where you are could you ask MN to take down your post that gives your current location?)

Given what you’ve said about him on this thread, I can’t see him taking on board any advice or going with a proper agent. Perhaps best to wait a little longer then go back to the court/go through a solicitor citing the lack of viewings/him being obstructive to force it to go to auction. It might achieve a lower price but you’d be done with him for good.

This is absolute nonsense. House prices go up, as a general trend, it's inflation. According to Nationwide House Price Index calculations this house is valued about right, it shows approx £192K based on the previous valuation in 2017.

No, the inflation link ended with the cheap debt era, there is no way that wages rose enough in that era to cover the house price rises that we saw, and that is why people now hoping that wages will replace a global debt bubble and support house prices will be disappointed.

So if it is correctly valued demand must have fallen in that area?

You will know that house prices generally and usually outstrip inflation in any case. This house is being marketed at a fair rate IMO. The listing is crap though.

The only true way to answer this is when someone buys it?

It's only been a few weeks with a bad listing, I don't think OP needs to panic.

I hadn’t clocked no downstairs bathroom! Makes perfect sense 😊

I think the listing is OK, but no they don"t need to panic yet.

2017 was definitely a good time to buy, but he sold earlier this year for a quite substantial amount more. Though I think it was probably more a sellers market earlier in the year than now.

Probably, but I think that was because people were being bombarded with the "multiple rate cuts coming" mantra by the media, now they are hearing BOE talking about potential "credit crunch" and are much more hesitant to take on big mortgage debt.

I would do the fake viewing thing but then he'll think we're getting viewings and he doesn't need to listen to any of my ideas. I'm being ignored by his stepdad so far. Of course there's a downstairs toilet. I insisted on having one put in lol

Also sadly I would only get a maximum of around 49k, once fees etc are paid

The photos are awful and in all honesty, reading such appalling English in the description would probably initially make me think it was some sort of scam!

You could argue that kids toys, wardrobe and the "busy" wallpaper don"t need to be there but for me the sitting room, kitchen and bedrooms are tidy and well presented, it is obviously a bloke"s space for doing blokey things like sitting watching TV, cooking or going out to work from, a new buyer will put heir own stamp on it.

with respect, a toilet is not a bathroom.

Obviously?

Honestly OP, I'd take the financial hit just to be rid of him.

It needs to either have £30k+ knocked off to sell or it needs a total overhaul. I looked locally and you're unlikely to sell for the £200k in the area when that much redecorating needs doing and the listing is as is. I also agree the playroom needs to be written off as either a 2nd lounge or dining room.