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Original poster

Is a 'detached' house worth more to you ?? Any idea what this translates to in percentage terms?

14 replies

Lauriefairycake · 06/05/2008 11:50

I put my house on the market last week and we haven't even had one viewing yet. It's a detached cottage and all the other semis round about about (slightly bigger Victorians, slightly bigger gardens) are £30 grand more so we think ours is very reasonably priced. It was "valued" at £280,000 so we have put it on at £259,950 hoping to get £250k.

Are detacheds not worth more to people than semis/end terraces ?

OP posts:
LIZS · 06/05/2008 12:20

You'll be lucky to get 250 because of stamp duty. The others may be priced more but may more realistically achieve over 250 by negotiation. Psychologically it is a cut off and you haven't really left much leeway.

tbh the market is slow - next door went on the market about 6 weeks ago and has just had its first viewing, after a price reduction and going multi agency. In the cottage market I think being detached is less importnant than the overall style, size of plot and house, aspect etc.

Original poster
Lauriefairycake · 06/05/2008 12:35

That's it exactly, we don't want/expect to get more than 250k cos of stamp duty, that's why we didn't put it on at 280.

That's just tapped into all my worst fears, that if we had put it on at £280 then people would feel psychologically they would be getting a bargain if they got it for 250

Thought we were doing the right thing by putting it on at a realistic price

OP posts:
mummyjaguar · 06/05/2008 14:23

I think a realistic price is really important in this market to get people through the door. By putting it on at 259 you'll get people in who can only afford 250. If you'd put it on at 280 they'd think there was no point looking at it. However most people are looking for at least a ten per cent discouont at the moment to cushoin themselves against the falling market.

We sold our house in february within a week of it being on the market. We were advised to put it on at 400k. We ignored them and put it on for 420 and got 415.

Friends a few doors down have a very similar house. Same style, size and garden size. They were also advised to put their house on for £400. They ignored that advice and put it on for £389 to get the viewings. They got £365 for it.

Personally I think our approach was better given that it made us £50k!

oiFoiF · 06/05/2008 14:28

I think people are just frightened of buying atm There will still be people though and if yours is a bargain its a bargain whether its detached or not

GrapefruitMoon · 08/05/2008 07:36

How many bedrooms, etc Laurie? I think you live in the same county as me and certainly where I am 250 is quite low even for a 2bed terrace - maybe you have actually under-priced it and people think there is something "wrong" with it? What did the EA think about you putting it on the market at less than the valuation?

Fizzylemonade · 08/05/2008 12:33

The market is slow and there is a plethera of houses near to me that have been up for sale for months.

All have dropped their asking prices so they now all read "was previously marketed at ..." which means they are not willing to drop their price any lower so they are now priced to sell.

I would never want anything other than a detached property.

If you wanted £250k you should have put it on at £259 then people would think they were getting a good deal to go under the stamp duty £250k.

Has you EA actually contacted anyone on their list? Are they working for their commision? Has your property been advertised in the paper on internet sites?

Original poster
Lauriefairycake · 08/05/2008 19:26

Grapefruitmoon - It has 3 beds but its a cottage so small rooms. I'm in Hertfordshire, Hemel Hempstead. The photos are fine and its fairly clear from the photos that its very recently decorated. The estate agent said that it was tough at the moment and said if it was going to sell then getting 250 and not budging was the key.

Fizzy, we have done exactly what you said, we have put it on at £259 expecting and hoping to get 250

It has now been on a week but not in the paper yet (paper out but not delivered yet round here so it might be in) and we have not had one phone call.

It's on rightmove, it's the only one for sale at £259,950 (white detached cottage with blue door)

Can you both go and have a look please and tell me what you think....

OP posts:
LIZS · 08/05/2008 20:06

Not at all as I'd imagined ! It's nicely presented but tbh I'd remove the table from the lounge and present it as a spacious lounge. Do the stairs coem up from there? What is the flooring in the lounge? Not sure the garden pic is particularly good. What there is suggest it is noce but seems an awkward angled shot.

newgirl · 08/05/2008 20:26

I think detached is nice from a sound insulation point of view. It really depends what else is on the market for that money. Can people buy a new build with parking for that money? I like period properties myself - I just wondered what the competition was like?

Original poster
Lauriefairycake · 08/05/2008 22:19

Competition for the 250 mark is 2 bed flats new build (which they are currently building opposite), mid terraces, end terraces but in less desirable areas. There are no detacheds for that money and the closest cottagey type is end terraces but in less desirable areas.

Lizs, have taken all the units and the chair out so in one half of the lounge is just the table and chairs. It's varnished dark brown pine as flooring. The garden is small and that is probably as good a shot to get, that's a chicken walking up the path - bloody thing wouldn't go home for the pose

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GrapefruitMoon · 09/05/2008 13:03

I think it's lovely and in other towns in the area they would bite your hand off for that house at that price!

However I would echo what LIZS said about taking out the table and chairs in the lounge - would make it look more spacious and you might even be able to put in some sort of a screen/shelving unit to block off the front door a bit and make a pretend hall iyswim... the angle of the photos do make it look a narrow room... have you moved the table and chairs to be in front of the window now? Might be a good idea to make the EA work for their money and take more photos!

Friends of mine sold a small detached a while back - even though there were double yellow lines outside. The people who bought it had a small baby and were self-conscious about the crying disturbing the neighbours - but other people were put off by the parking issue. What is it like where you are?

Quattrocento · 09/05/2008 13:07

A detached house is worth quite a lot more to me

It means the DCs can do their piano practice at 6.30 am (their choice) without annoying the neighbours

It also means I can shout at DH

alfiesbabe · 10/05/2008 10:49

A detached house will automatically be worth more,but just a word of caution about thinking it answers all your neighbour problems. Friend of mine recently moved to detached, modern and on a small estate, but still living pretty much cheek by jowl as the houses are pretty close together. In this warm weather, she's realised that when your next door neighbours play their stereo with the windows open, it's not a lot different to being semi!! She was quite upset, trying to have a pleasant evening sat in the garden, to realise it was noisier than her previous house!
An older house is likely to have better soundproofing. Where we are at the moment is attached, but old, so rarely hear anything from next door. Our little hideaway in the country is detached and garden doesnt adjoin anyone either..... bliss!

newgirl · 10/05/2008 20:04

it sounds like your house is good value then so hopefully people will recognise that too. maybe not many viewings at the mo as the weather is so nice everyone is busy relaxing!

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