Why is my house not selling?!

[ThePandoricaOpens]

We've had our house on the market since September and have only had one offer - 40k under asking price! We're thinking we may have to drop the price in the new year, but houses are so expensive around here that we may not be able to afford what we want if we do. We're looking to 'upgrade' to a 4 bed with a bigger garden and will have to add a further 160-200k to our sale price! Feedback so far has been - garden is too small and bedrooms are too small (wich is why we want to move). We want a new build (?!) We feel like people are just wasting our time! https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/152025230?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

Thanks for all the comments, I didn't expect so many! Most of them are extremely helpful, a few not so, and others a little rude (but what did I expect!)
I'm going to address a few questions, but first, yes we will drop the price in the new year - we really want to sell it before stamp duty changes!

Firstly a lot of people are comparing it to prices of houses close by - on looking at some of these they are the same size but need A LOT of work. Over the last 2 years we've had new windows and doors, new guttering and fascias, downstairs loo refurbed, garden done (I know people hate the grass, but it works for us with a digging dog and I'm sure it wouldn't cost much to turf it) and the back of the garage extended to make more storage room and decorated 'most' of the house! Anything left to do with be mostly cosmetic. Also I think if people aren't familiar with the area, it's very difficult to compare prices. A couple of people local to me have pointed out houses in the same town with similar prices that aren't in such a nice area (thank you!) The EA recommended this price - we didn't. From all the feedback we've had, only one person said the price was too high. This is the feedback from the EA - 'we’ve had varying degrees of feedback, some regarding the area (fairly close to a road), some regarding the size of the garden and the 3rd bedroom, and other elements that are ultimately out of your control.'
I'm not going to start knocking the kitchen around and putting in breakfast bars and hidden white goods - it just make sense to spend money on it. I get what everyone says about the fridge, but there really isn't anywhere for it to go and in reality it's not so bad. It's not actually just plonked in the middle of the kitchen, there's a wall behind it. If you look at the kitchen/diner it is pretty big, but we have furniture in all the other spaces. The new owner could put their fridge anywhere else. If we'd had the money we probably would have put units all round!
It has never and will never flood - it's approx 1.5 miles from the river! The canal is at the bottom of the road (a beautiful walk), but that won't flood.
House definitely doesn't smell of dog - I've asked for many opinions!
Coats - yes I'll move them and maybe pack away. I'm going to turn the bed the other way round or maybe get a smaller one.
Think I've answered most things?!

Good to be sorting the kitchen area - only two rooms downstairs isn’t a selling point imho (unless it’s an old terrace two up two down - I like these houses btw for the character). Will you get quotes for removing the astroturfing? You’ve a good house and it looks well done and homely.

"This is the feedback from the EA - 'we’ve had varying degrees of feedback, some regarding the area (fairly close to a road), some regarding the size of the garden and the 3rd bedroom, and other elements that are ultimately out of your control."

I think the point you are missing is when people say the garden is too small (and all the other things like being too close to the road) is what they really mean is the garden is too small for the price we are willing to pay and they think they can get something elsewhere better for their money - therefore yours is overpriced to them.

Nobody really needs a big garden. Otherwise half the world would not be able to live in apartments. If people don't have money to afford big gardens then they have to put up with what they can afford for their money. If they can then they buy a house with one.

It's not rocket science.

@ThePandoricaOpens The other houses that sold certainly need more work, but it doesn’t make anywhere near £100k of difference to the value.

In fact when we sold our house, the estate agent told me they value the house based of square footage and location. They said any modernisations actually add very little to the value, they just make it easier to sell.

There's nothing wrong with the house, although I also thought the coats looked out of place and pointed to a lack of storage for them. I did also notice the change in flooring between dining area and kitchen.

It'll be price unfortunately.

The fridge would look better turned to face the kitchen and with a tall bookcase to the rear

It's cluttered
The fake grass will need replacing at expense
The open plan kitchen diner is off-putting
The colour scheme needs whitewashing, it's too much work and expense to redecorate straight after moving
It's overpriced.

The property in Austwick Close is on a 'Guide Price' and so cannot be easily compared. The OP gaff looks very presentable and I would say it's only a matter of time before it sells.

I think of all the houses that have been posted on here there have been maybe 2 I have seen where it is probably not the price.

One was very difficult to value - the old larger property with the small garden next to the road. Very difficult to figure out what the price of that should be as there was nothing comparable in the area and it was hard to know how much to discount for the small garden and road. A very unique property in many aspects with a lovely decor, but very difficult to value.

Tbh, it doesn't look worth the asking price. The outside isn't very attractive. This would put me off.

Thing is you can change little things here and there but they won’t really add much value. It is always going to be the price if it isn’t selling. Estate agents put a value on it but it is often on the higher end and is still a best estimate evaluation.

I think you have to be cautious about assuming that doing £x of work means you’ve added £x of value in the eyes of a potential buyer.

OP could you extend the side of the kitchen units with a worktop with a back on and have an under counter fridge and freezer? Put a low wide bookcase along the dining room side as pp suggested.
also a cupboard for the coats and shoes, maybe one that looks more like a kitchen dresser type?

Re. decluttering, my friends recently sold their house after doing 18 viewings in one weekend, as they have small kids and didn't think they could keep it tidy longer term. They roped in all their friends and neighbours to take their stuff, including friendly neighbours storing their wheelie bins, loads of toys and furniture, and an actual boat.

It depends what is under it
Some has all the soil removed and concrete laid

How much time though? It's been on since September. It's a good location, and houses don't typically hang around for that long in Warwick. There will be plenty of other houses on that estate to choose from, so buyers don't need to compromise.

Given there's nothing fundamentally wrong with it, it is clearly just overpriced for what it is. Sure, OP could hang on and hope for the same price, but that would just be hanging on whilst the market rises, and what ever she's looking to buy will have increased in that time anyway.

If you want a new build, look for part exchange deals. That is preferable to you dropping the price on the open market. If you can find a new build you want, get part exchange then you know exactly the price to change.

Re the fridge, can you upload a picture of what it looks like from the other side (i.e. from the kitchen side). If, as you say, it's not too bad, then perhaps it is just that the pictures on the listing need updating so it doesn't stand out so much.

I agree that from the floorplan it might be better on the wall along the stairs, but I'm guessing there's no power over there?

I think that room is really lovely otherwise. I'm jealous of the worktop space!

Whoosh! ..

A buyer could, if they chose to, extend the worktop beyond where it is currently and create enough space for an under-counter fridge and/or freezer. They could leave it where the dotted line is in my very rudimentary diagram, or they could extend it outwards and make it more of an island with some bar stools on the other side. Or they could make it a solid island and have more cupboard space or add another fridge or wine cooler.

So while I initially said I wouldn't be interested because of the fridge, now I've thought about it a bit more, I think there is more that can be done without redoing the whole kitchen. Yes, it would cost a buyer some money (am definitely NOT suggesting OP should be doing anything), but no matter what house you buy, at some point you're going to want or need to change something.

kitchen very nice
dining area move all those coats at least for viewings
office clear most that clutter and plants
downstairs think too many pot plants few are nice too many Kew Gardens
bedroom move that screen thing emphasises how small bedroom is
bathroom quite neutral
garden too split up move that big sofa maybe put at side and move those pots apart instead of all clumped up in a corner you need to keep it minimal to look spacious

The thing is a lot of buyers don't have imagination. or they get put off by random things. "Scary dog house" or "huge fridge house". You are outgrowing your house and it shows and makes it look small. Thinning out the possessions/extra furniture will make a FTB or someone looking for a 2/3 bed think "yes I can live with this". And better photos will get them viewing in the first place. I've only just noticed you have a garage (excellent) - you should give the size of it.

The estate agents description is crappy and full of spelling mistakes. "flashback" "befools" they should be doing better for you. If you have an induction hob it should say.

AstroTurf- sorry but I wouldn't even consider it. Automatically takes it out of the running for me. I'm not trying to be critical just pointing out that for many people it's a massive turn off. As far as I understand it's actually either hard to remove or expensive to remove or both, hard and maybe expensive to properly dispose of, and it will leave a polluting plastic residue in the soil that I would find it hard to forget about.
Any chance of you removing and replacing with actual grass?
I just wonder how many of your potential buyers are being put off by it?

Significantly bigger maybe, it's definitely not nicer

I know it’s not the point and there are lots of things I love about your house, but what is going on with the bed screen? Is it just me getting c-section theatre flashbacks?

I wondered what that was too.